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View Full Version : 1987 Charger GLHS #151, "Sunshine"



phoebegoesvroom
11-17-2011, 05:13 PM
Hey all,

I am new to the forum, and I am the proud new owner of Charger GLHS #151, which I have dubbed "Sunshine", because I like to give my vehicles silly names. :D

About 15 years ago I used to own a somewhat battered 1985 Omni GLH (non-turbo), which was one of the most fun cars I've owned. I regretted selling that car and vowed to get another one eventually, or a Shelby Turbo car. Well, #151 came along at just the right time and at the right price, so I snapped it up. I took delivery of it this morning at my home. Here she is:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6035/6353172783_ebcca32a11_z.jpg
(The bra is coming off. Yes, that's what she said, I know.)
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6046/6353172419_b1411c1570_z.jpg
Next to my current daily driver, a 2000 Ford Focus ZX3
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6119/6353171865_0da1b282b2_z.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6353171557_70a390ee4d_z.jpg
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6224/6353173187_6bd5d1b151_z.jpg

The good: This car is largely unmolested and has a clean history. The body is pretty straight and there's only a couple of noticeable dings and small areas that need to be touched up. The interior is in beautiful condition with only a couple of minor flaws. Everything important works. It only has 47,000 original miles.

The bad:
1. The turbo, which I already knew before I bought it. It whined a bit when I first started it and after it was warmed up, it was sending oil into the exhaust (now I smell like burned synthetic motor oil). The car runs pretty well otherwise.
2. The tach is stuck at 4000 rpm.
3. The remote hatch release doesn't release the hatch. It opens fine with the key, though.
4. The intercooler hoses have been patched with duct tape.
5. The windshield washer line has been disconnected.
6. Some of the outside lights on the car are out. They're probably just dead bulbs.
7. Although the sunroof wasn't leaking, the seals should be replaced.
8. The shifter linkage and bushings DEFINITELY need to be replaced and upgraded. The shifter feels like moving a wooden spoon through mashed potatoes. I kept putting it into reverse or 3rd gear when I was trying to put it in 1st. I know the shifter on my old GLH wasn't that bad.

The ugly: The roof has been repainted (it's passable) and there's one questionable area on the passenger side drip rail that I need to investigate. And a little paint is missing from one corner of the rear bumper. But paint isn't really a priority. It's fine as-is as far as I'm concerned and will look decent once touched up, cleaned up and polished. The car is almost 25 years old, and I don't mind that it looks it. There is also rust at the bottom inside of the driver's door, which I know is a common thing with these cars. I should be able to fix that. Pics of those flaws below:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6113/6353171187_6810d22bf0_z.jpg
drip rail kludge
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6102/6353170797_d277d907ac_z.jpg
Driver's door rust.

My plans for the car right now are to get it on the road. The first order of business will be to verify exactly why it's burning oil before I just go ahead and pull the turbo from it. The "smoking turbo" guide will come in handy! After that it will be fixing all the other minor issues and working out the bugs, as well as doing some minor mods to it. That's about it for now!

Phoebe
http://phoebegoesvroom.tumblr.com/

Turbo224
11-17-2011, 05:24 PM
Looks like a pretty solid car, congrats on the purchase! Sounds like you need a new turbo, new IC hose, and a set of heim joint to rebuild the shift linkage and you'll be good to go!

phoebegoesvroom
11-17-2011, 05:28 PM
Looks like a pretty solid car, congrats on the purchase! Sounds like you need a new turbo, new IC hose, and a set of heim joint to rebuild the shift linkage and you'll be good to go!

Thanks! Yeah, that's pretty much what I've been thinking too. Of course I'll have to replace the cat as well since it's probably dead from all that oil. I have ideas of what I want to do from there, but first things first :)

Phoebe

phoebegoesvroom
11-17-2011, 07:42 PM
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6044/6353173599_f75464f731_z.jpg

Who is this Carol lady, and what gives her the right to scribble on my dashboard!? :p

BadAssPerformance
11-17-2011, 09:33 PM
^^^ LOL...

Nice new project there! :clap:

spoolinhard
11-22-2011, 01:41 PM
Nice Car! Im glad Im not the only one who names my vehicles

phoebegoesvroom
11-22-2011, 01:51 PM
Nice Car! Im glad Im not the only one who names my vehicles

Heehee, yeah I give them all cutesy/silly names. My Focus is Flipper, and my motorcycles are Honeybee, Baby and Spooky.

---------- Post added at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:48 PM ----------

I haven't started working on it yet, but I did take some more photos of it this weekend since I didn't take pictures of the interior when I first got it:

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6103/6372184559_02c61e180b_z.jpg
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6093/6372199143_6de4afc674_z.jpg
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6108/6372188325_c008a63857_z.jpg
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6055/6372192111_c6e15fd71d_z.jpg
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6107/6372181221_a0a017354c_z.jpg
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6219/6372195661_86e29b3043_z.jpg

There's a couple of pieces I need if anyone has interior parts for sale: the dome light assembly above the windshield (or just the trim ring, since that's what's missing), and a lower front seatbelt bolt cover in light gray. I might be interested in a passenger side armrest (in light gray) as well, if it's in very good condition. I'll probably make a post to the classifieds too.

phoebegoesvroom
01-03-2012, 11:06 AM
I finally started working on Sunshine last week. I discovered that the car has already been upgraded with an A555 transmission that's being cable-shifted. I'll have to see what's up with that since the shifting is extremely vague. The PO didn't mention the transmission swap when I bought the car. Anyway, I'm in the process of getting the turbo out of the car. From what I've been reading, the easiest way to do this is to pull the head with the intake & exhaust manifolds and the turbo attached, is that correct? Or does anyone have any other suggestion before I go that route?

30 PSI SHADOW
01-03-2012, 11:48 AM
yes the best way is to pull the entire assembly together. not sure what your goals are for power, or if you plan on keeping it original. plenty of turbo choices out there. as for the shifting, make sure your cables are healthy. if its internal, the best trans guy out there is a stones throw from you in cliff ramsdell.

welcome aboard and don't forget to catch up with the local chapter this coming spring. we presently have over 10 omni GLHS cars in the new england chapter,but strangely no chargers! So yes, your car would be a welcome sight. You can keep tabs on us with our website, www.sdacne.com there is also a forum to join which i strongly suggest!

hope to see you and your awesome car soon!!

phoebegoesvroom
01-03-2012, 11:56 AM
Thanks for the advice! I do plan on joining SDACNE. Considering that the transmission's already been swapped and some other minor mods have already been done to it (2.5" exhaust, no cat, larger injectors, stage 2 logic module), mechanical originality isn't really a high priority. I want the car to run well and have good street manners, but a bump in power wouldn't hurt. I don't know if anything has been done to the head or manifolds yet either until I get them off the car and separate them from the head. I guess I should also check to see if the cam is stock.

AZTurbo
01-03-2012, 12:09 PM
Pulling the head is much easier on the intercooled cars. You can do it in-car, but a few of the turbo mounting nuts are hard to reach, if it's even possible. The oil feed line is also difficult.

omni_840
01-03-2012, 01:41 PM
Nice 'S! Not sure how I missed this thred.

I checked out your website and it's pretty cool too:nod:

cordes
01-03-2012, 03:22 PM
Pulling the head is much easier on the intercooled cars. You can do it in-car, but a few of the turbo mounting nuts are hard to reach, if it's even possible. The oil feed line is also difficult.

Agreed. I can do them with the head on fairly easily, but I've had a lot of practice. Not something for the first timer.

Congrats on the car and welcome to the site.

glhs571
01-06-2012, 12:21 AM
Welcome to the site and thanks for posting pics, I wish my glhs looked that nice, oh well maybe someday, good luck with
sunshine and finding the root of your problems. There is plenty of knowledge here so take advantage of it.

phoebegoesvroom
01-18-2012, 09:54 AM
I have a question for you guys...this has been bugging me since the first day I poked my head under the car. Why would someone do this? Seriously?
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6696055167_ea68202b4e_z.jpg

The flywheel is also open at the back of the motor inside the engine compartment.

Turbo224
01-18-2012, 01:21 PM
There is actually a small shield that should be bolted there. It only has one bolt that screws it into the transmission casing, and I believe it also has a few holes that the transmission bolts pass through to hold it in place. This piece should be easy to find at a wrecking, and shouldn't be too difficult to install. I would be more concerned about the dripping coolant if I were you...

phoebegoesvroom
01-18-2012, 01:25 PM
There is actually a small shield that should be bolted there. It only has one bolt that screws it into the transmission casing, and I believe it also has a few holes that the transmission bolts pass through to hold it in place. This piece should be easy to find at a wrecking, and shouldn't be too difficult to install. I would be more concerned about the dripping coolant if I were you...

It looks like it was just torn off crudely...I know it's a bit difficult to see in the photo. I can fab up something to fit in there, but I guess I could look for it in a junkyard. I just don't understand why it was done. Oh, and pay no mind to the antifreeze, that probably splashed on there when I removed the turbo coolant line. I was surprised how much antifreeze came out, considering I had already drained the cooling system.

minigts
01-18-2012, 01:43 PM
Car looks great and your list of bad would be my list of Meh. :)

Your list:

2. The tach is stuck at 4000 rpm. Check the board on the cluster. Re-flowing the solder points usually fixes this. If they look good, just get some conductive grease and put them on the pins that go into the board. The tach board plugs into the rally cluster board.

3. The remote hatch release doesn't release the hatch. It opens fine with the key, though. Does it not release or does it work at all? If it works but doesn't release, just check to see if it's greased well enough around the pivot point. If it's not working at all, there may be a fuse for it I don't remember.

5. The windshield washer line has been disconnected. .....really? ;)

7. Although the sunroof wasn't leaking, the seals should be replaced. Greg (Omni-potent) sells a one-piece gasket for the sunroof. EXCELLENT product if you ask me and not a bad price. http://www.omnipotentparts.com/

8. The shifter linkage and bushings DEFINITELY need to be replaced and upgraded. The shifter feels like moving a wooden spoon through mashed potatoes. I kept putting it into reverse or 3rd gear when I was trying to put it in 1st. I know the shifter on my old GLH wasn't that bad. There is a write-up I did on this site with supported information from other users that explain how you can do a conversion if you like. http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/knowledge.php?title=Drivetrain:Hybrid-Heim-Shifter There is also someone on the board that sells a kit with the parts, you just have to do the work. I think there is an option to have him do it too.

phoebegoesvroom
01-18-2012, 02:06 PM
Car looks great and your list of bad would be my list of Meh. :)

Oh, the list grows as I continue working on it of course. I guess I should make an updated list of things to do.


2. The tach is stuck at 4000 rpm. Check the board on the cluster. Re-flowing the solder points usually fixes this. If they look good, just get some conductive grease and put them on the pins that go into the board. The tach board plugs into the rally cluster board.

Thanks for the tip. I was going to go in there and check it out before buying a replacement. I've done a lot of wiring and soldering before, so this stuff is easy for me. It's a good thing, because there's a lot of buggered wiring in this beast.


3. The remote hatch release doesn't release the hatch. It opens fine with the key, though. Does it not release or does it work at all? If it works but doesn't release, just check to see if it's greased well enough around the pivot point. If it's not working at all, there may be a fuse for it I don't remember.

Yeah, that's not really a high priority right now since I can open the trunk with the key. The solenoid pops, but doesn't release the trunk. One of the POs wrapped up the whole affair in electrical tape. Eventually I'll get in there to figure out what's going on.


5. The windshield washer line has been disconnected. .....really? ;)[/COLOR]

Haha, not much of a complaint, right? I suspect the hood was off of the car for a while, which would explain that.


7. Although the sunroof wasn't leaking, the seals should be replaced. Greg (Omni-potent) sells a one-piece gasket for the sunroof. EXCELLENT product if you ask me and not a bad price. http://www.omnipotentparts.com/

Yup, I was already planning on buying that =)


8. The shifter linkage and bushings DEFINITELY need to be replaced and upgraded. The shifter feels like moving a wooden spoon through mashed potatoes. I kept putting it into reverse or 3rd gear when I was trying to put it in 1st. I know the shifter on my old GLH wasn't that bad. There is a write-up I did on this site with supported information from other users that explain how you can do a conversion if you like. http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/knowledge.php?title=Drivetrain:Hybrid-Heim-Shifter There is also someone on the board that sells a kit with the parts, you just have to do the work. I think there is an option to have him do it too.

My GLHS has a 555 installed in it, and it's cable shifted. I didn't know this when I bought the car. I don't know which shifter was used or what cables...that will be something else to figure out once I get to it. I think the clutch arm also has too much free play in it.

Anyway, there's more stuff that needs attention since I made my list of gripes. Off the top of my head:

1. Lots of wiring repairs need to be done. Whoever did it before had no clue at all.
2. The power steering pump is leaking like crazy, so that's getting replaced
3. The flywheel cover mentioned above.
4. Even though the water pump is new as of last year, it's leaking at the gasket. It was probably torqued incorrectly.
5. The vacuum lines are all a mess. I'm most likely going to replace everything with all new lines and a vacuum block.
6. Where the valve cover meets the head, it's been kind of butchered with screwdrivers and prybars. I'm not sure what I can do about that, so I'm open to suggestions.

That's the important stuff anyway (that I know of)...there's other things like some of the bodywork and whatnot. None of it's major stuff, it's a bunch of relatively minor things. My focus is first and foremost to get the car roadworthy, and then deal with the minor stuff as I can.

By the way guys, the head is detached and ready to come out, but still in the engine compartment right now because I'm not strong enough to lift it out myself with the intake, exhaust manifold and turbo still attached. My dad is visiting this week, so he'll help me pull it out and get it on my bench.

minigts
01-18-2012, 02:13 PM
Right, forgot about the 555 install. Carroll on here (rx2mazda) was doing something with some nice cables for the cable-shifted cars. I doubt you need new ones, but may entice you to get some if you find the thread on here. :)

Good luck with the rest of the dis-likes, I'm working on mine as well. The list grows regularly. haha

phoebegoesvroom
01-18-2012, 02:17 PM
Thanks for the tips! No doubt I'll be picking your brain and other GLHS owners' brains as the need arises :)

phoebegoesvroom
01-18-2012, 02:35 PM
Right, forgot about the 555 install. Carroll on here (rx2mazda) was doing something with some nice cables for the cable-shifted cars. I doubt you need new ones, but may entice you to get some if you find the thread on here. :)

I just found the thread. Wow, those are some pretty slick cables. At least I know I can go that route if I need to. Thanks again!

phoebegoesvroom
01-18-2012, 03:54 PM
You guys will be pleased to know I just signed up with SDAC. SDACNE is next :)

BadAssPerformance
01-18-2012, 07:11 PM
You guys will be pleased to know I just signed up with SDAC. SDACNE is next :)

Welcome to SDAC! :clap: Membership packet should be in the mail soon! :D

cordes
01-18-2012, 11:47 PM
You guys will be pleased to know I just signed up with SDAC. SDACNE is next :)

Welcome to the club.

In regard to the shield for the flywheel. I never reinstall them. They are a pain and I hate them with a passion.

ETA: I've probably got about 250+ thousand total miles on cars without the shield and no ill effects thus far.

BadAssPerformance
01-19-2012, 01:44 AM
If the car sets a while and somehow doesnt have a rear main or input shaft seal leak, the flywheel will rust quicker...

supercrackerbox
01-19-2012, 05:41 AM
However if you do prefer to have the flywheel inspection shields in place, I've got stacks of them for the price of shipping.

phoebegoesvroom
01-19-2012, 09:34 AM
The flywheel is already a bit rusty...though not very. If you guys say it's ok not to have the cover on there, then I may not bother...although I would feel better about having something down there. It would be my luck to have something get in there...

minigts
01-19-2012, 11:04 AM
If the car sets a while and somehow doesnt have a rear main or input shaft seal leak, the flywheel will rust quicker...

What rock have you been under? It's a form of Chrysler maintenance that the rear main leaks to keep the flywheel FROM rusting. hahahaha



However if you do prefer to have the flywheel inspection shields in place, I've got stacks of them for the price of shipping.

Adam, I'll take a couple of those at SDAC this year. I'll remind you as we get closer.



The flywheel is already a bit rusty...though not very. If you guys say it's ok not to have the cover on there, then I may not bother...although I would feel better about having something down there. It would be my luck to have something get in there...

There is an off chance that something COULD get in there, but not very likely. The problem with those shields in general is that there are a few bolts that go through that plate. And if the plate isn't in place during the time of installation of the tranny, most times I personally forget to put the shield in because I'm trying to lift the transmission and mate it with the engine on my own. Installing a splash shield while I'm trying to balance the transmission to make it fit isn't high on my list of priorities. :p Having said that, I prefer to have it on.

phoebegoesvroom
01-19-2012, 11:10 AM
There is an off chance that something COULD get in there, but not very likely. The problem with those shields in general is that there are a few bolts that go through that plate. And if the plate isn't in place during the time of installation of the tranny, most times I personally forget to put the shield in because I'm trying to lift the transmission and mate it with the engine on my own. Installing a splash shield while I'm trying to balance the transmission to make it fit isn't high on my list of priorities. :p Having said that, I prefer to have it on.

Gotcha. Ok, what I'll probably do is fab up a little cover for the bottom and for the part that's exposed under the hood. If I have to drop the transmission for anything, I'll probably replace the cover completely. Anyway, it's not a priority at the moment; I have a bunch of other things to do before I get to that.

30 PSI SHADOW
01-19-2012, 01:12 PM
its basically a BAD weather shield snow,mud,heavy rain...

phoebegoesvroom
01-19-2012, 01:13 PM
its basically a BAD weather shield snow,mud,heavy rain...

It won't be seeing any mud (I think), but it will definitely see rain and probably snow.

phoebegoesvroom
01-21-2012, 01:56 PM
With my dad's help, I finally got the head-intake-exhaust-turbo assembly out of the engine compartment and onto the bench. Unfortunately...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6737051513_474d7a32fe_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6737050021_528e751c1f_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6737048371_d6624c100a_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6737047127_6e11287b8b_z.jpg

That's cylinders 1-4, respectively :mad:

minigts
01-21-2012, 02:07 PM
That's typical, not to worry. Now if the crack is deep and beyond that into the head, then yes you should worry. BTW, did you use the Hubble to take those photos?

30 PSI SHADOW
01-21-2012, 02:55 PM
those look normal. no worries, typical for 8v heads.

phoebegoesvroom
01-21-2012, 03:26 PM
Ok awesome, thanks guys! My heart sank when I saw those cracks between the valves.

BadAssPerformance
01-21-2012, 05:09 PM
Yeah, those cracks only become a problem if you want to replace the valve seats. The place to look for cracks is from the little triangle shaped coolant passages to the combustion chamber... if you dont know the history on the head, a pressure test is not a bad idea

phoebegoesvroom
01-21-2012, 05:32 PM
Unfortunately, I do not know the history of the head...much like the rest of the car. It could be the original head, it could be from who-knows-where. I know the head has been off at least once before though, because there's a semi-fresh MP head gasket installed.

BadAssPerformance
01-21-2012, 05:35 PM
Got anymore pics of the head, like casting marks? Should be a year (86 or 87) right on the front of it in a circle... should be a "TS" somewhere meaning "Tapered Shroud" which is typically on the turbo heads...

phoebegoesvroom
01-21-2012, 05:56 PM
Sure thing...I should have done that earlier, but here you go:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6738322789_af5923c5d4_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6738321173_5e30f246fa_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6738320017_7876d37a3d_z.jpg

BadAssPerformance
01-21-2012, 06:00 PM
Quite possibly the original head, if not, at least the correct one for it. Cool deal either way :thumb:

phoebegoesvroom
01-21-2012, 06:03 PM
Quite possibly the original head, if not, at least the correct one for it. Cool deal either way :thumb:

Sweet! No surprises for once. Thanks, I really appreciate all the help you guys are giving me! =)

BadAssPerformance
01-22-2012, 01:17 AM
No problem, we've got a good community of enthusiasts and like to help eachother out :nod:

Tbird232ci
01-22-2012, 11:58 AM
I knew I would find you over here.

Because of your thread on CF, and some other life events, I've decided to look for another Shelby Charger when my living situation and finances get better. Makes me miss mine dearly.

Loving where you're going with it.

phoebegoesvroom
01-22-2012, 12:53 PM
I knew I would find you over here.

Because of your thread on CF, and some other life events, I've decided to look for another Shelby Charger when my living situation and finances get better. Makes me miss mine dearly.

Loving where you're going with it.

Thanks! I was actually going to look for a GLH-T or Shelby Charger and not a GLHS, but this car just happened to come along at the right time and right price. The car itself is very solid, the interior is in amazing condition, the suspension and brakes are fine, everything important works...it mostly just needs some mechanical TLC under the hood. After being botched and buggered by some past owners, I am determined to do right by this car. It deserves it. Unfortunately this is my first turbo Dodge car, so there is a bit of a learning curve for me; the GLH I used to own was NA. Luckily the guys here are extremely helpful! :) Plus, the car has been pretty easy to work on so far, just as I remember my GLH being.

As far as where I'm going with it...I really just want to fix anything that needs fixing and get it on the road, hopefully with a little bump up in power by the time I'm done. Oh, and new rims. Definitely new rims.

blk86trbo
01-22-2012, 01:08 PM
Great looking GLHS! For someone that's a first time turbo-mopar owner and relatively new to the forum, you sure do have the lingo down :)

Your rims will really "pop" with some polishing. But if you do indeed get a different set, make sure not to ditch the originals. They are unique to Shelby numbered vehicles and difficult to find.

Good luck straightening Sunshine out :clap:

phoebegoesvroom
01-22-2012, 03:07 PM
Great looking GLHS! For someone that's a first time turbo-mopar owner and relatively new to the forum, you sure do have the lingo down :)

Your rims will really "pop" with some polishing. But if you do indeed get a different set, make sure not to ditch the originals. They are unique to Shelby numbered vehicles and difficult to find.

Good luck straightening Sunshine out :clap:

Thanks! Don't worry, I'm not going to sell the original rims. I know they are unique to the Shelbys, but I just don't like the look of the Centurions or Centurion IIs. The ones on my car are in very good condition, though. I even have a Centurion II full size spare in the trunk. I plan on going with something that's period-correct, or at least period-correct-looking. I have a few ideas. Anyway, I have a ways to go before I switch rims. I have way more important things to worry about until then!

phoebegoesvroom
01-27-2012, 01:04 PM
I finally had time to take apart the head-intake-exhaust manifold-turbo last night. Of course I have a bunch of pictures since I discovered some interesting things. I'll let you guys tell me what's acceptable, since the cracks between the valves are ok, I'm not sure now. Anyway...

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6771232349_ca21f32652_z.jpg
After cleaning off the surface of the head, I discovered these cracks. They are on all the combustion chambers, leading from a valve to the edge of the cylinder. This one is the worst. Also, the small water passages have cracks as well (example below):
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6771235929_e85de6b946_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6771242425_ffa57a4e4e_z.jpg
Here's an example of the porting that was done on the mating halves of the 2-piece intake (and the lovely homemade gasket). Thankfully, it hasn't been ported elsewhere.

And finally here's some pictures of the turbo assembly. I don't know if any of this is stock or not. The compressor is stamped with .42 A/R, which I know is stock, but I don't know about the rest. The car has a 2.25" downpipe welded to a 2.5" pipe and the rest of the exhaust is 2.5"...I don't know what size that makes the swingvalve. Anyway, the shaft of the compressor side has quite a bit of radial play, but no noticeable axial play. I'm sure it'll be fine with a rebuild.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6737121459_db8e61163e_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6737053161_fdfe1486b8_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6771237173_321a43db67_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7162/6771236773_8709f7389d_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6737123507_c309b72cee_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6737119797_0dbe22b131_z.jpg

---------- Post added at 12:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:58 AM ----------

Oh yeah, the throttle body is also still stuck to the intake manifold. I sprayed it down with PB last night. I'm hoping that may loosen the gasket up. Anyone have any other suggestions to try to get it off? It's really stuck on there. I've never had that happen with a part using a paper gasket before.

minigts
01-27-2012, 01:12 PM
I don't what is going on with that porting, but those cracks AND the porting are not good. I'm sure you can find someone with a head that is good. Time for a rebuild and new turbo!!! YAY!!!! :)

For the TB, I would take a dead blow and tap on it for a bit. That gasket (unless the glued it on) should tear away if you bump it and possibly try to wedge a razor or something between it to break the seal, so to speak. I've never had one not come apart, but it should break free.

phoebegoesvroom
01-27-2012, 01:23 PM
I don't what is going on with that porting, but those cracks AND the porting are not good. I'm sure you can find someone with a head that is good. Time for a rebuild and new turbo!!! YAY!!!! :)

Haha, awesome...now I can justify spending some big money on a new head :evil: And yeah, the porting is terrible. I don't know if it was gasket matched or not (I'm guessing not), but we'll see if I can smooth out what was done.
I've only looked in cylinders 2&3 since the motor is at tdc right now, but I can still see the cross-hatching in the cylinders. Cylinder 3 has a watermark in it though...I'm assuming from a blown head gasket (or worse). I'll spin the crank to see how the other two cylinders are soon.


For the TB, I would take a dead blow and tap on it for a bit. That gasket (unless the glued it on) should tear away if you bump it and possibly try to wedge a razor or something between it to break the seal, so to speak. I've never had one not come apart, but it should break free.

Yeah, last night I was hitting it with my deadblow and also trying to part it with a hammer and a plastic chisel to no avail. The razor is a good idea. I'll have to give that a try. Thanks!

RoadWarrior222
01-27-2012, 01:29 PM
Yeah, I'd whack at it with a 2x4 or a mallet, but nothing with hard edges. I've had 'em stick, but not much.



BTW, mine are called Marvin and Wile-E :D

cordes
01-28-2012, 02:33 AM
I'm not sure if you're aware, but the lines on that turbo are not stock. They look like the pieces that TU and FWD sell. The center section of the turbo looks like it has way too little rust on it to be original to the vehicle too. I would suspect that it was rebuilt or replaced fairly recently.

As mentioned, the porting on that two piece is total crap. I've seen one or two which have looked worse, but not by much. Fortunately it doesn't look like that is anything which can't be taken care of.

phoebegoesvroom
01-28-2012, 09:54 AM
Yup I know those aren't the stock oil and coolant lines. I agree that the center section looks too new to be original.

phoebegoesvroom
02-02-2012, 01:58 PM
Last night I cleaned the carbon from the tops of the pistons, using aerosol Sea Foam, a scotchbrite pad and a rag, so I could examine the pistons. They came out pretty clean, but:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6806973369_9464429965_z.jpg
Sorry I forgot to take an "after" photo of piston #1, but anyway you can see there's a point of impact just below the C. And also piston #3:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6806979801_5e9f5bb82f_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6806979055_9ebb01a98e_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6806978295_f9d0bf959b_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6806977899_8e5bd381c2_z.jpg

Pistons #2 and 4 look fine, at least from the top, anyway. What started off as (according to the PO) a car requiring a turbo rebuild has turned into something much more than that. ;)

BadAssPerformance
02-02-2012, 08:54 PM
Cracks in the head... my T2 Shadow has some like that... runs fine int he 1/4 but a tad warm on the highway, need a better one :(

Intake... lay a stock gasket on it and see how bad it is cut. if not larger than the gasket its easily slvageable. If larger, can always weld and re-port

Turbo... Looks like a stock T2 (T03) Garrett almost rust-free CHRA (center) means it was re-built somewhat recently, however, no idea if it was done right or well.. esp if PO said it needed a turbo?

Pistons... The kicks/burns (think detonation) are not terrible and can be sanded smooth so there are no hotspots UNLESS they are knicks from something (spark plug tip, etc) going thru the motor... in which case look at the cylinder walls very carefully for any scratches.

phoebegoesvroom
02-03-2012, 10:49 AM
As always, thanks for the advice!

Piston #1 definitely had something come into contact with it, but it must have happened a long time ago, since it's covered with carbon. I should have taken a better photo so you can see. However, the bore looks pretty good. Actually, all of the bores look pretty good, and I can see the cross-hatching still on at least a couple of the cylinders. But, piston #3 is definitely shot. I agree with your assessment of detonation.

Sorry to disappoint anyone, but I have neither the time, equipment but most importantly the inclination to (at the very least) give this motor new pistons and a ring job. So, I'll be pulling the motor and installing a freshly rebuilt one. I won't be reusing the head either. By the way, I'm feeling pretty certain this motor has been out of the car before because it looks like the block was painted with a brush. Maybe it was pulled when the transmission was swapped, who knows?

I'm currently looking at the usual suspects for a rebuilt motor (FWD, FM, TU), but I am very open to suggestions as well. Yeah, going this route is going to be more expensive, I know. I actually have spreadsheets I made that detail the cost of various motor configurations so I can figure out what I can afford to do.

I agree that the turbo appears to have been rebuilt sometime...but the car has also been in storage for 10+ years too, so who knows when that rebuild took place, and how good it is. There's a lot of play in the shaft for sure.

Oh, I do have a question that nobody has answered yet...what size is this swingvalve? Does it look like it'll mate up with a 2.5" downpipe?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6737123507_c309b72cee_z.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6737119797_0dbe22b131_z.jpg

cordes
02-03-2012, 06:18 PM
That looks like a 2.25" unit to me.

As far as the motor goes, I would just have it rebuilt by a local shop which is reputable. I wouldn't want to pay for shipping on something that large.

phoebegoesvroom
02-06-2012, 09:43 AM
Thanks!

phoebegoesvroom
02-07-2012, 11:22 AM
Ok guys, so here's the little "recipe" that I've come up with for the motor build:

Remanufactured TII Long block with ported head
TU turbo rebuild & upgrade (quick spool, new braided lines, 2.5" swingvalve)
FWD Perf. 2.5" downpipe (attaching to the existing 2.5" exhaust system)
NGK GR4 spark plugs
TU RB's Modified Cap/Rotor/MSD Wire Set
TU Budget Aluminum BOV
FWD Perf. BOV install kit
52mm throttle body
FM Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
+20% Fuel Injectors
K&N drop-in filter
Ported 2-piece intake manifold
FWD Perf. Ported exhaust manifold
GLHS Stage 2 Logic Module
vacuum distribution block

Any clutch suggestions? Since I'll have the motor out, now is the time to do it. I'm hoping to get back into autocrossing with this car once it's done and maybe track days, but probably not any drag racing. Looks like I'll also get to replace that hacked flywheel cover as well. Anything else you think I should consider? Thanks in advance!

cordes
02-07-2012, 06:36 PM
I do like the TU clutch offerings.

I would probably stick with the stock injectors and fuel pressure regulator if you're just going to be at 14PSI or less. I was able to cruise around and have a great time with the GLHS stg. II LM and big injectors, but it left a lot to be desired vs. a cal that I've done myself.

domni058
02-07-2012, 07:38 PM
Hi, I live in plymouth ma. and i own a 86 omni glhs with a garage full of parts. I have a 525 trans that was rebuilt from Cliff Ramsdell in ct, with about 16,000 miles. it has a moly plate with a phantom posi and tran girdle pretty strong for a 525. i think it's an 87! i also have a mopar ported race head with big valves that was rebuilt! i'm only about one hour from you and i know alot about these cars, i have owned mine for 25 years! you can ask Bill Baker from the new england shelby dodge chapter he know me and my car. thanks Doug.

phoebegoesvroom
02-08-2012, 10:09 AM
I do like the TU clutch offerings.

Yeah that's who I was looking at. I'm just not sure how much hp+torque I'm looking at with the motor build, so I figured I'd ask you guys for suggestions. I'm guessing one of the Stage I or Stage II clutches will do it.


I would probably stick with the stock injectors and fuel pressure regulator if you're just going to be at 14PSI or less. I was able to cruise around and have a great time with the GLHS stg. II LM and big injectors, but it left a lot to be desired vs. a cal that I've done myself.

As far as what? Did it negatively affect the drivability? This car will be my daily driver, so street performance is important to me. I'm not opposed to changing the LM either. I don't even know for sure that it's a GLHS Stage 2 computer just yet...that's just what the PO said. I still have to check it out to verify if that's really true or not.

Thanks for the advice!

---------- Post added at 09:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:06 AM ----------


Hi, I live in plymouth ma. and i own a 86 omni glhs with a garage full of parts. I have a 525 trans that was rebuilt from Cliff Ramsdell in ct, with about 16,000 miles. it has a moly plate with a phantom posi and tran girdle pretty strong for a 525. i think it's an 87! i also have a mopar ported race head with big valves that was rebuilt! i'm only about one hour from you and i know alot about these cars, i have owned mine for 25 years! you can ask Bill Baker from the new england shelby dodge chapter he know me and my car. thanks Doug.

Hey there, good to meet another TD owner that's local =)

My car already has an A555 in it, so I wouldn't really want to switch it back to a 525. Otherwise, I would be interested in that tranny for sure, especially with the phantom limited slip.

I may be interested in that head, though. PM me and we can talk about it!

cordes
02-08-2012, 09:26 PM
Yeah that's who I was looking at. I'm just not sure how much hp+torque I'm looking at with the motor build, so I figured I'd ask you guys for suggestions. I'm guessing one of the Stage I or Stage II clutches will do it.



As far as what? Did it negatively affect the drivability? This car will be my daily driver, so street performance is important to me. I'm not opposed to changing the LM either. I don't even know for sure that it's a GLHS Stage 2 computer just yet...that's just what the PO said. I still have to check it out to verify if that's really true or not.


It didn't get anywhere near the gas mileage which my custom cals get. If you really get yours dialed in with the +20s it won't be too bad, but I would think you could still pick up 3mpgs pretty easily. I personally feel that the drivability is better with a custom cal too. You can tailor it more to your needs.

supercrackerbox
02-09-2012, 04:18 AM
The chip I have in my Charger isn't exactly fine tuned, and I average about 30mpg highway with a best of 34.1 on the way back from SDAC last year.

phoebegoesvroom
02-09-2012, 09:38 AM
The chip I have in my Charger isn't exactly fine tuned, and I average about 30mpg highway with a best of 34.1 on the way back from SDAC last year.

That's better mileage than my Focus gets. Is there a thread for your SC? I'd like to see how you've got it set up.

cordes
02-09-2012, 12:37 PM
The chip I have in my Charger isn't exactly fine tuned, and I average about 30mpg highway with a best of 34.1 on the way back from SDAC last year.

That's much better than what I did with my stg. II cal and larger injectors. Around town my mileage was horrible, but it wasn't the worst on the freeway.

supercrackerbox
02-09-2012, 01:03 PM
Yeah, I have a thread somewhere; I don't think it ever got moved to the new project logs section. Basically it's a TII conversion with a 2-piece intake, ebay FMIC, ported head, ported exhaust manifold, Super 60 turbo with a .63 A/R hot side, full 3" exhaust, +40 injectors, 3 bar MAP, 555 trans and 16" wheels with 24" OD tires. It's actually pretty disappointing performance-wise. Last I knew, it was set at about 17 psi, but my boost gauge broke on the rally at SDAC, and I haven't cared enough to replace it.

phoebegoesvroom
02-09-2012, 02:22 PM
Yeah, I have a thread somewhere; I don't think it ever got moved to the new project logs section. Basically it's a TII conversion with a 2-piece intake, ebay FMIC, ported head, ported exhaust manifold, Super 60 turbo with a .63 A/R hot side, full 3" exhaust, +40 injectors, 3 bar MAP, 555 trans and 16" wheels with 24" OD tires. It's actually pretty disappointing performance-wise. Last I knew, it was set at about 17 psi, but my boost gauge broke on the rally at SDAC, and I haven't cared enough to replace it.

Hmm...I mean that sounds like a hot ticket to me, on paper at least. Have you had it dyno'd?

supercrackerbox
02-09-2012, 02:57 PM
It dynoed at 214 on a Mustang dyno, but that was with leaking oil into #3 and the soon-to-be-cracked cylinder head. The new cylinder head completely changed the car's personality, especially above 3200 RPM, but I haven't gotten it back on the dyno since then. It burns oil and the clutch is slipping, so there's not much point now.

phoebegoesvroom
02-10-2012, 12:36 PM
Last night I pulled the fan, radiator and intercooler, alternator and power steering pump, then stopped for the night because my back was killing me from being hunched over for so long. Anyway, there's not much left that I need to do in order to get the motor out:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7143/6852042405_0aca2bc14b_z.jpg

Also, out of curiosity I checked the S/N on the block. Unsurprisingly, it's not even close to the car's VIN:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6852041165_6033e6fdd7_z.jpg

It's also been painted heavily with brush, like some other things on this car. ;)

phoebegoesvroom
02-11-2012, 06:28 PM
Question for you guys: is there a big bus connector on the passenger side in the interior for the wiring harness, like there is on the firewall on the driver's side? I ask because I'm removing the harness from the engine compartment so I can make the repairs it needs (which are many), and it would be easiest for me to remove the harness from the car to do it...plus it will be out of the way so I can paint. I have it all freed up except for where it goes into the firewall on the passenger side. I figured I'd ask first before I started pulling things apart inside the car. Thanks!

BadAssPerformance
02-11-2012, 06:39 PM
For the 84-87 "Logic Module" cars there is a big rubber grommet on the pass side behind the strut tower. To find it, follow the wire loom that crosses under the cowl seal and over to the pass side strut and look for the grommet behind the PS pump. On teh inside, remove teh side sill/kickpanel cover to access the LM and follow the wires up to the grommet. Not 100% on the l-bodies but the othe rbodies have a plastic key piece (like a shift cable clip but a couple inches wide & tall)that you need to pull out of the grommet on the inside, then the grommet comes right out and you can feed the LM connectors thru the firewall into the engine bay...

phoebegoesvroom
02-11-2012, 06:42 PM
Awesome, that's exactly what I was hoping someone would say! I'm tempted to go back and do it now, but I'm done for the day. Thanks a bunch!

BadAssPerformance
02-11-2012, 07:02 PM
No problem, good luck! :thumb:

phoebegoesvroom
02-11-2012, 07:07 PM
Thanks, I'm gonna need it. I'm very good with wiring, but some of these connectors are pretty fubar. Don't even get me started on the POs' "repairs"...

BadAssPerformance
02-11-2012, 07:12 PM
LOL... yeah, if I had a nickel for every butt connector I've seen hacked onto a wiring harness... when I got the Z, a PO (or stereo shop?) had a couple dozen instead of the correct radio connecotr harness! :banghead:

phoebegoesvroom
02-11-2012, 07:24 PM
Stuff like that really irks me. I've had plenty of "why would someone even do this?" moments while working on the car so far.

Anyway, I'm probably going to replace some of the stock connectors with more modern ones if I can't get replacement pigtails for them. I have a few connectors that have frayed wires or completely severed wires, among other things.

minigts
02-12-2012, 10:47 PM
Here are some part numbers for terminals you can get from Terminal Supply. I'm sure there are tons of companies out there that sell them, but TSC is where I get my stuff usually.



3843386-18
3843386-18
AU-16349
3843386-14
3843607
3843607
AU-16801
7368261
4368163
4304729
4304729

phoebegoesvroom
02-13-2012, 07:59 AM
Thanks so much, John. That will be a huge help!

RoadWarrior222
02-13-2012, 02:17 PM
Anyway, I'm probably going to replace some of the stock connectors with more modern ones if I can't get replacement pigtails for them. I have a few connectors that have frayed wires or completely severed wires, among other things.

With this old wiring, check under the wrap anywhere there's a chance of chafe or kink, in the regular tight bends even, it cracks up and rubs through under there and turns into green brittle crap, that oddly enough doesn't conduct current too well... some survived well, some need a patch or two, some you might wanna think about a replacement harness.

phoebegoesvroom
02-13-2012, 03:15 PM
Thanks, I will definitely be going over the harness very thoroughly and continuity testing each wire.

minigts
02-13-2012, 03:44 PM
If you need wire, this guy has lengths, colors and gauges to suit whatever you need.

http://eagleday.stores.yahoo.net/neauwi.html

I've gotten some of the wire and it's automotive grade, from what i can tell. The sheath is much better than what you can get in bulk single colors, that's for sure.

phoebegoesvroom
02-13-2012, 03:46 PM
Great, thanks again! I have a lot of wiring supplies at home, including wire, but I will definitely look into that seller if I find I need some.

SilverFleet
02-14-2012, 08:36 PM
Good to see another rare Turbo Dodge in New England getting fixed up!!! :clap:

I've always liked those Shelby Chargers and '87 GLHS's, yours is a nice example.

phoebegoesvroom
02-16-2012, 02:58 PM
Good to see another rare Turbo Dodge in New England getting fixed up!!! :clap:

I've always liked those Shelby Chargers and '87 GLHS's, yours is a nice example.

Thank you! =)
As much as I complain about the car, it really is in pretty good shape. I just wasn't expecting to do as much to it as I am...I'm sure you all know how that goes. And honestly, I'd rather have to do a bunch of mechanical work to it than a bunch of bodywork, especially structural bodywork. And with the new motor, it will practically be a new 25 year-old car when I'm done. :D

Unfortunately, there won't be any progress on the car this week as I've come down with something nasty and have had to stay home from my job for most of this week. =(

phoebegoesvroom
02-29-2012, 02:01 PM
Sorry guys, I haven't actually done anything new on the car last week or this week since I've been too busy with other things, and last week I was still recovering from the flu. However, I did discover a new piece of the puzzle when I went to register the car on teamshelby.com:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6941578729_b1e70458da_z.jpg

It obviously doesn't have the Lancer wheels on it now (I wish it did). It also doesn't have an A568 transmission; it has an A555. Also, there is no cold air intake. I know the motor isn't the original motor, but I have no idea if it's a Turbo II or not. Anyway, it's a moot point since I'm basically starting over from scratch, but interesting nonetheless.

minigts
02-29-2012, 02:12 PM
I think you mean it's a moo point...it doesn't matter...like a cow's opinion.

phoebegoesvroom
03-04-2012, 02:59 PM
I'm back on the horse again. I believe I'm all set with the prep for pulling the motor out now. I just yanked the starter and drained the oil today, so all that's left is to unbolt it and pull. My dad is visiting this week, so he's going to help me pull it. :thumb: Since that's all set, I decided to continue working on getting the harness out of the car. Well, it's turning into a bigger ordeal than I anticipated. Since the remnants of the AC system are still under the dash, I can't get the wiring harness out of the car without removing all of that. So, right now most of the HVAC system is out. While doing this, I discovered a couple more hacks on the car: the stereo was just plopped in the dash and the wires are cut. It's annoying, but I can fix it. And yes, it's a stock radio. I'm guessing an aftermarket radio was in there at one time and one of the POs decided to bring it back to stock...sort of. Also, on the driver's seat the left front bolt isn't bolted to anything, and that part of the seat bracket is held in with a sheet metal screw (!). Obviously, I will have to fix that as well. Also, the shifter is...um...interesting. I'll show you guys that later. Oh, the LM is out too. The blue connector has a lot of oxidation, but I opened up the box and the circuits and components all look clean and dry, so it should be fine with a cleanup of the connectors. But, I'm not sure it's a GLHS Stage II module or not. The label is worn off. If anyone knows how else I can ID it, I'm all ears. That's about it for the moment.

cordes
03-05-2012, 12:44 AM
I'm back on the horse again. I believe I'm all set with the prep for pulling the motor out now. I just yanked the starter and drained the oil today, so all that's left is to unbolt it and pull. My dad is visiting this week, so he's going to help me pull it. :thumb: Since that's all set, I decided to continue working on getting the harness out of the car. Well, it's turning into a bigger ordeal than I anticipated. Since the remnants of the AC system are still under the dash, I can't get the wiring harness out of the car without removing all of that. So, right now most of the HVAC system is out. While doing this, I discovered a couple more hacks on the car: the stereo was just plopped in the dash and the wires are cut. It's annoying, but I can fix it. And yes, it's a stock radio. I'm guessing an aftermarket radio was in there at one time and one of the POs decided to bring it back to stock...sort of. Also, on the driver's seat the left front bolt isn't bolted to anything, and that part of the seat bracket is held in with a sheet metal screw (!). Obviously, I will have to fix that as well. Also, the shifter is...um...interesting. I'll show you guys that later. Oh, the LM is out too. The blue connector has a lot of oxidation, but I opened up the box and the circuits and components all look clean and dry, so it should be fine with a cleanup of the connectors. But, I'm not sure it's a GLHS Stage II module or not. The label is worn off. If anyone knows how else I can ID it, I'm all ears. That's about it for the moment.

What's the number on the piece of paper on the second chip up from the bottom on the left when holding the board so the red and blue connectors are at the top and the chips are facing you?

phoebegoesvroom
03-05-2012, 09:24 AM
What's the number on the piece of paper on the second chip up from the bottom on the left when holding the board so the red and blue connectors are at the top and the chips are facing you?

I knew I should have taken a picture of it. I'll pop it open again when I get home from work and let you know.

phoebegoesvroom
03-07-2012, 01:12 PM
Well, I keep forgetting about the LM. I swear I will get to that soon.

Anyway, with the help of my dad, last night we got the motor out. It was a little tricky because I kept the water pump and the crank pulley on, but we managed. My dad has pulled a bunch of motors in his time, this is my...3rd, I think? First time pulling a motor from a fwd car too. We were able to get the motor out from the top, and I didn't even have to lower the car from its stands. The motor is just on a moving dolly for now:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7188/6961700123_e1647dea79_z.jpg

Current priorities are: get the harness out, repair it, clean, repair and paint the engine compartment, reinstall the harness, get the new motor and the engine compartment ready for the install. I'll also send out the turbo for rebuilding and start acquiring parts during this time, since I haven't done that yet.

phoebegoesvroom
03-08-2012, 11:34 AM
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7037/6964263367_6ab716a6b1_z.jpg

Gratuitous picture of yourself in an engine compartment. It's me, the woman behind the posts :o

cordes
03-11-2012, 02:01 AM
Glad to see that you are making forward progress.

phoebegoesvroom
03-11-2012, 11:01 AM
Thanks! Slowly...as usual. Unfortunately I won't be able to work on it this week either because I will be away =(

minigts
04-09-2012, 09:42 PM
So what is going on with this? Taking a break? You coming to SDAC?

BadAssPerformance
04-09-2012, 10:19 PM
You coming to SDAC?

+1, we need as many 87's as we can get for the 25th anniversary ;)

phoebegoesvroom
04-10-2012, 08:42 AM
Jeez, no pressure or anything, right? ;)

Well, the project is not on hold, even though it probably seems that way to you guys. I've just been busy lately. But, I did finally get the wiring harness out of the car last week...along with the entire heating system.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7234/7029514551_1b6449a1a5_z.jpg

I know, I really need to knuckle down if I want this car on the road sometime this summer. So this is the focus right now: clean, repair and recover the harness; clean, make repairs and paint the engine compartment. In the meantime I should also send out the turbo for rebuilding since I haven't done that yet, and get the new motor and parts.

cordes
04-13-2012, 10:32 PM
What's all that yellow stuff on the harness?

phoebegoesvroom
04-14-2012, 11:31 AM
What's all that yellow stuff on the harness?

It's just yellow electrical tape. I write on it with a marker to label connectors and stuff. Sometimes I use bread bag tags too, but those don't always stay on. They're best as a temporary labeling solution. Good for small hoses, too.

cordes
04-17-2012, 09:56 PM
How are you going to find all of the left over wires you don't need if you label them all? :p

RoadWarrior222
04-17-2012, 10:01 PM
Good idea to use a pale color electrical tape, I did masking tape on one project way back, got backburnered for a month and by then it had all started falling off... funny though, just teh act of labelling them made me remember how it went pretty much...

phoebegoesvroom
04-18-2012, 08:28 AM
How are you going to find all of the left over wires you don't need if you label them all? :p

Haha! I've been there before.

I was a bit worried that the marker would wash off when I cleaned the harness, but I was careful and it all remained intact. Note though that not all connectors are labeled. When I first started working on the car, I didn't label the connectors because I thought I was just going to be pulling the head off, replacing the turbo, and putting it back together. Obviously, this turned into a much bigger project than that. I have a few schematics though, so that will help.

RoadWarrior222
04-18-2012, 09:03 AM
That will help a little... I dunno if you've noticed, but seems default wire color in an old harness is "sort of dirty brownish, with a sort of pinkish stripe" ... if you're lucky you can pull back the loom and find what color it started as :D

Makes describing a rewire or harness conversion real easy though...
connect brownish/pinkish wire to brownish/pinkish... repeat x100

phoebegoesvroom
04-18-2012, 09:07 AM
Actually, the wires haven't faded too badly on mine. There's a couple of spots on the harness that have paint on them, but I can scrape it off with just my thumbnail, so it's not that serious.

supercrackerbox
04-18-2012, 01:23 PM
Haha! I've been there before.

I was a bit worried that the marker would wash off when I cleaned the harness, but I was careful and it all remained intact. Note though that not all connectors are labeled. When I first started working on the car, I didn't label the connectors because I thought I was just going to be pulling the head off, replacing the turbo, and putting it back together. Obviously, this turned into a much bigger project than that. I have a few schematics though, so that will help.

I wouldn't sweat it too much. Once you get the main branches in place, you'll find there's not really any connectors that can be mixed up or that will reach to the wrong place.

phoebegoesvroom
04-18-2012, 02:16 PM
I wouldn't sweat it too much. Once you get the main branches in place, you'll find there's not really any connectors that can be mixed up or that will reach to the wrong place.

True, but labeling connectors also gives me an idea of where everything is supposed to go and how to route the wiring.

minigts
05-22-2012, 01:53 PM
What's the good word on this woman. You haven't posted for a while. How ya comin'? Going to make SDAC? You should!

phoebegoesvroom
05-22-2012, 02:12 PM
Ugh, I haven't done anything on the car for like a month now I guess. It's terrible. I think I needed to take a break from it for a bit because I was really concentrating all my free time and energy on it for a while and got a bit burned out on it. The car *will* get completed, I know that. It can't stay in my garage forever; I need the space. Besides that, I really want to drive it of course! :)

I wish I could go to SDAC this year, but I really can't. I have too many expenses right now and not enough vacation time either, and besides the car won't be finished in time for it anyway, even if I had a motor ready to drop in right now. But that's ok, hopefully I'll make it next year. It's too bad I'm missing the gathering of the 87s though. Ah well.

BadAssPerformance
05-22-2012, 10:21 PM
Bummer you and the car cant make it. :( SDAC-23 it is then! :nod:

phoebegoesvroom
08-30-2012, 12:05 PM
Hey guys, I hate to say it...I really don't want to, but I have to sell Sunshine. I got in trouble recently with my condo association for working on my other car outside, and they also complained about me having an unregistered vehicle (the GLHS). So, I need to sell it as soon as I can before they start fining me, which they could do daily if they wanted to. Luckily they've been lenient so far.

I won't be putting the motor back in, but I will repair the wiring harness (I'm very good with wiring, it will be done properly) and reassemble the hvac system under the dash and get that all back together. This would be a great winter project for someone looking for a clean GLHS in good shape that needs a motor and some TLC. Drop me a line if you're interested, and I will be posting it up for sale in the classifieds as well.

supercrackerbox
08-30-2012, 12:20 PM
I'm guessing an off-site storage unit is out of the question?

I hate it when neighborhood associations cause these kind of problems.

phoebegoesvroom
08-30-2012, 12:26 PM
I really don't want to stick it in storage. Out of sight, out of mind, you know? Plus, I'd still need a space to work on it, that would mean renting a garage and having tools and equipment there. I prefer to keep everything at my house and in my garage. Believe me, I've thought about this for a while.

RoadWarrior222
08-30-2012, 01:23 PM
That sucks :(

Yah, that's prolly one of the eleventy one reasons why I'd never live in a condo...

(I might be still daft enough to buy one though, in a tourist zone, to vacation in and rent out.)

BadAssPerformance
08-30-2012, 01:57 PM
:( Sorry to hear Phoebe! Time to move elsewhere?

phoebegoesvroom
08-30-2012, 02:04 PM
I just can't do it right now. Others have suggested moving too. I really like where I live and I haven't had an issue working on my vehicles there until now. Granted, I did everything in my basement workshop or in my garage up until now. I think things will calm down since I won't be doing anything on my car outside anymore and I'll have my garage space back with the Shelby gone. I wish I had the money to just hand the car over to someone and have them do the work for me, but I really can't afford to. :(

Tbird232ci
08-30-2012, 02:16 PM
Is there a possibility of stick tags on it just to get them off of your back for a little while?

I don't know about RI, but here in MD, we have Historic tags, which don't require vehicle inspection or emmissions, and you can put cheap insurance on the car since it doesn't move, and be free and clear of the non-registered vehicle issues. I had to do that when I bought my SC so my apartment complex wouldn't give me any fits.

phoebegoesvroom
08-30-2012, 02:22 PM
That's not a bad idea. I'm still entertaining offers on the car, though!

turbovanmanČ
08-30-2012, 02:41 PM
Buy/rent a house? Anyone you can RENT some space from to work on it?

That sucks, I hate Strata's, I think there made up of pompous, arrogant aholes that suck at life and this is there only chance at being in a position of authority.

RoadWarrior222
08-30-2012, 02:47 PM
... apart from when your city is hiring cops of course :D

bigbarneycars
08-30-2012, 03:16 PM
Yo Phobe. P.M. Me. I've got a car-bud in your town. Not sure about his extra space but it might be worth a shot or he might know some one or some where to stash it. Least I can do is hook you two up. BTW, He's ah 300 car guy '55 thru '65 letter cars, Jer

cordes
08-30-2012, 06:33 PM
I'm really sorry to hear of this. If you can't move, perhaps you could try to take over the association?

RoadWarrior222
08-30-2012, 07:48 PM
perhaps you could try to take over the association?now there's an idea... this could be useful... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince

---------- Post added at 07:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:47 PM ----------

... or maybe some Sun Tzu if that doesn't pan out. :D

minigts
08-31-2012, 12:02 AM
Please don't sell it unless you have to. I do understand it's a difficult situation, but if it's at all possible to keep it I think you'll be glad you did down the road. Regardless, I hope it works out well for you. Sorry to hear about this, for sure.

phoebegoesvroom
09-04-2012, 03:13 PM
Well, things have gone from bad to worse. I got an official notice from the condo assn. board and they informed me that not only can I not do any mechanical work on my car outside, I can't do it in my garage either or anywhere else on condo property for that matter. That's kind of a big slap in the face for me, considering I've been working on my cars and motorcycles in my garage (often with the door open) for the past few years without a problem. Sometimes a neighbor would stop by and admire my work too. Also, I have until the 15th of September to comply with either registering the GLHS or removing it from the property, or else they can have it towed away at my expense, even though it's in my garage. I'm going to do as suggested and get an antique/historical plate for it with minimal insurance (RI is a mandatory insurance state), so that will keep the board off of my back for the time being. Unfortunately, I can't do any more work on the GLHS. I just can't risk it. So, the car has to go. Sorry guys.

And it looks like I'm going to go too. I don't see how I can stay here now that I have a garage and workshop that I can't use, so it's time for me to move on and find a better place to live.

minigts
09-04-2012, 03:15 PM
If you own the condo, I'd LOVE to see them remove it from your garage. That's ridiculous. Yeah, I'd move, but I wouldn't rush to the 15th. If you own that property, they cannot in any way enter your place and just take something without your authorization. That's theft, the last time I checked.

phoebegoesvroom
09-04-2012, 03:18 PM
If you own the condo, I'd LOVE to see them remove it from your garage. That's ridiculous. Yeah, I'd move, but I wouldn't rush to the 15th. If you own that property, they cannot in any way enter your place and just take something without your authorization. That's theft, the last time I checked.

Oh I'm not going to move out by the 15th. Just sometime within the next few months, I hope. The sooner the better. And I agree, I would love to see them break into my garage and take the car. Honestly, I think it's just a scare tactic.

Tbird232ci
09-04-2012, 03:49 PM
You may be able to hold of on getting rid of the GLHS, and take it with you when you move. I would look into finding a place before getting rid of it. May find a place that will allow you to have it, your motorcycles and work on everything.

turbovanmanČ
09-04-2012, 06:23 PM
You have to be careful, Strata's can be very powerful and enforce the rules they made, again, aholes.

minigts
09-04-2012, 11:33 PM
You have to be careful, Strata's can be very powerful and enforce the rules they made, again, aholes.

Not sure what a Strata is, but removing something from someone's property while it's INSIDE is called breaking and entering in the US. They are in NO WAY going to do that if she owns that condo. If she is renting, that's another story, but even that is pushing it. It's in a garage, not on the street or off her property. The best they'll be able to do is slap a fine on her and then she'd have to deal with that when the place sold, possibly.

turbovanmanČ
09-05-2012, 01:50 PM
Not sure what a Strata is, but removing something from someone's property while it's INSIDE is called breaking and entering in the US. They are in NO WAY going to do that if she owns that condo. If she is renting, that's another story, but even that is pushing it. It's in a garage, not on the street or off her property. The best they'll be able to do is slap a fine on her and then she'd have to deal with that when the place sold, possibly.

Strata's are the people that run condo's, so yes, they CAN remove your property. Usually when you buy or rent a condo, you sign paperwork from the Strata saying what you can and can't do, if you break the rules, they can fine you and then remove your properly and take whatever action, they can even take you to court. Its amazing but they have alot of power.

RoadWarrior222
09-05-2012, 02:36 PM
Condos, the one place of residence where you can combine all the advantages of having an obnoxious landlord, with all the advantages of owing money for upkeep and repairs.

cordes
09-07-2012, 08:42 PM
Not sure what a Strata is, but removing something from someone's property while it's INSIDE is called breaking and entering in the US. They are in NO WAY going to do that if she owns that condo. If she is renting, that's another story, but even that is pushing it. It's in a garage, not on the street or off her property. The best they'll be able to do is slap a fine on her and then she'd have to deal with that when the place sold, possibly.

You need to read up on home owner's associations. The horror stories I've read about on ARFCOM could fill a book. The last one I read about involved several hundred dollars in fines for not having the proper curtains in the garage windows.

Old people have nothing better to do than to make others conform to the ---'n rules. Their fathers would take them behind the woodshed if they could see the suppression of freedom they promote.

I told Joy that we would never live in a newfangled subdivision and a HSA would happen over my dead body before we moved down here.

minigts
09-07-2012, 08:54 PM
You need to read up on home owner's associations. The horror stories I've read about on ARFCOM could fill a book. The last one I read about involved several hundred dollars in fines for not having the proper curtains in the garage windows.

Old people have nothing better to do than to make others conform to the ---'n rules. Their fathers would take them behind the woodshed if they could see the suppression of freedom they promote.

I told Joy that we would never live in a newfangled subdivision and a HSA would happen over my dead body before we moved down here.

Well fines I could see, seriously. That is something that they can work against the owner/renter that will make it VERY difficult to sell the property, if not impossible unless the fines are met. But OPENING someone's garage and taking property? That's not gonna happen AT ALL if she owns it, period. That is theft and that isn't going to happen. Again, if she is renting, that is a whole other story. And yes, I would fight that to my last dime if it ever came to me. But I live on 5 acres and I have about 300 feet before someone can get to my front door. I have a gun and I'm not too bad of a shot. I'll throw a couple of warnings in the air for good measure. :D

Tbird232ci
09-08-2012, 04:53 AM
Well fines I could see, seriously. That is something that they can work against the owner/renter that will make it VERY difficult to sell the property, if not impossible unless the fines are met. But OPENING someone's garage and taking property? That's not gonna happen AT ALL if she owns it, period. That is theft and that isn't going to happen. Again, if she is renting, that is a whole other story. And yes, I would fight that to my last dime if it ever came to me. But I live on 5 acres and I have about 300 feet before someone can get to my front door. I have a gun and I'm not too bad of a shot. I'll throw a couple of warnings in the air for good measure. :D

The problem is, depending on the lease and association and contracts, you give up your right to your property if they feel that you are doing something to breach the contract.

30 PSI SHADOW
09-08-2012, 10:26 AM
maybe you can find someone in the new england chapter near you to house your car temporarily till you find a new residence? if you prefer i can can send an email to the NESDAC list..

cordes
09-08-2012, 10:30 AM
The problem is, depending on the lease and association and contracts, you give up your right to your property if they feel that you are doing something to breach the contract.

Exactly. Some of the HOAs are so sweeping it's amazing that anyone would want to sign it.

jonnyb
09-12-2012, 07:23 PM
I'm not too far from you. I could come and check the car out and/or give you a hand with it if you needed. I'll send you an email with my info.

phoebegoesvroom
09-05-2013, 02:34 PM
Hey guys, Sunshine really has to go and I didn't sell it this summer. I will let it go for $1000 as it sits right now. The motor is out, half the dash is apart and the HVAC ducting is removed so I could get the wiring harness out (obviously, the wiring harness is out of the car too, and cleaned). You know how to get in touch with me! Thanks.

RoadWarrior222
09-13-2013, 12:24 PM
Good luck with sale.

Wish I had a dolly...
and something to pull it ...
and an empty garage ...
and $1000 ...
and a pony.

minigts
09-13-2013, 12:38 PM
Hey guys, Sunshine really has to go and I didn't sell it this summer. I will let it go for $1000 as it sits right now. The motor is out, half the dash is apart and the HVAC ducting is removed so I could get the wiring harness out (obviously, the wiring harness is out of the car too, and cleaned). You know how to get in touch with me! Thanks.

Phoebe I'm really sorry this isn't working out. :( I'd get it if I had room. Cordes can testify, I love a roadtrip! :)

phoebegoesvroom
09-18-2013, 02:00 PM
Sunshine has been sold! Thank you for reading my build thread. I may be back eventually, who knows...

RoadWarrior222
09-19-2013, 08:41 AM
"Congrats" as it were, meaning you're probably sorry to see it go, but at least you got the present problem taken care of.

TMs are like the shingles virus, you get it, you think you're over it, then a year or two later it flares up again. Take care until your next relapse :D

cordes
09-19-2013, 06:27 PM
Congrats on the sale. You'll be back.