Barney-Mobile 84 Z28

[SSlowBoat]

Sooooooooo......

My fiance and I had an agreement, we were not allowed to purchase any more cars for 3 years from October 19th 2019. This includes trade ins or anything else, not just projects. There was one or two ways around this, 1 being if the car found was purple, and 2, She was the purchaser. (shes only bought 2 really while ive been thru a bunch)

Dicking around on FB marketplace I found a purple 84 Z28 LG4 305 car (its really a sport, not a Z28, but [emoji2369]). Showed it to her, she yells at me (while smiling) that we dont have room, yada yada.

I had messaged the seller to get more pics and the "story" on it. I made it clear i just wanted info, wasnt really interested interested. I mean who REALLY wants a 84 hardtop Z28 with not even an H.O. 305! Only thing it had going for it was the purple paint. Mostly straight, all there. I didnt really want it that bad, wouldve rather found a Iroc or a 90-92 RS. But she did, bad. She has been hounding me to "Build my car right the first time" instead of doing the usual throw it together and be mad at it so.....

I was prepping to tell the guy we were passing on it, started typing a message and fell asleep. Next day she calls me and says "see if we can pick up that 84 on sunday". I almost fell out of my chair at work. Ok honey.

So yea, made it very clear this was her Vday gift. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200218/79f0960e06966540f924d72bbba5b56a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200218/1cef29d2289b34d834327b1547ba5cd5.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200218/c4331308a47fb1daf11384b094fbdc45.jpg

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[popo8]

Congrats... hopefully this does not slow down progress on ur 3rd gen... ;)

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[SSlowBoat]

Now, why might this thread be here on LtXTech? Well, thats where things get interesting.

A) shes not a hot rod car girl. She likes to just be able to jump in something and go. She doesnt want to have to deal with rough starting, vapor locking, 36 year old quadrajet issues.

B) the lg4 305 made 150 hp at the crank in 1984. our 2017 fiesta st makes 180 at the tires, her 2016 sonic 1.8l makes 170hp at the crank. both those cars have better 0-60 than the 84. even a stock lt1 will be enough for her

C) shes engaged to the idiot with an evil opti tattooed on his left calf. would cause tension if she kept it 305 [emoji23][emoji23]

We came up with a plan. put no more than a few hundo into the 305. if it runs, has oil pressure, and doesnt sound like a bag of hammers, we make it semi streetable so she can atleast enjoy it this summer, also work out the other bugs that come with a car last registered/driven in 1996.

I have a stock lower mile 93 engine from a friend on the way, as prep for the winter work. She went from keeping the lt1 stock, to now she wants it to sound like SSlowBoat did, so we will contact NightTrain66 for a bumpstick.

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[shownomercy]

Was gonna say, whats the plan with it.

JY 5.3 twin turbos and a JY 80e would be fast.... and cheap..

Just sayin

[SSlowBoat]

Was gonna say, whats the plan with it.

JY 5.3 twin turbos and a JY 80e would be fast.... and cheap..

Just sayinHave access to a 4.8l ls/4l60e combo for 500, but it would probably need an engine rebuild. I pretty much have everything for an lt1 already, plus if i got real stingy, id fitech the lt1 and leave the 700r4 in it.

I priced out an ls swap this week, not super cheap for these cars. the headers alone are almost as much as she bought it for. atleast this car came with older edelbrock shorties/y pipe in the hatch which will work fine on a lt1.

Saturday me and Ltconvert got it to fire on starter fluid. Yellow bad gas and a fuel pump leaking at the seams stopped us then. The plugs just looked sooted and the bores looked ok on the inspection camera. Cranking it over by hand it had audible compression.

Sunday changed fuel pump, added 5 gallon fresh gas, cranked her over and she fired, sounded cammed for a minute, but finally cleaned up after a few idgaf if it grenades revs.

Today checked the rockers for oil, hooked the old rad up (bad idea), got it running for a few mins (got some temp in it to see what the next odd noise was) and the quite possibly 1980's radiator suddenly became a driveway/garage antifreeze sprinkler. BUT IT DROVE OUT OF THE GARAGE AND BACK IN UNDER ITS OWN POWER! Id calm that a win. Then the passenger side front caliper siezed, and the choke kept engaging so i packed it in for today.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200218/20af83136b00e025773539646a4a7be9.jpg

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[SSlowBoat]

The one BAD thing so far about the whole car, is some how some way the rear shocks literally ripped out of the body. i crawled under the car to disconnect the rear hardline connection and blow out the lines of old gas. when i got under it far enough i could see the shocks were just laying there.

I have a trans am car for scrap that im going to cut this area out and bring the car to a buddy (same guy who built my old slp style 2otl exhaust and fixed my 94 floor) he said he will take care of it. If anything founders coilover kit welded in (last resort).

Edit: just realized i have two third gen camaros in my garage with solid dash pads, no cracks. I should play the lotteryhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200218/8928373cc3578869276949e932116023.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200218/51b43234e08cdd14d0629eea77ee3548.jpg

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[Cathead]

Good luck with both builds. A few years ago, I almost got roped into a purple 3rd gen also. I still love the 3rd gens and miss my 91 RS, sometimes.

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[Stormyweather]

Yeah good luck with the gen as well. You got me missing my 89 Formie

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[SSlowBoat]

Been trying to dope out issues with it this past weekend. Changed the rad and water pump, went to start it, got it running rough as hell (was waiting for the choke to take over, was really stumbling, sounding cammed) it stalled and flooded so bad when i pulled cyl 7 and cyl 8 plugs raw fuel came flowing out like i spilled a gallon of gas down the intake.

time for a new carb

[SSlowBoat]

new carb/cap/rotor/plugs/wires/coil and rockauto reman carb. Fired right up, went up on choke fine, let it idle a minute, kicked it once, came right down to curb idle. played with the idle screw and set it about 700 for now, smoothed out nice.

i gotta get a timing light/vacuum gauge and really dial it in, its still fairly rich, but not terrible like it was. I am starting to swap in Ltconvert old 3.42 trutrac 10 bolt this week, hope to have the shock mounts repaired by end of may, and then maybe get it on the street to see what else crops up.

We also started tearing her lt1 motor down over the past few weekends. yanked it from the firebird it was in, its a mexico reman. inside the motor so far is SPOTLESS. very surprised. had some intake gasket material in the intake valve on cylinder 4 that made it stick open when compression testing. but after tear down all valves appear straight.

first lt1 out of 9 or 10 stock lt1's ive had apart that has the powdered metal rods. they should be fine as shes not gonna be beating on it bad. just a hotcam and some 1.6 rockers, shortie headers, etc.

made her scrape tint while i did the mechanical stuff. 2 days later shes halfway done LOLhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200504/21a35246f06846939c98956a7e8dd96d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200504/cf2b74371a1576aa1d8de55bae668d84.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200504/80300507428d330b6910dc01ad520832.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200504/d7ebe135eeb38f6f0eb2c15f71f71204.jpg

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[popo8]

new carb/cap/rotor/plugs/wires/coil and rockauto reman carb. Fired right up, went up on choke fine, let it idle a minute, kicked it once, came right down to curb idle. played with the idle screw and set it about 700 for now, smoothed out nice.

i gotta get a timing light/vacuum gauge and really dial it in, its still fairly rich, but not terrible like it was. I am starting to swap in Ltconvert old 3.42 trutrac 10 bolt this week, hope to have the shock mounts repaired by end of may, and then maybe get it on the street to see what else crops up.

We also started tearing her lt1 motor down over the past few weekends. yanked it from the firebird it was in, its a mexico reman. inside the motor so far is SPOTLESS. very surprised. had some intake gasket material in the intake valve on cylinder 4 that made it stick open when compression testing. but after tear down all valves appear straight.

first lt1 out of 9 or 10 stock lt1's ive had apart that has the powdered metal rods. they should be fine as shes not gonna be beating on it bad. just a hotcam and some 1.6 rockers, shortie headers, etc.

made her scrape tint while i did the mechanical stuff. 2 days later shes halfway done LOLhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200504/21a35246f06846939c98956a7e8dd96d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200504/cf2b74371a1576aa1d8de55bae668d84.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200504/80300507428d330b6910dc01ad520832.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200504/d7ebe135eeb38f6f0eb2c15f71f71204.jpg

Sent from my SM-N975U using TapatalkYay!!!! So I was right that the valve was just stuck?!?!?!!? Great news!!!

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[SSlowBoat]

Yay!!!! So I was right that the valve was just stuck?!?!?!!? Great news!!!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalkyeah you were lol. also had a random epiphany last night that i left a vacuum line unplugged. thats why it was so rich

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[popo8]

yeah you were lol. also had a random epiphany last night that i left a vacuum line unplugged. thats why it was so rich

Sent from my SM-N975U using TapatalkDid u confirm the epiphany was legit?

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[SSlowBoat]

Did u confirm the epiphany was legit?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalkyep, left the little line for the hvac controls off the back of the carb. i was too tired last night to fire it up, will do that tonight or tomorrow.

i also have to get some relays and sheetmetal to make a fan shroud and install the lt1 fans. going to do one off a temp switch in the head at 180, the other on a manual switch.

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[Fastbird]

If memory serves me, aren't there conversion shock mounts so you don't have to rely on those weak factory steel spots?

[SSlowBoat]

If memory serves me, aren't there conversion shock mounts so you don't have to rely on those weak factory steel spots?I can only find coilover conversions that basically bolt to that spot and have a ring that goes over the upper spring perch to be welded in.

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[SSlowBoat]

well, after Fastbird posted above, i got to thinking. umi makes their upper coilover mount that would, in theory, spread the load away from the bad metal, and be much more solid welded in, since i dont have the upper shock bolt hole (thats kind of the issue here) to "bolt" it in.

i had an (@popo8 will like this) "AHHHH" moment.

low and behold, founders makes a copy, slightly different, much cheaper that i wouldnt feel bad about cutting up. Will have this welded in after cutting off the red tabs and removing their "bolt in" stud. Ill just hose mod the rear spring then i can run a standard shock. much cheaper than coilovers. much stronger repair than a few washers or just a plate over the shock mount hole.

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[Injuneer]

Spohn kit has a reinforcement also:

https://www.spohn.net/shop/1993-1997-GM-F-Body/Suspension/Shocks-Accessories/Rear-Coil-Over-Kit-QA1-Single-Adjustable-Shocks.html

With either single adjustable or double adjustable QA1’s

Moves the mounting hole off to one side.

[popo8]

well, after Fastbird posted above, i got to thinking. umi makes their upper coilover mount that would, in theory, spread the load away from the bad metal, and be much more solid welded in, since i dont have the upper shock bolt hole (thats kind of the issue here) to "bolt" it in.

i had an (@popo8 will like this) "AHHHH" moment.

low and behold, founders makes a copy, slightly different, much cheaper that i wouldnt feel bad about cutting up. Will have this welded in after cutting off the red tabs and removing their "bolt in" stud. Ill just hose mod the rear spring then i can run a standard shock. much cheaper than coilovers. much stronger repair than a few washers or just a plate over the shock mount hole.

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[SSlowBoat]

got the founders plates cut up today. now to get the lowering springs and bilsteins. for anyone wondering, the founders coil over plates are beefy.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200525/d0a284484720ce286c614fd4b89cbd2c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200525/e5d88f974af0fff84849a26200be5dfc.jpg

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[SSlowBoat]

got the little 305 running much better yesterday. I have a friend we call Bobcat who has an 83 305 el-camino that is all original, factory e4me computer controlled quadrajet etc. He has all the tools to set up the carb and timing on these the right way, so he came over and lended a hand.

First thing was we found the timing was WAY out at idle. idling at 600rpm timing was reading 26 degrees advanced. no wonder it didnt like to start. we set the timing to 8 degrees advanced at idle and then found the car didnt want to run. Curiously he noticed the idle mixture solenoid on the carb wasnt clicking like its supposed to be. found no power (should be pulsed 12v key on), so basically the whole time we have been messing with it the computer was not controlling the carb or dizzy. Found a wire someone had "repaired" at some point in time was shorting on the valve cover and blew the fuse for the pcm (old school, every sensor is powere off 1 10amp fuse including pcm). Repaired that, installed a fuse, car instantly started better. set up the mixture control solenoid and the idle mixture needles, and now the car fires off with a light touch of the key (hot, cold, dont matter).

thats all for now, i started mocking up the lt1 dual fans in the engine bay, have to trim a bunch to clear the steering box and ill have to fab some brackets out of flat aluminum stock JOATMON truck thread for inspiration

[JOATMON]

Slowboat, FWIW I used plated steel flat bar. Aluminum may not be rigid enough. AND, getting enough clearance using the stock f-body fans has been a pain in the ass. If I would have realized how much space those fans take up when mounted straight up vertically, I would have bought a dual pancake fan setup. In f-body stock setups the whole assembly is tilted vertically as you know. I'll update my truck thread pretty soon with photos of the problem areas.
Nolan

[SSlowBoat]

new valvecovers yayhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200616/a5050d72ce6a89abe4dc6054c05242d5.jpg

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