My '87 resto-mod project

C

CATarga

New Member
May 22, 2008
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Grass Valley, CA
Part One:
I have been restoring it for a few months now, and have just completed my first stage resto/mods.
I picked the car up back in May for $350, and it sat until August. This is what it looked like when I got it home. Since then I have put about another $1700 into and and probably 100 hours of my time.
Before

This is what it looks like now.


I couldn't find white pearl fenders and mirror, so I had to paint the gray ones I did get. I did shoot a coat of white paint w/ a metallic clear coat in a cheap attempt to match the oem pearl, but the white was to bright. It doesn't look too bad in the pics, but it isn't a good enough match. I am not sure if I want to paint the entire thing white metallic, or redo the oem white pearl, or another color completely, like a deep blue metallic. Black would be nice, but it doesn't really go w/a blue interior.
I am not sure if I like the bra or not yet, but will likely run it until I paint it and decide if I am going to run a body kit or not. For now it helps to draw attention from the difference in the paint.

In August I finally found the type of rims I was after for a price that I thought was fair, or about as fair as I was going to find. They are 18" SSR's and are staggered 9" front 10" rear. After see it with the rims on it, I got motivated enough to start the rebuild.

I started with the interior, why people don't take care of the interior of their cars better is beyond me. Anyways I gutted it , cleaned and fixed everything that has needed work so far(I think I have found everything) and located most of the parts I couldn't fix. I still need a few items, and depending on how the vinyl repair on the door panels goes I may need to locate clean ones, or try to recover them.
When I started the interior was in the same condition as the carpet.
, only I didn't bother to take before pics.
I recovered the arm rest, made new shifter and e-brake boots, and made a cover for the e-brake handle.

I also recovered the sun visors
Before/After


After cleaning the rear hatch out, I put in some new carpet , made a tire hold down.
I still have to make some hold downs for the jack and lug wrench.
I then made a new hard cover and covered it w/a cloth w/foam backing, similar to cloth headliner. To keep it from making noise, the handle screws into a bolt welded to one of the oem supports.
. material)
I didn't cover the section near the rear seats, that is where I will be mounting an amp once I start on the stereo installation.
 
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C

CATarga

New Member
May 22, 2008
82
0
0
Grass Valley, CA
Part Two:
Once the interior was done I turned to the engine.
I rebuilt the engine, with ARP studs and an HKS MHG(Installing w/my redkneck hoist)

Once the engine was finished and installed I started w/the first stage BPU's.
Being an amateur fabricator, I figured I would build my own, instead of buying new.
The original accordion tube had deteriated long before the engine had any problems, and the PO had glued it all back together instead of buying a new one. To replace it I used some 3" alumadized exhaust tube and welded on some new ports, and wrapped it in heat sheilding.


Total cost to date $2463.50(everything)

For the IC hard pipes I used 2.5" alumadized tube and welded up all seams except for two poly. I was going to only use one and weld the section off of the 3000 pipe replacement, but figured the extra joint will make it easier to remove, and will absorb engine movement.

I wrapped both the intake to turbo w/cool tape, and the turbo to IC pipes as well. The entire IC pipes are wrapped in heat shielding so that the intake temp air will remain the same once it leaves the IC until it reaches the intake manifold. The Turbo to IC tubes are also wrapped in heat shielding, so the only point any transfer of heat can occur is at the turbo itself.
Pics after wrapping the first section.

Finished


Installed


The CAI was next.(Only partially finished, I still have the to fab up a heat shield to block off engine bay air.)
I cut holes in the bumper and bumper skin, fab'd up some 2.5" tubes and welded them into the bumper. The 2 tubes create an almost 10 square inches of an intake duct, and feed air directly into the location of the air filter through an aluminum duct.
I originally planned to put 3 2.5" tubes in. but decided on two after making the cuts.
Holes drilled in the bumper foam and skin
Tubes to duct the air
Finished .
I really don't like the way the expanded metal turned out, I had to weld it up with the tubes outside the bumper, and didn't get them lined up right. However w/the Bra on you can't really see them. If I decide to put a body kit on it I will have to redo the screens, but for now I will leave it.

I also made my own 3" turbo elbow using the left over mandrel bent tube I picked up to replace the oem accordion boot.
I cut some flanges out of 5/16 mid steel plate,
Then cut and welded up the 3" tube left from making the intake tube.
It isn't pretty, but given where it goes, function is more important than looking good. The patch work look is from applying a second layer of steel to the elbow to help prolong its life. I then painted it w/high temp paint(1200 degree paint), then baked it in the oven(an old one no longer used for cooking) to cure the paint.

Next up will be breaking in the engine, a full 3" exhaust and redoing the suspension. I would like to lower it 2", and keep the TEMS. W/my bad back I don't know how much fun a sport suspension would be on a along drive, so I would rather keep the ability to have a softer ride when I want it. I will be replacing the oem rubber bushings in the sway bar and the a-arms w/poly ones. I am pretty sure it needs new upper and lower ball joints and new TEMS shock as well. I would eventually like to run an airbag suspension, but that will likely be the last mod. Once this is done and the engine is well broken in, I plan to do the rest of the power upgrades to get near my 450rwhp goal, though if I can only reach 375 or 400, it should be enough.
 
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