Never meet your heroes! '86 Grand National
- Thread starter Jon Early
- Start date
Jon Early
Active Member
I decided to load up my trunk with parts this year. After completing a project like mine, it's pretty easy to figure out what needs to go and what's worth keeping.
She made it to the Red Roof! The only casualty was AC. It stopped blowing cold and the compressor no longer kicks on. Judging by the big splatter on the downpipe, I'm guessing refrigerant found its way out of the evaporator. Oh well. We'll get to that some day.
I sold a lot more stuff than I anticipated, and used that money to score a brand new Pypes system that I found in the swap meet! At $560 I thought it was a great deal that I wouldn't find anywhere else. This car has been waiting too long for an exhaust, so I figured there was no need to waste another eight years trying to figure out which stainless system I liked better.
I would say the car did well, but there was an issue which prevented me from taking the car down the track. My O2 mV were staying pretty low and I'd get a lot of KR under heavy loads.
I thought I was done with KR when switching to E85! I went to a Napa and swapped my original O2 sensor with an NTK, but it didn't make a difference. While waiting to get in the gates, I actually noticed the reading go down to 000 and stay there until I blipped the throttle. Hmmm. Fuel pressure is 40psi with the reference hose disconnected. I'm not sure what else to look at. The plan for now is to change the fuel filter because I have one and I've never done it since buying the car. If that doesn't fix it, I'll plug my laptop into the power logger. I've never actually used it. I hope I can figure it out!
The important thing is that the car made it to the event and I had a great time. Sam, it was great to meet you! I enjoyed hearing about you and your car's story. I look forward to meeting new Buick people every year!
The car made it home just fine. I just couldn't beat on it too hard. Of course it wouldn't be a Buick event without the the car giving me one last swift kick in the nuts. Here it is around 1:00AM on Sunday.... Sigh
I have no idea what will be in store for next year. I've been saying that I need a truck to haul race toys since my first year coming, but my daily driver is rapidly approaching 220k miles and the time is finally feeling appropriate to upgrade. Will I be back with a properly running, exhaust leak-less GN? Will the turbo V6 Camaro make a return in its quest for 12s? Will either car cooperate enough to justify the tech fee? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
She made it to the Red Roof! The only casualty was AC. It stopped blowing cold and the compressor no longer kicks on. Judging by the big splatter on the downpipe, I'm guessing refrigerant found its way out of the evaporator. Oh well. We'll get to that some day.
I sold a lot more stuff than I anticipated, and used that money to score a brand new Pypes system that I found in the swap meet! At $560 I thought it was a great deal that I wouldn't find anywhere else. This car has been waiting too long for an exhaust, so I figured there was no need to waste another eight years trying to figure out which stainless system I liked better.
I would say the car did well, but there was an issue which prevented me from taking the car down the track. My O2 mV were staying pretty low and I'd get a lot of KR under heavy loads.
I thought I was done with KR when switching to E85! I went to a Napa and swapped my original O2 sensor with an NTK, but it didn't make a difference. While waiting to get in the gates, I actually noticed the reading go down to 000 and stay there until I blipped the throttle. Hmmm. Fuel pressure is 40psi with the reference hose disconnected. I'm not sure what else to look at. The plan for now is to change the fuel filter because I have one and I've never done it since buying the car. If that doesn't fix it, I'll plug my laptop into the power logger. I've never actually used it. I hope I can figure it out!The important thing is that the car made it to the event and I had a great time. Sam, it was great to meet you! I enjoyed hearing about you and your car's story. I look forward to meeting new Buick people every year!
The car made it home just fine. I just couldn't beat on it too hard. Of course it wouldn't be a Buick event without the the car giving me one last swift kick in the nuts. Here it is around 1:00AM on Sunday.... Sigh
granitestategn
Gettin' there
The car looks good Jon. It sits just right, IMO. Too bad about the A/C. I doubt mine will work once I put everything back together. I haven't had a lot of time to work on mine lately. I didn't make the nats. Too many things at home that can't wait.
Car looks great Jon, glad to see you made the NATs and had a good time.
Great thread! The commiseration was therapeutic I also got to a point where an accident while working on the car led to the heads coming off, and new manifold. I was just going through the same A-pillar gauge debate you were, but decided on the GNS 3 gauge cluster. In the middle of installing it.
I worked on the car for months, only to then get a bunch of knock and the car running really rich under load. Found the DP rattling against the headers, but still haven't figured out what's causing the rich scenario. I feel like I'm always going, "I only need to fix this then we're good..."
I also got to a point where an accident while working on the car led to the heads coming off, and new manifold. I was just going through the same A-pillar gauge debate you were, but decided on the GNS 3 gauge cluster. In the middle of installing it. I worked on the car for months, only to then get a bunch of knock and the car running really rich under load. Found the DP rattling against the headers, but still haven't figured out what's causing the rich scenario. I feel like I'm always going, "I only need to fix this then we're good..."
Jon Early
Active Member
Thanks everyone!
I bought an antenna repair kit and removed the old assembly, but I'm dreading the process of putting it back in. The fender did not come off without a fight, and it certainly doesn't want to go back into place. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the car has been in storage with a poorly aligned fender and no antenna ever since early June. I'm hoping to get the car back in my garage very soon, but I may talk to a body shop about getting the fender put back on correctly. For some reason I had to put all my body weight against the fender while tightening the screws in order to get it even remotely close. Judging by all the videos I've seen of the process, it shouldn't be this hard. I might just have a local body shop deal with it once I get the antenna is back in.
You can kind of see how the bottom of the fender is bowed out. With the tape removed, everything looks terrible.
I bought an antenna repair kit and removed the old assembly, but I'm dreading the process of putting it back in. The fender did not come off without a fight, and it certainly doesn't want to go back into place. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the car has been in storage with a poorly aligned fender and no antenna ever since early June. I'm hoping to get the car back in my garage very soon, but I may talk to a body shop about getting the fender put back on correctly. For some reason I had to put all my body weight against the fender while tightening the screws in order to get it even remotely close. Judging by all the videos I've seen of the process, it shouldn't be this hard. I might just have a local body shop deal with it once I get the antenna is back in.
You can kind of see how the bottom of the fender is bowed out. With the tape removed, everything looks terrible.
Blacky
Drive it like you stole it
That's a crying. Shame because the car looks so beautiful Jon. I would just go through your steps again. If it came off and it was looking good. It should go back on. Maybe the antenna wasn't installed correctly and that's why it's pushing it out. But I don't blame you for trying to body shop but find a good one that has some knowledge about g bodies
Jon Early
Active Member
The antenna isn't in it right now so it can't be that. I knew it was going to be trouble as soon as the fender came off because it took way too much force to happen. Judging by all the issues I've had with fitting air dams correctly (another job that shouldn't difficult at all) I'm starting to wonder if this thing was in an unreported wreck. Nothing in the front end fits like it should and the hood has for sure been repainted.
