My Bu's "Re"Build Thread

[jrm81bu]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Latest Pics 7/17/11

What a day! The local car show was today. They usually let us do burnouts afterwards, but the last to years has been a bit of failure for me because of wheelhop. This is why I boxed my control arms. It is also why i decided to install a line loc(pics soon). So this morning I installed the line loc along with new calipers and new pads. Then I drove less than 3 miles to the show. I also took the Chevette. Only to find out there was to be NO burnouts this year. sh*t! That's the only reason I go.

Then after walking around I come back to the car and notice something funny on one of my rims. It looked like plastic peeling off. Come to find out there is a brake fluid leak and it's causing the clear to bubble off my rim. :evil: :evil:
Thinking that possibly I forgot to tighten the line I walked back and got a wrench and slid under the car in the middle of the show to try to tighten it. Nope it was tight. Tore it down when I got home and found out the seal blew out on the new caliper. :evil:

The only fun part was that I caved in to peer pressure from everyone on the corner and had to do small burnouts with both cars. 8)

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Latest Pics 7/17/11

Made a bit of progress today. I had bought an HID kit awhile bakc anf finally got around to installing it. I already had an H4 conversion with some lights I got from Summit(they were blue, but look more green) and some cheap APC housings. I'll prolly get better housings one of these days but i'll rock the cheapo's for now.
Here's one new and one old:

And both new:

 

[ChevyRidinHigh]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Latest Pics 7/17/11

damn , thats a clean malibu, after seeing the entire build thread. You did a stunnin job.
everythings mint.
I dont have a garage or shed to do my work in either, always been doing it outside since my first g-body an 1980 grand lemans lol. I find work tends to get done faster when outside.
I also find that for some reason Malibus seem to have a bigger engine bay then any other g-body. iv seen people drop in massive big blocks without having to mod anything.
Nice job on painting the car yourself aswell. I wouldnt trust myself with that haha i always let my dad paint my cars.
Im more of a professional rim painter il show ya some pics .
But all in all i say keep the bu the way it is other then engine swap outs if need be.
theres a before and after shot for the pic of the rims i just did for my 81 malibu.
I used the Dupli-color Shadow black chrome 2 step rim paint.

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Latest Pics 7/17/11

Thanks! Normally I wouldn't trust myself to paint either but I didn't have much to loose, lol. It didn't come out the way it was supposed to, but I still like the it. I tried the Shadow Black on my bumpers before I painted the car. I had planned to use it on all me chrome trim, but I didn't like the way it came out. Not sure what happened but it looked as if it had a green tint to it.
Those rims really look better with the dark center.

 

[ChevyRidinHigh]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Latest Pics 7/17/11

Ya , at first they came out as a navy blue, with jsut 4 coats of the base, so i decided to add a 5th coat just to make it darker. i did like 2 light coats then said ahhh not lookin the way i wanted so did 3 heavy coats of base after 2 lights, then for the clear coat step i followed the instructions with the 3 light and 2 heavy coats. Im possibly gona do my chrome trim around the windows to make it pop out aswell. just threw 2 of the rims on the bu today. now gona do the other 2 rims ( only have 2 rollers so had to do 2 rims at a time lol. Do you plan to re-paint ur car or are you gona keep it the same color ??

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Latest Pics 7/17/11

I'm sure i'll paint it again, just a matter of when. For now it will most likely be gloss black.

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Latest Pics 7/17/11

Been a minute since I did anything on here. The local circle track decided to run 330' short drags this year, so I thought why not. I went ahead and pulled the front sway bar off, added 90/10 front shocks and threw on the drag radials i've had forever.While I had a great time, the car wouldn't hook in first gear for nothing. Here's the only video I have from the first event. It was my first pass of the day. Traction got better but not much.

b

I did manage to win one class, due to no competition, but hey it's a trophy lol!



Since the tires weren't doing me much good, I went ahead and entered the burnout contest. Runnered up in it.

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Latest Pics 7/17/11

I couldn't resist the urge to go back, so I ordered a set of new slicks. Also put on some rear lower control arm relocation brackets from BMR(what no stickers? lol). Other than that car was the same as before.


Much better with traction. The angle doesn't favor it but it was pretty close.


More.


Only other G body.


In car.

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Track Videos 8/21

I'm really slacking with the updates here but... The last outing didn't end to well for the car. Started smoking on the next to last pass. Had a lot of blowby. I've been down this road before and the autopsy confirmed, two broken pistons.


Well after a installing two new pistons and re-installing the engine, I ran in to another snag. Just like the first engine I put together in this thread, it would seize after getting warm(the spare pistons came from that engine as well). After doing my research(as I should have done before) I learned that the pistons I was trying to use had the shallow oil ring groove, not the deep as I usually would use. after remedying that, it got put back in and ran with no issues. Here's a pic before it was installed the second time. By the way, i did all the work with it swinging from the hoist, what a pain!


Then I managed to make it back out to the track for a third outing.



If you look back at my first video, you can see how much improvement has been made. I would have beet him this time but the transmission was slipping bad enough you can see my nose drop when I left off the gas from hitting the rev limiter-I should have never hit the limiter, I only use 1st and 2nd and that was in 2nd gear.


So as you can tell it's time for transmission work. If I decide to rebuild it myself, i'll make sure to post pics.

 

[jrm81bu]

Re: My Bu's "Re"Build Thread- Track Videos 8/21

Alright it's been too long since my last post here so i'm gonna make this a good one. I tore up the transmission last year but tax time was good to me this year sooo, on with the upgrades.

Bought some items from a member on here. 8.5 rear with 4.10's.


Spohn control arms.


And some Competition Engineering 3 way shocks.


Ihad already ordered some other stuff too. TCI Streetfighter 700r4. Hughes 3000 stall. Moroso trick springs.


Front and rear fiberglass bumpers.


Iceman Crossmember.


And a couple things I got at a swap meet. Some new to me rear tires. Not gonna help on the strip but I needed new street tires, and for 20 a piece these will work nicely.


And the most promising or destructive, a Nitrous Express kit with jets from 50-250. I only plan to hit it with the 50 for now.


Now I just need to get all this installed before 4/19.