truckdoug

iTrader: (25)

damn that thing is gonna be on the ground!

78_elky

Yeah it'll give it the ability to lay frame with stock 32" tires, but for now it'll be static.

78_elky

Life and work are really kicking my butt this summer. I have gotten a lot of stuff done, and I think I'm in good shape for having stuff I can do over the winter even if the weather gets bad and I can't paint or whatever.

Painted the insides of the fenders so they match the firewall and frame

Also painted all the stuff for the pedals so they don't get any more rust on them

I dropped a new to me bed on the dually to get rid of the caddy lights and generally speed up the project

I don't mind wrapping but I prefer paint at this point

I moved the engine to my house so I can start on all that soon

The Fiero has had a bad ATF leak for most of the summer and I couldn't get it to stop

I figured out the leak, I broke the diff cover / tailshaft of the transmission

Anyways with things getting painted and put together I can do the interior and wiring this winter and maybe get the engine in the bay and figure out what needs to change with the headers and who knows I may even assemble the engine.
Jessica

truckdoug

iTrader: (25)

I'm glad you came to your senses on the caddy lights on the dually

BadgeZ28

iTrader: (28)

I know the routine Jessica. I have four cars and there is always something that needs done. Better hurry up girl. Our summer left in a big hurry this year. I am not digging the return of low 40's mornings.

78_elky

You and all my friends are in agreement. I was just going along with it because it was what was there. I took the bondo off the one side and said to hell with the mess the previous owner had done. I've fixed or replaced all his other hack work so this turned out to be no different.
I got this new bed up in Poulsbo WA and brought it home and got it fixed up and on the truck in 3 weeks. Its not ready to get on the road yet but its going to be ready for spring. It was extremely stupid looking, but it worked...



I have 5 right now, luckily the Blazer and S10 just plain work 90% of the time, and the Fiero had been pretty awesome up until this failure. I'm not looking forward to the winter, but I think I'm in a much better spot this fall than last year. I may even get some work done over the winter and be ready to hit things hard in the spring.
Jessica

78_elky

BIG stuff, and even bigger headaches!


I got my steering figured out with the Camaro Column and the Jeep Cherokee Shaft. Just need to make a plate to close up the firewall hole.

The engine and transmission actually fit! Who would have thought I'd get this right after all this time?

The engine and transmission physically fit in the space, but there is a problem.

For some reason its like the engine is too wide, or the mounts are...

78_elky

The Dually project is getting a lot closer to done, so I should be back on the El Camino more now that the weather is going to turn wet and I'll be inside.


Its all just tack welded together at this point, but it'll come out ang get blasted and fully welded then bed linered.

Jessica

78_elky

Sometimes I just have to bite the bullet and fix things myself.
I don't know why the adapter plates that "everyone" uses don't work on my El Camino, I've found a few threads and videos of the same issue on other G-body cars and another later model Chevy. I think it has to do with the clamshells and the rubber/poly mount on the frame. I think the earlier style that had the rubber bit on the block are better suited to those adapter plate pieces. Anyways I did away with all of it, I didn't want to have to wedge my engine in and out of the mounts, I wanted something that was serviceable with one person because I'm usually working on my car by myself and its hard to get people to come over to do this stuff sometimes.


So I started with some 1/4" plate to build a new clamshell out of

I was originally just going to replicate the original clam shell, but shorter.

I decided instead to do away with the adapter completely and just build an adapter with a mount on it, so less bolts and a more simple design overall

They work the same as the originals

Its all 1/4" plate so its hopefully strong enough (its overbuilt by a fair bit I think)

My only complaint is how hard it is to work with 1/4" material. Its about as thick as I'd ever want to weld, and I only did it because I could weld both sides. Its also a pain to cut, clean up, and drill even with a bandsaw, sander, and drill press.

The engine is in the "stock" location and its the same height it should have been with the factory mounts. Plus the F-body headers dropped right in from the top!

The headers need to be modified a little, especially the direction of the collector on the drivers side. One nice thing was the 4L80e fit without any issues at all!

I'm going to modify my seat rails next and get the seats installed. I have a big list of stuff to get done this winter so I should have some good progress here in the next few months. Basically the plan is to get the interior pretty much done, and do all the test fitting and plumbing on the engine as well as anything else I can afford to do like wiring, exhaust, driveshaft, and stuff that will just make it that much easier to get it on the road after the engine and transmission is ready.
Jessica

truckdoug

iTrader: (25)

engine and trans in and headers on final position is a big milestone in my book. its all gravy from here. except you will probably do a bunch of crazy fab work anyways

78_elky

I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel finally, but there will be some more fab work I'm sure. I'm trying to keep things as simple as I can though.
Jessica

78_elky

I've gotten a lot of stuff done these last few days, all kinds of little stuff that takes time and is annoying but totally worth it I suppose in the long run.

made the seat rails lower and angled to work with the C4 seats (well any other GM car seat)

What a long/slow/tedious process

The seats fit now and are comfortable and I guess thats what counts

Got a "cheap" driveshaft safety loop to modify

Figured something like this would work to bolt in like stock but meet NHRA rules

Its all in there for now, I'll do the final cleaning and finishing once I get a driveshaft.


The next thing will be the hydroboost and the steering column flange mount on the firewall. I might get those squared away this week and who knows what else I'll decide to tackle after that. I'm still working towards having the interior "done" this winter and a lot of the metal work finished so I can paint a bunch of stuff in the spring and have it on the car or ready to go on the car for good.
Jessica

Cheese Weasel

Nice work! I've also modified one of those driveshaft loops, but mine fits the late-third-generation F-bodies...

Good to see that you're still plugging along at this, can't wait to see it running!

78_elky

Thanks, me too! I'll just be happy to see it looking like a truck/car again. That whole removing the body from the frame was a huge long project just in itself.
Jessica

78_elky

I got the steering column mounted completely, it came free with the dash I bought so I can't really complain about how messed up it is. Either way I'll get a new one and this one was perfect for this part of the project.




Tomorrow I tackle cleaning up the core support (I cut some holes in it years ago and need to make it look better) and then I'll mount the fenders and start on the inner fender modifications and the cowl piece that goes over the HVAC block off plate.
Jessica

78_elky

I opened up the areas in the core support behind the lights. Now I can get t all the bulbs easily and not cut my hand up.

It looks like a truck/car again!

I figured out the coolant hoses and even have a ton of room for the fans. I'm not sure which ones I'll end up using but this set from an Intrepid seems to fit (but its a little small).

I started to modify the S10 inner fenders to fit, all so I can run a wider front tire and not rub through the stock plastic inner fenders.


Got both to bolt in at a few points, just need some more metal added to a few places.

Things are moving right along! Anything that looks old and rusty or is bare metal will get painted once the weather cooperates.
Jessica

2ToeRacing

iTrader: (5)

Jessica, You are doing a great job on the car/truck <--that's what my wife calls them. I don't know how you keep up the momentum with three rides needing work at the same time. keep up the good/hard work it will all pay off in the end.

78_elky

Thank you! Its hard to stay motivated and productive especially when it gets dark and cold here in the winter. Luckily the parts I need for the other cars are hard to get or back ordered so I don't have to make a choice between what to do right now. Its just a matter of if I want to work outside or stay inside and watch netflix and knit
Jessica

truckdoug

iTrader: (25)

hey bump this thread up. hows the el camino coming?

damn youre getting good with wrap btw!

i'm about to start my own g body malibu project..just a drag car nothing too nice. but I need interior stuff if you have a line on anything lemme know.

78_elky

That's awesome! What year is it and is it a coupe/wagon/sedan? I might have parts squirrelled away and might have stuff I pulled that I won't use, just PM me what you're looking for all the front stuff is the same on the El Caminos.

The El Camino is going good but it's slow with the holidays and been under the weather, plus just general life/work stuff. The dually turned out a lot better than the Fiero, wrapping stuff is a steep learning curve.

Jessica