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This car is starting to fight me at every turn. Went to put my brakes on after rebuilding and painting everything. Drivers side went together with no issues. Passenger side went together no problem but when I went to tighten the bleeder screw it pulled the threads out of the caliper! I had even purchased new bleeders. So had to order another caliper. I'm starting to rethink the selling of the rear I had in the car to begin with. Also having issues with bolting on the driveshaft. The bolts are getting very tight going into the yoke. I have used lube but gonna have to use a tap to clean the threads up. I'm afraid of snapping one of the bolts.
Update: Got my new caliper. Got it all painted and installed it last night with no issues. Also ran a tap through the yoke holes and bolts go in smooth now. Saturday I will be bleeding the brakes and hooking up the e brake cables. Fingers crossed I have no issues.
Last edited by Fullmonte77; Feb 12, 2020 at 06:43 AM.
Well now I’m fighting my stupidity! After all this I had the calipers on the wrong sides. So the right rear that I had to buy another one was actually the left rear. So now I have 2 right rear calipers. So I had to order a left rear. I’m so pissed at myself.
Last edited by Fullmonte77; Feb 15, 2020 at 12:45 PM.
Don’t feel bad, I sat my fender on the frame rail and started looking for the new hardware I’d purchased from hawks. I was getting irritated because I know I put them in a “spot I’d remember”. I decided to check inside the car so I grabbed the door and swung it open, the fender wasn’t gapped away from the door and the center of the door where the body line is (where it kinda comes to a v) crushed my fender. This is after I’d already stripped and primed the fender. I tried to fix it and make it work but yeah, it’s screwed. All because I got in a hurry and lost my temper lol
Don’t feel bad, I sat my fender on the frame rail and started looking for the new hardware I’d purchased from hawks. I was getting irritated because I know I put them in a “spot I’d remember”. I decided to check inside the car so I grabbed the door and swung it open, the fender wasn’t gapped away from the door and the center of the door where the body line is (where it kinda comes to a v) crushed my fender. This is after I’d already stripped and primed the fender. I tried to fix it and make it work but yeah, it’s screwed. All because I got in a hurry and lost my temper lol
That does suck! Yeah it comes down to I was in a hurry and didn’t notice my mistake. Just sucks I had to spend the extra money.
Update. 4th gen rear all installed and brakes hooked up and working. Still need to figure out the e brake cables but it’s an auto so no big hurry. Put on my SS wheels and track tires.
Took the car out for a shake down ride. The 2.73 gears absolutely suck! I have 3.42 gears and a Torsen posi but they will have to wait till next winter. The brakes work good. I might have to get an adjustable proportioning valve. I actually got the rear brakes to lock up under heavy braking.
Put some 3/4” spacers on the rear. With the LS1 brake upgrade in the front it pushed the front wheels out a little. The rear just didn’t look right tucked in so much. I think it looks way better now.
Took a long weekend to button up the interior. Made brackets for my seatbelt cover on the floor since I switched to 4th gen belts. Also put my headliner back in.
More parts to install. Found the hard to find QA1 strut bar for a tbi/carb car. Bar was never installed but was pretty scratched up from shipping. Decided to paint it red.
Mine looks good, but not perfect right from the box. This makes me want to paint it red / body color.
I bought mine second hand. Guy shipped it with just a label no box so it was pretty scratched up. And I wanted it to match all my other suspension upgrades.
Reading through your transformation gives me hope for my 86 T/A. Nice work
Thanks. I don’t have a lot of disposable income so I just did what I could afford a little at a time. Helps I have some awesome friends who helped me out. Also some guys on here are just plain awesome!! Yes I’m referring to you John in RI!!
What goes around,....... Comes around !!!! . Watching your build thread has recently inspired me:
I've had this thing hangin' from the wall in my garage for WAYYYYYYYY to long ( ) & it's about time to put the dam thing to use ! Funny thing,... most of the 'accent' parts in my engine bay are red, but I'll probably leave the STB black !
What goes around,....... Comes around !!!! . Watching your build thread has recently inspired me:
I've had this thing hangin' from the wall in my garage for WAYYYYYYYY to long ( ) & it's about time to put the dam thing to use ! Funny thing,... most of the 'accent' parts in my engine bay are red, but I'll probably leave the STB black !
I’ll say it’s been hanging for a long time. That’s the Edelbrock version! I was holding out for UMI to make one for the TBI/Carb car. Came across mine on a Facebook group and couldn’t pass it up. I’m glad I inspired you to do some work on your car. My car is pretty much ready for the track in July. As long as we are allowed to run the UMI autocross event. I still have some things I want to do but they will have to wait till next winter. I still need to get it licensed so I can drive it on the street.
Jegs SFC’s installed. I had the UMI ones but decided to go with the bolt in ones for now. They can be welded later. I just had no time and neither did my cousin to weld them in. I have to say they made a big difference already. Rattles and creaking gone!
Well UMI autocross in the books. Overall I was very happy with the car. Car ran good and had more to give but I need a driver mod. Lol. I’m very happy as I was faster most runs than the one before and lowered my time 10 seconds from first run Friday to end of Saturday. And I never hit a cone!! There were lots of 3rd gens there and they all looked great!
Congrats,.... I'm sure it you had a blast and seeing an improvement lap after lap has got to feel pretty good too !!!
Thanks John! I didn’t know what to expect out of the car as it has only really been in a straight line since it’s not road legal. I know it drove straight and stopped good but other than that I had no idea. To say I’m happy is an understatement! The car handled great and the brakes worked awesome. I know it would have handled way more speed in sections of the course but I’m still new to autocross so I just need more seat time.
Haven't done an update for a while. I've been chasing an electrical issue on the car. Just with the lights, can't get it figured out but not really worried as I don't drive this on the street. New purchase today.
Nice looking a-arms! I installed those on my car as well - I went with the delrin though.
My only complaint was the bottom out bumper touches the K-member so I swapped them out for some smaller ones.
I also made a tool for getting the springs in - they're a bitch with those spring cups.
Last edited by Tidan; Feb 8, 2021 at 07:27 PM.
Reason: added pictures
Nice looking a-arms! I installed those on my car as well - I went with the delrin though.
My only complaint was the bottom out bumper touches the K-member so I swapped them out for some smaller ones.
I also made a tool for getting the springs in - they're a bitch with those spring cups.
I shouldn't have an issue with the springs as I have weight jacks that will be installed at the same time these go in.
So I’m starting to think this car is haunted. I had an electrical issue the end of last year. The parking lights would not turn off. I had to pull the fuse or unhook the battery to get them to turn off. Mysteriously It fixed itself. Car has been sitting for a few months. Went today to start it up and no issue with the lights. I’m baffled but at this point I don’t care as I couldn’t figure out the issue with the lights not turning off.
Last edited by Fullmonte77; Mar 6, 2021 at 01:21 PM.
Just a little update. Haven't done hardly anything to the car. I did take it for a spin the other day and it ran great. Put in a new battery just because the old one hardly got any use ( I put the old one in another car that will get used more). Weight jacks and front control arms probably won't get put in before the autocross in July. I'm kind of in a slump with the car. I have no motivation at the moment. Too much work around the house and life gets in the way. Hopefully I get motivated after the autocross next month. I need to install my Torsen posi and 3.42 gears. These 2.73 gears suck!
There is a bigger gap than I would like on the passenger side but it's as close as I can get it. As far as in line with the nose it's right on the money. Hopefully soon I will begin the process of a little body TLC the car needs. Nothing major just a new nose/crash bar and passenger fender. One of the previous owners hit something. I have all the parts just need to get motivated and find the time.
So UMI Autocross Challenge was this weekend. Was awesome to catch up with a couple of you at the event. I was of course the slowest 3rd gen. Not that I expected not to be as I have pretty much stock drivetrain in my car. I did however find the limits of what the tires would hold. Last year I couldn’t drive it hard enough to get it even close to loose. Thought my posi unit was not really working right but I think it was just because of the right rear unloading in the switchback. Other than that the car worked really well and the brakes were great. LS1 brakes was the best upgrade I have done to the car so far. First day I consistently got better but not day two. I did stay within a half second in time on day two.
So I have not updated in quite a while. I have not done anything to the car in that time. Life got in the way and I had some health issues I needed to get taken care of. I had to have both my hips replaced because of arthritis. I have had both done in the last 5 months and feel better than I have in a couple years. I finally got the title and tags done so I will be able to drive it on the street. Have purchased a Hawks harness bar and harnesses for autocross. Also modified my 4th gen seats with belt pass throughs. Lots to do this year and looking forward to enjoying this car more.
Decided to make new door panels. Ones I got a few years ago were starting to fall apart. These will use black screws to hold the panels on. Used 1/8” luan board, sew padding and suede headliner material. First two pics are the old panels.
Got some work done over the long Easter weekend. Car had nose and passenger fender damage that needed fixed. I had all the parts I needed so it was nice so why not. Once I removed the cover and crash bar I was not happy with what I found.
Got some work done over the long Easter weekend. Car had nose and passenger fender damage that needed fixed. I had all the parts I needed so it was nice so why not. Once I removed the cover and crash bar I was not happy with what I found.
Been getting some things done to the car the past couple weeks. New ball joints and tie rods. Also put my front weight jacks in finally. Also got Koni shocks for the rear.
Also put my other wheels on for now till I get my new track tires mounted on the other wheels. Have it setting just about where I want it. Now to get some paint on it to make it look a little better.
) & it's about time to put the dam thing to use ! Funny thing,... most of the 'accent' parts in my engine bay are red, but I'll probably leave the STB black !
