4877 Ressurecting a bad girl...

[SS Spoiler]

I had same problem, so I cut some plywood to push
the sag up behind the license plate. It rests on the
frame and squared things up....

[Lwanmtr]

I actually printed out a couple of braces to put up under the fascia against the frame...I of course, forgot to put them in when I put the fascia back on...lol

[Lwanmtr]

Today was low key (unless I find something else I can do..hehe)

Went to home depot and got the nuts n washer I needed and reattached the lower support for the rear fascia.

[Lwanmtr]

Today I finished painting the grille strips and put the grilles back into the lower engine cover...Still missing a few, but theyre secure at least.. I think Im gonna take the cover off again and repaint it..can see where I hadnt gotten full coverage when I originally did it.

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Also started on the dash pad repair. Friend who does this kind of stuff told me how to do it in layers using the upol 706

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Tomorrow it should be setup so I can sand the first (super thick) layer and put down the other layers.

Still have to find the right color paint to use on the pad and kneepads and center console...I may have to take one of the parts to sherwin williams and get them to match it for me.

[Lwanmtr]

Today I worked more on the dash pad...

Put the final layers of filler...the filler layers actually blend out a ways from the cracks, this should minimize the chance of cracks coming back (at least in the same spots)

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Sanded it all down and gave it all a key..

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And finally put the texture on...cant really see it, but there is a texture to it, though not a large of bumps as original

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I still need to get the right color paint to put on it, kneepads, center console, side panels

[Lwanmtr]

Today I spent a while adjusting the louver and loop on the engine cover so that the louver latch would work..got it as well as I could and ended up having to actually bend the lop back so it would seat. Removed the engine cover so I could repaint it cause I saw some errors I hadnt seen before...Gotta order more trim black..maybe I otta just order a case...lol.

Noticed I had apparently dropped something on the rear fascia, so I started prepping to do a lil bit of a painting and filled in one of the scratches I left before...gotta order more titanium paint.

[Domi]

Awesome job done on the dash pad :thumbup:

[Lwanmtr]

Thanks. Still need to sort the paint to match as close as I can to the factory grey

[Lwanmtr]

Today I spent some time trying to adjust the striker pins on the driver side. I need to get some thinner washers..rear pin is rubbing the white plastic in the latch. Got the front mostly sorted..but its no where near as smooth as the passenger side (which Toby did when they unstucked my door at dmcnw).

I also spent some time adjusting panels so they matched up to the doors...I think they're pretty good. Sadly the windsheild upper panel is actually bent and wont align and I dont really wanna take it off (or do much at all near the windsheild..hehe)

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And yeah, I know..needs a major bath...and will need to get the panels regrained or whatever to remove the many scratches (most of which I didnt cause)

[Bitsyncmaster]

Today I spent some time trying to adjust the striker pins on the driver side. I need to get some thinner washers..rear pin is rubbing the white plastic in the latch. Got the front mostly sorted..but its no where near as smooth as the passenger side (which Toby did when they unstucked my door at dmcnw).

I also spent some time adjusting panels so they matched up to the doors...I think they're pretty good. Sadly the windsheild upper panel is actually bent and wont align and I dont really wanna take it off (or do much at all near the windsheild..hehe)

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And yeah, I know..needs a major bath...and will need to get the panels regrained or whatever to remove the many scratches (most of which I didnt cause)

Did you just remove washers to adjust the panels? The front of my doors is lower than the front fenders and my front latch is adjusted as high as the pin will go.

[Domi]

Looking good, does the doors close properly?

[Lwanmtr]

Did you just remove washers to adjust the panels? The front of my doors is lower than the front fenders and my front latch is adjusted as high as the pin will go.

On the driver side I started by removing one washer on the rear cause it was rubbing..but then the pin wouldnt go in at all..so until I get some thinner washers I have it back the way it was. The fenders were already pretty well adjusted to the doors, so I didnt have to remove any of the washers on those.

I think the front pin is about where it needs to be cause any movement seemed to make it not want to work correctly...but i still feel a little bump, even with the rear striker removed.


Looking good, does the doors close properly?

Thanks. Yep, the doors both open and close properly...the driver side can still feel bit of a bump when opening or closing, so i have more work to do there....the passenger side is super smooth (Toby did that one)...If I cant get it I'll just have to wait til I take the car up there for suspension and other stuff and have them do it..hehe.

[DMC5180]

with the Fender to door fit it is a compromise. The factory shimmed the top of the fenders up to match the hood . This causes the fit to the doors to be too high. the only way to get all three to line up is to remove the hood seal. I've been down this road before.


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[Lwanmtr]

Luckily my panels are all lining up just fine...well as fine as a hand built car can be :)

Its just them striker pins...hehe

[Lwanmtr]

Ok today was...annoying....

Jacked the front end up so I could start cleaning up the surface rust on the frame...got the wheels off..fyi, loosen the lugs prior to lifting the car..luckily I have a ryobi impact drill that was able get them loose..hehe.

Here's some pics...looks pretty good under there, yeah? read on.......

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Even the rotors are looking decent...just some surface rust..no grooves or anything like that...I'll be changing brake pads while the wheels are off this time around..

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Ok..so on to the first order...removing the fuel tank closing plate..went pretty easy..only had to use secret sauce on two of the bolts and even those released quickly..Yaay..or so I thought..wrangled it free and when it finally dropped there was floof of material that dropped out...yikes...I got this...looks messy, eh?

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Ok..here it is after 2 hours of hitting it with a wire wheel and a chisel...looks like the rust has pretty much taken over...Does it look at all salvageable? Guess I'm adding another $300 to my list....

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Popped back under the car to try and get a lil better pics of the frame on that side...looks like its pretty much surface rust there..I'll know more tomorrow after I get in there with the wire wheel.

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Does the closing plate look like it may have been a coolant leak in there? the worst is on the topside of it.

ahh well....

[Nicholas R]

Does the closing plate look like it may have been a coolant leak in there? the worst is on the topside of it.


No, it looks like it had a brake fluid leak. Brake fluid will eat right through the frame and closing plate epoxy completely exposing it like that. With the master cylinder mounted to the firewall right above the closing plate, this type of damage is very common.

[Lwanmtr]

Ahh ok. The brake master looked ok and I hadnt noticed any leaks, but I'll check again when I get back under there later.

[Nicholas R]

Yeah; especially since the majority of the corrosion is on the LH/Drivers side of the inside of the plate; literally right below the brake master cylinder (and clutch master cylinder if it's a manual). I'd put money on it that at some point the car had a leak that went unaddressed for a while.

[Lwanmtr]

Yeah, wasnt even thinking about that thing. maybe otta design a sheild that will sheild everything from the master cylinder. Mines an auto, so no clutch master to worry about.

[Nicholas R]

Yeah, wasnt even thinking about that thing. maybe otta design a sheild that will sheild everything from the master cylinder. Mines an auto, so no clutch master to worry about.

Might not be a bad idea, though once the system is thoroughly vetted, the brake system is pretty reliable. It's usually a master cylinder on a car that's been in storage for decades that starts to leak. For now I'd take the effort and apply it to making sure your brake system is sound. :thumbup: :wrenchin:

[Lwanmtr]

Hadnt planned on digging into the brake system deeply here..I've never overhauled one before..was something I was gonna be holding off til I got the car up for complete inspection and other oily work done up at DMCNW....

[Lwanmtr]

Spent some more time under there today...

Checked out the master cylinder and it looks clean, though according to Toby its the original since it has the red thing on the end. The booster has a ton of rust and corrosion, so it looks that at least at one time it was leaking there.

Decided Im going to pull the fuel tank cause, while the damage doesnt look bad along the frame there, I just wanna make sure...plus it'll make hosing out the fuel tank a bit easier.

Tomorrow (29th) is my birthday if anyone wants to donate parts or stuff.....lol

But dangit...I'm taking more parts off again...lol

[DeLoreanGirl]

Ok today was...annoying....

Jacked the front end up so I could start cleaning up the surface rust on the frame...got the wheels off..fyi, loosen the lugs prior to lifting the car..luckily I have a ryobi impact drill that was able get them loose..hehe.

Here's some pics...looks pretty good under there, yeah? read on.......

5223052231522325223352234522355223652237

Even the rotors are looking decent...just some surface rust..no grooves or anything like that...I'll be changing brake pads while the wheels are off this time around..

5223852239

Ok..so on to the first order...removing the fuel tank closing plate..went pretty easy..only had to use secret sauce on two of the bolts and even those released quickly..Yaay..or so I thought..wrangled it free and when it finally dropped there was floof of material that dropped out...yikes...I got this...looks messy, eh?

5224052241

Ok..here it is after 2 hours of hitting it with a wire wheel and a chisel...looks like the rust has pretty much taken over...Does it look at all salvageable? Guess I'm adding another $300 to my list....

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Popped back under the car to try and get a lil better pics of the frame on that side...looks like its pretty much surface rust there..I'll know more tomorrow after I get in there with the wire wheel.

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Does the closing plate look like it may have been a coolant leak in there? the worst is on the topside of it.

ahh well....


Looks like you've got your hands full as well! Anyways, Happy Birthday!

[Lwanmtr]

Hehe...yeah a little...I hadnt planned on getting this deep into it, at least not until after it was inspected up at dmcnw....but kinda glad I am cause this way there will be less for them to write down on the 'need fixed' page...hehe.

Thanks..depending on what family might have planned, I'll be spending time wrestling the fuel tank out today.

[Lwanmtr]

Ok..a little change in plan....

Got the coolant pipe loose and was disconnecting the wiring, fuel lines, etc from the tank to let it drop, then realized I cant reach the vapor line behind the fuel filler...sooo, since there's no real reason right now to drop it, I'm just gonna leave it because the corrosion doesnt seem to go very far up and I can easily apply the por15 up in there.

On the plus side, I discovered why I was getting fuel smell when the car was on...the guy who put the fuel pump in hadnt fully tightened the end that screws into the pump.

Is the fuel line supposed to have a different connector than the return line (that pokes into the rubber boot)?

Tomorrow I'll probably work on hitting the frame with the wire wheel.

[Lwanmtr]

Started on the fuel tank...

Got the pump out, found it was missing the clamp that secures it to the boot, so I'll have to get that.
Cleaned the hoses and baffle (what is that for aside from baffling people as to why it's there?)

Looked inside..well ok, pointed my phone around in there and took pics...Actually looks pretty good aside of some orange rust color stuff on the sides and some debris on the bottom...no thick sludgy stuffs..

The gas, which I got about 2 gallons out was a nice pretty brown color with the lovely aroma of vinegar..lol

Tomorrow I'll get the noxious part of the job knocked out...got me a gallon of acetone and shop towels....gonna fashion a scrubber from a toilet brush (thanks to an idea that someone else in another post came up with)..i have a face thingy so I'm just huffin' fumes..and gonna have to remember to open up every door in the garage...hehe.

Here's a tip, If you're gonna pump the gas out with a manual pump, jack the front up so the tank is an angle, then it all runs down to the narrow end (just be sure to put it on stands)

[Lwanmtr]

Yesterday I got in there and cleaned out the tank....yaay for a filter mask and gloves or i'd prolly have brain damage...lol. Sorry I didnt get any pics inside.

Previous owner had left the connector on the fuel pump loose and there was no clamp holding it to the metal thing on the boot so it was just sitting in there..and explains why I kept smelling fuel.

The fuel lines are like sooper stiff (and orange)..never could get the access panel to sit flat..hopefully when I put pump n stuff back on it will be in the right orientation so I can.

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Cleaned the parts...the baffle was a pain to dig the gunk outta the grooves.

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Got clever and decided to assemble the baffle before stuffing it into the tank....yeah, that worked..ended up having to take it all apart anyway and spending 20 minutes assembling it all by braile inside..lol

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Oh...and here's the tool I made so I didnt have to stick my arm way inside the tank and get stuck. Worked as is for scrubbing, then for mopping stuff up I duct taped some shop towels around the end (wipe, repeat, wipe, repeat...).

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Still smells like gas in the garage, hopefully once I can get a new clamp and get the pump back in that will go away...on the plus side, it doesnt smell like bad gas..or the acetone I used to clean the tank.

Course it's gonna stay dry until I get the new transmission filter in and actually go to start her again.

[SS Spoiler]

A trick I did when putting the baffle/pickup screen/wires in
was to drill four tiny holes on the top edge of the baffle and
thread the hold down wires through them. That absolutely
keeps everything in place with no moving around....

[Lwanmtr]

Thats a clever idea...if I ever have to pull it out again I'll remember that...hehe.

[DMC5180]

Your orange hoses are from PJGrady. They have been known to fail ( break ) where the hose is pushed onto the fitting barbs. especially the feed line at the hard line connection. About 10 years seems to when the failure starts to show up but can vary greatly. I don't If Rob still sells that particular type of hose anymore, since the trend now has shifted to the Combo Pump Module units that come with the high Pressure Fuel injection hose.


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[Lwanmtr]

I plan to upgrade to the new fuel pump eventually.

I'll keep an eye on those hoses though and probably have Toby look at them when I get the car up there for the big work.

For now they dont look split or anything, but I dont know how old they are or anything like that.

[DMC5180]

It's one of those that just happens without warning. Just try not to disturb them to much.


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[Lwanmtr]

Got the pump back in...Hopefully the return line is not twsited wrong..with those orange lines being so stiff there wasnt any way to twist the boot to the orientation I think it should be in

[DMC5180]

there's really only one natural orientation the hoses work. which is from the rear pointing forward.


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[Lwanmtr]

Here's where they're at..

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Needless to say the access panel doesnt fit flat like it should...hehe.

[DMC5180]

looks like the lower pump boot is rotated out of position. The boot has 2 notches for the pump wires to sit in when the cover boot is in place. the notches a typically positioned at the 10-11 O clock when looking forward. I don't see the notches in your photo.


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[Lwanmtr]

No notches on my boot

[DMC5180]

Strange, did you lift the clamp and run your fingers all the way around it? The return line port through the boot should be rotated to about the 12 O clock position. the pressure line barb should be pointing rearward about 7 O clock. If this is not how the hoses were when you removed the access cover, they may be difficult to reposition.


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[DMC5180]

I'll post a photo of my fuel pump tomorrow. I still have the Orange hoses too.


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[Lwanmtr]

The way the lines are now is how they were when I got the car...they cant lie flat and really only want to be where they are.

[DMC5180]

It has been several years since I looked at these. My memory did not recall the Side to side position. But from the looks of things your pump boot is 180 opposite of mine.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170703/33f05fc9d8dced1c4f16f77d1aef66e1.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170703/004c92fc7475b2af93e66819bc665b05.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170703/53bf0884fc69465538096c87aeedf18e.jpg

Note: The return line through the boot is at approx 2:00 0'clock position look forward.

Notice the pump wires positioned in the Notches of the boot.

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[Lwanmtr]

Thanks. When I get the front back on the ground I'll see if I can get the lines to behave and go to that orientation.

[Lwanmtr]

Did some work on the frame the other day. Used the POR-15...thats some runny stuff. Put some rustoleum over the top to make sure I got as much as I could.

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[Domi]

Frame looks good now, nice job :wrenchin:

[Lwanmtr]

Thanks. I need to get paint that matches the rest of the frame now...hehe

[Lwanmtr]

Got the paint from Summit for the dash so I spent time painting the dash, kneepads and glove box lid. I also decided to see what I looked like on the wheel hub carpets, since they were looking awful...turned out pretty good I think..darker on the carpets than on the vinyl parts..prolly do all the carpets in that, since I have to get more anyway for the rear speaker covers.

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Still gotta get some padding for the floor carpets (cause, yeah I like my cars to have squishy floors).

[Andrew]

Got the paint from Summit for the dash so I spent time painting the dash, kneepads and glove box lid. I also decided to see what I looked like on the wheel hub carpets, since they were looking awful...turned out pretty good I think..darker on the carpets than on the vinyl parts..prolly do all the carpets in that, since I have to get more anyway for the rear speaker covers.

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Still gotta get some padding for the floor carpets (cause, yeah I like my cars to have squishy floors).

Looks great! What color / product did you use for the center console and dash etc?

[Lwanmtr]

I used SEM Color Coat 15163 Presidio...only $13 a can.

Hopefully the paint I ordered for the frame gets here today and I can get the front part of the frame all painted.

[Domi]

Looking really good :thumbup:

[Lwanmtr]

Thanky

[Lwanmtr]

I got some vinyl at a local upholstery place (they refused to sell me a small amount, so I got 1 yard)...Got some glue and some other stuff.

Spent today trimming up and glueing the vinyl to the speaker panels, as well as gluing some of the original stuff back down.

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Tomorrow I'll finish cleaning off all the glue that I (quite on purpose, of course) got in non gluing areas and painting them with the vinyl paint. I'll have to paint both sides of the new stuff to seal the fibers (yes, I know I released I got the wrong stuff too late).

[Lwanmtr]

Painted the speaker panels and decided to paint the door panels too, so that its consistant, plus when I looked at them could see the brown of sun burnin..hehe
You can see how the cloth color looks against the vinyl in the 3rd pic..I think it's a good contrast without being too dark.

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Then I can up with a way to fix a rather nasty gash in the center console...Here's a lil step by step..Off screen I had already measured and cut my patches...

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Next I marked the line I needed as well as the center point..

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Apply a genrous layer of contact glue to both the console and the patches...wander off for a about 10 minutes (or stare at the glue, whichever you like)

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Apply my patches....Yeah because of the size of the hole I was kinda forced to skew the proportions a little bit...Apply pressure all around

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Next..spend a while rubbing the vinyl to remove the excess glue (works good for cleaning dirt n grime off screwdrivers too (different story)....apply several coats of paint..tada..may not be perfect, but alot better than the hole

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Next up I'll start putting some of it back in the car..

[Rich_NYS]

Progress looks good.....clever idea for covering the damage!

[Lwanmtr]

Thanks. Originally I was just going to make a single piece to lay over the top, but decided why not add a lil (style?) hehe

[Lwanmtr]

Today I put some of the interior stuff in..Rear trim and dome light and rear headliner and speaker covers. Not sure if the back wall panel is in right or not, but as long as it doesnt pop out its fine..lol

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I need to get the right screws to secure the upper part of the speaker panels. Will probably see if I can find little crimp things or something to secure the stuff around the door opening, rather than gluing it.

[Lwanmtr]

Got the speaker panels finally secured up at the top...oddly the one I thought would be the most pain was the easier one

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Also got the dash pad, front speakers and driver side knee pads in...Id love to smack the genius that didnt give a good opening to get the speakers in..lol

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I'll have to wait to put the passenger kneepad until I can get a new glove box insert..and the binnacle needs recovered so I cant put that in yet either.

[Domi]

Very good job as usual :)
I see you have dynamat on the floor, this is great I think.

[Lwanmtr]

Thanks (good thing you cant see all the errors...hehe)

I actually used Fatmat..alot cheaper than Dynamat and does the same thing...covering the whole interior was less than $200...with dynamat it woulda cost me around $600

[Lwanmtr]

Today was a bit of a bust....

Set out to remove the driver side drop glass so I could see if its slipped on the carrier...tore everything apart..went to pull the glass out and it wouldnt come out...the rear seems like it wants to, but the front of it wont. :banghead:

May give it a try again tomorrow...otherwise, I'll just add a couple hours to my budget for when I take her up to DMCNW for inspection and other work.. :ehh:

one step forward...two steps back...or something like that

[Domi]

There's always something wrong something, keep up the good work, it will be better tomorrow or the day after ;)
Stay positive :)

[Lwanmtr]

Hehe..yep I'm positive... :)

[DaraSue]

There's always something wrong something, keep up the good work, it will be better tomorrow or the day after ;)
Stay positive :)

Yeah, what he said. Hang in there! One day you'll be cruising and it'll all be worth it...

[Lwanmtr]

Got the drop glass out and started hacking away at the thick black adhesive to try and get it to release..sprayed brake cleaner i there to try and get it release..no go..so Im letting it sit overnight.

[Lwanmtr]

Well..after a few days of scraping, heating, cussing and repeating, I finally got the carrier to release from the drop glass. I'll have to decide if I want to try and salvage the scratched glass or replace with a new one...

[Lwanmtr]

Today I went and picked up a couple more jack stands and raised the back end and took the wheels off.

Can see how bad the shocks are. I'll take a few more pics of the frame tomorrow, but it looks clean other than surface stuff

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Im paranoid about having it up like that..just seems like its gonna fall over..specially now that its up on 4 with no wheels...hehe.

[DMC5180]

Don't worry your good. If you really want to make yourself nervous, just jack it up to full Jack stand height. [emoji4]

I had mine at Full height a few years ago to do a Transmission R&R. I left it up on stands over the winter off season. It did make things ergonomically easier to work on stuff in the interior.

[Lwanmtr]

I plan to replace the transmission filter and check it to see where the leak is coming from. Im hoping I dont see any chunks of metal in the pan when I pull it. New tranny is not something I wanna have to get.

I did completely forget that I have the coolant pipe under the fuel tank disconnected, until I raised the back end..and noticed the antifreeze on the floor from where it drained out of the back..lol

Im debating if I want to get into the brakes..the rotors all look good, cept for some surface rust, and looks like theres still a decent amount of stuff on the pads still. Though I'd like to replace all the lines with new ss ones...just not sure I wanna add the $300 or whatever it costs for them

As for interior stuff..not much I need to do there at this point..Just need to get some padding for the carpets (cause I like squishy carpets) and put the front headliner in, after I get replacements for the sunvisor mounts.

I thought about setting the stands higher, actually, but decided I can prolly do with where they're at.

[Lwanmtr]

Spent yesterday and today repairing the forn impact absorber I got...

Collected the bits together and cleaned the loose stuff and plate...used Goop Automotive Adhesive to attach them to the plate

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Once it had secured enough I tossed a coat of rubberized coating on it..which didnt seem to cover as well as it should...but it seemed better after it dried.

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And lastly, applied a couple of coats of truck bed liner to it..Oughta make it nice n sturdy as well as sealing it from moisture.

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I also put in the sunvisor brackets from DPI...had to use my own rivets though, because the ones included were too long.

Started to put the sunvisors in..got one screw in and fought with all the others trying to get them to line up with the holes in the brackets...doesnt help that the one hinge is in just the right place that you cant really get a screwdriver on the screw well, specially with having to contort to hold the sunvisor, support the headliner and angle the screw....Anyone got any tips on getting those things in without cussing?..hehe

[Lwanmtr]

I got my reinforced impact absorber onto the car..the bed liner is quite effective. I did end up having to break the ends off cause they were sticking too far out and the fascia would never go on correctly.

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I also got the sunvisors in...but Im wondering if I have them in wrong? Which way is the fabric side supposed to face?

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[DaraSue]

I also got the sunvisors in...but Im wondering if I have them in wrong? Which way is the fabric side supposed to face?

55350

I had to run down to the garage and check, but the fabric side faces into the cabin, the vinyl (?) goes toward the windshield.

[Lwanmtr]

Lol...thanks...guess I'll have to flip them...they are a pain to get the screws to lineup with the holes in the brackets..hehe.

[Alex Brooks]

It's been a while got any updates for us ? I hope you have had some time turn a few wrenches. :wrenchin:

The last bit of snow is melting down here I'm ready to drive mine again:driving1:

[Lwanmtr]

Hehe...I'll prolly do a little in the next couple days....stay tuned :)

Lucky you, we didnt get snow, cept for one day...melted the next day...lol

[Lwanmtr]

Today I put the sunvisors on the correct sides..glad I dont have the seats in cause I'd hate to try and get in the right orientation to do those screws easily.

Also was going to replace some of the hoses on the coolant pipes, til I realized I'm gonna have to replace alot of the clamp things. Also noticed the hoses I got from DMC-H were like 3 inches longer than the ones that came off the car. Do I need to trim these?

55648

I'll prolly go to Home Depot or Autozone to get new clamps tomorrow.

[mluder]

Today I put the sunvisors on the correct sides..glad I dont have the seats in cause I'd hate to try and get in the right orientation to do those screws easily.

Also was going to replace some of the hoses on the coolant pipes, til I realized I'm gonna have to replace alot of the clamp things. Also noticed the hoses I got from DMC-H were like 3 inches longer than the ones that came off the car. Do I need to trim these?

55648

I'll prolly go to Home Depot or Autozone to get new clamps tomorrow.

Top Tip... You probably should not use the standard hose clamps from Home Depot. The kind with the slits in the band do not provide even pressure and can cut into the hose and cause leaks.
Use something like these ...
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Not these...
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Cheers
Steven

[Lwanmtr]

Yeah, autozone is closer anyway. Probably tomorrow or the next day..didnt have a chance today.

[DMC5180]

Yeah, autozone is closer anyway. Probably tomorrow or the next day..didnt have a chance today.

Regarding the hose length, you shouldn’t need to cut them unless a particular joint would work better with a shorter connector hose. I’m thinking at the radiator there was one joint that benefits from being shorter due too a close bend near the pipe end, but my foggy recollection is 20 years old too. [emoji6]




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[Lwanmtr]

If I dont trim them, definately be too long once you figure in theres 4 on each side

[DMC5180]

If I dont trim them, definately be too long once you figure in theres 4 on each side

Do whatever you feel is best for you.
Btw, that 1-1/4 Gates hose is a stock item at most auto parts stores.

When you cut the hose, a trick I use is too snug a hose clamp with one edge as the cut line. This makes an edge for the blade to follow. A break off blade slide type utility knife works well. Wet the blade with isopropyl or rubbing alcohol, it acts like a lubricant too let the blade glide through the rubber. The alcohol will evaporate fairly quickly leaving no mess.


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[Lwanmtr]

Thanks..I hadnt thought of using a clamp as a guide and the alcohol thing is a good idea too.

[Lwanmtr]

Had some time today so I installed the new octane lenses and led headlights.

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I also temporarily wired up the halos in the lenses. Have the outer lights wired into the marker light circuit and the inner lights wired to the turn signal / hazard circuit...


https://youtu.be/5mqBRYJejgo

https://youtu.be/5mqBRYJejgo

When I get the replacements for the bumper light sockets I'll wire them in properly.

btw..anyone got any headlight bezel screws (two went awol)...and maybe the female connectors (ones on the front harness that the bumper lights plug into) they dont need and wanna donate?..hehe.

[Alex Brooks]

Those are bright !!!! Post a pic with them turned off sometime.

[Lwanmtr]

Ok...you asked for it....lights off...

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[Alex Brooks]

Ok...you asked for it....lights off...

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Thank you. those look great and still keep a period correct look.

[Lwanmtr]

Yeah I think they look pretty good...hopefully one day I'll be able to use them...hehe.

The only thing Im not sure about is that the lenses are supposedly glass, even their docs say glass...but to me they kinda seem plasticy...maybe its just the difference in the way they're made compared to the original lights.

[DMC-81]

Thank you. those look great and still keep a period correct look.

I agree, They look good. I'm waiting patiently for LED headlights that look period correct and are plug and play.

[DMC5180]

Given that most plastic lenses suffer yellowing over time, real glass would be my preferred choice. That said, if the vehicle is in a garage 99% of its life, you will likely never get that kind of degradation anyway. I’ve had plastic lens housings in my D for 12 years. They show no signs of color change. I do have one with an impact crack though, likely from a stone. You have to look pretty close to see it. If it had been glass, it is possible it would have knocked a hole in it. That actually happened with one of my Silverstar sealed beams prior to the installation of the current housings. It looked like it had been hit with a BB.


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[Lwanmtr]

I agree, They look good. I'm waiting patiently for LED headlights that look period correct and are plug and play.

These are pretty much plug n play..they fit the stock buckets and the LED's are easy to install in the lenses. The only thing not plug n play are the halos.

Im not 100% sure they are plastic..I guess I could try giving a scratch in a corner and see...hehe.

But for $200 its not a bad price, the ones Toby sells are over $600.

[JETS 81 DMC]

These are pretty much plug n play..they fit the stock buckets and the LED's are easy to install in the lenses. The only thing not plug n play are the halos.

Im not 100% sure they are plastic..I guess I could try giving a scratch in a corner and see...hehe.

But for $200 its not a bad price, the ones Toby sells are over $600.

Use a coin or metal bolt etc and tap on the lens. If glass it will be a higher pitch than if plastic will be more of a thud. This will determine what they are made of. Just my .02 and they do look nice both on and off.

[Lwanmtr]

I tapped a little on the lens and it was a high pitch one, kinda glassy..but the feel isnt like glass.

[DMC-81]

Cool. Thanks for the info. :thumbup:

[JETS 81 DMC]

I tapped a little on the lens and it was a high pitch one, kinda glassy..but the feel isnt like glass.

Do you still have your old glass headlight bulbs? If so do a "tap" comparison for the sound. How does it not feel like glass?
Also feel the temperature of them, glass will feel colder than plastic.

[Lwanmtr]

Today I spent some time (prolly more than it shoulda took) putting in the new rubber links on the coolant pipe on the driver side. I might need to move one a little more to make sure I get a good seal. Was a pain to try and wiggle the front part and the hose to get it over the pipe...basically because i could only get one arm in there at a time..so I had to reach under the frame with one and the other up in there...and Im sure I used muscles in angles they really otta not be...lol

[Lwanmtr]

Do you still have your old glass headlight bulbs? If so do a "tap" comparison for the sound. How does it not feel like glass?
Also feel the temperature of them, glass will feel colder than plastic.

The seem similar..the tink sound is there..just different...lol

[Lwanmtr]

Today I started on the modifications to the front turn light wiring, adding in the connectors to plug the halos on my headlights. Used old style hard drive connectors since they have the same guage wire and are pretty durable.

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Will have to do the ends on the lights themselves next, which will be a pain since i'll have to do it on the car.

[Lwanmtr]

Wow..its been almost a year and a half....well....on to the good stuff...

Finally able to get back on things in a good way... I got a bunch of parts from Toby up at DMCNW..heres a list....

EZ Oil Drain Valve Kit
Wings B Cool Adjustable Fan Switch
Wings B Cool Self Bleeder Kit
Front Sway Bar Combo
Wings A Light 3rd Brake
License plate lamp
Fuse Box
Vent Door
Armrest Rt
Inner Wipe Seal LH
Outer Wipe Seal LH
Weatherstripping
Door Handles
Stickers 1981
Boot Kit
Drop Glass LH
Air Deflector RH
Deflector Retaining

There are a few other parts that he's waiting to arrive before he sends them on down.

And for those that like pictures....

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I'll have to figure out all the rubber bits and will have to have the upper door seals put in by Toby, since I dont want to risk the door or torsion bar.

Still have a few things I'll need to get from DMCH, since Toby is no longer an official vendor and cant get some parts. Like the door locks and seat covers.

And I even put some of them on the car...the buffer strips for the louvre (ok, I think thats what they were for, cause they fit nicely).

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Toby also fixed the holes for the running lights on my front fascia and drilled holes in the spoiler so I can actually attach it again.

Stay tuned for more stuffs.....

[powerline84]

Back in it. Nice!

[Lwanmtr]

Not looking forward to putting the new fuse box in..lol

[Lwanmtr]

Well, since my last post Ive made a lil progress...

I installed new door locks that I got keyed from DMCH
Installed new metal door handles
Finished my custom wiring on the running light / headlight halos

Also finished stripping all the old stuff off the binnacle, so that when Toby finds a new place I can get it recovered. I also cleaned it off and put some rusty metal primer on it to protect it a bit.

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And I worked on straightening the eyebrows. I used a heat gun to soften and push the brows down a bit, and clamped some wood over them to allow the pressure to help it relax as it cools. Finally I got a bar of aluminum and cut it to 18in pieces, carefully bent those to match the curve of the fascia as much as I could, then, being quite generous with the glue I put the bars in and clamped them in to set and harden for a couple days. I used JB Weld, which comes in a 2 part syringe, but you can buy a pack of mixing nozzles that just pop on (yaay...no mixing)...Now that I've used glue, I can now put my car in the model kit category...lol

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[Lwanmtr]

Today, after almost 4 years, the front fascia is back on the car :)

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I also primed and painted the rockscreen, and started to clean all the years of crud off the rh deflector I got from Toby.

64111

I still need to get some longer screws for the front running lights..the ones I have are just a little short. Will be a trip to ace hardware.
Tomorrow I plan to put the hood on the sawhorses and fix the hanging carpet bits and rubber seal.

Yeah, procrastinatiing on doing the fuse box....free ice cream for someone to come do it...hehe.

[Lwanmtr]

Hit a couple milestones..

Replaced the crumbling hood seal with one from Delorean Industries. Took about 3 hours total. frog tape works great for holding it down while it cures overnight.
3m weatherstripping adhesive works fast and holds great.

64265

And today I got the hood and front spoiler attached to the car

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Starting to look like a car again.

I also used some stainless cleaner on some areas...prolly shoulda left the dust coating, cause I can see all the micro scratches n stuff..lol

[Domi]

It's taking shape, very good job :thumbup:

[Lwanmtr]

Thanks :)

[Lwanmtr]

Last few days I've been making a slight modification to my lower engine cover. The hook thingy on mine had been long broken off and the area where it attached was a bit mangled, so a new one wouldnt go on...sooo

I started by dremeling out an area on the middle rib and attached an aluminum bar to the cover..not really needed, but I figured it might lessen the bowing when its opened.

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Then I used my dremel to shape some peices of aluminum to form the hook part, and used jbweld to attache them to the engine cover, and used vice grips and some bolts with washers to clamp it overnight to finish curing.

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Lastly after it was all cured I prepared and primed the new assembly.

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I used the last of my SEM Trim Black to put 4 coats over the engine cover. It started raining, so I didnt get a pic of it, I'll try to get some before I put it back on the car.

[Domi]

Very good idea, it should be stronger this way, and the new hook is a plus :wrenchin:

[Lwanmtr]

Thanks. Hopefully the adhesive holds...lol

[CFI]

Last few days I've been making a slight modification to my lower engine cover. The hook thingy on mine had been long broken off and the area where it attached was a bit mangled, so a new one wouldnt go on...sooo

I started by dremeling out an area on the middle rib and attached an aluminum bar to the cover..not really needed, but I figured it might lessen the bowing when its opened.

Toby makes a nice alternative method for holding up the engine cover. Easy to install, no bowing, and it holds the cover up higher than the stock method: https://www.delorean-parts.com/product/lower-engine-cover-support-clip/

[Rich_NYS]

Looking good!

[Lwanmtr]

Toby makes a nice alternative method for holding up the engine cover. Easy to install, no bowing, and it holds the cover up higher than the stock method: https://www.delorean-parts.com/product/lower-engine-cover-support-clip/


Huh..hadnt seen that on his site. I'll have to bug him about it..hehe. Thanks

Thanks Rich :)

[Lwanmtr]

Small update...

Ive almost got the passenger side door put back together...I just need to find the correct fir trees for the upper door panel, since Im missing them and the ones I do have are too small for the holes.

Friend repaired my front left window guide so as soon as I get it back I can start getting the driver door closed up.

Been printing and testing replacement for glove box insert. printing in 3 parts on my robor1..final will be a single piece print on a friend's large printer.

Searched for the screws for the lower door seal..only found 2 that fit, so gotta run to ace and see if they have some there.

Took my seats apart so that Im all ready when I get the hog rings and tool...yup, decided to do the recovering myself, rather than try and find an upholsterer that wont charge $200 a seat.

[Lwanmtr]

I put the passenger side back seat cover one ("ill take a pic later)..my arms ached from all the stretching, and Im sure I didnt do enough..lol.

Was going to start on the seat part, but couldnt figure out how Im supposed to install them...the DMCH covers have plastic flaps where the old ones had the wire for the bolster support.
They didnt include any instructions how they are supposed to be installed either.

Has anyone installed these new style ones from them?

[Timeless]

The emblem is not stainless. It's die cast aluminum with thin plating and the black out paint.

I always thought it would be cool to replicate one in stainless though. fwiw stainless would be noticeably heavier than that one.
This is possible in SS with the new waterjet and CNC equipment at my facility. Anyone made one?

[Lwanmtr]

Finally got my custom, hand made SS fuel tank closing plate...yaay.

6590365904

The channels actually act as drains now too..as opposed to the stock one that they just seemed to be there for no reason..hehe.

[Lwanmtr]

Today I got a Sony AVX8000 stereo thingy...not many options for single din these days....test fitted it to see how far the screen sticks out.
Overall, I like that its away from the vents and can be adjust more (yeah, i havent read the manual yet). With its position, it will be easier to reach if I need to.

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Its a very nice unit, though I still have to connect to phone for gps/navigation...ahh well.

Should be able to start on the fuse box replacement in the next few days, then I can work on getting the wiring harness made for the stereo and getting it secured in the car.

[Lwanmtr]

Reached a milestone! Got my new fuel tank plate installed (had to do some fixes on it, cause when he made it, he didnt cut it quite enough)..but looks good under there.

66003

Got the wheels back on and off the jack stands for the first time in a few years....
That was a lil adventure itself...the floor jack I bought years ago that actually fit under the back to lift it, stopped working right..it decided to not hold pressure (though not leaking anywhere)...sooo...I got some blocks and put them under the rear wheels so I could use my other floor jack on the rear and still be able to get it back out..that went fine..then dropped the front..that went fine..then we decided to roll it off the blocks, which went smoothly..a little too smooth cause she continued forward more than I wanted and smacked the steps..so I'll have to fix a little chipped paint on my front fascia.

Next will be making my harness for the stereo and installing the rear cam (yeah I'm procrastinating on diving into the fuse box as much as I can...hehe)