What did you do to your non-G body project today? [2022]

[ck80]

The factory one, of course, has a spiral shape which I may elect to ignore. Think that design is all about vibration damping or something equally techno-nerdy so not really up to imitate it. Just getting the diameter of the spiral to turn consistently and stay decent is a monumental PITA. Did that for my S/S lines in the Monte, Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore"!

From an imagination perspective I'd guess a benefit to the 'coil' design comes down to a flex perspective.

Coils stretch and compress by nature. A body on frame construction has a body that shifts slightly under driving conditions. Now, engine if bolted to the frame on its mounts, so, fuel line doesn't need to stretch the way a fixed brake line that attaches to the master cylinder on the firewall, yet, also to the frame does. Stretch a steel line in those conditions and it'll crack. True Unibody doesn't have that sort of movement, which is why I can't recall seeing it similarly replicated. On vehicles without that flex

 

[UC645]

Figured out this wasn’t a shot cab mount like I thought.

Going to try to weld it back together tomorrow or Tuesday, and plate it on Friday.

 

[81cutlass]

Test fit the attempted quiet down exhaust on my buddies fiero. I realized he doesn't even have the trunk floor welded back in and I told him that's part of your noise problem. He objected.

The ol rusty rainier has had a habit of eating front tires for the last few years. I tried solving it with new LCA'S and upper ball joints and alignment in 20 and UCA's in 21. I put 60% tires on In November and in February I rotated the passenger side to the driver's. It keeps eating the inside of the front right. Tie rods are from 17 and seem firm still.

I did a string alignment and it was a little out but not eat a tire in 3k miles bad.

It does this in 4-5k

I checked and it has -.5 degrees of camber on both sides

However the driver's frame rail has a big tumor growing on the bottom

And when I was under the rear setting jack stands to rotate the rear tires up front I saw a soft spot, poked at it, had 2 dustpans of bird nest and rust fall out and a big hole appear between the airbag mount and hitch so I might be out of car towing commission.

My goal was to put 100k on it, I bought it at 178, it's at 282 now, I keep moving the goal posts and I want to try to hit 300k now but if I have a giant hole in the frame I either need to stop towing or plate it, and a $200 60% set of tires only lasts 12k miles before it mysteriously eats the inside of the tred so I might be at the point that I need to admit the $1900+$1200 I spent in 2014 on it has come due and the chassis is just miled out.

Pro is that I gave a 'free' strong aluminum 5.3 that's a good platform to drop into something fun and the rest of the chassis can become a parts rig for my MIL's rainier.

Ill see if the alignment tweak helps, I'm not holding my breath, but I guess I actually do need to replace it now...

 

[ck80]

Test fit the attempted quiet down exhaust on my buddies fiero. I realized he doesn't even have the trunk floor welded back in and I told him that's part of your noise problem. He objected.

View attachment 199988


The ol rusty rainier has had a habit of eating front tires for the last few years. I tried solving it with new LCA'S and upper ball joints and alignment in 20 and UCA's in 21. I put 60% tires on In November and in February I rotated the passenger side to the driver's. It keeps eating the inside of the front right. Tie rods are from 17 and seem firm still.

I did a string alignment and it was a little out but not eat a tire in 3k miles bad.
View attachment 199989

It does this in 4-5k
View attachment 199990

I checked and it has -.5 degrees of camber on both sides

However the driver's frame rail has a big tumor growing on the bottom
View attachment 199991

And when I was under the rear setting jack stands to rotate the rear tires up front I saw a soft spot, poked at it, had 2 dustpans of bird nest and rust fall out and a big hole appear between the airbag mount and hitch so I might be out of car towing commission.

View attachment 199992
View attachment 199993

My goal was to put 100k on it, I bought it at 178, it's at 282 now, I keep moving the goal posts and I want to try to hit 300k now but if I have a giant hole in the frame I either need to stop towing or plate it, and a $200 60% set of tires only lasts 12k miles before it mysteriously eats the inside of the tred so I might be at the point that I need to admit the $1900+$1200 I spent in 2014 on it has come due and the chassis is just miled out.

Pro is that I gave a 'free' strong aluminum 5.3 that's a good platform to drop into something fun and the rest of the chassis can become a parts rig for my MIL's rainier.

Ill see if the alignment tweak helps, I'm not holding my breath, but I guess I actually do need to replace it now...

My thoughts:

To expand on prior mentions with the fiero, if he doesn't buy the resonator and enclosure box angle, if nothing else, water thrown up there promotes rust. I don't think the inner frame rails were anything more than edp coat

As for the ranier... can you cheat? I doubt those are directional tires, so, do want until quite thay bald and dismount/remount to get the fresh edge where to wears worst. We did it for a time with a civic my mom was stuck with. Then you wing up with both edges chewed up, twice the life at similar cost.

 

[CopperNick]

So I did a shopping list for my S-10 and sent it off to my neighbourhood Napa this morning. Elected to go with the Ni-Cop brake line as opposed to normal steel. The stuff comes as a bulk roll of 25 feet which ought to be enough to do both front circuits if it comes down to it. The time lag on it is three days since it has to come from the west. Pretty much ordered a complete brake package, less the rotors and pads. Looks like there will be a box of goodies waiting for me on my return.

Think I will spend the day fiddling with the Monte's inner door skin some more; I am at the so close, yet oh so far stage of things with it and the itch to just lay the adhesive and clamp the halves together is getting itchier but this is a patience exercise as I want the edges to mate with as little need to pull on the skin as possible.



Nick

 

[Bonnewagon]

Just as I am thinking all is well in the GYP world I get a howler monkey under the hood. The water pump is shot and every time the pulley cocks and seizes, the fan belt screeches. NEVER OWN A GYP!!! My 39 year old Bonnewagon has none of these headaches and the AC even works good. I am tempted to drive this POS down to Snake Road and just set it on fire.

 

[pagrunt]

I am tempted to drive this POS down to Snake Road and just set it on fire.

I bet in your fair city there are many places a stones throw where a simple insurance loss can happen.

 

[CopperNick]

GYP?? What da ???



Nick

 

[Bonnewagon]

Know what JEEP stands for? Just Endless Endless Punishment.

 

[ck80]

Know what JEEP stands for? Just Endless Endless Punishment.

I thought it was joyless enemas endlessly provided