New 87 GN (Topic merged with "It's On!" post)

[SuperSix]

I got overwhelmed with all of the work to be done. I am just taking it one day at a time now.

[Charlief1]

I got overwhelmed with all of the work to be done. I am just taking it one day at a time now.

I know the feeling. Every time I turn around it's something else. Since the car fell on me I really don't like getting under it at all but it's got to be done one way or another. Now that I can see the under side of the car there's some surface rust that I hadn't expected but no major rust that I ca see with the frame still in her.

[SuperSix]

I've been poking around and putting on a few good hours on the car.

The wife is excited - she came out and said "Are you putting things back In?" She was very happy.

More and more cleaning, prepping and painting. Need to find a good location for my homemade fusible link relocation.

New 12ga fuse links


Mock up:


Harness is getting there.


More harness pics:






I noticed the cleaned hood latch assy was starting to rust, so I pulled it out, prepped, primed, and painted it.




I noticed that almost all of the nuts and bolts that hold the piece that joins the front clip and radiator support are missing. I have a bag of correct black phosphate replacements. But - the piece looks like shit - seems someone had chemically stripped the car, and let the stripper run down in between the body panels. I can't see a way to get that piece out without taking off the front clip. I may have to, if someone forgot the 5 bolts and 2 nuts where it's easy access, I can't imagine that the rest of the fasteners are there, or correct. Many of the hood hinge bolts are missing, and the hood is completely out of alignment, like someone just slapped the hood on with a few bolts for transport. Hmmm.. Again, I have replacements, but that means I get to adjust/position the hood. Bleah..

Front edge of hood:


Where do these clips go? I know the larger on is for a wiring harness..




New overall pic (All painted - just dirty)


Wiper motor rebuilt, painted, installed.




This is the stupid shit I do that takes time. I even painted the driver's side relays. 

[SuperSix]

Dug into the front suspension today. I expect to have the motor in relatively soon, so I needed to get the front suspension done while I still have great access.

It was relatively uneventful - one thing I noticed was that the right-hand inboard brake pad was installed wrong, and only about 70% of the pad was contacting the rotor. 
How does one install a brake pad wrong? Anyway...

Car has ~135k on it, and the stock ball joints are still in there, and I think the stock upper control arm bushings, definitely needed to be done.

I read up on how to get the old ones out, drilling, burning, then collapsing the shell, but decided to see if I could rent/borrow the correct tool. I checked out HarborFreight. com - and based on the shitty reviews, decided against buying the tools they had. I went to Autozone to check into renting some tools to get the bushings out, and the lower ball joint out - they only had a tool for lower ball joint, nothing for the upper control arm bushings. While I was at AZ - he mentioned taking it to a shop, so I did. They wanted $50 to replace both upper control arm bushings, both lower control arm bushings, and both lower ball joints - I provided the parts, all Moog Problem Solver. I went back home, took apart the other side, went back and dropped them off, they said they should be done tomorrow. $50 well spent, methinks.

I should have it back together in the next few days, tomorrow is pretty hectic.

Chipping away!
I already replaced the center drag link, inner and outer tie rods, and the Pittman idler arm.

[Steve Wood]

think I paid more than $50 on ebay for some bushing tools so I guess you did alright

[SuperSix]

Yea... years ago I redid the bushings on my first TR.. Didn't have the right tools. I got it done, but it was a PITA, and took me hours and hours.

[$1987 GN$]

Yea... years ago I redid the bushings on my first TR.. Didn't have the right tools. I got it done, but it was a PITA, and took me hours and hours.

IIRC I paid ~300 for mine. Was well worth the price as it will do more than bushings.

So the 50 bux was well spent !

AJ___

[SuperSix]

I thought about getting a cheap press from Harbor Freight, and fiddle-fucking my way though it, but I don't expect to be doing many more bushing/ball joint jobs...

[Top Speed]

Good job Mark.

[Charlief1]

On the uppers you could've gotten a pair of tubular ones for about $100 plus shipping Mark. The nice thing is you never have to replace the bushings again.   Taller ball joints would've been a great upgrade as well to help with some of the steering issues the G bodys have.

[SuperSix]

I remember you posting about that. Speedway motors, right?

I already had all the replacement parts, and I am trying to stop spending money on this car..

[Steve Wood]

I remember you posting about that. Speedway motors, right?

I already had all the replacement parts, and I am trying to stop spending money on this car..

Amen!

[Steve Wood]

btw, How is the tranny mount...while staring at the broken cat hanger on my GN, I noticed the tranny mount was cracked as well

[Charlief1]

I remember you posting about that. Speedway motors, right?

I already had all the replacement parts, and I am trying to stop spending money on this car..

You remember well Mark. I listed all the parts for a "poor mans" suspension upgrade in the tech section. This is the only site that I put it on so that only members would know about it.

[SuperSix]

I have a new tranny mount...

So - the show said that if they couldn't get them done last night, they would "get them done first thing this morning." the wife and I went to breakfast then to Dade City to visit some antique shops. ~12:30PM, no phone call, so i stopped by on my way home. Of course, they are still fucking sitting there. "My tech will get them done once he finishes the car that was here yesterday before you dropped off the parts."..

Fuck him, he said first thing this morning, and now I have to make another trip out to get the parts.

I had been looking for a shop to handle tires, alignments, etc, and even discussed that with him yesterday. I have a spare set of tires I need mounted and balanced on the Caddy, all 4 cars need alignments...

Now, he gets no more business, and I plan on letting him know that - I will follow up with a complaint to the main office.

Why is it it that all repair shops either rape you in charges or don't do what they say they will?

They had 3 of 6 bays with cars, they aren't busy either.