Above 1200 Sq/FT 86's 20HP shop

[86turbodsl]

So last night when i quit, i had the driver side completely reassembled except for the brake dust shield which needed new bolts. i grabbed those this morning. The passenger side needs all the same work except for drilling out the broken off screws in the dust shield. IF i get started at a good time, maybe a night's work.

Drove truck today, it's definitely going to need some work before next season. I had some misfiring for a while on the way in. I'm really sick of that.

 

[bimmer1980]

Glad to hear the progress!! Also to have an action plan for this evening.

Good Luck!! Progress is great!

 

[bulletpruf]

So last night when i quit, i had the driver side completely reassembled except for the brake dust shield which needed new bolts. i grabbed those this morning. The passenger side needs all the same work except for drilling out the broken off screws in the dust shield. IF i get started at a good time, maybe a night's work.

Drove truck today, it's definitely going to need some work before next season. I had some misfiring for a while on the way in. I'm really sick of that.

Which truck is this? Your diesel?

 

[86turbodsl]

yes

 

[bulletpruf]

yes

Ok, well, I'd check the spark plugs and distributor first. Maybe file the points.

 

[86turbodsl]

Got the back driver corner done last night. Move onto the pass side back tonight.



I found that the new brake pads did not really fit in the slides very well, and no chance at all with the stainless rail caps. I had to pull the mounting bracket back off and dress with a flap disc to get enough room to fit everything. IF you don't use those stainless caps, the pads rust to the caliper bracket and you lose the brakes. I guess the aftermarket people are assuming the slides are all worn out. Ah the joys of old cars... 2004... Man i'm old.

 

[83VillageRepair]

Ah the joys of old cars... 2004... Man i'm old.

Isn't 2004 almost new? I guess I'm old too

 

[bimmer1980]

Good progress on the rear brakes! Hopefully you have the customized process down to make the other side proceed faster.... altho, expect other small issues... seems to be the nature of the beast!

Besides the brakes, what are the other open action items to get done? Is the engine and front end all buttoned up? any interior pieces that need to be put together? (I see seats, etc in the background of the shop - hence my question.)

Not to state the obvious, but don't box yourself in on the first drive.... i.e. plan for a test drive with a back up plan before banking on a full hour drive to work, etc.... "Plan for the worst, hope for the best!" "jack reacher" (great novels...)

 

[rattle_snake]

Isn't 2004 almost new? I guess I'm old too

Anything 2000+ is 'relatively new' to me. EFI, ABS, air bags, ODB... I drive a 2004

 

[86turbodsl]

Anything 2000+ is 'relatively new' to me. EFI, ABS, air bags, ODB... I drive a 2004

You have the luxury of clean old cars in the desert. Anything older than 10-12 years here is likely a rust bucket if its driven in the winter.. The audi is REALLY well built, with lots of anti-corrosion measures and it's still crunchy in spots.

 

[86turbodsl]

Good progress on the rear brakes! Hopefully you have the customized process down to make the other side proceed faster.... altho, expect other small issues... seems to be the nature of the beast!

Besides the brakes, what are the other open action items to get done? Is the engine and front end all buttoned up? any interior pieces that need to be put together? (I see seats, etc in the background of the shop - hence my question.)

Not to state the obvious, but don't box yourself in on the first drive.... i.e. plan for a test drive with a back up plan before banking on a full hour drive to work, etc.... "Plan for the worst, hope for the best!" "jack reacher" (great novels...)

I do have it figured out i think. Most everything that's crunchy has been dealt with.

The front end is not on yet. I have been hoping i get a care package from Gruven parts, but so far it's not even shipped yet. I know as soon as i button the front up, the stuff will show up... I'm planning for everything to be bolted on this weekend, and get it aligned next week. Shake down run to town and alignment is only 6 miles. The interior is together enough to drive it. I still have a full S4 interior to install, but that can be little by little on weekends.

 

[rattle_snake]

You have the luxury of clean old cars in the desert. Anything older than 10-12 years here is likely a rust bucket if its driven in the winter.. The audi is REALLY well built, with lots of anti-corrosion measures and it's still crunchy in spots.

Agreed. I had to drive my cobra in the rain this summer. Been 5+ years since it had to endure such conditions. Whenever I rack the car I make sure to wipe down the underside and polish up the SS exhaust. It has required a lot of rear tires to get to 52k.

I hate working on brakes. Your work is very clean. Well done as always.

 

[86turbodsl]

I got the suspension in the pass rear corner done last night, every bolt tight. Brakes are tonight. Once that is done, i will have a few small details in front suspension, and bolt the front end on. My arms haven't shipped yet, so it's going back together as is. I am hoping it's ready for alignment by Sunday night. I'm not calling for an appt until it's done though. I don't need guns to heads.

 

[86turbodsl]

Last night i worked on the brakes. I wanted to get the caliper backet off to tune it up with flap disc. Propane torch, nope. Oxy acetylene, NOPE. Denied. I would have had to torch it off in pieces. I have never run into a bolt that couldn't be loosened with oxyfuel. I gave up and tuned it up on the car, then finished off the brakes. Tonight's task is finishing up the front and bleeding brakes. Getting close!

 

[86turbodsl]

Today we moved our son into his new appt. Got home around 3. Spent a couple hours in the shop bleeding brakes and clutch. What a pain.

 

[Bob Heine]

Spent a couple hours in the shop bleeding brakes and clutch. What a pain.

At least they weren't bleeding themselves.

 

[86turbodsl]

So I wanted to get the radiator on today, went around the front of the car and realized the intake valve wasn't done yet. So that was job one.

I didn't have a way of grounding the parts so I made a ground clamp.


Then tacked in 2 places. The valve got screwed into the mandrel in 3 spots with locktite.


Shot a coat of paint on it and when dry I'll throw the vacuum cans on it and screw it into the manifold.

 

[86turbodsl]

Got this all assembled.


And ready to put the front on.

 

[86turbodsl]

Every time i look at it, there's more to do... i'm so tired of working on this car.

 

[jbmatth]

It really does get annoying working on the same daily for weeks/months on end, but think of it this way, you are much closer now than when you started.

JB

 

[86turbodsl]

It really does get annoying working on the same daily for weeks/months on end, but think of it this way, you are much closer now than when you started.

JB

True, but still annoying.

 

[bulletpruf]

Every time i look at it, there's more to do... i'm so tired of working on this car.

It's awesome, isn't it? As you are completing job #1, you realize that you also need to do job #2, #3, #4, so your list grows exponentially instead of shrinking. This is why I drink.

 

[86turbodsl]

It's awesome, isn't it? As you are completing job #1, you realize that you also need to do job #2, #3, #4, so your list grows exponentially instead of shrinking. This is why I drink.

Word.

 

[bimmer1980]

Every time i look at it, there's more to do... i'm so tired of working on this car.

I would LOL that, but I get the frustration.... just sitting behind my computer, I was tired of this project a year ago, and I wasn't the one working on it.......

Just keep working on the action items. As I had recommended previously, looking ahead and noting down the list of steps necessary (action items) will help prevent the "oh ****" moments. You'll still have them, but it might help you to be a few steps ahead of them so they are less of a surprise and/or you can order necessary parts.

I get the sense you are getting closer to rolling it off the lift......

 

[86turbodsl]

It's the non-stop problems that get me down. I do a ton of research to make sure i don't make half-assed fixes and i constantly get bit by problems.

Today's big problem- The suspension kit had two left side sway bar links in it, instead of one each side.

So back on the phone, yell at the supplier, wait more days, blah blah blah.... How anybody gets a car done quickly these days is beyond me. Just throw money at it, or it's a 5 year old Chevy and Oreilly takes care of you...

 

[bimmer1980]

Well, that's a right pain in the keister.....

 

[86turbodsl]

Well, that's a right pain in the keister.....

I know right??

 

[86turbodsl]

Started to put the wheels on last night, i need to back the car up to drop the knee bolster in the driver seat to put in the new hood cable. I can't find the studs to center wheels/spacer and one of the spacers. Since the front wheels don't TURN without the spacers i am stuck. I may design a new spacer and cut out on plasma. I'm really tired of needing slotted studs to install front rims anyway.

 

[Strouty]

It's the non-stop problems that get me down. I do a ton of research to make sure i don't make half-assed fixes and i constantly get bit by problems.

Today's big problem- The suspension kit had two left side sway bar links in it, instead of one each side.

So back on the phone, yell at the supplier, wait more days, blah blah blah.... How anybody gets a car done quickly these days is beyond me. Just throw money at it, or it's a 5 year old Chevy and Oreilly takes care of you...

You have to buy the parts you need about two weeks before the problem happens, that is the best way to do it, when you figure out how, let me know...

 

[86turbodsl]

You have to buy the parts you need about two weeks before the problem happens, that is the best way to do it, when you figure out how, let me know...

That is the trick, isn't it? Precognition is not my strong suit.

 

[86turbodsl]

I made a spacer for one of the front wheels, brought out to the car, promptly found the other original spacer, thank you Murphy, installed the last 2 wheels and backed the car up a couple feet. I can get into the front seat now to pull the knee bolster to get the hood cable swapped out. Then it will go back on the lift for front end install. Getting close!

I am going to clean the tools and put away tonight. We also got my son's truck oil changed last night so it was a little bit of a derail. But we're getting close.

 

[bimmer1980]

That's a good couple of mile stones on the never ending list!

A clean an sweep of the floor goes a long ways in my garage. It's still a struggle to find a long term home for certain items, but once allocated, it certainly helps with future organizing and maintaining the level of organizing.

 

[86turbodsl]

That's a good couple of mile stones on the never ending list!

A clean an sweep of the floor goes a long ways in my garage. It's still a struggle to find a long term home for certain items, but once allocated, it certainly helps with future organizing and maintaining the level of organizing.

I am dying to clean up the shop and organize. I just have to get thru this car project and get it out of there.

 

[86turbodsl]

Got the tools put away and hood cable installed. Bedtime.

 

[86turbodsl]

I *think* i'm down to just putting the front end back on, and getting an alignment. Saturday is a bit of a mixed bag this weekend, but i should be able to get most of it done i think.

 

[86turbodsl]

Well this weekend did not go as expected. On Saturday, my daughter and i went and looked at another car for her. The current one is quickly getting crunchy and lots of issues with HVAC that are not easy to fix. And it's very loud. She's been jonesing for a car like mine.

So Saturday we went and looked at one, and made an offer.

Then my son came over and we fixed up his door with a new lock and water shielding. Then Sunday we went and got the car.


It's so clean you can eat off it. ONE tiny speck of rust on one fender. The wife looked at it when we got home and said - "you only paid $500 for this??? HOW?"

Because the engine was blown and removed. It was also an auto.

I've already got most of the parts needed lined up and it is going to be a NON-DD project for my daughter and I to spend time together. She's pumped. She still has her car to drive while we work on this one.

 

[68400BIRD]

Looks like a super clean car. Best of luck getting car time in with your daughter.

 

[86turbodsl]

Thank you. The interior looks like new. The underside is completely intact. I'll have the new trans and a few other parts by this weekend. The rest is coming from Europe. We already have the new engine. She's a willing student. She helped me do brakes on her 96. I expect this will be a deeper dive for her. She loves knowing how cars work though.

 

[bulletpruf]

Thank you. The interior looks like new. The underside is completely intact. I'll have the new trans and a few other parts by this weekend. The rest is coming from Europe. We already have the new engine. She's a willing student. She helped me do brakes on her 96. I expect this will be a deeper dive for her. She loves knowing how cars work though.

That's pretty cool. My daughter is 10 and she hasn't spent any time in the garage in a while. Maybe I'll tell her that the '91 F350 crew cab dually will be her high school car if she helps me work on it...

 

[86turbodsl]

If you want to make it really cool, get some of the super rare australian headlight housings so you can use decent bulbs!