BUILD THREAD Do I get a membership card now?
- Thread starter 81cutlass
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Think what it would be like to be 25 again with out a wife, kids, or a mortgage. The car hobby getts tuffer with young kids around I am finding out!
Just been rackin the miles up. 750 on it last week :O
The car needs rear springs and shocks. Should do fronts too. The 5660's I put in my 2+2 improved the rebound bounce so much I need it on this car now too. Going 5558's on this I think. Havn't decided what rears yet but it needs something, sags badly with any load. Cargo springs raise it a bit and the high rate stock wagon I'm afraid does too. I might go with a stock G wagon 5391 spring.
The good news, it has begun consuming less oil! I have burned probably 3-4 gallons of used oil in it last summer and maybe 1 so far this summer. It was 1qt/100 miles last year and is down to maybe 1/200 miles now. I think I accidentally put one of my waste oil quarts that had a bunch of rusty bits and mineral spirits in it earlier last week. Realized after I poured it in that the bottom 1" was bits of dust, oil dry, and rust bits from when I dumped a bunch of crap off my fuel pump sender from my rainier when I changed it last winter. Wonder if that mix of thinners and ATF helped?
Oh well. If she dies she dies!
Worst part, I have yet to change the oil filter haha! I kinda want to chuck a rod out of the block or SOMETHING but this 82k mile 3.8 is just hanging in there. How it runs better now and consumes less oil with the WOT runs I put it through and used oil is beyond me.
Recharged the AC last week too and its back to blowing cold air!
The car needs rear springs and shocks. Should do fronts too. The 5660's I put in my 2+2 improved the rebound bounce so much I need it on this car now too. Going 5558's on this I think. Havn't decided what rears yet but it needs something, sags badly with any load. Cargo springs raise it a bit and the high rate stock wagon I'm afraid does too. I might go with a stock G wagon 5391 spring.
The good news, it has begun consuming less oil! I have burned probably 3-4 gallons of used oil in it last summer and maybe 1 so far this summer. It was 1qt/100 miles last year and is down to maybe 1/200 miles now. I think I accidentally put one of my waste oil quarts that had a bunch of rusty bits and mineral spirits in it earlier last week. Realized after I poured it in that the bottom 1" was bits of dust, oil dry, and rust bits from when I dumped a bunch of crap off my fuel pump sender from my rainier when I changed it last winter. Wonder if that mix of thinners and ATF helped?
Oh well. If she dies she dies! Worst part, I have yet to change the oil filter haha! I kinda want to chuck a rod out of the block or SOMETHING but this 82k mile 3.8 is just hanging in there. How it runs better now and consumes less oil with the WOT runs I put it through and used oil is beyond me.
Recharged the AC last week too and its back to blowing cold air!
At 25 I would've been DDing a 79 c10 silverado, with a 69 327. Cheap oil was less than $1 a quart. Engine leaked like a sieve and uses about 2 quarts per fillup. Cheaper and easier to drive around with a generic case in the truck than bother fixing it all. Also got about 7mpg highway at 75-80mph, used both 20 gallon tanks on a 200 or so mile trip.
Well I spoke to soon. Wagon is down for a bit.
Had the brake light turn on recently and thought it was strange since it stopped good still. I checked fluid and it was low-ish but far from bad. Laid under the car and saw something oily damp around the rear end yoke but couldn't really see anything leaking.
Did some quick panic stops and on the 3rd one it popped the rear brake line right before it goes into the hose to the rear end. Its a "fun" one to replace. Not rusty anywhere else but the 1" piece where it makes a tight 90 degree bend.
Tried loosening the nut and it rounded off, thought OK ill replace the rubber hose too, the line nuts going to there rounded off too on the rear end. I guess 40 year brakes just don't like to turn rust or not.
So I have a posi 3.08 in the shed from my 2+2. Intent was to put that in the car when I turbo swap it, but since that has lines that arent stuck, and the 2.73 in the wagon now does, I think I am just going to kill 2 birds with one stone and swap the rear when the ls1 brake swap on the 2+2 is done in a week or 2 along with shocks and springs.
So the wagon is out of commission for a few weeks.
Had the brake light turn on recently and thought it was strange since it stopped good still. I checked fluid and it was low-ish but far from bad. Laid under the car and saw something oily damp around the rear end yoke but couldn't really see anything leaking.
Did some quick panic stops and on the 3rd one it popped the rear brake line right before it goes into the hose to the rear end. Its a "fun" one to replace. Not rusty anywhere else but the 1" piece where it makes a tight 90 degree bend.
Tried loosening the nut and it rounded off, thought OK ill replace the rubber hose too, the line nuts going to there rounded off too on the rear end. I guess 40 year brakes just don't like to turn rust or not.
So I have a posi 3.08 in the shed from my 2+2. Intent was to put that in the car when I turbo swap it, but since that has lines that arent stuck, and the 2.73 in the wagon now does, I think I am just going to kill 2 birds with one stone and swap the rear when the ls1 brake swap on the 2+2 is done in a week or 2 along with shocks and springs.
So the wagon is out of commission for a few weeks.
I was a bit over dramatic there.
I ended up fixing the brakes this week. Friend of mine had a roll of nickel copper line and all the flaring and bending tools and was going to throw the line away since he hasn't used them in a few years. Freebie! Advance had a rear hose in stock. Had to reflare both 5/16 lines on the axle and cut the 1/4 line going back half way up the frame but i got it fixed in probably 5 hrs. Mostly messing with the flare tool took 2hrs of it probably.
Was going to think i had to swap the axle but all it cost me was $10 in tube nuts. I had to replace the hose anyways since it exploded on me. I used and end snips to cut the rusty 1/4 line right before it went to the rubber hose. Removed it out of the frame and heated the hose fitting up with my little propane torch. Was hoping to get the fitting out of the hose crimped end and not replace it so I wouldn't have to reflare the axle side since both nuts rounded off.
Focused on the line nut with the heat, put a vice grip on it and a wrench on the crimped fitting, tried loosening and wasnt going. Got up from under the car to grab some penetrating oil and heard what sounded like a .22, loud pop. went under the car and saw the end of the hose looked like a loony toons cartoon where bugs bunny stuck his finger in a shotgun and blew the barrel open like a banana. Shot the tube nut and crimped end across the garage. I have no idea what caused that but it was sure off.
Since I had to replace the hose i decided to just get it done with. At least its back on the road!
I ended up fixing the brakes this week. Friend of mine had a roll of nickel copper line and all the flaring and bending tools and was going to throw the line away since he hasn't used them in a few years. Freebie! Advance had a rear hose in stock. Had to reflare both 5/16 lines on the axle and cut the 1/4 line going back half way up the frame but i got it fixed in probably 5 hrs. Mostly messing with the flare tool took 2hrs of it probably.
Was going to think i had to swap the axle but all it cost me was $10 in tube nuts. I had to replace the hose anyways since it exploded on me. I used and end snips to cut the rusty 1/4 line right before it went to the rubber hose. Removed it out of the frame and heated the hose fitting up with my little propane torch. Was hoping to get the fitting out of the hose crimped end and not replace it so I wouldn't have to reflare the axle side since both nuts rounded off.
Focused on the line nut with the heat, put a vice grip on it and a wrench on the crimped fitting, tried loosening and wasnt going. Got up from under the car to grab some penetrating oil and heard what sounded like a .22, loud pop. went under the car and saw the end of the hose looked like a loony toons cartoon where bugs bunny stuck his finger in a shotgun and blew the barrel open like a banana. Shot the tube nut and crimped end across the garage. I have no idea what caused that but it was sure off.
Since I had to replace the hose i decided to just get it done with. At least its back on the road!
The brake line blew from the pressure of heating the fittings with your torch and boiling the brake fluid inside.
Happened to me once too, except I was standing next to it....
Glad your got 'er back on the road!
Happened to me once too, except I was standing next to it....
Glad your got 'er back on the road!
Picked up some headliner fabric a few weeks ago. Got some time this afternoon to take it out and redo it.
Wasn't a perfect match but not bad and way better than tacks and sagging fabric.
Wasn't a perfect match but not bad and way better than tacks and sagging fabric.
Looking good!Picked up some headliner fabric a few weeks ago. Got some time this afternoon to take it out and redo it.
Wasn't a perfect match but not bad and way better than tacks and sagging fabric.
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