Project KEEP MOVING FORWARD

[JasonWilson48]

What do your front control arm lollypops look like? Do they have offset bushings (possibly installed backwards)?

No, I went with normal lollipop bushings. So no chance of installing backwards. I'll get under there, and see if something happened to the bushing though. You have me curious now.

[Panici]

I don't know. It could definitely be pushed back. This chassis is straight, but the body panels are rough. That side of the fender closer to the driver is pushed in a bit. Once I get a proper alignment, and get it up to 100mph, I'll see if i notice anything else.

I'll try to take some more straight on photos from further back to see if I can get a better shot of the wheel well.

What do your front control arm lollypops look like? Do they have offset bushings (possibly installed backwards)?

[JasonWilson48]

Is it just me, or is your driver's side front wheel sitting pretty far back in the wheelwell?

Almost like the opposite effect of when folks run the offset M3 front lollypops.

I don't know. It could definitely be pushed back. This chassis is straight, but the body panels are rough. That side of the fender closer to the driver is pushed in a bit. Once I get a proper alignment, and get it up to 100mph, I'll see if i notice anything else.

I'll try to take some more straight on photos from further back to see if I can get a better shot of the wheel well.

[Panici]

Is it just me, or is your driver's side front wheel sitting pretty far back in the wheelwell?

Almost like the opposite effect of when folks run the offset M3 front lollypops.

[2mAn]

This guy finished rebuilding his car before the USPS would deliver his r3vlimited stickers...

[JasonWilson48]

Update #9
This will be a short one... Haven't had much time in the past few weeks to dedicate to the car.

Update from last post

1) I did more toe adjustments and it is much better. Still pulls to the left, and getting on it the throttle from like 40-70 is a little squirrely, but I'll set up an actual alignment in the next few weeks when I have a day off or WFH.
2) Power steering line came in the mail. it has been staring at me sitting in my office. Looking to tackle that next, so I don't have to leave a piece of card board under my car anymore.
3) The rear bumper and trim are still off the car. I need to sand down whatever goop the last person put on there, and do some plastic welding.
4) I was able to cobble the bumper and trim on the car good enough to take antique registration photos. So the car is officially road legal in PA.
5) I did a first past deep cleaning of the interior with a carpet steamer. Carpet looks a lot better, but needs another pass when I feel like it.
6) I took a longer drive to work the other day (about 30 miles round trip). Everything seemed okay. Only issue I'm having are with the brakes. They are dragging pretty bad, and the rust on the rotors might be too much to knock off. I'm just going to swap the new rotors, pads, calipers, and soft lines I have waiting in my office. Not in a huge rush to do that though.

Registration photos. Don't mind the old crappy tires, and one very small one lol. Just needed it good enough to look stock.









My test drive to work next to some of my coworkers' cars




Grocery getter in the rain. This actually cause my fan to stop working. Car started getting warm about 1/2 mile from home. Temps never got above 225 F though. I did some troubleshooting with the "official electric fan" thread, and found fuse 18 blown. Replace fuse 18 and then Fuse 19 blew again right away as I shorted the radiator switch. Figured out my ghetto zip tie method around the fan plug was shorting out the ground and hot on each other. Cut and wired them together properly, and covered with electrical tape. Then replaced Fuse 19, and we were all good to go.



And a beauty shot with the element

[Panici]

Nice work Jason.
Nothing like the feeling of that first test drive!

[JasonWilson48]

HELL YES DUDE!!! Im so happy to see it alive !

looks like I got walked, no complainants tho, im sharing your victory with you

as someone whose pulled their transmission out on jackstones MANY times.. maybe its the masochist in me, but I've come to find it to be an enjoyable process. Entire getrag 260 out in just about 45 minutes. My method for putting it back in is even better. I do it barefoot, but say with me now... I do it barefoot because im not the strongest of individuals, so I use my arm strength to lift up the heavy gearbox side, then lay on my side/hip almost, and I use the side of my thigh/leg my to lift and support the rest of the transmission, then use my feet and the grip of the bareness to help guide/push the bellhousing into the output shaft. It works extremely efficiently and using this method im able to get it in in just barley about 2 minutes. Although admittingly, ZF's are waaay heavier than getrags.

anyways, good shit man, i cant wait to see everything get wrapped up and finished !

https://www.etsy.com/listing/8563789...hoCqJUQAvD_BwE

Here is your prize for the quickest trans swap west of the Mississippi

[max.rodriguezzz]

HELL YES DUDE!!! Im so happy to see it alive !

looks like I got walked, no complainants tho, im sharing your victory with you

as someone whose pulled their transmission out on jackstones MANY times.. maybe its the masochist in me, but I've come to find it to be an enjoyable process. Entire getrag 260 out in just about 45 minutes. My method for putting it back in is even better. I do it barefoot, but say with me now... I do it barefoot because im not the strongest of individuals, so I use my arm strength to lift up the heavy gearbox side, then lay on my side/hip almost, and I use the side of my thigh/leg my to lift and support the rest of the transmission, then use my feet and the grip of the bareness to help guide/push the bellhousing into the output shaft. It works extremely efficiently and using this method im able to get it in in just barley about 2 minutes. Although admittingly, ZF's are waaay heavier than getrags.

anyways, good shit man, i cant wait to see everything get wrapped up and finished !

[JasonWilson48]

Update #8

Recap from last post

1) Coolant system good
2) Brakes and clutch good
3) Power steering is good (but I have a slight leak in the low pressure hose)
4) Driveshaft is on
5) Radiator switch and wiring work great!
6) Now for the not so fun part. The first test drive...



So the first time I pulled it out of the garage I didn't think too much about when the clutch engaged. However, the first time I tried pulling down the driveway I realized something was wrong. The brand new clutch was full on slipping. I had to rev it up to 3500 rpm to get going in 1st. Sooo... I dropped the trans.. FML...





Only took two photos that whole time... I was so aggravated that I had to drop a trans on jack stands right after I had the engine fully out. I debated with my friend on if it made more sense to just pull the engine... and thankfully he talked me out of it.

Anyway, the problem was the new clutch kit I used. It was supposed to be the same part, but the clutch disc was like 4-5mm thinner. This was definitely the problem. Anyway... I began to drop the trans on Friday night, and I had everything back together for the actual first test drive Easter morning. I was impatient and annoyed I wasted money, so I threw the old clutch and pressure plate back in. They worked fine before the crash, so I hope they just last me a few more years before I have to do a clutch job again.

Drove it around the block! Everything seemed fine minus the alignment is still not great. But no weird noises or new leaks!



I was so down when I had to pull the trans, but driving it around the block afterwards got me pumped! Got the front valence and the lip on!



Then I fitted the exhaust. Here is another weird YouTube short of that lol

https://youtube.com/shorts/yOFKxohNEGI?si=lU7zbStXqU-QncJz

Got all the wires sorted for the lights, and the toe alignment good enough.



Then took a spare set of headlights with bad brackets, and swapped them into good brackets that came with the car.





Got the, fitted with the grilles. Really need some SEM trim paint now lol.



Stole the license plate off the wrecked car for a longer test drive.



Stopped by my neighbors house to show him the car and say hi.





Admired my nice new shift knob with the shitty interior after the long test drive. No leaks except that stupid power steering line. Made me happy!





Removed the crappy tint. Back to fishbowl status.











Then took some beauty shots with the hood back on for the first time. I still need to put the side trim and rear bumper back on... But those are a little messed up from whoever owned this car before. So I need to mcgyver some solutions there. Thinking a lot of super glue or jb weld with a lot of new clips.





Alright! Next Steps!

1) Adjust toe some more, and better align steering wheel
2) Order and replace power steering line
3) Get the rear bumper and trim affixed.
4) Take photos to get it legally registered
5) Deep clean interior more with steamer and bleach. Put sport seats in.
6) Long shake down drive (50+ miles)

[Panici]

Absolutely flying on this reshell

Looks like 6-ish months from when he bought the shell.
Pretty impressive stuff when it's not your full time job!

[Northern]

Absolutely flying on this reshell

[BadDays]

This is motivation for me to get my car done quicker, Holy smokes!

[2mAn]

Update #7

Not sure how y'all do it with those "obstacles" lol.

Pets are easy to neglect, kids not so much and wifey is touch and go (literally ) ... I get a solid 2-4 hours a WEEK... usually a Fri/Sat Night when I escape into the garage.

[Panici]

It's alive!
Hell yeah.