Brightons Money Pit

I didn't know anyone sold delete pipes for our cars. I thought the only thing available was the header.

I didn't know anyone sold delete pipes for our cars. I thought the only thing available was the header.

 

 

Yep, Infernofab/sube4x4 (on Ebay) makes and sells them. I bought the secondary cat delete only since I don't have the 02 sensor after it like some cars do.

Update!

Thanks to a combination of crappy weather and not having to daily the car anymore, I got a bunch of things checked off the to-do list. To start off, the front right CV axle boot was torn and that was also the side of the diff that had a seeping axle seal, so I swapped the axle and pulled the seal and in the process also drained the front diff.

 

 

Here are the part numbers for the o-ring and axle seal that you'd need for a 4EAT. The splined retainer thing was a pain to get out but persistence with a hammer and punch and it eventually came free. You HAVE to remove that in order to get the seal out thanks to the little lip on the retainer thing.

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Winter%20work%204_zps3za0xkrt.jpg

 

 

It looked surprisingly clean in the diff, it's POSSIBLE the previous owner wasn't lying when he said he had the diffs rebuilt.

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Winter%20work%206_zps4yfd4rzq.jpg

 

 

 

I pulled the stock headers and replaced them with the Inferno fab 2.2 single port UELs as well as a secondary cat delete pipe (leaving the front cat intact) I'll have a video of how it sounds once I get it back on the road.

 

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Winter%20work%208_zpsuc7vwkic.jpg

 

 

 

Snowball affect is the worst :/ Since I drained and filled the front diff, it made sense to do the rear diff too and since I had it jacked up, I mind as well do the exhaust hanger insulators too. And while I was under there I mind as well scrape off the scaling rust from the underchassis.

I put in AmsOil 75w-90 severe gear oil in both front and rear, no reason other then mind as well.

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Winter%20work%2010_zpsep0yvzlm.jpg

 

 

I finally mustered up the courage to dig into my quarter panels AGAIN, you can see where the bondo was from last time. I don't know if I want to cut up a set of front fenders to create fender flares or if I want to just order quarter panels. I planned to have the car painted in the future so at least I don't have to worry about it being ugly this time!

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Winter%20work%2014_zpsrkdzenaw.jpg

Slow Progress Update

 

 

I spent a few more hours working on the rear of the car while I have it up in the air. I went back over all of the surfaces again with sandpaper to scuff up the remaining powdercoat as well as smooth out the rusted areas.

After that I sprayed everything with brake clean to remove all the dust, dirt and oils.

 

 

 

 

Once that was done, I used 3 cans of rust neutralizer and coated every single surface that I could see and get access too. The plan after that is to coat everything again with black chassis paint. It's not pictured but for areas with heavy rust, I used really aggressive rust dissolver since I want to confirm the rust is dead before it gets treated properly.

 

 

 

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Dec%2016%204_zps67wvmrbx.jpg

 

 

I also pulled the bumper so I'd have complete access to the rusted body areas and in doing so, I found nice big holes of rot in each of the strut towers. So that's a nice surprise. BUT it's just metal and can always be cut out and replaced.

 

 

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Dec%2016%209_zpsn7wmcc7p.jpg

 

 

Looking through my body shop manual, it doesn't look like you can get factory quarter panels or strut tower assemblies anymore. So I guess that means I'm making repair panels from scratch :/

Got this thing installed today, I don't have much hope it'll fix the soft brakes issue but we shall see!

 

 

While that added a small bit of refinement to mine, I'm sure it won't fix 'soft' brakes. I spent a couple months trying to get all the air out of an 82 GL once. Trapped air at the proportioning valve, or some other tough place really sucks to get out without a vacuum.

While that added a small bit of refinement to mine, I'm sure it won't fix 'soft' brakes. I spent a couple months trying to get all the air out of an 82 GL once. Trapped air at the proportioning valve, or some other tough place really sucks to get out without a vacuum.

 

 

I have one of the little hand held vacuum pump things but I've come to suspect maybe one of the calipers is leaking and letting in air :/

The time has finally come to tackle the rust properly :/

 

I'm trying to source a manual 2nd gen (as a parts car) to cut parts out of as well as steal the wiring and ECU out of for the manual swap but no luck as of yet. Just going to order subiesaver quarter panels for now.

 

I'm figuring it'll be in the garage for the next few months but at least the oil just got changed with Ams Oil haha

Edited July 25, 2019 by Brighton96

Quarantine Update

 

I have been dead when it comes to motivation and the cars been sitting for 6+ months, I start it up and drive it every so often to mix up fluids and the sort, but haven't felt like doing anything with it. I picked up a GT manual donor and all the parts to do the manual and RWD conversion but I don't know what direction I want to go with the car anymore so now it's in limbo.

 

Feel free to chime in on ideas, the contenders so far are:

 

1- Optimized stock- Making it as good as it can possibly be given the era of the car. So stock engine, manual trans, awd, and stock interior and exterior (probably just touch up paint)

 

2- Stripped street- Lighten up everything, probably rewire the car to simplify the 90s tech, don't worry about the paint, stiffen chassis, half cage(?), manual, rwd, sort of copy buckys style build (link below)

 

3- Show car- Stock engine and trans combo (Maybe manual swap) customize the interior, finish the stereo, coilover/bags, bigger/better wheels, perfect paint (satin pearl white respray or wrap)

 

 

It got it it's first wash, wax and sealant in like 9 months.

 

 

Edited April 15, 2020 by Brighton96

Option 4. Lifted Offroad monster.

 

Courtesy (TheWanderingFoz on Instagram not me or mine.)

 

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

Option 4. Lifted Offroad monster.

 

Courtesy (TheWanderingFoz on Instagram not me or mine.)

 

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

Hhmm... maybe with the donor GT once I'm done with it.

all of those options sound good. personally, i went with option 3 with jdm exterior and interior stuff.

Small Update (also I'm not dead)

Might as well take advantage of spare scrap vinyl and spare time due to quarantine. I spoke to a body shop buy who has agreed to install my new quarter panels but in the meantime I thought it'd be funny to waste the spare vinyl. I call it Schrödinger's oxidation.

 

 

 

 

 

Also: I've been struggling with motivation while also accumulating parts and plans. Coil-overs, full aluminum rad, rad shroud and fans are on order, bodyshop is lined up and donor car is back in my possession to donate some JDM bits, rear disk brakes and manual trans.

 

 

 

ALSO ALSO: Does anyone see a point for me to go back through my hundreds of pics and post them properly to get rid of the photobucket watermark? I have all the pictures just dunno if it's worth the effort.

Yay for not being dead!

 

Your pics in the most recent post show up as missing for me on Tapatalk.

 

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

I don't think a watermark is a big deal. It's the millions of missing pics everywhere from them changing their system to paywall that need reposting.

No Motivation Update

 

In the search to find other car people to motivate myself with, I went to 3 cars and coffees back to back today. When I got back I decided to finally install the perrin overflow can (location will change once rad is installed), got the 1st gen subaru console thing installed and attempted to install the momo steering wheel. The wheel didn't work because the plug on the clock spring isn't correct (good thing I have a parts car.) Also my coilovers are on order, ended up going with TruHart since a buddy of mine is a vendor and got a good deal on them. Rust repair and body mods are next I think.

 

 

 

I parked next to another moneypit

 

 

Here is the coolant overflow tank installed as well as the center console thing above the radio. I found the console thing in a 1st gen at the junkyard and robbed it, now I don't have to worry about my stuff falling out of it when I do some sick launches

 

 

Here is the ebay all aluminum 2 core rad. Going to wait to install it for now and may upgrade to proper fans (mishimoto most likely) if the cheap ebay fans give me any issues.

Jusy started looking through your thread. Looks like were on this rust train together with the rear strut towers... I keep digging into my and have yet to have a foundation to build from...

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Jusy started looking through your thread. Looks like were on this rust train together with the rear strut towers... I keep digging into my and have yet to have a foundation to build from...

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

 

Yeeeeepppp, I already temporarily patched the inner wheel well liner where it attaches to the "frame" and then the obvious external rust. Luckily mine doesn't SEEM to have structural rust, but I'm selling a motorcycle today which will fund a professionally installing the new quarter panel skins.

Anxiety Update

The 99 GT Donor is nearly stripped and I was initially planning to swap my suspension onto it so that I can install the coilovers on the good car as well as get the WRX struts off the donor. But that didn't go to plan thanks to rust. Ended up spending a few hours digging into the rust in the wheel well (thankfully only bad on one side) and treat it with rust killer while I work on a game plan to fix it permanently. (probably by buying generic wheel tubs and cutting them up.)

 

On the plus side, got the rear coilovers installed, and I was going to installed the SS brake lines but remembered they are for rear disks, and I haven't swapped those from the donor yet.

 

 

In summary not a lot was done but a lot of anxiety was had.

Slow Progress Update

To start off, I now understand why people give up on these cars, finding a lot of rust at once is an absolute motivation killer. However, I ordered mini tubs today so all is well! I still don't have a goal in mind for how I want to build the car but it'll be an antique this coming January so I can basically do whatever I want with it. I perused Summit Racing and found some tubs that are fairly close to our cars wheel wells, albiet a few inches too large in a few directions but whatever.

 

 

So the plan right now is strip my donor car (pretty much done right now) and set aside all the parts I want, then send it off to it's death. After that I'll strip my car down and start bracing the rear strut towers and then start cutting and welding. Hopefully the end result means a simpler and, more spacious rear end. Meaning I can run bigger tires and not worry about cancer for at least another 20 years.

 

After that we can worry about the manual and RWD conversion. I think I'm basically gonna turn it into a van and what I mean by that is delete the back seats, seatbelts and what not, then build a false floor to take up that space. Mostly because I use the car to haul stuff regularly (aka go carts, dirtbikes etc.)

 

Essay over, got the front coilovers installed and adjusted absolutely improperly, got the goodridge front brake lines installed and the brakes not bled properly. But at least the parts are no longer sitting on the shelf.

 

 

Also here are the tubs if you want to do the same

Update

 

The donor car is pretty much stripped aside from the rear brakes so that will be gone soon (Thankfully) and then I can start on rust repair, but for now I just got the headlights refinished. I had already gotten a second set of JDM lights to replace my current set since the current set had a lot of discoloration and cracking, but come to find out they just looked that way because they had a plastic film on them, so I heated up the film and pulled it off and was left with a lot of adhesive that was surely 20+ years old.

 

 

This was after the film was removed but before any work

 

 

This was after 4+ hours of sanding, buffing and sealing.

 

 

The lenses have a lot of small imperfections from the adhesive remover rubber wheel thing but I fear that sanding them all out will make the lens too thin/brittle. So, this will be good enough! I'm also working with someone local to get some help retrofitting modern HID Projectors in these ones so that they will work better for LHD. (I'll provide info once I have it)

Timing could be better update

Sorry in advance for typos, I have had many beverages to deal with this!

 

Out of the kindness of my heart I let my mom borrow the legacy while she waits for her new car to arrive from carvana, and she repays me by stuffing my car into a POS Lexus in front of her. Hoods bent (had to unbolt the latch assembly to get it open), core support is a little tweaked, trans cooler line is broken, grill is trash and, the drivers JDM light is trash.

 

 

Silver lining, I already had the GT front bumper and manual trans from my donor car, but already sold my other set of JDM lights, GT fogs and scooped hood. Adjuster is coming tomorrow to find out if I get a salvage title out of this whole deal or not. Woo car ownership, but mark my words I will not let it die that easy. Got the quarter repair panels and mini tubs waiting to be installed so can't let those parts go to waste.

That sucks.

 

My spare hood is non-scoop.

 

I don't know if my parts shell took a mild front end, or just the passenger front door.

 

Are you looking to cut out and replace metal, or push it back to shape? 'cause my shell will go away soon and it can leave behind anything if needed. I've never drilled spot welds to pull a unibody component, but it can't be that hard to learn.

That sucks.

 

My spare hood is non-scoop.

 

I don't know if my parts shell took a mild front end, or just the passenger front door.

 

Are you looking to cut out and replace metal, or push it back to shape? 'cause my shell will go away soon and it can leave behind anything if needed. I've never drilled spot welds to pull a unibody component, but it can't be that hard to learn.

 

 

 

 

I have a white donor car lined up to buy but just waiting on the insurance adjuster to show up before I commit. I'll need to source a hood but other than that I'll have the parts I need. Just gotta find out if painting a hood and bumper will total a car worth $2k haha. I also haven't measured the engine bay using my bodyshop quote book yet but visually the structure seems fine.

Uh oh! Better get Maaco. Any other paint job will probably cost more than $2k. Ready to buy it back from them?

 

(I hate insurance companies).