El Camino project car

[hotrodalex]

New tubular control arms, cut the springs 1 coil, and put on the old sway bar from my dad's Camaro.

I'll see how the springs work. I'm not usually a fan of cutting them, but we didn't cut much so hopefully they'll still be good. And I'm pretty sure the shocks still match. If not, maybe I'll just steal the QA1's that just got put on the Camaro.

[hotrodalex]

Just for fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y87rCNk9t-o

[hotrodalex]

Problem: massive amounts of rubbing. Went to go get an alignment and didn't even get out of my neighborhood. Went back and put some alignment shims in, but it still rubs a bit.

I don't know why the car dropped so much when we put the new control arms and cut the springs. When we put 2 in. drop spindles on it barely did anything. Something must have been completely screwed up with the old control arms. I guess we'll just order new springs and see if that helps. If not, .

[Onslaught]

Problem: massive amounts of rubbing.

When is that a problem? 

[hotrodalex]

Put on one of the new door seals, but it's raining now and I have to leave, so I'll finish the rest later. Gonna order new rear springs, since the current ones are uneven. We'll see where that gets us. Probably still need new front springs, but I'll wait until the rears are installed to do that. I was hoping to drive it this week, but there goes that.

[hotrodalex]

Got the rear springs. They're a half inch lower and stiffer than stock. I'll put them on sometime and see what that does to the car and figure out where to go from there.

[280Z Turbo]

Get a coilover kit.

[hotrodalex]

That would require new control arms, so no. I'm not gonna replace something I just replaced. Plus, I'll probably just put airbags on it eventually.

[hotrodalex]

So I put on the new rear springs. Of course the main reason for that is because it seemed like the old springs were uneven. Turns out they were the same size, though. So we upgraded the springs for no reason (I wasn't planning  on doing anything to the rear) The rear end is still crooked and I have no idea why. WTF. Anyone have any ideas?

[Secret Chimp]

Shackles bent on one side? Bent frame? Invisible fat man?

[Eye of the Tiger]

Does it gots a sway bar?

[hotrodalex]

Shackles bent on one side? Bent frame? Invisible fat man?

Yeah, those are my guesses. Not that I like any of them; this car is turning out to be even more difficult than I imagined (which was already pretty difficult)

And Nick, only in the front.

[Secret Chimp]

Coronet wins.

[hotrodalex]

But El Camino is faster.

[Secret Chimp]

But El Camino is faster.

Would be faster :P

[hotrodalex]

It's still plenty drivable. The tire rub is mostly gone, at least right now it just does it in a corner. Before it was scrubbing the top of the fender well just going straight.

I'm gonna put up pictures of the lean in a minute. There is no invisible fat man (that was indeed a possibility, as there could have been something in the smuggler's box behind the seat) and I checked out the rear suspension pieces to see if any were bent, but none seemed to be. I'm really hoping new front springs will fix it, I don't want to have to take it to a frame shop.

[Secret Chimp]

It's still plenty drivable. The tire rub is mostly gone, at least right now it just does it in a corner. Before it was scrubbing the top of the fender well just going straight.

I'm gonna put up pictures of the lean in a minute. There is no invisible fat man (that was indeed a possibility, as there could have been something in the smuggler's box behind the seat) and I checked out the rear suspension pieces to see if any were bent, but none seemed to be. I'm really hoping new front springs will fix it, I don't want to have to take it to a frame shop.

Sit the front end up with jackstands and see if it sits evenly in the back. If it does, front sprangs, if it doesn't, lolframe.

[hotrodalex]

Nothing changes with it jacked up, front or rear.

Front driver's side:





Front passenger side:





Rear drivers side:





Rear passenger side:

[Secret Chimp]

Measure from the frame to the ground, not the body. You could be messing around with a straight frame & suspension and messed up body mounts.

[hotrodalex]

I did that too. Similar results.

[hotrodalex]

Car is back from the shop. It's nice and straight now, two weeks and $700 later. But now there are two other problems. Apparently it won't start or even crank anymore, so there's some sort of electrical problem. And now the stupid thing leaks. Hopefully that can be fixed by readjusting the doors, but idk. (The problems are possibly related, since the car had an inch of water in it which could have affected some of the wires.)

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

WOW! The Road is getting more expensive by the day.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Dude that sucks. The frame guy screwed that up.

[hotrodalex]

WOW! The Road is getting more expensive by the day.

We're just a little over budget...

Dude that sucks. The frame guy screwed that up.

Eh, I'd rather readjust the doors than have a twisted frame. Not sure the starting problem was his fault, I don't think it ever started while at the shop. I'll have to look into it.

[hotrodalex]

I guess the starter solenoid crapped out. Strange timing. It started when we drove the car to the shop, but a couple of hours later when they tried to move it, no luck.

[hotrodalex]

Can't really tell from this picture, but the front end is now about an inch higher thanks to new springs and some spacers.



I took the old starter out, but haven't put the new one in yet. My dad wants to put a quick release thingamabob on the wires to make things easier, so I'm waiting on that. After that gets done I'll be able to drive it and see how amazing the springs are.

Next step: pull fuel tank, replace straps, and install a new sending unit to hopefully fix the gas gauge.

[hotrodalex]

New spring is on the left. Had to use backwards logic and put in shorter springs in order to raise the car.

[Secret Chimp]

Can't really tell from this picture, but the front end is now about an inch higher thanks to new springs and some spacers.



I took the old starter out, but haven't put the new one in yet. My dad wants to put a quick release thingamabob on the wires to make things easier, so I'm waiting on that. After that gets done I'll be able to drive it and see how amazing the springs are.

Next step: pull fuel tank, replace straps, and install a new sending unit to hopefully fix the gas gauge.

If yonder gauge moveth not at all, check ye sender ground.

[cawimmer430]

So we had the Chevrolet El Camino, the Ford Ranchero...and... this?



Was the Dodge Rampage a true competitor to these cars or just a poor FWD wannabe? 

[Soup DeVille]

So we had the Chevrolet El Camino, the Ford Ranchero...and... this?



Was the Dodge Rampage a true competitor to these cars or just a poor FWD wannabe? 

Neither, it was its own niche.