The New Project: Part Deux!

[njsteve]

Here are the finished frame repairs in red primer. Now it's back to the garage to install all my parts. After these baseline photos were taken I got out the black spray can and duplicated the original black overspray on the frame rails. I did it just as sloppy as the Norwood assembly plant guys did. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[L89DRMR]

Steve,

It's looking great-they did nice work.

Dave

[njsteve]

And in case you'r wondering what the old rail pieces looked like, here you go. Both sides were swollen and corroded where the two panels were welded together by the exhaust hangers. A real moisture trap, just like the lower sections of the rails by the front leaf spring perches.













I'm glad I got the full rails. Here's what's left, and some of the rusty, mangled front lower rail remnants:

[napa68]

You are a fine complement to the restoration hobby Steve!

[njsteve]

Thank you, Sir. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

[njsteve]

Got the Gardner exhaust in today, changed the oil and took her out for a 60 mile road test. She ran great and rides beautifully. Of course the rear main seal started dripping from all those years of sitting. Typical... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

I would love to know what is inside the engine when it comes to pistons and head work since preignition was rearing its ugly head at part throttle even with good gas. I guess this winter I will find out when I pull the engine to reseal everything.

Here are a couple shots of the exhaust and the repainted frame rails. The new KYB shocks came in a nice GM shade of vintage GM silver grey.





Oh, and the rear springs that I had de-arched one inch sit very nicely now on the 235/60x15s (the radial equivilent of the F60x15). They now match the ride height of the original springs in my T/A. The next project is installing the special front coil springs I had made with a one-inch drop from the stock spec. Right now the front is higher than the rear by about 3/4&quot;.

[njsteve]

Ran into a dilemma yesterday. I was installing the new repro bleeder master cylinder and couldn't get the combination valve to reset in order to get fluid to the back brake circuit. Driving the car onto the trailer with the rear brake line unhooked (though plugged) set off the BRAKE indicator light.

I tried everything: cracking a front bleeder and keeping the rears shut, then stepping on the brakes only resulted in the dash light turning out, indicating that the valve reset, but it must be internally blocked since the reset pin was still sticking out and no fluid was moving the the rear. I then put a plug into the rear circuit port of the valve to provide something for the fluid to press against and build internal pressure - once again the ligh would reset but no valve movement. Finally I just said the heck with it and removed the valve and put in a spare that I luckily had sitting on the shelf.

Anyone have any idea how to reset the valve? I tried removing the indicator plug with the electrical lead from the top, and manually moving the slider valve in the tiny port it engages with, but no luck there either - the slider wouldn't move. Pushing on the metal indicator stem doesn't budge it either.

[njsteve]

I finally repaired that original set of silver grills from the Formula (the ones with the hood latch hole fiberglassed over as a theft deterrent).

Actually it wasn't that bad. I went to drill a starter hole in the fiberglass patch from the inside, out. I applied some pressure with the drill...and the plug just popped off! I guess he made a square plug out of fiberglass and then used some type of epoxy that didn't bond very well with the plastic. So, all I had to do was some light sanding and then reshot both grills with a light dusting of argent.

Even though I do like the blacked out Trans Am grills better, I figured I'd make the purists happy by putting the original silver Formula grills from this car, back in.