Project car to daily driver?
 

'87 Z28 for $500. One of my buddy's employees bought it and could never get it running right. He drove it for a few weeks then it started cutting out after 10-15 minutes of running and refused to restart. I haven't looked at it yet.

Anyway, everything you shouldn't do to one of these puppies is here in one package...the conversion to mechanical q-jet with the computer controlled dist; swap to a 70's era small block with the driver's side dipstick; the much covetted 993 heads (w/dual valve springs no less); the A/C delete mod; chrome valve covers-oil pan-tstat housing; EPS manifold with spacer for the spreadbore q-jet; electric fan to mechanical conversion (at least all the wiring's present) and the rare gas pedal delete-you try backing it onto a tow dolly with your hand stretched down trying to give it gas by pulling the cable---

Told myself I didn't have time for another project but sometimes it's meant to be. Follow my progress as I delve in and the fate of this ride is determined: JY or DD?

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

yes my favorite is the seldom seen gas pedal delete... a great anti theft device

Just hook up an external TPS. . .

To answer your question - DD.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Aside from what you mentioned, that looks like it's in pretty good shape - for $500. You know what needs to be fixed, i'd give'r!
Of course i'd recommend you sell the much coveted 993 heads to someone who's looking for numbers matching heads for their mid '70s vette. :)

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

It looks clean on the outside...

And it really freaked me out when I looked at the interior picture and saw the really screwed up reflection in the passenger mirror. It took me a few seconds to figure out why that reflection botherd me and then I had to make sure I wasn't crazy... LOL.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Maybe not the first place to start but I was really afraid the steering wheel might actually fall off maneuvering it around the driveway. Never seen one this loose before. Pulled it all apart and the bottom two tilt screws had to be fished out of the rear of the housing and the top two were 2-3 turns loose. $13 for a new ignition cylinder so far (the old one was missing the 'wings'). 'Course once I got it together up to installing the new cylinder I saw the ignition switch cam preload spring laying there...I'll finish tonite hopefully.

Was too hot all weekend to do any work around a running engine. I mean it's been 'Africa-Hot' down here.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

OK update. In the Fall I got the engine to idle and run fine...until it warmed up and then that dreadful knock would start...

Pulled the motor over the holidays and it came out easily. Of course one of the bell housing bolts was broken and another was a few turns lose. More evidence that the previous installer wasn't concerned with 'quality' work.

Got the motor on the stand and pulled the heads (haven't pulled the bottom end out yet). Each of the cylinders still showed the cross hatch pattern with no perceptible wear. 030 over pistons installed, flat tops with four valve reliefs. I was initially optimistic but closer inspection revealed:

Pistons 7 and 8 are new Speedpros. The remaining are not. The rods and ends are marked..but rods marked 1 and 2 are installed in #3 and #4 holes. 7 and 8 in #1 and #2.

Hopefully the problem was ONLY a sloppy, budget rebuild. I'll take the rest of the motor apart this week and hopefully get it to a machine shop for a professional opinion later this month.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

If the bodies as good as it looks that's a no brainer, fixer!

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

yeah she's got an awesome shell on her. good luck on it! if you happen to give up the ghost, give me a PM. I'm in NC. my 87 is all rusted out.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

LOL

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

I have been contemplating the gas pedal mod myself. Anything to cut down on fuel consumption. ;)

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Hey i looked at you're picture looks like ur missing a coolant resevoir.?? am i wrong?

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Yeah, it's missing the coolant reservoir. When I get to that point I'll probably buy a new one for the SC and swap over the dingy one.

And yes, I've stayed the course so far because the body is in pretty good shape. Hood may be unsalvageable but everything else seems solid.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

hood looks like someone fiberglassed a 1st gen style scoop on it?

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Yeah fiberglass hood bolted on with body filler, probably on top of the original z28 hood. Probably be replacing that.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Motor apart every bearing surface shows signs of wear and crank will need to be turned at the least. Did identify the cam as the old 268H single pattern Comp. No wear on lifters, maybe re-use it?

I'll try some photos, and you should be able to see the cross hatch hone pattern, couldn't be very many miles on the last rebuild-or whatever.


https://i246.photobucket.com/albums/...tu/engine2.jpg


https://i246.photobucket.com/albums/...tu/engine4.jpg

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

House fire last April kept me away from the project for a good many months. (House next door burned down, only got one wall of my house).

Found three pistons cracked and motor had already been bored 030 over. Needed a new crank and I would have had $1000 in the short block alone. Carolina Machine is just down the road and I can get a re-man short block assembly for around $600 w/warranty. Will be installing over the holidays hopefully. I'm working two weekends a month now.

Re-did all the suspension. Got rebuilt calipers in the garage with hoses to put on the front then I'll flush the brake fluid. On the interior though: Got used carpet $35, door panels $40 and 4th gen seats $40 (thanks HCR) installed. Got a better dash pad in the shed to install later along with the shifter plate (got a few spares).

Attachment 442082

Attachment 442083

Attachment 442084

(Don't tell anyone but that's a cut off spray paint cap covering the window crank hole in the door panels)

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

New rebuilt short block from Carolina Machine Engines (about 40 minutes from the house) $560 with 12 month warranty:

Attachment 439348
Yes it's a two piece rear block with 70s dished pistons. I'm going cheap here for my nephew and this allowed me to core my other block and I can reuse the flywheel.

Attachment 439349
093 heads from a low mile truck LO5. I'll re-use the cam and lifters out of that motor too. Yes they were matched when pulled out. Even with the 64 cc heads, I don't think we'll have a problem with running 87. May even get decent mileage with the truck cam.
Attachment 439350
Motor put together except for the pan. All the junk around and in the garage is crap we still haven't gone through after the fire last Spring that has significantly delayed some important work on my cars.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

its gettin there, keep it up

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Nice project. I would have picked it up no doubt. I have been looking for a good project car, but my car seems to take all my money right before a good deal pops up :crazy:... Are you building this for your nephew?

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Yeah. He recently turned 16 and should be coming down from Greenville over the holidays to help put the motor in. Figure another couple weekends after that to get a re-built ccc-qjet wired in and running right (along with all the other little things). Looking forward to this thing moving.

Other than a busted front GFX, the crap hood and paint chipping from the bumpers the body is solid. Haven't caught any leaks from the t-tops either.

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Motor in but not yet fired up. The only two weekends I've had off since January (until now) have been saturated with rain. Got to button up a few small items and clock the dist/plugs/wires and I should be able to crank her week after next when I'm off again.

The header had an O2 bung in it but it had to be cut through the pipe. Plasma cutter at work. Rebuilt most of the wiring harness but still need the evap controls and some pigtails but that won't stop it from running. Placed the rebuilt carb on my 85 to check it and it fired up and idled fine without any adjustments. Was responding a little rich but operating in feedback mode.

Spent a little time sanding and spraying the bay-just around the fenderwells and nose-not too crazy. Just used some Duplicolor touch up gray, wasn't worth mixing, spraying and cleaning.

Attachment 433738

in progress:
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Attachment 433740

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Fired up a few weeks ago but had some loose ends to finish up this past weekend before I could drive it. The computer controlled carb took only a minimal amount of adjustments to the idle mixture screws and IAB to start working in feedback mode. KS still needs to be hooked up (I need to scour the JYs for a 350 KS and ESC-don't want to pay cost of new).

EGR valve is used and probably not working so I've got timing set near zero. Was having some light pinging under throttle at low cruise with the initial setting near 6.

I made an attempt to save the cowl hood. As I started sanding through the grey primer I kept hitting surface rust on the metal everywhere. A lot of rust was coming through the primer anyway. I just shot what was there with some black epoxy primer. Not sure it's worth trying to save. With as much metal as they cut away underneath it would probably eventually crack anyway.

Power steering pump: $40-(I busted the old one pulling the motor), power steering pump brackets: $10, used tires (that came off my 87 SC when I got it) mounted: $48, alignment: $50. Idler arm: $30. Replaced all the tie rods and center link with slightly used stuff: $0. Copper line for the mechanical oil pressure guage: $10 (sunpro guage set was given to me by a neighbor-I don't trust the little plastic lines that come with the kit). CD player (radio doesn't work) came out of my SC.

Parked at work:

Attachment 432471

Engine bay shot:

Attachment 432472

Interior with cracked dash pad that came from my SC:

Attachment 432473

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Trick plug wire holder for centerbolt valve covers: $0.79

Attachment 432470

Re: Project car to daily driver?
 

Congrats on getting her running! Seems like these projects always take longer than we plan, eh?