Rescued a wounded Bird
$300? Wow! That is a great deal, especially since you drove it home! Good luck working all the little problems out, but you will absolutely enjoy it once you have it back on the road. Nice find!
^^^^ x2
Most of the under-$1000 f-cars are only worthy of parting out or stripping for full race setups. Finding a $300 car that has the potential to be a daily driver without too much investment is simply awesome.
Most of the under-$1000 f-cars are only worthy of parting out or stripping for full race setups. Finding a $300 car that has the potential to be a daily driver without too much investment is simply awesome.
Gojira, any newer pics of your car(s)? I have always wanted an LT1 Formula or Trans Am, but somehow ended up with Camaros instead. lol
Best of luck with your project, Mr. Gadget.
Went to work on her last night with 2 goals in mind: 1) re-test the new AFS 75 sensor that seemed bad and bring it back to Raleigh/Garner to swap it out (they'll have to order it again) and 2) cure the flutter I was feeling on tip-in.
I started by checking for converter flutter. I marked the flexplate and TC to record itheir relative position, then I unbolted the torque converter. While I was there, I re-checked the clearance and it was fine, between 1/8" and 1/16" so I slid it back and fired it up. It was perfect, no vibration. So I rotated the TC and flexplate 120* from their previous relative position and bolted it back up. The vibration is still gone, or at least to where I can't detect it. Nice to get that back burner issue solved.
So I hooked the scanner up and popped the AFS 75s back in. I had marked the box of the suspect one with a bit of red tape. Sure enough it popped a code 64 for me in about 3 minutes. Replace that and I can turn in my paperwork for registration and see if it'll pass inspection.
Next, top off the refrigerant (reads like 48psi right now, scanner shows it commanding on but not cycling due to low pressure); put gears in both headlight motors (just noisy for now); replace window motors and finish the headliner (damned material takes forever to relax the factory packing wrinkles out).
And keep looking for a 3-channel 3.42 rear... for less than $300.00.
I started by checking for converter flutter. I marked the flexplate and TC to record itheir relative position, then I unbolted the torque converter. While I was there, I re-checked the clearance and it was fine, between 1/8" and 1/16" so I slid it back and fired it up. It was perfect, no vibration. So I rotated the TC and flexplate 120* from their previous relative position and bolted it back up. The vibration is still gone, or at least to where I can't detect it. Nice to get that back burner issue solved.
So I hooked the scanner up and popped the AFS 75s back in. I had marked the box of the suspect one with a bit of red tape. Sure enough it popped a code 64 for me in about 3 minutes. Replace that and I can turn in my paperwork for registration and see if it'll pass inspection.
Next, top off the refrigerant (reads like 48psi right now, scanner shows it commanding on but not cycling due to low pressure); put gears in both headlight motors (just noisy for now); replace window motors and finish the headliner (damned material takes forever to relax the factory packing wrinkles out).
And keep looking for a 3-channel 3.42 rear... for less than $300.00.
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Verdad Gallardo That's badass... Looks waaaaay better than mine. I popped the plate from my green car on it so I could do some test driving this evening. 94 Pontiac plate on a 94 Pontiac... 
Brace yourself... it really isn't pretty right now.
Brace yourself... it really isn't pretty right now.
Looks great to me. I've been saving a Trans Am hatch and hi-rise spoiler for years to use if I ever get a Formula or Trans Am (since some TA's didn't have them) I like the low spoiler too, but I can't resist. I actually had a 96 Formula that I bought with a blown head gasket for $1200 a few years ago. I put another $500 or so into parts for it. Then I bought my SS before I ever got the Formula running.....then ended up with a 95 Z28 for cheap in about the same condition as the Formula...so I sold the pontiac. I kind of hate that I did, since I always wanted one. I just couldn't justify keeping it instead of the Z28 because I figured I better keep camaro parts. Plus the camaros are both M6 and the Formula was A4.
My car looks rough in person in many ways. The hood is aftermarket as the PO sold the oem SS hood before I bought the car. This one fits like crap. I think it is just a bad mold. The paint isn't much better than on your car, and there is a foot long dent/scuff in the RH quarter. Both bumpers have tears. The interior is pretty nice. Driver's leather is bad, but I have a whole spare pair of exact matching seats. It is kinda a good/bad car. Had only 80K miles when I got it. (91 now) but looks more like a 150K mile car. It does have almost full bolt ons though.
My car looks rough in person in many ways. The hood is aftermarket as the PO sold the oem SS hood before I bought the car. This one fits like crap. I think it is just a bad mold. The paint isn't much better than on your car, and there is a foot long dent/scuff in the RH quarter. Both bumpers have tears. The interior is pretty nice. Driver's leather is bad, but I have a whole spare pair of exact matching seats. It is kinda a good/bad car. Had only 80K miles when I got it. (91 now) but looks more like a 150K mile car. It does have almost full bolt ons though.
Confession: Thinking of selling it... trying to gauge how much it's worth. Opinions?
The good:
42,000 mile longblock in 129k body
New radiator
EGR & AIR deleted
PCM4LESS Tune
New poly mounts
new opti / wires
New Jet Hot coated Pacesetters
3" > 2.5" X pipe > dumped duals
2 new tires
headliner redone
No tears in interior
Grid tails are from a 64k car, look brand new
The bad:
Needs complete paint job
Dash pad cracked, front dash insert also cracked
still need to do driver's window reg/ motor
Needs headlight gears (lights work, just buzz when closing)
Torque converter is 200 above stock (1850) and vibrates, needs replacement
Trans is a 95 and will never have overdrive or lockup in a 94 car (can't do PWM stake mod, it's already got a Sonnax kit in it)
2.73:1 rear gear
Not sure what to ask for it. Maybe I should fix more before I try to sell it? It's so damn close to ready to build for the fun parts... If I fix everything except the paint, would $3200 be reasonable? I ask because having 2 of these cars may be less practical than selling this one and building an LTx-based truck with a Painless kit. Thinking 84-85 1500 or 2500 4WD...
What to do... (?)
The good:
42,000 mile longblock in 129k body
New radiator
EGR & AIR deleted
PCM4LESS Tune
New poly mounts
new opti / wires
New Jet Hot coated Pacesetters
3" > 2.5" X pipe > dumped duals
2 new tires
headliner redone
No tears in interior
Grid tails are from a 64k car, look brand new
The bad:
Needs complete paint job
Dash pad cracked, front dash insert also cracked
still need to do driver's window reg/ motor
Needs headlight gears (lights work, just buzz when closing)
Torque converter is 200 above stock (1850) and vibrates, needs replacement
Trans is a 95 and will never have overdrive or lockup in a 94 car (can't do PWM stake mod, it's already got a Sonnax kit in it)
2.73:1 rear gear
Not sure what to ask for it. Maybe I should fix more before I try to sell it? It's so damn close to ready to build for the fun parts... If I fix everything except the paint, would $3200 be reasonable? I ask because having 2 of these cars may be less practical than selling this one and building an LTx-based truck with a Painless kit. Thinking 84-85 1500 or 2500 4WD...
What to do... (?)
Last edited by Gojira94; Oct 8, 2013 at 11:17 AM.
Going to get the car and bring it to the house on Friday. It's overdue to get this project going again. Going to try to get it road-ready and see how it DDs. I have 4.10s for the green car and I'll throw the 3.42s in this one with a spacer after I swap out the gears in the green car.
Got to solve the transmission issues and shudder under acceleration (think both problems are in the trans- bad TC flutter could be most of it). The one time I drove it a while it pulled really hard in 2nd gear, looking forward to seeing what it can do healthy with better gearing than 2.73s.
Got to solve the transmission issues and shudder under acceleration (think both problems are in the trans- bad TC flutter could be most of it). The one time I drove it a while it pulled really hard in 2nd gear, looking forward to seeing what it can do healthy with better gearing than 2.73s.
Great to see an update on this thread. Hope you are doing well and blessed. If you were closer, I'd swap you a '94 4L60e for yours. I don't need yours......but I don't need the one I have either. lol
Last edited by 1961ba427; Dec 8, 2011 at 08:54 PM.
You are a good man, sir. How are those valve covers looking? I still think red or black crinkle would look nice on them...
Here's what you need to do to run the PWM wiring..
If you already have your PCM Connector Pinouts then look for the Pins on the PCM for EGR, pop 2 of them out. How you do that is you take apart the Connectors by popping the tabs in on the side of the white, and you take off the plastic piece. When that is off you pull up slightly on the tab holding the pin and then you can get the pin out. The PCM Pins are the same as the Pins on the Trans Connector. Get the ones out you need, take the top plastic piece off the Trans Connector and use a paperclip to start the hole in the rubber, then push the Pin in.
If you already have your PCM Connector Pinouts then look for the Pins on the PCM for EGR, pop 2 of them out. How you do that is you take apart the Connectors by popping the tabs in on the side of the white, and you take off the plastic piece. When that is off you pull up slightly on the tab holding the pin and then you can get the pin out. The PCM Pins are the same as the Pins on the Trans Connector. Get the ones out you need, take the top plastic piece off the Trans Connector and use a paperclip to start the hole in the rubber, then push the Pin in.
the_merv is the_man when it comes to wiring and swapping. (plus his use of hardware store stuff in his trans mount proves he's not above some rigging
) He's always been helpful to me. I know he can get that worked out for you. Lol..that free piece of steel(found it in the scrap bin at the shop..improvise) is working out quite well in the MCSS for the Auto setup. I'm about to weld it together and make it solid.
) is working out quite well in the MCSS for the Auto setup. I'm about to weld it together and make it solid. oh...and you'll LOVE the 4.10's 'til they break. I've almost decided that the best thing to do is just live with the occasional failure in a moderate power car and buy a set of gears when they break once a year or so. I'm almost through with a home-brewed 12 bolt for mine, but I had old stuff already to start with.
I said that because it looked like something I'd have done. It works..is safe...was free and easy...and would make alot of people turn their nose up. That's also why I didn't make any mention in your thread. Too many knit-picky folks on here most of the time.
I dont care..lol..structural integrity is there, and I have one thing with that car that most people cant say.
That car can be made manual -> auto, and auto -> manual in about 4 hours, WITHOUT changing the Tune.
Built T56 is directly interchangeable with the MVB TH350/ATI 4500 Stall setup I have. So pretty fast street car to a ****** racecar in 4 hours, and vice versa. It's no-joke a bolt-in/bolt-out setup. Trans Cooler & Lines stay in the car, they just get capped and zip-tied up. Even uses the T56 Crossmember with that extention piece you are talking about.
Instead of building two cars I found it easier to move a Transmission and a box of parts.
Makes one hell of a sleeper..people dont kno if they are going to get beat or raped at a street light..
That car can be made manual -> auto, and auto -> manual in about 4 hours, WITHOUT changing the Tune.
Built T56 is directly interchangeable with the MVB TH350/ATI 4500 Stall setup I have. So pretty fast street car to a ****** racecar in 4 hours, and vice versa. It's no-joke a bolt-in/bolt-out setup. Trans Cooler & Lines stay in the car, they just get capped and zip-tied up. Even uses the T56 Crossmember with that extention piece you are talking about.
Instead of building two cars I found it easier to move a Transmission and a box of parts.
Makes one hell of a sleeper..people dont kno if they are going to get beat or raped at a street light..