Current junkyard update...

Got off work a little early tonight, so I stopped at Aadlen Bros. to have a look around before it closed. I hadn't been there for awhile, so I found a few "new" thirdgens, including an IROC 350.

The engine, tranny and driveshaft were gone, but it still had its dual-piston-caliper rear disc brake posi 9-bolt. The car is a darkish red, and it's pretty much in the center of the GM section. I was there until closing, so it'll still be there in the morning... in case anyone's got some free time friday.

The 140 mph instrument cluster was all there too, and the car has a wonderbar... but no 1LE on the SPID label, which I pulled.

 

No thirdgens have dual piston calipers on the rear. What did you mean to say?

 

What year was the IROC? was it an 89?

 

That's exactly what I meant to say. I didn't examine it from the backside though, but it was very different than my '87's rear discs. I'd always thought the later-model change was to dual, but if not, then I'll stand corrected about that point.

But the calipers were "finned," both calipers were to the rear of each rotor(instead of one rear and one forward), and it had much larger rotors. Engine VIN is 8, and SPID label has L98 and J65.

 

Okay, so who wants to go snag the rear calipers and backing plates for me? I don't have time to get over to Sun Valley.

I may just have to see if I can get over there early on Saturday.

 

So what is it.. He is meaning to say there is a version or pbr calipers on the rear end? When I find 9 bolts in the yard I always check to see if there is a 3:45.. Good thing for that now I have 3:45 gears..

 

Well people, no need to fret about the PBR calipers any longer. Someone got up early and collected them. The rear was a '89, but a 10-bolt not a 9-bolt. I tried repeatedly to get the rotors off also, since they had little wear (wonder why?). I had neglected to take my small can of WD40 with me. The rotors were rusted onto the axle. No matter how much I banged and tugged it wanted to stay there. Later I tried again using a "Club" steering lock I found as a rubber mallet. I gave up. So, I'll have to buy a new set of rotors, no biggie. At least I have the correct calipers along with e-brake cables to go with the '89 9-bolt I have for pretty cheap ($7.95 ea + tax).

There are two other 9-bolt rears at the yard. Both still have the complete 1982-88 Moraine calipers and rotors. I didn't spin either to check for gear ratio. One was a 350/auto car, so it is either a 2.77 or 3.27 ratio. As I recall the other was a stick car, so it would be a 3.08 or 3.45 ratio.

I did get two front sway bars with GM Wonderbars attached. I was surprised that one was slightly larger than 36mm. The other was a 34mm. I have plenty of 34mm's in stock, but by buying it along with the Wonderbar I get the Wonderbar for free. I also picked up a 24mm rear sway bar and another rare one in a size I'd never seen before. I'll bring it for Show 'n Tell.

I bought a pair of Firebird headlight buckets with 1982-86 style headlight motors. I snagged most of the wiring and relays too. I'll rebuild the motors and take pictures for the instruction sheet on the headlight repair kit. That's about it, except for gathering the usual items for replenishing stock.

Lon

 

I forgot to add, the 89 Z28 I pulled the brake calipers from has the 1991-92 scooped style side gfx on both sides in good condition. They had obviously been added on since the chin spoiler and rear bumper cover were still the early 90 and older style. The front spoiler was snagged by someone else while I was getting the calipers.

Lon

 

The 89+ rear disc calipers are a single piston type, same as the 82-88. The difference is the 89+ type are made of aluminum, are both on the same side of the rotor, and the rotor is larger.

The only dual-piston calipers on thirdgens are the front brake setup on 1LE cars.

 

Thanks Kevin. I was thinking of SSBC, which is a dual-piston conversion, not PBR. But when Lon mentioned PBR, I knew I was mistaken.

At least the "someone" who got up early to get those calipers now has good ones for one of his many rearends.

And if this helps for knowing what gear ratio that car was, G92 is not on the SPID.

 

It was mentioned that the rearend I posted about was a 10-bolt and not a 9-bolt. So ok... last week I was in a bit of a hurry because I only had about 30 minutes to run through the yard before it closed, and I might've been mistaken about that. So I had some time today, and I decided it was worth $2 to findout if I can count, which I'm reasonably sure I can.

And there it was... still there with it's rotors... I discovered that I CAN count, lol. It's most definitely a 9-bolt, as evidenced by its, umm, NINE bolts(none missing, no hole for a tenth) and the name "Borg Warner" cast into the bottom of the case.

Something else I noticed about the car today... it had a standard hood, no louvers. What year was the "California IROC" built? The car'd been painted in its past though, so the hood could've been changed. It sits dark red metallic now, but the SPID says it was built black.

Another interesting thing of note today, I found several thirdgens with packages of condoms inside! Is that normal? Do we all(oops ) keep some handy... just in case?

 

Hmmmm, I think Lon owes me some backing plates.

 

I counted several times too. Oh well. Last night I dreampt up a possible future product for the 9-bolt for TDS, so I may return to the yard soon. This time with WD40.

Lon

 

And thinking I had my PB Blaster with me, usually in my bucket of tools, I was gonna try to get them off for you, Lon. But I didn't have it. They're really stuck on there good!

Just as well, though, cause now you have an excuse to go back and pull the entire differential and add it to your collection.

 

No room. The wife nixxed that idea before I left for the yard last Friday.

Lon