El Camino project car

[J86]

ya know, that general style isn't normally to my taste, but damn if it doesnt look good on your ride.  nicely done!

[hotrodalex]

Thanks!

Now I have a whole list of upgrades I want. Some were previously on the list, some are new after running on the autocross.

- Get my electric fans hooked up. Just need to figure out how to mount them and then get the wiring done.
- Order some electric temp/pressure gauges, install them in my overhead console and then put that in the car
- install the new headliner
- figure out if I want some LEDs in the interior (I liked the red LEDs in my BMW that turned on with the headlights - gave a soft glow that let you see a bit more inside the car without being obnoxious. And I might put in two white LEDs running off the door switches)
- Posi/LSD so I don't roast only one tire
- 17 inch wheels and summer tires
- new valve covers
- modify the parking brake so it will work with my new kick panels
- electric fuel pump

[Secret Chimp]

For the fans I'd just start out by using those through-the-core ziptie things.

[hotrodalex]

Chrome or black valve covers?





My air cleaner is chrome, same style as these. Intake is the regular non-chrome finish. Engine block is black, most of the accessories are black. Current valve covers are black. Looks pretty good now (simple, very DD-like) but usually the valve covers match the air cleaner so I'm not sure which to get.

[Soup DeVille]

Black. No question.

[hotrodalex]

Black also has the advantage of being much easier to keep clean. That alone might be enough.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Def Black!

[hotrodalex]

Ordered the black ones along with a chrome breather, a carb tune up kit, and two gauges (water temp and oil pressure) to go in the overhead console.

[hotrodalex]

Also should have some 30 amp relays on the way so I can wire up the electric fans. I'll probably put some on the headlights too, just for fun.

[Secret Chimp]

You want to put gauges way up past the edge of your windshield? I think glancing down under the dash is a bit easier and quicker.

[hotrodalex]

If they were gauges that I look at constantly, I'd agree. But they're really just for reassurance that everything is running smoothly.

[Secret Chimp]

I dunno, those are two things you'd want to have a corner-of-the-eye alert on were something to go wrong.

[hotrodalex]

Well they'll be right by the rear view mirror. Not completely out of the way.

[hotrodalex]

'Murrica!

[hotrodalex]

Figured out why my paint keeps pealing on the gas door - gas is leaking out every time I drive. Yay. Need to get that fixed before driving it more. Don't wanna ruin the paint on the fender.

[hotrodalex]

Ugh, looks like the fuel cap/tube was installed incorrectly. This is why I hate letting other people touch my car.

I'm going to try some fuel resistant gasket maker and see if that'll help.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Ugh, looks like the fuel cap/tube was installed incorrectly. This is why I hate letting other people touch my car.

I'm going to try some fuel resistant gasket maker and see if that'll help.

I know the feeling, I don't like people working on my cars.

I remember when I bought my EVO new(the last evo), I didn't want the dealer doing oil changes. I just don't trust anybody to do a better job then me.
I'll even do my own alignments instead of bringing to a shop.

[hotrodalex]

I wish I had the tools to do my own alignment. I managed to do it on our baja car with just wrenches and a measuring tape, but an off road buggy doesn't require nearly as much precision.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I wish I had the tools to do my own alignment. I managed to do it on our baja car with just wrenches and a measuring tape, but an off road buggy doesn't require nearly as much precision.

I have some string, 4 jack stands and a ruler. The only thing "special" I have is a digital angle finder that I bought at menards for 20 bucks, I use that to set camber.

[hotrodalex]

How accurate are you with that? I always figured I wouldn't get it set as well as they can at a shop with the fancy laser gizmo thingy.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

How accurate are you with that? I always figured I wouldn't get it set as well as they can at a shop with the fancy laser gizmo thingy.

camber to .1

I have a steel precision ruler that measure down to the 1/64 of an inch. My miata manual actually provided toe settings in fractions of an inch.

It's probably not as accurate as a laser alignment system, but a alignment shop will spend a fraction of the time as I do on it. So I'm guessing with my willingness to take my time and double check(triple check) my work and be very fussy, it's probably as good or better than what I'd pay 100 bucks for.

I know the cars drive great, track straight, have a proper on center feel and have normal tire wear.

[hotrodalex]

Nice. Maybe I'll try it next time.

In other news, the gas door leak should hopefully be fixed. Put some sealant on the threads of the cap and tightened it down more than before. I'll find out in a couple of hours.

I'm in the process of getting all the stuff to hook up the gauges and overhead console. The console has map lights, which will replace the dome light in the car now. It came out of a Blazer or Tahoe or something, but apparently the light weren't wired to turn on with the doors. Shouldn't be a huge deal - I should be able to connect the door switch wire to the map light wire after the switch and have it turn on with either the doors or the button on the console.

Of course the passenger door switch doesn't really work anyway. It'll turn the light on if you twist the plunger thingy a bit, but not by just opening the door. And of course I could remove/replace the driver's door switch but the passenger side is impossible to get a wrench on. Oh well.

[hotrodalex]

Just kidding, still leaking. Gonna have to call the place that made the thing, since it's apparently coming out the top. It's a capless filler neck, apparently the flappy door thingy doesn't have enough spring to keep sealed.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Convert to a fuel cell?

Go all Pro Street on that ass.

[hotrodalex]

Yuck.

[hotrodalex]

Still emailing about the gas cap... Maybe in the mean time I should just duct tape over it.

[hotrodalex]

Duct tape to the rescue.

[hotrodalex]

Yeah, that wasn't a good fix. The gas dissolves the adhesive and still leaks out. I was hoping it would magically not do that.

[280Z Turbo]

I would use nitrile rubber and a hose clamp.

[hotrodalex]

I don't think I can get a clamp on it. I'll just park it and wait for a new cap. Their customer service sucks.