Hello world, Black 87

[jcat]

Hello all, I've made a few question and request posts here and on the FB groups for a few months now, but here's my introduction!

I'm Jake, and I bought a black 1987 Conquest in August from a guy local to me. Upstate NY. About 83000 miles, absolute survivor quality: garaged, no rust, never used in snow, only slight sun bake. Only issues right now are the Driver's auto-belt, the radio cassette, rear wiper, some fog light issues, AC, I need to replace the steering coupler (have the part already, just need to do it), and a small oil leak that I can't quite pinpoint (I assume it's the backside of the head gasket around the semicircle). 

This is my first "classic car" and I've always loved how this car looks. My dad has a few classic cars so I know the to-do's. 

My initial goal for the car is to get everything working as it should again, auto-seatbelts included. My eventual goal for the car might not be feasible, but what I want to do is add as much power while looking stock. If you've ever heard of the F.A.S.T. Drag Racing series, they're basically Factory-Appearing-Stock muscle cars, but will pull crazy times on skinny bias-plys. I don't know how possible that is with this car. Internals are one thing and will go as far as my pockets can be emptied, but, for example, I'm not sure if I can upgrade my stock turbo to be more powerful without physically installing a bigger one, or if I put some sort of hardline pipe inside my intake hose, would that induse less turbulence? I don't know a ton about turbo setups, especially CARB compliant systems from the 80s.

 

Really I just want as close to 300hp out of it while making it look stock. I'm also very inexperienced when it comes to mechanic skills, so I've definitely bitten off more than I can chew, but I don't need this quest checked off for awhile haha.

I will add pictures later because all of them are bigger than what the site will allow me to post, but I would love any and all suggestions on anything that could be useful! Thank you!

[GoldStar]

Welcome. Obviously, check all the basic stuff as outlined in the newbie checklist to get all of the maintenance up-to-date. Once you do that, then you can move on to more power.
Since yours is an 87, the newbie checklist also mentions some easy power modifications to look into, such as the 88-89 ECU, igniter, 3-port wastegate actuator, and distributor upgrades. Steve at starquestparts.net should have most of these, plus any other (used) parts you may need.
For your photos, you can host them on Imgur, link to them here, and the forum software will pick up on them. Here's a write up I made on how to do it:

Regarding the turbo, a popular modification was to have a shop bore out the compressor side and install a larger compressor wheel. From what I understand, this increases spool up time, but more boost is generated when the turbo does spool.

[kev]

Welcome.   Sounds like you picked up a great car.   IMHO, I'd keep it stock.   If it is in such great and original condition as you describe, why mess with it?   These cars are finally starting to rise in value.  With the classic car trends over the years, original cars will be more valuable and desirable.     

For your oil leak, replace the valve cover gasket.  The rear wiper issue is typically from poor alignment of the rear hatch.  The heavy hatch and strong gas struts pull on the hinges and the hatch slides back about 1/4".  This is typically easily seen on your rear three piece spoiler.  When this happens, the electrical connections in the rear hatch struts loose contact.   If your wiper doesn't work, than your rear defroster and third brake light probably don't either.   The cassette deck issue is very common.  There once was a write-up on here but you'd have to do some searching.    The seatbelt is common too.  Could be a binding track or a bad limit switch.   

[kev]

Oh when you replace your coupler, here is an important step that everyone skips.   You will have to remove the steering column.  There is boot on the column that is bolted to the firewall with four bolts.  What I have seen, and am even guilty of the first time I did it, is that people leave the boot bolted on and pull the column out of it on removal.  What this typically does is rip the other smaller boot over your steering coupler off.    Take the time and unbolt the large rubber boot on the firewall.  I will say that sometimes it really sticks on the firewall and is difficult to pop off of there.   

 

Note the firewall boot still on this column after removal from the car:

This is a good post about steering column re-freshening that includes coupler removal/install.  

 

[jcat]

8 hours ago, kev said:

These cars are finally starting to rise in value.  With the classic car trends over the years, original cars will be more valuable and desirable.     

For your oil leak, replace the valve cover gasket.  The rear wiper issue is typically from poor alignment of the rear hatch.  The heavy hatch and strong gas struts pull on the hinges and the hatch slides back about 1/4".  This is typically easily seen on your rear three piece spoiler.  When this happens, the electrical connections in the rear hatch struts loose contact.   If your wiper doesn't work, than your rear defroster and third brake light probably don't either.   The cassette deck issue is very common.  There once was a write-up on here but you'd have to do some searching.    The seatbelt is common too.  Could be a binding track or a bad limit switch.   

Yeah it would make the most fiscal sense to keep it stock, but I just want do drive it! To be honest though those goals are way too lofty, but I definitely want it to have a little more heft than it has. 

I've done the valve cover as soon as I parked it for the winter. I haven't started it yet but I'm pretty sure it wasn't that, but the engine was pretty dirty everywhere. 

Thanks for that tip on the steering column!

[psu_Crash]

Welcome Aboard! 

You say you aren't very mechanically inclined? You are going to have a good time with this car then 

One way to learn though. Dive in and we will be here to help get it back together. 

[tux]

Welcome and +1 to psu_crash's comments

[kev]

Just one thing to note...it should feel pretty quick.   If you ever have driven an 80s mustang 5.0 or camaro iroc, it should pull pretty hard like one of them in stock form.   If it doesn't, it isn't running up to par...which makes sense for a 35 year old car.   But you have it right, put your focus on getting it running well and then decide how and what you want to modify.

[jcat]

On 3/15/2022 at 2:46 PM, kev said:

Just one thing to note...it should feel pretty quick.   If you ever have driven an 80s mustang 5.0 or camaro iroc, it should pull pretty hard like one of them in stock form.   If it doesn't, it isn't running up to par...which makes sense for a 35 year old car.   But you have it right, put your focus on getting it running well and then decide how and what you want to modify.

I haven't driven anything older than a Y2K 3.5 Chrysler block, but I think it's running very well, all things considered. One other thing is that I can smell exhaust fumes only when the boost kicks in, but one of the receipts I got with the car was that the exhaust manifold studs were already done with ARPs around 2005. That is also something I need to figure out.

My main issue like I said is the steering, it's unnerving when I'm turning onto a highway exit ramp and for a 1/4 second the wheel doesn't move. I fixed most of the issue with non-dryrotted sticky tires but that steering rack still needs to come out.

[GoldStar]

28 minutes ago, jcat said:

My main issue like I said is the steering, it's unnerving when I'm turning onto a highway exit ramp and for a 1/4 second the wheel doesn't move. I fixed most of the issue with non-dryrotted sticky tires but that steering rack still needs to come out.

In case you aren't aware, these cars do not have rack and pinion steering (one of the weakest points about these cars IMO). They have worm gear steering, which consists of a steering box and a center link, AKA drag link. Think old-school truck steering. It's quick-ratio, but not very direct-feeling due to all the separate components involved in the steering system.
Mikie at MKSMotorsport can send you a fresh center link if you send him your old one. For the steering box, Red Head Steering Gears up in Washington do a great job rebuilding our boxes.

Edited March 18, 2022 by GoldStar

[860QuestTuner]

Welcome, with such a clean car I would just fix the common problem areas and enjoy. Getting harder to find them unmolested. Check out MKSmotorsports for parts. 

[BlueCuda]

Even if you end up leaving it stock get an air fuel ratio gauge and a mechanical boost gauge.  Those are two things you can use to verify its running properly.  The stock boost gauge kind of gives you an idea but it can't be trusted.  For example I had a simple boost leak and due to the extra flow it was indicating 12-14psi of boost on the stock gauge but the mechanical was showing 8.  After I found the leak they both read very close to each other under boost and the car ran much better.

These things aren't rockets bone stock.  My car is stock other than a catless 3" exhaust and my wife's 2015 V6 Grand Cherokee would outrun it.  But the GC has 290HP and 8 gears.  The real truth is minivans and SUVs are faster than lots of 80s muscle but it doesn't matter because they suck!