89T Daily Beater Project

[Jordan]

Jason if you have to put a new motor and trans in I just got a parts car that has a better body that that you could have! 3dr hatch.

[SwedeSport]

Im just gonna scab this one together. The rust is not too bad, and whatever motor I put in it will end up in something else anyway.

[SwedeSport]

Inspection ran out on the beater, so it was time to do some work to it. I have to fix a few rusty areas to get it past inspection. I plan to address the front fenders, and pass side arch, as well as the rear lower rocker.

Since it is off the road and apart, I figured I would do some fun stuff too. I am going to do the patina treatment on the hood and fenders while I have it apart. I am also doing a Flat Nose conversion on it. I am going to remove the SPG springs from the front, and put the stock turbo springs back in,... sans a few coils.

Sometime next week I am going to take the snow tires off the 9k rims I got off Craigslist, and begin reconditioning them for this car. Ill sand and polish the lips and paint the centers.


As soon as the 86 8v is out of the garage, I will begin assembling a replacement powertrain for this one. I am really surprised the whiny pinion bearing is still intact, but I shouldn't press my luck.

[RadioFlyer]

I love that classic luggage rack.

[SwedeSport]

The rack is off an old 95 V4 wagon. I cut off the mounts, and welded on some new ones so that I could bolt it to a set of Thule bars. I hosed it with some black Rust Oleum bedliner in a spray bomb.

[SwedeSport]

I finally began the tedious process of refinishing the 9k wheels that I found on Craigslist.

Stripped the paint off the outer rim lip. Took several coats of aircraft stripper, and lots of effort with a plastic scraper. I filed any rough spots, sanded with coarse to light sandpaper, then buffed it up with about a 600 grit scotchbrite. Gonna leave it satin on these.

Painting the center spoke portion with a color, likely an orange shade. Gonna put some 185/60/15 all season tires on them.

Now I just have to strip and sand the other 3...

[Geoff]

If you sand that outer portion with 320 grit paper (follow a linear motion around the wheel to keep all the scuff lines straight), clear coat will stick and make it look shiny.

[Crazyswede]

If you sand that outer portion with 320 grit paper (follow a linear motion around the wheel to keep all the scuff lines straight), clear coat will stick and make it look shiny.

It was actually the same surface as the Shelby's under the paint...kind of a surprise.

[SwedeSport]

If you sand that outer portion with 320 grit paper (follow a linear motion around the wheel to keep all the scuff lines straight), clear coat will stick and make it look shiny.

It was actually the same surface as the Shelby's under the paint...kind of a surprise.

Only on the face of the lip though. Because there was some pitting where the weights were attached, I had to sand the whole thing to even out the texture. I actually used a D/A to do the bead area, and the lip ridge. I used 40 grit to start. then down to 80, then 180 then 220. After that I used the scotchbrite scuff pads. If you wanted it shinier than that you can sand it finer than that before using the scuff pads. And finally hand polish with Mothers.


Trick is to start with wheels that are not all curbed up.


BTW, found a rear seat bottom that is not all split at the seams. Gonna let it soak in leather conditioner before installing.

[Crazyswede]

If you sand that outer portion with 320 grit paper (follow a linear motion around the wheel to keep all the scuff lines straight), clear coat will stick and make it look shiny.

It was actually the same surface as the Shelby's under the paint...kind of a surprise.

Only on the face of the lip though. Because there was some pitting where the weights were attached, I had to sand the whole thing to even out the texture. I actually used a D/A to do the bead area, and the lip ridge. I used 40 grit to start. then down to 80, then 180 then 220. After that I used the scotchbrite scuff pads. If you wanted it shinier than that you can sand it finer than that before using the scuff pads. And finally hand polish with Mothers.


Trick is to start with wheels that are not all curbed up.


BTW, found a rear seat bottom that is not all split at the seams. Gonna let it soak in leather conditioner before installing.

Is the Beige car still starting and running properly?

[SwedeSport]

Is the Beige car still starting and running properly?

It needed starting fluid to get going when cold, and the idle was a bit high at about 1300 rpm, but otherwise ran well. The misfire is pretty much gone. It ran good enough on Sunday to take top spot in SMF and 18th overall for the event...

Thanks for your help with that.

[Crazyswede]

Is the Beige car still starting and running properly?

It needed starting fluid to get going when cold, and the idle was a bit high at about 1300 rpm, but otherwise ran well. The misfire is pretty much gone. It ran good enough on Sunday to take top spot in SMF and 18th overall for the event...

Thanks for your help with that.

I backed the idle bolt out on the throttle body when I was trying to get it going. If you spin it in a few turns this should help get your idle back down to where it should be. Put a new set of plugs in and see if that doesn't solve the cold start. If it still needs starting fluid then you might want to try cleaning the air plate or swapping in another CIS distributor assembly.

[SwedeSport]

One step closer to completing the flatnose conversion.

had to swap in an 85-86 oil cooler housing in order to clear the early fascia.

Also had to notch the sidewall plate for the intercooler chamber. the one that attaches to the inner fender. The bucket assembly for the headlight interferes with the plate. Need to gather a few pieces to complete the corner marker assemblies, and have to change the plugs for the headlight, and marker lights.

I will likely install some fog lights on this one too. I have a set of Cibie H4 lenses that I would like to put into the car. Very likely to do the H3 parking light mod while I'm at it.

Pulling the SPG front springs back out of the car and cutting the stock turbo springs to put back in. The rears will get cut a little too.

[Scott]

What is the H3 parking light mod?

[SwedeSport]

Take the socket out of a broken fog light, the one that holds the H3 bulb. Shove it an the heat shield into the back of tge parking light housing in the early headlight bezels. They will eventually melt up a bit though... but are rather brite.