1981 Camaro Z28

[DynoDave]

T/As...very nice, period correct tire for that car.

Bilsteins...VERY nice!

[MP81]

Yup - the stock spirals are pretty bouncy. Not much life left in them - but something about the factory spiral shocks just looks neat. I'll keep them, if just for that. Sure I can make some use of them as decoration on the workbench or something.

The Bilsteins should add a nice little bit to handling - nothing crazy, but something is certainly more than nothing.

In other news, I picked up the title, lien release and bill of sale today from the post office today. Hopefully some time this week I can make a trip to the SOS and have that all taken care of.

While I have the car up to remove the wheels, I'll probably just take care of the shocks then, since everything will be accessible. And hopefully reconnect the speedo cable to the trans, as well.

[MP81]

Last week we had a 2016 Malibu 1LT Loaner while the diesel was at the dealership getting some work done.





So I took advantage of us having a larger car to shove all four wheels/tires and the four new tires into the car and get them mounted.





Long story short - they only got mounted and not balanced (the balancer was giving some weird results...), so I shoved them into the Cav this morning and took them to get balanced.


Back from balancing, and with 6 quarts of Brad Penn 10W-30 (got an extra quart, just in case).



Cleaned the wheels a bit (as much as I could with wheel cleaner and a brush, they need a bit more attention if I want them cleaner than this). No more blue letters, though.


Then I tackled the shocks. I was a bit worried about the fronts, as I couldn't quite tell where the tops bolted in (not where I was thinking they should) and was expecting quite the fight.

I was wrong - turns out, the damn things weren't even attached at the top.

They also came out fully compressed. Note the lack of second bushing/washer up top, but there is a nut, which would imply they were intentionally put in that way?



After pulling the shafts out:


Bilsteins installed:



Rear shocks removed - the lower nut gave me a bit of a hassle (shock body would spin), but the impact helped there:


The Bilsteins have a 22mm nut on the shock body, unlike the stock spirals:


Rear Bilsteins installed:



I took a look at the speedo cable - and it appears to be attached (to a correction box?) to the transmission - which means the loose end under the car goes to the gauge? Quite confused as to why my uncle disconnected it there - but, it also means the trans wasn't just sitting open, which is great.

Tomorrow I'll look into that more, change the oil/filter, and pop the wheels/tires back on.

[MP81]

Worked on the car some more today.

Pulled off the correction box off the transmission, nice and grimy.


And also found out that A) there is an upper and a lower speedo cable, so my uncle disconnected it from some "box" between the two and B) I definitely need a new lower cable.



Found the end stuck in the correction box.



Under the car. A bit grimy in spots (likely from that valvecover leak), but clean rust-wise.



Cleaned up the box quite a bit. Now, I've read that some of these are on people's cars from the factory. I really have no idea if this is the case with this car or not. My uncle says he never touched anything at the trans, so it wouldn't surprise me. I'll probably put it back on, but it's easy enough to remove if it's not needed.



End of the lower speedo cable (where it should connect to the upper - missing the threaded portion).




After playing around with this, I drained the oil (looked dark, but didn't smell weird/like gas or anything), and added 5 quarts of Brad Penn Penn Grade 1 10W-30 and a Delco filter (not as tall as the one that was on there).

Really, just need the new lower speedo cable (and to install it), then put the wheels/tires on and it should be ready to drive.

[DynoDave]

That lower cable broke for a reason. "Maybe" old age/dried up lube, but more likely something between the trans and speedo failed, and the cable was the weak link. Check that S-W adapter closely, make sure it spins freely. Does the car currently have cruise control? If so, check the servo carefully for free movement.

It would suck to have the new cable fail right away.

[MP81]

No cruise - four speed car.

My uncle said there was a box between the cables, that he removed. I'm not sure what purpose the box would have served, other than to correct the speedometer when he changed the tire size at one point. If I recall, he said it was loose, so he removed it. I'm pretty sure the upper and lower cable just (normally) thread together, and the adapter at the trans is original (he said that this was there since he bought it, and he never added it).

The square end of the lower cable was still in the adapter, but was broken off from the cable, and the cable frayed - which would imply the adapter spins (though I'll verify it isn't bound up), but the cable wasn't, causing the end to rip off, and the cable to unwind (due to the end spinning against it). That's just my guess, at least.

The new lower cable is supposedly longer, so I can get a better routing than the factory cable, which had a pretty sharp bend at the trans.

[JoeliusZ28]

Looks like good progress are you replacing springs at all?

[MP81]

Not planning to just yet - if I do, it'd likely be with a performance spring of some kind, but usually those come with a slight to less-than-slight drop - and I'm worried I won't be able to get into or out of my driveway (until the approach is redone, more gradually).

[Darren]

Not planning to just yet - if I do, it'd likely be with a performance spring of some kind, but usually those come with a slight to less-than-slight drop - and I'm worried I won't be able to get into or out of my driveway (until the approach is redone, more gradually).

I am SURE if I can get my two cars in and out of my driveway you would have no problem with that 4x4 even if it was lowered. My Camaro is slammed and I can, just all about the angle. Even the vette can, same way on a angle.

[MP81]

I am SURE if I can get my two cars in and out of my driveway you would have no problem with that 4x4 even if it was lowered. My Camaro is slammed and I can, just all about the angle. Even the vette can, same way on a angle.

How big is your curb? Ours is pretty nasty (might be similar) - always have to pull the Cobalt (and even the Cruze) in almost perpendicular to not scrape. My father-in-law backs his '14 CTS out straight...I cringe every time.

[Darren]

How big is your curb? Ours is pretty nasty (might be similar) - always have to pull the Cobalt (and even the Cruze) in almost perpendicular to not scrape. My father-in-law backs his '14 CTS out straight...I cringe every time.

Put it this way if I was to go straight at my driveway in my camaro I would have no front nose, probably the same with the vette. I come in basically on the side and one tire it at a time. I dont go off or by the curb.

[MP81]

The guy next door has a C5, and the one time since we lived there I've seen him drive it, he seemed to manage, so I should be okay.

By the time I lower it (if I do), it'll likely be after the curb has been redone while widening the driveway anyway, though.

[JoeliusZ28]

Your car is probably already "lowered" from age somewhat it might not be that much different

[MP81]

Your car is probably already "lowered" from age somewhat it might not be that much different

I was thinking that as well - comparing it to pictures, I have quite a bit less (no) wheel gap.

[TSTONE]

I was thinking that as well - comparing it to pictures, I have quite a bit less (no) wheel gap.

Second gens are notorious for rear spring sag - that's why so many people went with air shocks back in the day