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I pulled the IP to see if I can get the gauges working. Speedometer and oil pressure work, but tach, gas, temp and voltmeter are not correct.
I started another thread in the interior section about it. It's still "in progress". But at least we're making progress.
The plan is to use the SEM paint on all the interior plastics. I have both satin & landau black. It seems most use landau but we're painting an old piece to see how it looks compared to original black pieces. Most everything in the car is gray.
Compared it to a set of 4th gen ebony leather seats. Almost seems the satin is a better match. But, finding a set of those in near perfect condition may be impossible. We're still toying with the idea of having lethalinteriors redo the original seats in black....or something dark. Either way, we need to take everything in to consideration before deciding. Carpet, headliner, console, etc...
I needed to replace the armrest so I picked this set up for 20 bucks at a swap meet. Was looking for gray but couldn't pass on these. They're in excellent shape.
Also got another problem solved with the gauges. A new replacement,
Got to the point the engine was running pretty good but with the heater core leaking constantly on the floor, decided to move on.
It still has a stumble right off idle. May be related to this thread below. I wasn't planning on having to tune this stock engine but that may not be the case ...
see here https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/diy-...ctors-not.html
Taking pictures and labeling. Getting ready to pull the eng/trans
Eng harness connector inside the passenger fender.
Thanks to "Tuned Performance", I found out its a pass-thru design. Just take the clip off underneath the kick panel and disconnect the computer and everything pulls out.
Asked on here and other forums about taking the engine out the top or bottom. Seems most if not all people go out the top. I'm still not quite convinced since EVERYTHING here needs to come out, eng, trans, wiring, suspension...everything to get the painting done.
Depending on your resources, getting the body up and over the drivetrain can be very difficult. Compare that to; if you have an engine hoist, you can always remove the engine the conventional way.
Also, if you don't tear down and rebuild many cars, disassembling a car part by part, and in order is good experience to help remember where things came from, and how, for use when putting the car back together... in reverse order if disassembly.
Additionally, if you mark and store the parts in the order they are removed, you will have the written reverse order for putting things back on... I find it annoying to put a part on, just to take it back off 5 minutes later when something else has to go on first. And after 6 months to a year passes, that written record helps the (lack of accurate) memory.
Yeah, its already taken long enough to get this far.
I do have a engine hoist and use it to lift the body up and roll the drivetrain out on 4th gens. Just never done it on a 3rd.
Still picking away at it. Time to make a decision soon.
Additionally, if you mark and store the parts in the order they are removed, you will have the written reverse order for putting things back on... I find it annoying to put a part on, just to take it back off 5 minutes later when something else has to go on first. And after 6 months to a year passes, that written record helps the (lack of accurate) memory.
This is great advice. It didn't register the first time I read over it too fast.
I went against the grain and decided to lower the eng/trans out the bottom.
The nuts on top of the struts are hanging on pretty good. Enough to have my 10mm wrench slip and booger up the stud. But since these are going in the trash anyway, I cut a piece of plastic off of the strut and just held with pliers and hit the top nut with my impact gun.
If anyone decides to go this route...notice I have the rear tires sitting inside a set of old wheels/tires. Lay them upside down and they create a great place to hold the back of the car. I wouldn't lift and lower the car all over the place like this on jackstands. This holds the car very well.
After the "3rd party hosting" fiasco I decided to post most of the pictures I had. Hope no one minds all these. Its of the interior removal a while back..
So back to the engine...rolled it outside to cleanup for paint. Uncorked the water jackets along the bottom sides of the block and looked like oil run out then coolant. Pucker moment.
Decided that if it was oil it wouldn't be on the bottom plus there's no milkshake looking goo anywhere. I would lose a little bit of coolant in the radiator but the heater core was leaking pretty bad.
Always a question in the back of my mind about this motor so I figured since its out, lets look deeper.
And with the pan off, found that the PO was truthful about the rebuild. You can see the numbers scribed on the rod caps and lines drawn to line each side up.
Also more evidence this is a '86 engine...1 pc rear main, non-roller, and the casting numbers shown in a previous post.
Wiped off the top of #1 and found this
So now that the short block has obviously had some work done to it, I pulled the cam to check for anything visual. No markings on the front end so I assumed stocker....wrong,
Racer Brown!
A little change of plans...after spending all this time and some money to get the 305 running pretty decent and cleaned up, painted ready to go back in, I was offered a 350HO crate engine I couldn't pass up. So the 305 sold on CL in just a few days as you see it above.
Also above are pics of the stock ECM I sent to Tuned Performance. He's already sent me back a custom chip. Going with new Bosch III 24lb on this Vortec headed crate engine. Bought the required SDPC intake too. I'll have to custom make something for EGR off the exhaust but everything else should be a bolt on.
K-member before & after ... degreased, wire brushed, Eastwood rust encapsulator and then chassis black applied. If you're following along, I used POR15 on the rear but decided to try the Eastwood stuff on the frontend since I could spray it up inside the K.
I think it turned out pretty good using the original foam for the rears. They haven't had much use over the years. But for the fronts, I ordered new foam from Camaro Central. Its supposed to ship in a couple days.
Enjoying this. Scrolling through the thread and pics makes it seem like it all happens in a flash, but I know how much work this is! Great job thus far. Where are you in MD? I'm in N. VA.
Received the new front seat foam. Here's what I started with.
A few pics of disassembly for reference
This is looking down the the plastic piece the headrest locks in. There's a metal spring like tab that has to be pressed and held in while you pull the headrest out. I used a hacksaw blade slid down in front of the headrest, then pull.
Nice work Steve- those seats are gonna be cherry. Good call on the front foams. I'm one dropped cigarette/coffee from following in your footsteps! Looks like you picked a killer provider http://www.lethalinteriors.com/seats.html
Nice work Steve- those seats are gonna be cherry. Good call on the front foams. I'm one dropped cigarette/coffee from following in your footsteps! Looks like you picked a killer provider http://www.lethalinteriors.com/seats.html
Yep, about halfway down that page is a red convertible. That's where the inspiration came from. We also decided to go with her door panels too. I'll be posting up some pics of them also.
And I just realized I never fully explained this car....
My name is Kenny. Steve is my son-in-law. I'm rebuilding the car for him. He loves the IROC but is USAF and wouldn't have time to do this himself.
Now, before anybody goes and says how great a person I am...there is a little something in it for me.
We're going to trade titles when I'm finished.
06-21-2016, 08:43 PM
