Coronet

[Soup DeVille]

I has tie rod ends. Chuggin by the weekend! Then off the road again for brakes... I'll save that til after my vacation in two weeks :P

Brakes are for squares, mang.

[Secret Chimp]

I found a pair of Magnum heads on Craigslist for $100. Supposedly only 34k, guy went big block in his truck. Problem is I still can't find a friggin 360 short block anywhere around here If I could I could have a nice 360 for probably under a grand.

[hotrodalex]

If it's a good price you could always buy them now and if you never find a block just resell them later potentially for a little profit.

[Secret Chimp]

I reread the ad and realized they're take-offs from a 36k mile engine, so yeah I should probably go get those...

[Secret Chimp]

I finally got everything on and torqued down aside from the UCA settings. I think it was like neutral on the front lobe and all the way in on the rear one or something previously, I lost the thing I wrote that down on :P

The freeze plug leaks on the motor are getting pretty bad now. The worst I'm hoping is the one hiding behind the starter, not the ones somewhere on the back of the heads/block. I don't really want to pull the motor because I don't really want to mess with the motor. But ready-to-go Magnum 360s aren't exactly falling into my lap.

[Secret Chimp]

I got waggin aligned today. I'll have to pull the front bolt and make sure I didn't somehow reverse the bushings despite checking a bazillion times, but for some reason the passenger side couldn't do anything better than 0.2 degrees positive camber even though the driver's side came in showing -1.2, which kinda sucks. Though realistically I'm still a ways off from where my camber angle's going to be that huge of a deal.

I haven't driven on rough roads or with much speed so I'll withhold real comment on the new shocks, but they seem perty darn good with grandpa driving - I can definitely tell the difference with the Monroes still on the rear.

I also ordered all of my GM Metric brake conversion junk save splash shields (don't know if disc ones can be modded) and front brake lines (not sure what type I need for this conversion). If I somehow get all of the parts before the weekend I may take a crack by then, but I probably won't. The drums still work fine but that outer edge of fine is really disconcerting after not driving it for a few months :P

After I get this knocked out I'm not sure if I'll want to take care of the steering box or go for wheels/tires.

[280Z Turbo]

Splash shields aren't that important. The Focus didn't even have them.

[Secret Chimp]

Guy says I can't use any so whatevs. After driving it more I'm definitely doing the steering box next. Yeesh.

[hotrodalex]

Guy says I can't use any so whatevs. After driving it more I'm definitely doing the steering box next. Yeesh.

I'm so jealous of the GM 600 unit in my Dad's Camaro now. BMW E36-46 level of goodness. Except $500.

[Secret Chimp]

I'm so jealous of the GM 600 unit in my Dad's Camaro now. BMW E36-46 level of goodness. Except $500.

You can now install a Borgeson box thanks to box mods and some adapter pieces from a fab company in New York, but the box alone is 600 bucks. People really rave about it, though, even compared to firmed OE boxes. I think it's the same model as your dad's (used in later Cherokees or something?). I may go for it... I don't want to dump in 400 or 500 bucks for a stock rebuild if it's half as satisfying.

[hotrodalex]

This is what he's running.

http://www.hotchkis.net/delphi-600-series-power-steering-gear.html

12.7:1 ratio

Is this the Borgeson box?

http://www.borgeson.com/xcart/catalog/P_S_Conversion_6272_Mopar_11_8_Sector_Shaft-p-1722.html

14:1 ratio is a bit slower but for a Coronet wagon I'm sure that's plenty.

Personally if the prices aren't too different I think it's totally worth it.

[Secret Chimp]

This is what he's running.

http://www.hotchkis.net/delphi-600-series-power-steering-gear.html

12.7:1 ratio

Is this the Borgeson box?

http://www.borgeson.com/xcart/catalog/P_S_Conversion_6272_Mopar_11_8_Sector_Shaft-p-1722.html

14:1 ratio is a bit slower but for a Coronet wagon I'm sure that's plenty.

Personally if the prices aren't too different I think it's totally worth it.

Yeah that's the one. The ratio is not a huge deal, you can get longer pitman and idler arms to speed the ratio.

This company offers more direct-fit boxes (for less money than Borgeson): http://bergman-auto-craft.myshopify.com/collections/all

Thought $675 for the box and $185 for a coupler... yeesh.

[Secret Chimp]

For comparison, rebuilding my box via these guys in the south of the state would cost probably $400 out the door plus shipping/driving my old core chunk down there:

http://firmfeel.com/b_body_mopar_power_steering_box_rebuild.html

OE boxes still have that few degrees of off-center goosh, supposedly. Some blame not touching/reinforcing mount areas and other stuff but I doubt the original junk is all THAT flexy.