2008
- WINTER
A new year begins. Following the events of late 2007 and after placing plates of tar and a new carpet, i was now starting the damn heater core. Problem, to replace it; it's necessary to drop the control panel, which is not easy because of all the wires, pipes and cables that are connected. I came to end nearly three hours, because being alone, working in a garage very narrow and in the semi darkness, i can tell you this is the SHIT!
So after almost three months of immobilization (many other things to do and lack of motivation), it is finally done. It was time because it was getting long, knowing that since I have it, she never stay more than 3 weeks without driving. Plexes meter turns yellow and striped with over 30 years of use having replace them with new.
After the carpet, it's time for door seals to go in the trash. The complete kit includes door seals High Low, driver and passenger + trunk .they are METRO. They are flexible and fully settled. Yet they must "do", and the doors were a bit hard to close at the beginning.
I ended up buying optical-glass type "Diamond" smoked. The hardest thing was finding what to buy to make sure that it goes without too many problems. Result .they are headlights VW Golf2. Well, it illuminates not as well as the origin (optical BOSCH and H4 bulbs) as the light beam is a bit dis but not necessarily dangerous driving contrary to other lights of this type on the market ( having tested them) and are made?of glass and metal, not plastic. Topped with a real bi-XENON 6000K kit found on ebay, you can really talk about day and night, light output is incredible and you get a reasonable price.
Replacement of the speedometer for a 1974 one graduate until 160mph.
The original surface of the steering wheel is very fragile and the diameter of the wheel is a little too thin for my taste, so leather covered.- SPRING
Two years after daring to switch to 17 "wheels, it was time to move into high gear and finally giving me" real wheels ". The dollar is very low, it greatly facilitates this kind of purchase across the Atlantic and I finally took 18x8 rims in American Racing Torqlite "245/45 and 255/45 mounted again with the same brand of tires Hankook K104 at very attractive price and good performance on the road. An important detail, these one-piece rims weigh only 9.8kg each!
Changing the wheel nuts to go with the aluminum rims thicker than steel.
In order to leave more room for rear tires for possible changes, I pulled down the edges of wings with a "fender roller". (thank you vince and nono)
With a farm balance accurate to 10kg, I finally know the true weight of the car. Verdict, 1680kg with full and no one inside.
With my new wheels, i have the original diameter again. So i checked my meter with a portable GPS. Balance, the counter leaves me no margin, the speed shown is that indicated as the GPS to within 1-2km/h.
Replacement of small shims located between the balancer and crankshaft pulleys with a real " spacer" machined from billet by myself. I started from a square block! because no way to easily find the raw material.
Replacement of the timing chain a little too relaxed and especially original. Here i put a double roller kit SUMMIT machined steel. After new ignition timing, we feel the difference with an engine more torque at low revs, but now it burn (one wheel) provided at each start a little faster! I took the opportunity to sand (blasting) timing cover and changing the water hose and lower internal seals water passages between the block and the pump.
Powermaster makes adaptable alternator smaller than my original and also more powerful, now it's a 100amp finish polished aluminum, chrom is boring.
- SUMMER
The cover included with the hub wheels are not to my taste, i put stainless steel cover, 15mm shortcuts and add a sticker "Pontiac."
An overview of the engine in its current configuration.
LURCY-LEVIS VI, 5 and 6 July
This year, my fourth in RWYB. Everything had to go in the direction of improved performance thanks to lighter wheels and new distribution chain giving me more low-end torque (due to a different timing distribution). Unfortunately i arrived on the track with a nut yoke ready to loose with all the consequences this might have had. Fortunately more frightened than hurt, nothing broken and a simple tightening with the LOCTITE. With all that, one morning and lost a rainy Sunday morning made me leave too early, so I could not have done more than two runs, so be it ...
I prefer not to announce the times i did until they are poor with almost one second lost on the only two runs I did. The cause? just the torque now available even earlier that the traditional burn did not stop spinning, making me lose a lot of time. I have not had time to get used to it before this event and it showed right away. Next year it will be different. The rear will be rebuilt and with a limited slip differential to gain traction but maintaining the transmission ratio of origin to keep a reasonable consumption, not negligible these days!
Brutally confronted with a young boar at night. Had no time to make presentations at 90km/h. Fortunately he did not hit vital organs of the car. I'm good to buy glass fiber and resin to replicate the "front valance" or to find a used one at a fair price.
What happened to the beast? well it shall be rely on the bottom side of a road lost in the forest...
- AUTUMN
Following the Lurcy problem, i decided to seriously take care of the rear. I dug up a limited slip differential origin and used camaro. It has the same gear ratio: 2.56. However, the differential case was not the first youth, indicator two nice cracks appeared after full sanding. It's common on such parts and not necessarily visible, it's better to know it! A remedy properly made arc welding and stick cast has not throw it away. (thank you Bernard for welding).
So, some additional new parts (required!?). A complete bearing kit for the diff + 1/2 axle shafts + a spacer kit (RAT-4109) which replaces the "crush sleeve" followed by a wedge with a rigid set of disks (RAT-1809) + axis pinion (RAT-5807) + screws (RAT-5811) + cups (RAT-2804) + various shims. Almost everythings new. RATECH.com
Question simplicity the trunk-key is not the most practical, especially when the engine is running and must therefore turn off the ignition, remove the key and go to the trunk to open it. At the end of 70's Firebird had the option opening the trunk release (an electro magnet in fact). So once again that eBay gives me the opportunity to acquire a set button / electro at a ridiculous price.
Since the differential is deposited, i took the opportunity to change the system by switching to rear brake discs from a 79-81 Trans-am and all that goes with that is: booster, master cylinder , dispatcher, aircraft-type hoses all new. The front calipers are Reman (remanufactured). I had a small problem with the lines that go from the master cylinder to the splitter, the outputs are in fact the opposite previous versions with cast iron master cylinder, ie the output is the most prominent brakes back and then the rear exit is for the front brakes.
Switching to aero wiper type.
Synthesis of new parts:
- heater core
- wheather seal doors and trunk
- xenon kit
- wheels and nuts
- timing chain
- water hose
- alternator
- center hub cover
- bearing and axle shaft
- pignon gear, differential
- trunk release
- booster, master cylinder, calipers etc...
- aero wiper bladeTotal miles traveled for 2008: 5760km. (3580 miles)
Total miles traveled since 2003: 28750km. (17870 miles)
© birdfire 2003-2022 for all documents and pictures of my Formula.