Project OT II: The rebirth

[Orange Terror]

sweet jasen!! just paint those rotors up to hide that rust and youll be stylin!

Yeah, he blasted the flywheel before he machined it not sure why he didn't the rotors. Either way, no biggie.

[WMCC Gary]

Add a zero and I'll put your name just about anywhere........

I'll send ya $20.00...that way my name can be on the car when its done.
I can sit back and say....yeah I helped!!

You should take his Money OT, Just write his name across the tread of the rear tires. Then it could be taken off at any time.

[Orange Terror]

You should take his Money OT, Just write his name across the tread of the rear tires. Then it could be taken off at any time.

I like that idea!!

Well, got some parts for my birthday yesterday, and went after the meeting and picked up some more. Brought home the core support, gas tank, a couple power steering pumps (hoping at least one works), a couple blower fans (hoping at least one is good). Was given new motor mounts, flywheel bolts, alternator bracket, ballast resistor, motor mount bolts, balancer bolt & washer. I think that's it. Got a rotor put back on, hoping to get the other one on in the next couple days and maybe get the motor & tranny in this weekend.

[JoeliusZ28]

hows progress Jasen?

[Orange Terror]

hows progress Jasen?

Seems slow, trying to cover all the bases and not get ahead of myself. Working on it every chance I get. I got pics and stuff, but haven't had a chance to get them off the camera. Actually done quite a bit I think. was gonna update it this weekend with pics.

A lot of cleaning and painting............More soon.............

Also, still need a driveshaft and gears for the rear. Thx.

[Orange Terror]

I changed the thread title, gives it a little more distinction than just "80 Z project" I think.

Where to start, been working on the car every chance I get, which isn't enough. Also time is very limited with wife and I working opposite shifts so I can only work when my daughter has gone to bed or napping basically. I get little things in when she is playing, but not much. Also, my mom is in rehabilitation after breaking her hip. But I'm doing my best. Optimistic I can still get it together in some form for the M&G. Won't look pretty, but hope to have it there.

Keep in mind as a reminder or for those that don't know, I am not building a show car at this point, my budget is very very limited. My goal is simply to make this drivable as cheaply as possible without sacrificing safety and reliability. But I have cut corners on body and overall appearance. These are things that I feel I can work on over time the next few years. For this year and the foreseeable future, the ultimate goal is to drive it and enjoy it. I believe I have a solid drive train to accomplish this goal.

So, since the last update, the rotors have been put on and painted. New wheel bearings. I got a spindle that will need to be replaced because of the inner oil seal surface being in rough shape, but I think I can get by on it this year, I apparently drove it that way for 3 years before. Sounds like a good opportunity for drop spindles next year




Cleanup and paint prep.



After hitting it hard with the wire brush and brake parts cleaner.....



Then I put the rotors and calipers back on with some paint. A little overspray but that will be gone the first time I hit the brakes.



When they turned the flywheel and rotors they also blasted the rust off all the non machined surfaces on the flywheel for me. So, to keep it looking nice I decided to paint it. Taped up the clutch contact surface on the flywheel and sprayed it.



After paint on the back side



Next, I picked up my core support and gas tank from storage at my parents a couple weeks back. Power washed them at the car wash, cleaned up nice, yes, that's clean compared to how they were.



I then took a wire wheel to the transmission crossmember I picked up for $25 on ebay. I forgot to take an after pic of it painted.



I then turned my attention to the motor mount brackets using the wire wheel. Wow, did they need it.



Now for the motor, it needed a fresh coat of paint. Used a lot of tape..........



After paint and tape removal....



Interesting thing about the motor. Something I had never seen before, this is out of a 71 Vette. The oil drain plug is in the back center of the pan facing the back of the car at downward angle. Never had seen one like that.

So then I was able to pull the motor off the stand, and bolted on the new looking flywheel onto the crank.



Clutch bolted on.....Side note, the clutch looks a little rough, but its really not, it has maybe 3000 miles on it, the paint is just peeling from sitting. It is a Centerforce dual friction clutch. I remember a significant difference in how hard the clutch pedal was with this clutch on.



I then turned my attention to the transmission. It needed paint as it was dull looking. Now, this paint was supposed to look like a cast aluminum, it didn't turn out that way, I decided to leave it for now. Reason being, it won't be seen much, and any leaks will show up easily.

This was after a new silicone gasket after discovering a drip...



and tranny & bellhousing are one again with the fork and throw out bearing installed.



Then bolted the tranny assembly to the motor



Up in the air in front of the car



And in the car...



Now, I had to take the motor back out for now, the motor mounts apparently aren't the ones for the car. Which if you read my thread a couple months ago you know why I don't have them. So, I'm going to try to modify these to get it to drop in and save a few $$. However, if I can't, I found new ones, reproductions, GM has discontinued them. So we'll see.

You also may have noticed that the distributor changed, I'll be running a Mallory unilite I picked up used in excellent shape. I also picked up a pair of hood hinges I needed for $32 and have a driveshaft and gears on the way as well.

Lots going on, hope that's enough update for you guys, thanks for looking!!!

[kammi10]

getting there OT.. keep at it.. looks good to

[s.reef]

Coming along nicely!

[TSTONE]

wow - congrats on the great work - its coming along very nicely

[WMCC Gary]

.....Project OT II: The rebirth......

8-O does that mean your going to paint it a great Jack-o-lantern shade of Orange?








Sorry had to do it. Looks like it coming along nicely. Keep it up and it just might make the M&G.

[Orange Terror]

8-O does that mean your going to paint it a great Jack-o-lantern shade of Orange?








Sorry had to do it. Looks like it coming along nicely. Keep it up and it just might make the M&G.

No, no plans at this point to paint it orange, at least that won't be the primary color. I will however be incorporating orange into the theme as much as tastefully possible so that's why I figure I can still call it OT II, at least for now........

Yeah, had to do it, lol. I've been in the garage as much as I can. Time seems to be what may bite me in the ass now more than ever.

[JoeliusZ28]

good progress jasen, keep it up! :X2:

[SoulTerror]

Looking great! Keep up the great work.

[meissen]

Looks awesome, Jasen! Keep up the awesome job!

[Orange Terror]

Thanks everybody for the support!!!