chazman

iTrader: (4)

That's for sure!

I'm half way down the third row. In the first row about 8 or 9 cars down is a blue, 1989, IROC, convertible, 5 speed. How often do you see two, '89, IROC-Z, 5 speed convertibles at one cruise night?

chazman

iTrader: (4)

A question for you guys, which I may or may not listen to.

The first thing I did with my other '89 when it was new, was clean off the mold release from the rubber intake. The convertible still has the mold release on it.


Do I leave it or clean it off?

vinny R

I would clean it. I always wondered what that white stuff was from. It is true you do learn something new everyday!

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Some random pics from yesterday....


As I've mentioned in the discussion on the COTM voting thread, https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...tm-voting.html , note how flat the headlight pockets are from the factory. I've changed my cleaning technique to keep them that way, as well as the louvers and grill.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Factory radio back in.

At first I thought I'd keep the Alpine for a while, simply for it's blue tooth. But then I realized that I drive it with the top down and the blue tooth is actually worthless to me.

I've got to go back in there and see where/what they did with the factory antenna cable.

What a shame to have to unscrew what a previous owner did to an essentially new car.

KMK454

Car looks great! Still has a California plate, too.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Thanks Kurt. Yeah, I figured I'd keep the original California plate on the car. You can in Illinois, as long as your antique plate is in the car.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Wow...that's an unheard of level of cooperation for the Illinois SOS. Glad to hear that.

ev305tpi

iTrader: (3)

Looks great Charlie!!

Polo Z03

iTrader: (1)

Isn't that the whole syory about restoring a car? But I feel our pain.


And that's about where the SOS cooperation ends. . . But you are right it is pretty cool that you can link any plate back to your antique IL plate.

Car is looking great Charlie, someday I'm going to see it in person.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Thanks Erik.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Andy, we live so close to each other. Swing by anytime!

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Ok audiophiles, I need some help.

It looks like the factory antenna cable has been modified with an adaptor to fit the Alpine unit. How should I proceed to convert it back so I can plug it into the factory radio?

Chopski

iTrader: (1)

That adapter just won't pull loose from the original connector?

Chopski

iTrader: (1)

I literally just was dealing with the antenna on my car as I had the antenna shaved. Anyways the original end is pretty short like maybe 3/4" after the bend. Looks to me like it is just plugged into an adapter and don't be surprised if it doesn't come out easily. Give it a good tug and it should come apart.

Chopski

iTrader: (1)

By the way beautiful vert. I had the exact same color combo on my '89 convertible. Mine unfortunately was an auto and TBI (bah). Had 30k on it when i sold it about 12 years ago. Should of kept it. White is my favorite color on the IROC's.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the tip! I got it off. Just wasn't sure how much force to use.

Now to figure out what's wrong with the front and rear right side speakers. The right front is staticy so it must be blown, the RR doesn't work at all.

KMK454

That's really cool! I've heard of allowing antique plates from within the state, but never anything like that. A CA plate seems appropriate for a white IROC convertible.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

This whole stereo thing is a bit out of my wheels house. The passenger side front and rear speakers have a lot static and not a lot of volume. I rechecked the head unit and everything is hooked up correctly. I removed the passenger front speaker, (which is the most staticky) and it looks fine. I hooked up a different speaker to that position and it performs the same. So must not be the speaker.

Any ideas. Pinched speaker wire somewhere?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Typical failing mode of the Delco radio. You've probably got a few broken solder joints.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

So how do you fix that, the radio, I mean?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Throw it away and grab another from the stack in the corner... I'm only slightly kidding, because the quick and easy fix is replace the radio with one that works. The expensive fix is trying to find someone who repairs radios and have them repair it. You could take it apart and look for the problem, but I wouldn't bother.

You might try gently bumping it around a bit. If it is a loose solder joint the problem will come and go. Last one I had like that was so bad the display would turn to gibberish and it'd change stations on it's own, or the volume would freak out.

A buddy of mine had at least 20 delco radios stacked in a pile. One day I watched him put at least 8 different ones into an 86 Z28 before giving up and swapping in an aftermarket radio. All of them had some combination of no FM, a missing channel (or two, or three), or volume controls that adjusted themselves.

yaj15

iTrader: (3)

http://www.mnrelectronics.com/factroy-radio-repair/

I'd recommend the company above. They rebuilt my factory radio and it looks and functions like new.

GASPEDDLER

iTrader: (2)

Charlie, 84ta went through my entire Bose system, head unit and amps. He did a great job, is reasonably priced and the system has been operating flawlessly for over a year. He backs up his work too.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Forum member red88tagta went through the Delco CD player I had bought at a swap meet. Got everything working great, and added an MP3 jack on a cable, which I hid in the ashtray. I love it, and am very happy with his service.

I don't think he works on all makes/models of Delco radio, though. So drop him a note and see what he can do.

B4C5.7

iTrader: (2)

Good choice to go back with stock Chaz!

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

Those guys restored mine as well. I gave them a piece of junk I thought would never work and they made it look and work like new. It was a radio for an 82 TA with the amber display so it was tough to find, and rare.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Thanks guys. I guess I can stop tearing this poor car apart and concentrate on the radio.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Funny how many of us prefer the stock radio. As soon as I got my Formula back on the road, the first thing non-mechanical I did was to pull the Pioneer CD head unit, and bolt the factory cassette back in. My project Firebird will be going back to a UX1 just like the one it left the factory with, as soon as the interior starts going back together. There's just something to be said for the right look that matches the rest of the interior. The aftermarket units all look like tinker-toy ***** garbage, stock units just look like they belong.

Edit: R*I*C*E*R ! Boy Racer. Import Tuner. Laser Lightshow LED Monstrosity.

scottmoyer

Charlie, I'm getting the same issue with the radio in my '82. There is barely any volume, locating stations is a disaster and the speakers crackle and pop. Tapping the radio, the volume jumps and so do the stations, so I guess I need a new one also. I need new speakers too! I may call that place tomorrow and see if they have a radio/cassette that will work in the '82, but not be an '82. The station display is analog on mine so the push buttons for radio presets are actual push buttons. Amazing how much has changed between an '82 and the '87 with the Bose system.

KMK454

Charlie, your car is intentionally forcing you to be period correct and listen to tunes in lo-fi.

Stock or hidden is the way to go. I put the radio delete panel back and mine and hid a mini amplifier with an aux-in.

I recall seeing on a C10 forum a site that took original radios, pulled the electronics, and replaced it with modern equipment. It then hid a bluetooth / aux-in interface, and used the factory inputs to manipulate the thing. There were some limitations, of course (number of buttons, no CD or cassette, and you still needed a cable if you went aux-in), but the system looked right.

Chopski

iTrader: (1)

That is crazy. These guys are like 30 minutes from me. I knew they had old Delco radios for sale but didn't know they were this good. I myself would like a stock BOSE system back in my car.

yaj15

iTrader: (3)

I've had very good luck with the one they rebuilt for me. They give you build sheet of all the components that they replace as well.

Works just like it did when it was new. It looks right in the car and plugs right in to the factory wiring. Made a big improvement in sound and radio reception as well. Didn't know how worn out things were until after I installed the rebuilt unit. They replace all of the lights as well and put on a new face plate with new lettering as well.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Up until today, I've been very reluctant to start detailing the engine compartment. It was obvious that it had been virtually untouched since it left the factory. The thing is, it just didn't pop. And I found myself telling people at car shows that I hadn't even wiped it down yet as an excuse. They all thought it looked good, but for me it was lacking. So I started cleaning it up today and applied Calyx to the exhaust manifolds.

It probably doesn't look too different in pics, but it sure does in the flesh.

But once you start detailing, you notice ten more things you need to do....

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Also, look at this alternator. The surface has a rough texture, (can't really see it in this pic), but the label says it's a remanufacture from ASC??? Anyone have any input?

chazman

iTrader: (4)

ASC stands for Alternator Starter Company not American Sunroof Company. Never mind.

Polo Z03

iTrader: (1)

So glad I finally got to see the car in person on Friday! Great looking IROC.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Thanks!

KMK454

Did you take the manifolds off to apply Calyx? My manifolds are looking less than stellar (in fact, the whole engine bay is the detailing weak point on my ride).

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Nope. Just use a tootbrush, rag even your finger to get it on.

siuol

Hi Chaz,

Great looking car. However I am lusting over your many garages.

Louis

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Thanks Louis. Not many garages, only two.

scottmoyer

Charlie, you mentioned something about the headlights being flat black and that the gloss we see on many is just years of waxing and detailing. I have to disagree. Below are the brochures for 1992 and 1987. You can see that both have a reflection in the headlight pocket. Flat black won't have a reflection.





And the last from 1992

Motown

Charlie, tell me more about Calyx...

Also, did you get those Bosch injectors in yet? It looks like you did in your last pictures, just not sure.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Scott, those headlight pockets are quite a bit glossier than I remember them in the day. In fact, they appear gloss black in the brochure pic.

Here is a grainy picture of a picture of me on the day I picked up my black '89.



I remember the headlight pockets being quite a bit more flat/satin then than they are now.

Check out IROC-MIKE's posts in this thread: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...headlight.html

BTW, I wish you were local, I've got a few dings on the white car.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

https://www.amazon.com/Premier-Quali...ifold+dressing




A girl who used to enclose trailer her perfect '86 Camaro SC around, turned me on to it over 20 years ago.

No, the Bosch injectors aren't in. Been super busy lately.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

FWIW the factory exhaust manifold coating is a flat black. The bare cast iron look is flashy, but incorrect.



In a perfect world I'd look into a ceramic coating that would give the same effect as the OEM coating. That is assuming a person wants to remove the manifolds, blast and coat them.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Forget that. Way too much work!

GASPEDDLER

iTrader: (2)

Calyx works amazingly well and makes these old rusty manifolds look brand new. I need to redo mine Charlie as i washed down my engine a few weeks ago and washed the Calyx off. Thanks for turning me on to this great product.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

My pleasure Arnold. You probably only need to do some touch ups with the Calyx.