I drove it for the first time since bringing it home a year ago!!! Took it for some Black Friday shopping and the fresh cammed 2.8 ran flawlessly. Pretty much drove it all day with no problems, and man was it fun!
Thought I was going to drive it one last time before Dec 1. Haven't in a couple weeks but it snowed last week and that was that. I put it away for three months. So I ordered ball joints and bushings to work on it this winter even though I will freeze my ass off! Have a heater and it will help. Really wanted to drive it one more time though. Oh well.
Started sanding the bodywork for a respray in the spring. I figured it'd be easier to do a bit a time for the bulk of the work, that way, when I'm ready to paint it won't take so long for final prep. Well, that's the plan anyway!
------------------ Anything I might say is probably worth what you paid for it, so treat it accordingly!
Took the passenger side wheels off and power-washed them. While cleaning up the passenger-side wheel well, I noticed the alternator/serpentine belt was sheared in half. I pulled it out and it was in bad, bad shape. Alternator is completely frozen. Add that to the list. Wouldn't it be some sh** if the frozen alternator was why the original owner stopped driving it? Or is might just be the fuel pump. Anyone got an extra alternator laying around for a '87 GT?
My 87 GT had to have its battery replaced. The old battery was new in March 08 but, in Florida, batteries just die quickly..(an Alan Grayson line). I had driven the car about 75 miles to the Central Florida meeting yesterday, stopped for gas, and the car started but a slow crank. I thought it may need a jump for my return home, but the car started. I went to Auto Zone this morning and the battery tested 10.5V.
The car was on a battery tender, but it would never get fully charge so I had my suspicions before I left. $101 later a new battery.
Replaced the starter with a smaller and more powerful AC Delco unit (from a Grand Prix GTP). A world of a difference! I should have done that a LONG time ago! Just the sound the car makes when starting now... (smile)
Replaced the fuel filter while we were at it.
[This message has been edited by yellowstone (edited 12-10-2013).]
A few days ago, I finished up an '88 rear cradle / suspension / brake swap in my '87 Fiero. I also modified the '88 suspension a bit. Today, I took the time to snap a few photos. Here are a few of them.
Gave it the finger as I walked by it to get in the Cutlass. Still haven't taken a look at it to see what's wrong. First it was sputtering for about a week acting all nutty, then the last time I drove it as I was pulling into my neighborhood it overheated so I shut it down as soon as I saw it get up there. Pulled into my spot at the house and popped the hood and it starter spewing coolant out of the overflow. I know I need to pull the thermostat to see if that's the problem but with the weather and everything.. Man oh man I just don't feel like it.
Not today, but last night I pulled the rusted front frame support off, removed the headlight assemblies for cleaning/rebuilding. Scored a perfect coolant overflow tank for $5 at a junk yard. Planning on going back for more parts.
Started to take the radiator out, but the top auto tranny coolant line is rusted and the nut won't budge. Feels soft. Anyone got any ideas? No idea if the radiator is good, I just feel better changing it for a better one.
Pulled the dash last week, had some free time today so I pulled the cluster apart, cleaned, repainted the inside and installed new bulbs. May pull the headliner tomorrow.
Put in some new exhaust manifold studs on the 4.9 build. Managed to strip two nuts..on the stud...not...oh hell that sentence is just getting worse and worse...I'll move on...
Removed the two bad studs. I just need to run a tap to clean up the threads in the head then I'll replace them.
After installing the '88 rear cradle / suspension / brakes in my '87 Fiero, it ended up with bigger brakes in the back. So I decided to fix that. Today, I installed LeBaron rotors with GM metric calipers in front.
Here are the before and after shots:
Not only do they look better, but they brake better too.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 12-19-2013).]
I backed the 87 out of the garage and washed it. Then did some polishing with some fine scratch remover. (You are not supposed to do this in the sun, but it is sunny and close to 80* today) Wiped it down and used some spray wax on the car and wiped it down again. I returned the car to the garage. Then I changed the air filter on my HHR. Then went inside and took a shower to cool down and clean up.
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The old battery was new in March 08 but, in Florida, batteries just die quickly..(an Alan Grayson line). I had driven the car about 75 miles to the Central Florida meeting yesterday, stopped for gas, and the car started but a slow crank. I thought it may need a jump for my return home, but the car started. I went to Auto Zone this morning and the battery tested 10.5V.
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