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And so it begins... Bringing the '01 WS6 back to life
Had this '01 WS6 M6 sitting for a few years and finally decided to bring it back to life. Purchased with a "bad" powerplant, but got a hell of a deal on it and since I was just going to modify it, OF COURSE, running or non running didn't matter. We'll see how the build progresses based on time and what I'll do with it. Have a basically new LS2 24X/T56 sitting waiting for a home. And really, who doesn't like a build thread?! Have some other cars I've been playing with, so been on and off this site for a while. Wealth of information on here is impressive! Bone stock 120k except for an aftermarket sound system. That's pine sap all over it from the previous owner. Lift in the shop was one of the best investments. Only a Redneck would use a JD to yank an engine lol Little pressure washing to clean up the years of gunk. This will eventually be replaced. This was shoe-horned into a 1960 something Lotus. Everything new from GM and has literally about 2,000mi on it. F-body accessories, 24X, just need to swap the pan out to an F-body pan. Shifter was a custom setup for the Lotus.
Somehow the original LS1 would turn over and fire. Not run, but pop and snort. This would be the carnage from spray... Notice the holes through the side of the block...
Ouch, looks almost like mine does! And my car is NBM as well. I'm pulling the junk LS1 and doing a forged ( stock crank ) 5.3 LH6 that's at Steve Morris Engines being machined as I write. Should be fun. My car hasn't been on the road since '09, so it's definitely like resurrecting the dead. Needs almost everything.
From the looks of it, mine hasn't seen the road in a decade at least. I feel your pain. Honestly thought it was pretty much stock, but after tearing down the LS1 and finding JE pistons, and then discovering the remnants of an 8-point cage it looks like it was "well used" lol. But for $1,300 I couldn't pass it up! Boosting the 5.3?
Went to give the interior a quick once over cleaning and found the rug was cut and melted in several spots... Upon further investigating, it looks like she had a cage installed at one point which was cut out with a TORCH. So a little cleaning/welding/repair and then lay down some sound-proofing. Just mundane stuff, but it's entertaining to go back through a build thread years later and see what you did. LH hoop mount point After a quick cleanup... LH cross bar mount point after a little grinding. Notice they cut through the floor... Ready for some patch work later tonight RH cross bar mount point. Rust is pretty much surface thank god. Unlike my 1987 IROC that has 42k original miles and needed full floor pans... RH hoop mount point before cleanup
Just a few more floor repair update pics. I've decided to replace the drivers front floor pan completely. It's the only part where the rust is bad. Another hoop mounting point and they butchered the floor, allowing water to get up in and soak the floor for however many years... Have a factory piece coming from NC that's rust free. Prep Just a quick tack in of the panels. Not particularly worried about aesthetics under the carpet. Rear seat tub. as far as I can tell, the t-tops don't leak. So not sure how this rusted up. Treated with Rust Kutter. It's the best rust treatment I've used. Worked wonders on my '57 Caddy floor. More Rust Kutter. Seriously, if your vehicles are cursed with Northeast roads, it really works well.
Yeah, I'm doing a Huronspeed turbo kit with a built 5.3. Block and rotating assembly are presently at Steve Morris Engines getting the works done to them I'm lucky, my Formula came from down south and has never seen a Michigan winter, it doesn't even have surface rust anywhere. I've owned it for 17 years next month. I gotta start a build thread one of these days, lol.
I entertained the idea of finding one down South and bringing it up, but based on what I'm going to do with it, I couldn't see paying what they're going for nowadays. So a little elbow grease and then mods. I run SCCA Solo II for fun and want to try some hill climbs at some point in the near future, so it won't be a show car and will retain very few stock items. Rust free is not a term that I am familiar with... lol. That'll be a fun ride when you're done!
And the worst of it... Drilling out spotwelds with the rust is interesting. Still some more trimming to do but you get the idea. Some initial fitting, needs a bit more trimming and then the mig comes out.
Thanks! Been off of it for 2 weeks helping my daughter refresh the 2.2l on her 1993 Celica Convertible. Finally done, so back on the T/A tonight. Updated pics to follow shortly!
I'll never understand why people mistreat vehicles. Especially something like a WS6. $33,000 in 2001, which is like $56k nowadays and it's treated like garbage. Mine is COVERED in pine sap. Rubbing alcohol works great. And then the cracks in the structure of the hood, maybe dancing on it?! WTH Someone cleared over the ridiculous stickers on the hood. Good times... Rubbing alcohol does wonders, but it'll have new paint this week once I'm done with body work. Would love to know the story behind this damage...
that's just a scribed marking they made from the factory..or at ASC or whoever molded the hoods. Both WS6 hoods that I have have this same writing under the strut bracket.
Color today finally. Just a few progress pics LH quarter was pushed in. Porta power and some massaging. And ready for color Repair on the hood corners. Both mangled Hatch was beyond repair. Substructure was just garbage. New/old hatch prep
02-14-2023, 10:39 AM
And so it begins... Bringing the '01 WS6 back to life 
I'm lucky, my Formula came from down south and has never seen a Michigan winter, it doesn't even have surface rust anywhere. I've owned it for 17 years next month. I gotta start a build thread one of these days, lol. 
