Zep makes an acid called Zep alum for cleaning aluminum parts. Dilute it per the instructions, spray on from a spray bottle, and rinse. It works awesome to get the original finish back. If you make friends with the wash guys at the truck stop, they may have something similar they use on 18 wheeler wheels, and fuel tanks. You could also glass bead the parts, but the glass is hard to get out from the inside of the intake, and will raise hell with the engine internals.

 

Any updates?

 

Not much to update at the moment. I have everything for the motor cleaned up and painted. It's partially put back together. A lack of funds has temporarily put the project on hold for a few weeks. I should be starting it back up again in the very near future though. I'm waiting until I get the new A/C compressor before I put the motor back in. I don't want to try to install it with the motor in the car since it's so tight.

 

I've been thinking a lot about what direction that I want to take the car. I'm wanting to step way outside the box and do something very different with it. I'm thinking VERY seriously about completely changing the look of the car. The nose that I currently on the car looks decent but it is warped and bent out of shape in a few areas. So, I've been thinking that I'll just fab a new one out of metal.

I'm pretty sure I'll get flamed for even considering doing this but, it's something that I'm 100% certain that I can pull off as long as I can get all of the proportions right. I'm a custom sheet metal fabricator by trade, and have all of the proper tools and equipment available to make it happen. I just have to do it on my own time after work or on the weekends.

I'm going to attempt this:



The front and rear panels will be made out of sheet metal. I'm also thinking about welding them into the fenders/quarters so that the body is completely seamless.

I've also picked out a color for the car. I'm going with Lamborghini Verde Ithica, or maybe the lime green from the Ford Focus. Something like this:

 

sounds like an interesting build. Hopefully you won't go too far out of bounds like those folks did at Rad Rides. Although the metal work is out of this world, the concept got out of hand.

 

 

I'm not going to change the lines of the car, just changing the front and rear facias. The mirrors might get changed. The antenna will get shaved and the door handles will either get shaved or replaced with something flush mount. I'm pretty much going to copy the picture.

 

I don't think you'll get the proportions right; the head and tail lights of the 5th gen are just too big as it is.

The rear concept above looks good though, but I don't think it will look that good in reality.

It's a thirdgen, keep it a thirdgen.

 

If someone could find it in their heart to ship me a nice thirdgen nose for free, I'd do that. But, I can't find a decent one that people aren't extremely proud of. Fabbing the bumpers will cost me $0.

I need to replace the all of the lights anyway so I already have that cost figured in. The 5th gen lights might be the wrong size to fit. If so, then I'll just have to either mod them, find some different ones to mod, or just fab some up. This isn't an overnight build so I'm already prepared to take my time and make sure I get it right. Who knows, I might have to heighten the fenders and mod the hood accordingly. But, from looking at the car for a while today and visualizing in my mind I'm thinking it can be done by just replacing the bumpers.

I could also go with more of a 1st gen look, too. Maybe pull all of generations together into a concept closer to what GM should have went with instead of the big, bulky, awkward looking car that they produced.

 

Wait what year is your vert? I have a '87 nose from my donor car that I am not going to use. Im not 100% of the condition but Im pretty sure its not that bad. It's from a TA as well

 

It's an 88 RS, so it wouldn't work.

 

Looks good so far, I can't wait to see how your designs turn out. I love those concept cars..

 

In for updates... Good score on the car!

 

What a steal....updates

 

FYI, they did not make an RS in 1988, only irocs and sport coups. the non iroc convert was considered a sport coup.