Any winter projects?

[kev]

Felt like posting something generic this early monday morning as I dread starting my workweek.    

What are your winter projects this year?    

For me, I've been back working on the body of my 88 driver cq.   I started the body work back in 2021 with some minor rust repair on the rear quarters behind the wheels.  This was a very rust free car but it appears that the hatch took on water at one time and rotted out just these lower spots behind the wheel wells.   There is no other rust on this car, not even the passenger frame rail.   I had detailed photos on here of my repair, which included custom shaping new steel from flat sheet metal, but they were wiped out with the server crash.   I had the weld repairs complete and sprayed the panels with a coat of epoxy primer in preparation for body filler to smooth everything out when my truck blew an engine at only 80k.  I had to quickly toss this car on the road while I assessed the truck.   Two years have gone by   I noticed some very small rust forming on a few locations where I did the weld repairs, particularly where there were a few small pin holes in the welds.    I didn't want to drive this car another winter and let this propagate, so I decided to pull it into the garage and move further on the body. 

I mitigated the little bit of the rust via sanding and rust converting and jumped into the filler work.   My focus has been on both quarters, the drivers door, a good portion of the passenger fender, both bumpers, and the front spoiler.  Last week, I applied two thick coats of epoxy and wet sanded smooth.  I have a few areas to touch up with additional filler.  After, I'll spot prime the touched up areas, wet sand, and hopefully I'll be ready for BC/CC.   

I haven't taken too many photos of this process but here are a few.   

Drivers quarter work.  Applied filler over the rust repairs and the door dings (this car is littered with door dings for being stuck and in garages motionless for over 20 years).  That door was sanded by a prior owner many years back, it wasn't even touched by me at this point. 

 

After my filler repairs to the quarter and door, two thick coats of black epoxy and guide coat in prep for wet sanding.  I'm painting the full quarter (which will be up to the roof line although I only primed to the bottom of the C pillar for now) and the full door and rocker panel cover.   The little pieces of tape on the panels were small dings I missed during filler that I noticed right away when I painted the primer.  I've since found a few more attention areas post block wet-sanding.

Passenger quarter and fender.   The quarter had the same repair as the opposite (filler over the rust repair and amending door dings).  The fender was lightly hit at some time that required a bit of reshaping and filler work.   I'll be blending in the paint on this panel, we will see how it goes.  Black is pretty forgiving when it comes to that being that it doesn't have any metallic flake in it.  

 

I didn't snap any photos of the bumpers/spoiler.   The back bumper was scratched bad from stuff being piled against it in garages for years as well as the original paint chipping off of it.   The front spoiler appeared that it was rattle canned black without scuffing the paint and was chipping bad, showing the white paint underneath.  The front bumper wasn't that bad besides faded but I'm spraying it while I'm here. 

I'd really love to spray the entire car but just these panels alone have been so time consuming.  I've already been at it since late October.   As mentioned earlier, the car it littered with door dings, they appear on every metal panel of the car!  You can see them on the passenger door in the photos above.  It is so time consuming to do the filler work on these, especially on the body lines of the door.  Also, I have to get this car back on the road soon.   My oldest son drives it often and is the back-up for his 30 year old car that also needs some mechanical work.  Plus, my younger son will be getting his permit soon and he will be learning on this car.    These are other reasons why I don't want to invest too much time on this car, with two teenagers driving it regularly.   

Thus, I plan to paint these panels, wet sand the entire car with 3000 grit and cut/buff it.  I think it will look pretty good besides the door dings.   I can always come back later for the remaining panels.   I also have been wanting to learn PDR.  I think that passenger door is a great candidate to learn.   

 

[kev]

Snapped a few pictures this morning.  This is with everything wet sanded with 400grit.  Needs some filler touch-ups, then spot prime (maybe full re-prime) with epoxy/re-wet sand.   It's getting close.

[BKB94]

My winter projects are my 87 restoration and drivetrain swap. Just pulled the front struts and getting ready for the D2s. Didn't like the dog squat look. 

Next is my 1994 mustang. I have a full maximum motorsports K-member, torque arm set up to go in along with some painting and detailing of the undercarriage. This engine hasn't been touched in 20 years so I think its time to pull it and do a bearing check. It went threw hell with me learning how to tune and then so called professional tuners trying to kill it on the dyno. A 3.8 V6 with 15psi of roots blown boost at 13.1 AF and 30' of timing sounds very weird at 6500rpm. The plan is to drop it and the TR6060 out the bottom. Clean and paint the undercarriage, check out the engine and degree the cam, install suspension parts. 

After all that my next car I think will be my 1967 Mustang, Kev I see a 64-66 in the background. I have had my 67 for 33 years and maybe its time to do something with it. It will be a Resto mod, actually back in the day I bought a Mark VIII for its drivetrain and a supra front end for its nice integrated aluminum double arm assembly. Supra front suspension, Mark-8 rear suspension and instead of the 32valve mark-8 engine I would probably do a turbo coyote and I hate to say it automatic. 

[kev]

Very interesting, specifically the mustang 3.8L.  I had a few friends over the years who had 6 cyl mustangs and always had the vision to create a super fast v6.   None of them actually retained the car, either updated to a v8 car or got out of the hobby by buying some boring SUV or something.    Anyways, that looks incredible!  And I love the 94 mustangs!   I have a large dealer poster of the 94 mustang hanging in my garage.  My father was a service mechanic at a ford dealer at the time and got me that poster that was on the sales floor for the 94 model year.     I also had the opportunity to drive a 93 cobra and a new 94 gt, both of which were on the sales floor at the time, when I was only 16 years old..thanks to him working there.   

As to the mustang, good eye!  But it is actually a 68 fastback 390GT/4 sp car, red on red.   That car was and is my true dream car.   Unfortunately, I've been working on this stupid black car for the past 2 years or so and ignoring the stang and my other 'good' conquest, for that matter.   I'd love to hear about your 67 sometime.   

BTW, I'm originally from the Lehigh Valley.   That dealer I mentioned was Bethlehem Ford.   I'm hoping to get that way this summer.  Techboy and I keep saying we will meet up but two summers have gone by and it hasn't happened, well at least with our cars.   Need to plan on something this year and meet up with the lehigh valley CQ owners.

[techboy]

I always got projects going on .. winter and every other season in between ... 😁

Some of you who have been around for a while will remember StarquestJoe, I purchased a Galant VR4 he had sitting in his backyard after a few years of asking him about it.  My son was 10 at the time, and my thought was if we started restoration on it we could maybe be done by the time he was 16.  So we have been working on that for the past 3 years.  So far, most of the work has been just building the motor.  We had to tear everything down, send it all out to be machined and cleaned and then put everything back together.  In the meantime, the car has been in storage at my father-in-laws shop.  At this point the motor is pretty much finished ready to go, so it's time to bring the physical car home and start working that.  I want to go over the brakes, suspension and drop the gas tank and see what's going on there.  That will be our winter project. 

To get started though I have to find a storage place to keep my Eclipse.  I have a few leads on some garages, but it's been tough between work and weather to get the car dropped off and in storage.  I have a 3 car garage, but I need to get rid of one car in order to bring his home and begin work on it.  I hate to send the Starion out of my sight since I have so much into it, so Eclipse is the winter storage candidate.  I've never stored a car before, and I'm finding it out it's not cheap.

I have a fully detailed thread going on on DSM Tuners of the VR4 resto you can click through when you're bored here: Galant VR4 Restoration

Here's a few pics though just to give you the idea.  Thus far, I've enjoyed this project more than any other I've done in the last 25 years.  Teaching my son and watching become passionate about the hobby and have his ideas and dreams has been really cool. 

 

This is what we started with. Supposedly Joe got this 4G63 from StarquestRescue, another name many of you will remember well.

This a picture of the car the day after we picked it up and brought it back to the shop.

The car itself has been and had been sitting for a while, so if it doesn't work out we can always buy a 1G, 2G or even another VR4 and drop our engine in.  So we have options.  It been a long road so far and the Eclipse and Station don't get as much attention right now, but this hopefully will worth it in the end.

 

[Turbo Cary]

Been a while since I've posted. For my winter projects I have a few.

Getting my RHD Miata painted in a few weeks. Gotta strip the interior out and remove panels for my dealerships body shop to do the paint. I'll be Alcantara wrapping part of the dash and door panels while also replacing the carpet. It's really expensive to get a carpet set since it's gotta be ordered from a UK company.

I also got my uncle's 07 GT500 Cobra last year in September after he passed away. Had to cash one of my 401ks in but this car had 3k miles on it when I got it. Now it's at 7k after driving it back from California to South Carolina and some misc in town driving. Installed a CAI and muffler delete. I have HPTuners so I'll unlock it's ECU and tune it soon.

Haven't done anything with my DA Integra with a turbo B20 swap. I'll probably sell it soon. 

Installed a train horn and some other misc stuff to my Silverado. Finally got my Pro Features cable from HPTuners so I can find tune that truck. 

Other than that it's just home improvements and spending time with the family.

[1SICDSM]

im 4g63 swapping my TSI 

[psu_Crash]

Still working on body work here too. It till be done this spring! The cold temps are killing any paint progress lately. Debating starting on the Valencia LS swap while I wait for warmer days. I just have enough catastrophe going on with one project 

TechBoy, i didn't know you ended up with Joe's VR4!? I knew he sold it, but never asked who it went to. I can also confirm that was an engine from John. 

 

Other than that, the house projects always keep me busier than I'd like! 

[techboy]

8 hours ago, psu_Crash said:

 

TechBoy, i didn't know you ended up with Joe's VR4!? I knew he sold it, but never asked who it went to. I can also confirm that was an engine from John. 

 

Yep!! It was me. It's actually coming along nicely. We actually bought a 2nd one last summer out of TN. So we have 2 now, hoping to combine and make 1.

[nc_beagle]

On 1/15/2024 at 3:51 PM, techboy said:

I always got projects going on .. winter and every other season in between ... 😁

Some of you who have been around for a while will remember StarquestJoe, I purchased a Galant VR4 he had sitting in his backyard after a few years of asking him about it.  My son was 10 at the time, and my thought was if we started restoration on it we could maybe be done by the time he was 16.  So we have been working on that for the past 3 years.  So far, most of the work has been just building the motor.  We had to tear everything down, send it all out to be machined and cleaned and then put everything back together.  In the meantime, the car has been in storage at my father-in-laws shop.  At this point the motor is pretty much finished ready to go, so it's time to bring the physical car home and start working that.  I want to go over the brakes, suspension and drop the gas tank and see what's going on there.  That will be our winter project. 

To get started though I have to find a storage place to keep my Eclipse.  I have a few leads on some garages, but it's been tough between work and weather to get the car dropped off and in storage.  I have a 3 car garage, but I need to get rid of one car in order to bring his home and begin work on it.  I hate to send the Starion out of my sight since I have so much into it, so Eclipse is the winter storage candidate.  I've never stored a car before, and I'm finding it out it's not cheap.

I have a fully detailed thread going on on DSM Tuners of the VR4 resto you can click through when you're bored here: Galant VR4 Restoration

Here's a few pics though just to give you the idea.  Thus far, I've enjoyed this project more than any other I've done in the last 25 years.  Teaching my son and watching become passionate about the hobby and have his ideas and dreams has been really cool. 

 

This is what we started with. Supposedly Joe got this 4G63 from StarquestRescue, another name many of you will remember well.

This a picture of the car the day after we picked it up and brought it back to the shop.

The car itself has been and had been sitting for a while, so if it doesn't work out we can always buy a 1G, 2G or even another VR4 and drop our engine in.  So we have options.  It been a long road so far and the Eclipse and Station don't get as much attention right now, but this hopefully will worth it in the end.

 

I really liked that version of the Galant. Does this one have the 4 wheel steering?

[nc_beagle]

This is my project--with significant help from a mechanic friend.

StarQuest Parts - 1989 Conquest TSi - Fiji Blue Project - Conquest & Starion parts for sale

[techboy]

21 hours ago, nc_beagle said:

I really liked that version of the Galant. Does this one have the 4 wheel steering?

Yes it has the 4 wheel steering.  B/c the car has not been drivable since I've owned it I don't know if it works or not.  Many guys end up disconnecting it or removing it on these cars.

[tux]

my 86 died and wouldn't restart.  my project is to collect it from where it's been resting and fix it eventually

or find a wideblock 4g6x and get rid of the 4g54b

[techboy]

3 hours ago, tux said:

my 86 died and wouldn't restart.  my project is to collect it from where it's been resting and fix it eventually

or find a wideblock 4g6x and get rid of the 4g54b

I'd love to do the wideblock 4G swap myself - but finding a wideblock is not so easy.

[tux]

I found one but far from reasonably price

[tux]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174592914244?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=8oReXqKKSxG&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=kG6rHg9PQxm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[psu_Crash]

On 1/19/2024 at 5:31 PM, techboy said:

I'd love to do the wideblock 4G swap myself - but finding a wideblock is not so easy.

I had everything to do the 64/63 engine swap. Bought it all from John. Ended up selling it dirt cheap (plus my billet holset w BEP hotside) to a local DSM guy when I moved south. I regret that decision 

[techboy]

1 hour ago, psu_Crash said:

I had everything to do the 64/63 engine swap. Bought it all from John. Ended up selling it dirt cheap (plus my billet holset w BEP hotside) to a local DSM guy when I moved south. I regret that decision 

I remember when you contacted me and offered it all to me. I just didn't have cash at the time ...  I kick myself over that very often.

 

 

 

[psu_Crash]

11 hours ago, techboy said:

I remember when you contacted me and offered it all to me. I just didn't have cash at the time ...  I kick myself over that very often.

 

 

 

Hindsight is 20/20. Can't even find a shortblock wideblock now for what I sold it all for ... but I'm always on the lookout. It was originally supposed to go in the valencia car. Then i got a steal on a gen 3 LS1. So decided to let the 64/63 stuff go. Now it think that would be a good option for the white car down the road. 

[helrazr70]

My winter project has been my winter project for like 5 years! 😅 (2JZGTE/CD009 swap into Jimmy Ainsworth's old Black/Tan '88 that was badly abused and neglected by the person who Jimmy sold it to before I bought it)

I do a little to it here and there but no major progress since like March of 2022 when I did the poly bushings and Wilwood big brake kit. I had the engine started and running back in June of 2019 but tore the fuel system, wiring, and other assembles out/apart and just have not gotten back to it due to lack of money and back surgeries. (I also hate working in the cold so winter projects suck!)

On a positive note, last month I installed a bleeder valve in the upper heater core hose and a radiator hose filler neck to hopefully avoid air pockets.

Last week I bought some Deutsch wiring connectors to start wiring in my Autometer Cobalt gauges to be disconnected with two plugs at the cluster rather than having to disconnect all 5 from behind the printed circuit. I also got a banjo fitting for my Toyota intake to brake booster vacuum and some grommets for gauge wiring to go through the firewall. It's not tangible progress but it's a step in the right direction. 

Hopefully over the next 2 weeks I will get the motivation to get out to the garage, crank up the propane heater, and tackle my next items on the list:

*Install the ATEMU and resistors/heatsink 

*Wire up the gauge cluster to be easily removable

*Wire in the Toyota brake light switch

*Reinstall the dashboard and remount the Toyota ECU/fuse boxes/relays/switches in the glovebox

*Install the radiator fan controller and relay kit

*Trim more metal from around the shifter hole or create a relief for transmission to be raised higher

 

 

[kev]

I thought I'd put a follow-up on my original post on the status of my winter project.   

I believe I have the body work complete, at least for the near term.   Wow, what a PIA!   I'm so glad I made the decision NOT to paint the entire car.   It was just so much work.   This was probably one of my worst paint jobs.  I laid too much material when spraying my clear and it resulted in several runs and drags.   That entailed many hours of work to repair.   There still are a few minor sags in the paint here and there, visible in right lighting/angle, but being that this thing is a driver, I'm ok with it.   

 

All in all, I'm finally pretty happy with it.   The paint matches the original very well after a lot of cutting/buffing.   

 

 

Oops, finger in the frame..

Never mind the stone chips in the header panel, etc....those are panels still in original paint.   But it all blended in well.   

 

I need to paint the C pillar panels and the rear louvers (pulled those off for now)...but these will be just rattle can satin black.   Finishing restoring my spare set of 7/8" wheels will be the spring/summer project.   Right now, I'm just trying to get it back together and drivable. 

 

kev

   

 

[techboy]

Man Kev ... I know pictures can sometimes be deceiving, but the car looks really sharp in these photos you posted.  It's come a long way.  You're inspiring me to try my hand at painting this VR4 myself.

[kev]

Thanks!  Painting enhances my anxiety haha.      I just don't enjoy it.   Love the cutting/welding, putty work is bearable, but painting sucks.   The paint is so expensive, and spraying is dependent on so many factors....one of which is my own lack of experience because I only paint cars, or exterior panels of cars, once in like every 10 years.    I also broke the cardinal rule...painting the in the winter.    But if it wasn't for my experimenting with my gun settings, I really believe it would have gone flawlessly.   

Got the car back together this past weekend and took it out for a drive.   Unfortunately, when putting the wheels back on, I saw that one of my axle boots is ripped.   So won't be driving it much until I address that.   Still need to paint the c-pillars and rear louvers and get back on refinishing my spare set of wheels.  

 

The passenger door in this photo is original paint.  The front half of the fender is in base coat but the full fender cleared.  I'm very happy in how the paint matched, especially using PPG shopline base which isn't known for matching original paint well.