Work In Progress. '88 TC

Topic: Work In Progress. '88 TC (Read 14539 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #75 – April 13, 2023, 12:34:13 AM

You will hate the urethane bushings in those control arms. Get the Moog bushing kit and a ball joint to rebuild your stock control arms.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #76 – September 25, 2023, 08:41:05 AM

I've had the front spoiler waiting over a year to go on the car and earlier this Spring found the rear spoiler. Thanks to Clayton for the idea and telling me it was a Camaro rear spoiler.

I have been feeling guilty about not following Aerocoupe's advice on the front control arms. I had already ordered the front arms by the time he had posted and so far I really like them. When the urethane unhinges I will rebuild the originals as Aerocoupe advised.

The front suspension has been rebuilt with new springs, struts (KYB G2), and the control arms. Also added the MM Caster/Camber plates that have been sitting on the shelf waiting. Rear shocks were replaced too with KYB G2.

Improvements in driving are definitely noticeable although the ride is stiffer than the worn out OEM shocks/struts. Handles like it is on rails (to my feeble driving prowess) even though it sits high. New England roads are horrible so not being lowered is wanted for me not to bottom the car out.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #77 – September 25, 2023, 10:50:28 AM

@Aerocoupe

What do you mean by "unhinge"?

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #78 – September 25, 2023, 02:33:39 PM

Car is looking good Mike.
Heading back towards Florida this Sunday!!!

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #79 – September 29, 2023, 03:26:32 PM

More cosmetics. Windows tinted 30% with headlights and corner lights polished.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #80 – December 21, 2023, 10:43:55 AM

@ Chuck

I have no idea. Most likely my iPhone auto correcting me again so I edited it to "bushings".

I ran urethane bushings in my 85 TC and they came out the next weekend. To me they made the ride harsh and made the rear suspension twitchy. I had replaced the springs and dampers at the same time but I just could not deal with it as it was. Installed all new rubber OEM type bushings in the front LCA's, rear LCA's, and in the rear UCA mounts on the rear end. Problem was gone and the car rode and handled as expected.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #81 – July 17, 2024, 09:34:35 AM

Oops

Earlier this Summer I have been chasing a misfire only at RPM's under 2k. You can find the story here: Misfire 88 TC

While I was diagnosing the the misfire I put the adjustable FPR that I had rebuilt back on the car. I will adjust the FPR again once the car is running with the wideband for reference.

A good friend of mine recently bought a new garage condo for his business. Front and loft areas are for his business and garage is for his toys. He had the floor epoxied and an used lift that he installed. I have been painting sections of the lift as time allows and now the clear coat on the floor is lifting so the business that epoxied it is coming back.

In the mean time he invited me over with my car to replace the head gasket and we are installing the new turbo and fmic kit off my shelf from the past couple years waiting. A lift, lights, and air conditioning.......I think I have died and gone to heaven.

I used an engine lift to remove and place the head on the car. It worked awesome and my back isn't angry trying to place that 80 lbs of iron.

Gnari FMIC is going in with a bit of grinding here and there is needed for the brackets (extra weld on radiator support). Happy with the kit so far. Thursday some extra intercooler tubes should be here for some rerouting that I would prefer. I will take some pictures when done hopefully this weekend.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #82 – July 18, 2024, 09:09:35 PM

Turbo and exhaust manifold, and exhaust is on the car. Need to finish plumbing the intercooler.

There's no power steering cooler just a metal line in front of the condenser so project creep of adding a cooler. PS Fluid smelt horrible almost burnt smell like an automatic transmission. Guessing that may be biting me next.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #83 – July 19, 2024, 09:08:39 AM

You could do a quick drain/fill on the PS stuff. It wouldn't hurt. Remove what you can from the reservoir by sucking it out or draining it out the bottom (return fitting) and refill with fresh. A couple times of that and running it a bit can clean it up.

If you wanted to refresh it all., it's not too terrible to do, especially if you already have the return hose off.

Remove the drain hose from the reservoir and put it into a catch container (cap the nipple on the reservoir when you remove the hose). Disconnect the coil wire and cycle the engine with the starter a couple of times. Top off the fluid. Repeat until you see clean fluid going into your catch container.
The fluid pumps out pretty quickly, so no need to crank it too much. You don't want to run the pump dry and draw in air.

Just an idea.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #84 – July 19, 2024, 09:25:15 AM

Thanks Chuck! I was thinking the same of just bleeding some off from time to time until it shows clean. The PS fluid looked like new engine oil instead of clear or red if someone put atf in there. With the smell of a burnt up automatic transmission fluid. Yuck.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #85 – August 05, 2024, 12:40:49 PM

Rolled the car back into the garage and was able to get a few hours working on the car.
It is slow going, but progress is progress is what I keep reminding myself. I had secretly thought I may get the car back together, but no where close.

Here's where I started last night:

The A/C lines on the passenger side do not play well with the Gnari tubing with their intercooler kit. Ordered some 45° and 90° couplings last night. Also, I need to make a spacers for the brackets that tie the intercooler and radiator to the front support. I mocked up some spacers to get an idea but the plastic is already compressing.

This is where I ended:

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #86 – September 06, 2024, 04:08:46 PM

Change in plans.

I moved the intercooler to the typical place in front of the radiator and condenser, rerouted the piping and getting closer to buttoning it up finally. Mocking up brackets to hold the tubing in place.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #87 – Today at 12:03:09 PM

The addition of the front and rear spoilers looks fantastic! What year / model Camaro is the rear spoiler from?

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #88 – Today at 02:46:16 PM

Quote from: dr..mach – on Today at 12:03:09 PM

The addition of the front and rear spoilers looks fantastic! What year / model Camaro is the rear spoiler from?

Thanks!
Late 80's and early 90's Camaro.

Re: Work In Progress. '88 TC

Reply #89 – Today at 04:48:12 PM

I wish I'd kept the AC on the Tbird when I did all of the IC stuff, etc. Guess I'll wait until I do something different with the drivetrain to worry about it.

It would be driven a lot more over the summer. I get stuck in traffic too much back and forth to work and don't want to hassle with getting cooked trying to get there. The LTS has been getting a bunch of use this summer.