Meet up with a local group yesterday for lunch. Had a 3rd Gen with a LS1 conversion so clean it didn't even sound like an LS until he hit the pedal. It was good to finally meet some fellow F Bodies that we haven't gotten together in a yr or 2.
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Meet up with a local group yesterday for lunch. Had a 3rd Gen with a LS1 conversion so clean it didn't even sound like an LS until he hit the pedal. It was good to finally meet some fellow F Bodies that we haven't gotten together in a yr or 2.
I thought about my WS6 today, cant wait to get it back after the engine swap. Should be noce weather about then.
Good question, I haven’t really put a rush on it, being its over the winter, its cold, and I am working from home and have a 2nd vehicle that I can drive. I would rather things take their time and do it right, instead of a rush job.
I moved from my town home, to a single family home, and that pulled me away from getting the car to him for the Fall, so I had already Borked the timeline up. Just cleared a spot for the WS6 to stay in the garage, so I am excited for that!
I am going to hit him up, later in the week, and see how things are going; there is always something that is going to come up in an engine swap on a 20 year old (wow, I bought it when it was only 4 1/2 years old!), 220,000 mile car.
At least with all of the leaking oil seals, I am hoping things arent rusted up lol.
Latest adventures, a trip full of errands. It's almost always that or repairs. But I saw two red 4th-gen cars (which I don't even see yearly). One was a low-end Camaro circa 1995, parked next to a discount store. I literally nearly bumped into a late-era Bird on my last stop, I recognized it immediately from the headlights, and we blocked lot traffic to discuss the convergence of the rarities. That was my first time ever talking in the real world with another Bird's owner. His last question to me was kind of weird and made me think his car was heavily modded. Whatever it was, it looked great.
Want to have a unique scare? Have the wheel liner drop while going 70+++++ on the interstate. The noise was awful. I luckily had some zip ties.
I thought the most memorable part of my driving today would be seeing something like this (top picture), but less purple and more of a pale pink. Hideous. Paris Hilton or Elle Woods in one, okay. Otherwise it's an insult to the idea of a performance car.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/491173903080626567/
I even looked over at the vehicle next to me at the intersection (same one where the female panhandler commented on my car), like, Did you see that? Then a woman in basically full hijab crossed the street to make it weirder.
But that was early and I had more places to go. I've been thinking about replacing my car, but without scrapping the current Bird and I almost had to do that immediately, because I nearly totaled it. Some bad driver made a late, probably red-light turn after I got the green and was accelerating fast because hurrying to a store before closure . I stopped just in time and so did that idiot when he or she should have sped up to cross before impact. I made silent, angry gestures and then continued on. My previous closest call with this car was similar and the previous car.... My next stops had the key items I was hoping to find, so ultimately I won tonight.
K member, upper and lower a arms installed today. And just because my car is a vindictive bitch decides it wants a new starter as well. Need to get it aligned. I'll wait till I get a new R&P.
I had to get it home, driving home was sketchy. It was twitchy, fellt like bump steer.
Things to address now:
Need new Rack & Pinon. It's leaking bad, like in 25 miles it empty the reservoir.
Found a coolant leak. The hoses from the pump to the heater core are leaking at the hydraulic press.
Almost burnt the car to the ground. Starter wire to the battery melted on the headers. So now I'll have to fix that at some point....
fun times...
Replaced my RF headlight pop up motor. Now looking at 2 new XtraVision high beams, I already have LED low beams and LED fog lights. Those are now have a weird projection pattern compared to incandescent OE.
Technically late last night, did an involuntary road showcase for guys looking for a deal on a Bird. At a light, I was asked if it's for sale. Interest persisted after I mentioned a red flag. I don't want to sell it right now, though, especially to sketchy strangers. Also, besides the Ram-air hood (which mine has), aren't there subtle front-end and rear differences between Trans Ams and regular Firebirds? I'm annoyed at being asked to confirm it's a V8. Next time, if it's at a light or stop sign and there's little traffic, I might just accelerate fast to make the point.
If they don't know a Trans Am has a V8, they have no need to own one. I don't understand how random people will yell at me asking if I want to "sell that car?" I mean, sure, we are driving opposite directions and they scream it out. Wow really? You will probably give me $1000 for it right? I can't wait to sell it to you. So you can put some donks on it lol. It is starting to happen to my WS6, and happens A LOT more when I'm driving my 69 Le Mans 6.6 RAIV cammed convertible.
I got pics of suspension install but Flicker is being a little bitch today not letting me upload the.
Here it is...
The old....please ignore the oil mess. The car is driven and not a garage queen.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8fce132_4k.jpg
And the new :vodka:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c14826e_4k.jpg
Ignore the leaky rack, I know and kinda pissed. Another item to add to the list of shit to fix....
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e3794c1_4k.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...276b326_4k.jpg
Made some tie down brackets for the trailer. Tired of going over the rear axle to strap it down. Interesting fact. On convertibles there is a hole in the frame that lets you use a j hook to tie it down, however on coupes the same hole is not the same size and you can't use a j hook.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...da9598a_4k.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...56522fb_4k.jpg
Some pics of the other stuff already installed over the years.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...31437cd_4k.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e519145_4k.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a05bc30_4k.jpg
Immediate Future upgrades/fixes:
New Rack and Pinon, fix the hot wire that comes from the battery to the starter.
Finally install the Wavetrac diff.
Viking Coil Overs - I noticed the front shocks are starting to leak a little (they're 10 yrs old so it's time)
Install longer wheel studs for the front. They're barely long enough to pass tech with my drag pack setup, so I need them 1/2-3/4" longer so techs can just look and say good without needing to get down and seriously look at them for thread engagement.
LT Headers - They're 13 yrs old, all the ceramic coating is chipping off, a great eye sore. I'm going to do SS LT's from TS&P this time.
Further out dreams.....New heads and cam to get the full potential from this 403.....:sulk:
^^^all I see are more undercarriage stickers. Lol, jk. Looks great. I bet you notice a big handling difference! I'm debating a new engine and 9". Still running 13.20s @ 108, 164k long tubes/lid. IDK tho, we are really waffling on a $10 investment in the WS6 or trading my wifes 2021 M6 RT Challenger Shaker in on a similar Scat Pack.
I will when the r&pis fixed. If I drive it now I lose fluid fast. So I haven't driven it more than 3 miles from the shop to the house.