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Lol - Norris Motorsports is probably ready to throw the towel in after dealing with my troublesome TA for seven months. The TA has been there since November 21st.
Hagerty really gave the 3rd degree about insuring the TA. Had to prove the car isn't a race car by providing pictures proving the car doesn't have slicks, isn't tubbed, doesn't have nitrous, no supercharger or turbo, no cage, and so on. None of my other cars had to go through the Q&A plus photo proof. I was about ready to toss a towel myself.
Last edited by 99 Black Bird T/A; 07-05-2018 at 05:29 PM.
After an exhausting day my fiance was kind enough to spend twp hours driving to the shop and back so I could pick up TA. It was great to hear the TA roar to life again after this almost seven month ordeal. The TA sounded great with the new dual Black Heart / Kook's exhaust. Best of all the exhaust doesn't drag getting in my drive way.
Mike worked on additional driveability tuning and the TA definitely responded. The drove well in rush hour traffic and at low speeds. I'm definitely a little rusty with the clutch after being away from the car as tires chirped in protest at the first couple of stop lights. There may be a few tweaks when the final dyno tuning is done.
The drive home was pretty tame. TA definitely more attention than I expected lots looks etc. A Genesis got all excited hearing the exhaust and had to do a ricer fly by in the merge lane in heavy traffic. 6th Gen SS driver looked up on hearing the TA. Had Rev and say Hi.
First I stressed that something bad was going to happen every time I drove the car. Took a couple of weeks for my stress level to settle down.
The low end torque is just fantastic. I fell in love with the TA in a whole new way. The TA is the most fun to drive the car has ever been. My fiance likes driving the TA more than ever and the amazing bottom end torque is her favorite part.
Her son thinks the TA sounds too tame with the quiet valve train and BlackHart x-pipe exhaust. He misses the XER cam noise and open cut out. After 15 years of sewing machine sounds it does take a while getting used to the quiet.
The tires are going to have be upgraded. Accidentally spin the tires a dozen times. I had a set of Fikse FM10's for white RS but they will probably go on the TA with sticky tires when they get restored. Likewise, the brakes are getting upgraded.
It's been a good month. The TA has came along nicely. The TA is correctly insured as a classic / specialty car. The tag is renewed. It had expired while the car was in the shop for engine repairs. Most of the meth fumes from the scum bags being in the car are finally gone. Lots of washing and the TA's fumigation is almost complete.
I found some additional damage previously over looked. The power mirror switch is broken along with the turn signals. The plastic surround for the radio is broken in four placed now. Apparently, they wanted to steal the radio. The Magnum transmission is leaking from the tail shaft seal now so the whole underside of the car from torque arm to mufflers is dripping Royal Purple Synchro-Max. I've asked Norris Motorsports to fix that when the TA goes in for the dyno tune next week. Mike, Drew, Bruce and the whole team have been fantastic in every way.
This week the TA is at a local shop getting an oil, filter change, alignment, tire rotation, turn signal repair, power mirror switch, new sway bar bushings, end links and rear bump stops. There was a nasty new clunk that developed. The shop found the 8.8 had the backing plate / bracket that holds the rear brake calipers installed with nylocks instead of red loctite. All four nylocks came loose and both calipers were wobbling around.
So if all keeps going well about Friday next week I should have the dyno results.
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Last edited by 99 Black Bird T/A; 06-12-2018 at 07:08 PM.
Nothing could be found that caused the tail shaft seal to leak. No burrs & no tears etc. The seal has been replaced and the leak is fixed. I hope it says fixed.
05-02-2018, 09:54 PM
