Zabo's 2000 Trans Am 'Phoenix' build thread!

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by dmginc

Debris screen? wtf is that?

SLP high rise lid? again wtf is that?

Debris Screen: The big piece of plastic trim that the wipers rest on. Mine broke and almost let lose on the freeway. UV damage and age.

SLP High Rise Lid/Whisper lid - does rise a bit higher than the stock one:



First one should be done within the week, next one I'm waiting to pick up.

[CamaroSpike23]

oooooook... been a while since I jumped in on this thread...

Originally Posted by Zabo

Zabo =/= Mr. Moneybags..

you dont need an S60, 12 bolt or 9 inch rear. too heavy for you to use if not racing regularly. strong, but still heavy for a DD

Originally Posted by Zabo

Ever get a V6 DD F Body it'll probably be a Camaro. Literally less shit to break inside and outside. But I never regret getting a T/A, knew this day would come though..

If only I had 800 bucks on hand I'd do the Blackbird HID mod while the buckets were out.

http://www.blackbirdlighting.com/98-02.php

nice.

Originally Posted by Zabo

I'll take 85 for a pair of gears that will last as long as these motors since after doing research it's almost unheard of to lose a motor as dmginc said. I did the fuse pull test today and sure enough the only thing I heard was the light whine of the motor.

But, another nice problem reared it's ugly head: My lower windshield trim (the part that's under the wipers) broke a clip. Enough that at 30mph it's flapping around in the wind.

*sigh*

3M auto tape and a 6mm allen head to get the thing started. The things I do for love. :/

you can pull the trim off... or....


go to your local parts store or dealership and get some new clips.

Originally Posted by Zabo

It's mostly headliner decay. The glue is fine, it's just the fabrics gone all motheaten due to the sun. I treat the seats when I can too so , but for the most part I'm going to just keep massasaging the bolster and possibly get it resewn by the shop that did work on it during the rebuild. Shouldn't cost me much but it needs to be at LEAST redyed and coated.

Just some elbow grease really, and new door panels. but when I decided to go with a 95 MY door panels I decided to just redo the interior all the way. Darker tan is much needed in this car. And TBH losing automatic adjusting seats for beefier manual fore-aft adjusters isn't too bad.

IMO it lends to the look of the car with the older style buttons.

Also secured a deal on a new cowl debris screen. 40 bucks and my parents are gonna pick it up in Joliet on their way back from moving my brother back form Skokie (internship..). Wonder if I can fandangle them into getting the Monsoon head unit from him too for another 40 bucks since mine is doing the TSB BS.

headliners suck in these cars... which is why I removed mine. you can get an aftermarket headliner fabric kit to replace yours, comes with the spray on glue and everything... just be extremely careful when pulling the board down as its easy to break


treating the seats is the lazy way and it doesnt do any good if you drag your ass across the bolster every time you get in and out of the car

and you might be better off just ponying up the cash to get new front seats altogether. restitching it and treating it will only go so far, then you realize you've paid over half of what new seats would cost.... just sayin... been there... done that.

do you need the cowl screen? I thought you said the clips were busted...

Originally Posted by Zabo

Next up:

Replace Debris Screen
Replace 10 bolt (I'm keeping ABS and TC Spike, but not for F Body #2)
Diagnose/Replace harness components for passenger side signal/DRL system w/ LED.
Replace nylon headlamp gears with aluminum gears.

And somewhere inbetween: Install Whisper/SLP high rise lid..

links for the 10 bolt upgrade are on the way... gotta go find them

Originally Posted by Zabo

Debris Screen: The big piece of plastic trim that the wipers rest on. Mine broke and almost let lose on the freeway. UV damage and age.

SLP High Rise Lid/Whisper lid - does rise a bit higher than the stock one:



First one should be done within the week, next one I'm waiting to pick up.

so the screen is actually broken then... ok


and be careful with the whisper lid, I've heard of them rubbing on the hood when closed

[CamaroSpike23]

10 bolt upgraded

http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/showthread.php?t=486663

another bracing setup
http://www.lpwracing.com/error.asp?4...etubebrace.asp


basically, you'll need new hardened axle shafts, whatever gear choice you want, t/a diff cover with screw down studs to put extra pressure on the caps, then the brace tubing and all that, plus welding the axle tubes... tho with yours being an LS car, it should already have welded axle tubes. the first, more involved process, requires welding mounting tabs to the axle tubes themselves, the second one is just a bolt on kit, but you have to get the low profile version that doesnt come in contact with the PHB

[Zabo]

I can only hope that my housing survived, but the way it's sounding back there I think that's the problem.

Gonna pick up my replacement 10 bolt in a few hours. 375 picked up. 50K on it and only raced twice.

[Zabo]

Bump for update:

Picked up the 10 bolt, and got some shocks and other ancillary brackets out of it too. Not sure what I'm gonna do with the shocks but they're stock with 58K miles on them so I guess I've got replacements on hand.

Just dropped the 10 bolt a half hour ago at the shop and today they're gonna start the process of replacing the seals on the donor rear and re-oiling it. Probably drop the goobered up factory install and by tonight I'll know what else I'll add to the to-do list for post accident repairs. Said repairs will now turn into modifications.

Which now include:
Replacement column/tilt mechanism
Replacement steering wheel

And once that's done and she's ready to be put away (IE I haz money and 2nd vehicle):
Refitting the airbag cover on the pass side (curling up in typical GM fashion)
1995 Trans Am Caramel Tan interior (headliner, carpet, center console, plastics, seats, belts, etc)
Replace the left fender due to factory defect
Pull right rear down and adjust back to factory alignment (aligned, but not quite right still)
Sand and respray ENTIRE CAR back to matching Maple Red color (Including totally finishing the engine bay)
Gold/Champagne anodized Firehawk wheels ala 30th ann. blue hue wheels, rears widened to 315 w/ offset
Other detail work.

This also includes the obvious adjustable suspension/SFC additions that are a given on all F-Bodies. Goal now is to make her a tasteful low key show car and weekend driver in the next 5 years or so.

[Zabo]

Unofficial Update: Got off the phone with the shop; looks like the tube was definitely fubar'd and may be unusable.

However, For a fact, I have two good rear axles.. so right there I may recoup some money piecing it out. No concrete idea on the condition of the Torsen, though..

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by Zabo

Unofficial Update: Got off the phone with the shop; looks like the tube was definitely fubar'd and may be unusable.

However, For a fact, I have two good rear axles.. so right there I may recoup some money piecing it out. No concrete idea on the condition of the Torsen, though..

its junk... but its ok. it came like that from the factory. lol

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

its junk... but its ok. it came like that from the factory. lol

...Didn't the whole setup qualify as 'junk' from the factory? Hence why someone posted the two links on how to fix it, and the only stock part was a heavily modified axle tube?

Still, there's probably money to be made off a ZT 3.42. Not much but hey, if it survived I've got that, axles, backing plates.. probably 200-300 in parts altogether.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by Zabo

...Didn't the whole setup qualify as 'junk' from the factory? Hence why someone posted the two links on how to fix it, and the only stock part was a heavily modified axle tube?

Still, there's probably money to be made off a ZT 3.42. Not much but hey, if it survived I've got that, axles, backing plates.. probably 200-300 in parts altogether.

yours was better than mine from the factory. LS1 cars got a better tube-to-pumpkin design. but slicks and spray and you could still kill it

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by Zabo

...Didn't the whole setup qualify as 'junk' from the factory? Hence why someone posted the two links on how to fix it, and the only stock part was a heavily modified axle tube?

Still, there's probably money to be made off a ZT 3.42. Not much but hey, if it survived I've got that, axles, backing plates.. probably 200-300 in parts altogether.

ummm...

how many rears do you have?

http://www.fastgm.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15794

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

ummm...

how many rears do you have?

http://www.fastgm.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15794

Yep, doubt I'll have much of it left after a few months with winter 'fix crap' season coming up.

However, right now #1 (The one that frenched a wall a Milan) is on a shop floor, #2 (replacement unit) getting leak checked as of 1:30AM. Shockingly, shop didn't have an issue bolting #2 up to the stock points, so I'm thinking I goobered up the tube on #1.. therefore the weird ass 1-2 inch offset.

[Zabo]

Take my above post back.. probably going to just sell it for $20 bucks in scrap. Not to mention my new rear may have just toasted a wheel bearing and neither of us knew about it.

I mean he does have a dump before the axle and no cats.. if those aren't straight headers I don't know what is. And if you could hear a wheel bearing through that.. well more power to ya.

[Zabo]

...Clean bill of health. I just got a 'overly talkative' replacement ZT. Needs an axle back to start the stfu process. Hmm...

[Zabo]

Bump for more fun:

Noticed a few drops of something on the garage floor. At first I thought it was just condensation from my A/C system but I hadn't parked the car in the spot where that could have happened. Had to be something rear end related.

Sure enough, I shine my maglite under the car and the pumpkin has a weeping leak from the diff cover. Talked to the previous owner (who mentioned it leaked) and asked if it was coming from the diff cover before I said anything. Sure enough when it was being inspected prior to his decision to pull the $1300+ trigger on the custom rear end, some dingus overtightened a bolt.. or three.. on the lower end of the cover.

Leaked for the shop too. Just gonna swap out the covers off my old rear and just seal the piss out of it so I don't slowly drain my rear end. Thankfully not a dime will be spent, just time lost driving the car.

Oh, and I also got this (Pic isn't my exhaust, but the exact kit) waiting for pickup in Michigan. Not sure which tip style to use on it.



Was gonna pick it up today but I found the leak and parked her.