1988 Convertible for sunny day drives

[Tourmax]

There we go:

Just a simple rocker switch (with a water cover) in the power side of the lines and the underhood lights are now “selectable” without having to unplug the connectors.

 

[Tourmax]

Did a little cleaning under the hood while I was working on the light switches.

A PO had driven over some yellow road paint at some time in the cars past. They obviously cleaned it off the car sides, but the drivers side wheel well was splattered all over with yellow paint. Making matters worse, someone had tried covering it up with spray on tar/undercoating. It was a royal mess.

I tried bug and tar remover and while it did some work on it, it was woefully lacking overall. It also didn’t touch the years old yellow paint. That stuff was well and trueky cured and stuck to the plastic/fiberglass wheel well.

Then I sprayed penetrating oil on the inner fender well. The tar went soft immediately. After about 15 mins, the paint seemed to have lots some of it’s grip as well. Tried wiping it out with paper towel. The tar came off, but the paint just shredded the paper towel where it hit it. It was like trying to clean 40 grit sandpaper with a paper towel:
Not going to happen.

Out came a small scraper and after some careful work, 95% of the yellow paint was gone:

Ah, much better!

I hit the other wheel well with the tar remover and:

Certainly cleaner, but you can see quite a difference between left and right. I’ll have to give the right side a hit of penetrating oil to even them out, appearance wise that is. Then I can give the entire underhood area a good soaping and scrubbing.once I get it clean, I plan to give the “corevette: bowling green” placard a “refresh” by re-applying the black paint to it. Some areas have gone greyish-white and other spots the black has just chipped off. I may see if I can get the placard off the hood, but I don’t think I can get to the nuts on the back of it.

A PO had also punched in the plenum screen on the right side. What they were doing there, I have no idea. Maybe someone put thier hand down and leaned on it or something like that. But it was letting all manner of gash into the plenum area.

I pulled the screen assembly off the car, straightened and flattened the screen, “weaved” the couple bottom rows of wire back together (that had been torn away) into a screen and then plastic welded the screen back into the plastic frame. Back on the car and:

Oh yeah, much better! And now no crap or critters can get in there! I pulled all kind of gunk from grass and schmutz to some squirrels cash of cracked nuts out of the plenum area. Luckily, the drains stayed clear so no water issues. Needs a shot of black paint, but I’ll settle for “functional” right now.

This also looks like a turning point for the car. The big stuff is fixed and it’s a good working pleasurable car to drive again (well, except for the AC). Now, it looks like I can move on to engine modifications (mild changed only) and deeper detailing.

 

[ddgermann]

@Tourmax

You are really doing some great things with your car. Impressive and practical approach as you go through and bring these little things back to the way they should be.

I am enjoying your thread here and likey you have a few guys lurking in the background doing many of the things you are demonstrating.

Well done.

Derek

 

[Tourmax]

The wiper arms (although they are always hidden under the hood) had faded and lost paint in many areas. The plastic bits had also gone to a sun faded white-ish state.

So I pulled the wiper arms off and gave them a shot of trim paint:

Looks good and one more little detail that makes an old car look fresh again. They’re just sitting on the pivots right now while they dry. I’ll leave them overnight and put the washer tubes and clips back on in the morning. The plastic end only needed some “back to black” to make it look nearly new again and get rid of the “chalky” look.

If the plastic bits fade again, I’ll do the ol’ vaseline trick I use on motorcycle plastic that has been sun faded. Basically, you cover it in vaseline and let it sit for a couple days. As it sits, the vaseline soaks oils back into the plastic and “refreshes” it. Sun fade in plastic is usually just sunbleached, which “bakes” the volitive oil compounds out of the plastic. The vaseline soaks oils back into the plastic and it usually resists the sun for several years before you need to re-apply.

Then, I started polishing a test piece from the TPI intake:

Thats a first go with some 180 grit wet/dry. I need to go agressive at first to knock down the sand cast finish to get to flat metal that I can take it over to the buffer and bring out that mirror finish. The “fins” will get sprayed black in the recesses for contrast. I also don’t want to have to try and get down in those crevices to polish them, so black paint will do the job and give a nice, sharp contrast between the fins and the rest of the intake.

The distributor cover is actually pretty easy compared to the rest of the TPI intake. Despite a couple different angles, it is (for the most part) flat.

Polishing the upper plenum, however, is going to be a treat.....the lower intake manifold will be even more fun than the upper....

 

[MikeysZ06]

That’s funny about the Vaseline. I’ve only heard of that trick once before and that was in the 80s when I had my YZ 125. My plastic gas tank had that chalky look as well as some fade in a few places. Lo and behold,a buddy of mines father says that’s an easy fix. Here,leave your bike here for a couple of days. I go back a couple of days later and there it was,,,almost looking like a new tank. Wouldn’t have believed it otherwise.

 

[Tourmax]

Well, here’s about 2 hrs of sanding and polishing:

Not too shabby.

It still needs more sanding to remove a little more of the “pebbling” from the sand casting and some of the deeper sanding marks.

But, it comes up pretty good with a bit of effort. A winter’s worth of work will get that sucker up to a mirror finish. Tubes, lower manifold, fuel rails, etc, all of it. If it’s AL, it will get a polishing.

I’ll do the accesory brackets, alternator, AC compressor and the valve covers while I’m at it.

Anthiing that doesn’t get polished will just get a nice fresh coat of black.

 

[Tourmax]

@Tourmax

You are really doing some great things with your car. Impressive and practical approach as you go through and bring these little things back to the way they should be.

I am enjoying your thread here and likey you have a few guys lurking in the background doing many of the things you are demonstrating.

Well done.

Derek

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.

 

[Zeeman28a]

One thread I look forward to reading just to see what's new. Great DIY. I shared the link to this on my HDR Facebook page so others may enjoy reading it.

HDR Corvette Cruisers (Toronto/GTA)

<<< HDR EXPLAINED >>> >>> It is called a Hot Dog Run because at the end of the cruise, we usually end up parked in front of several street hot dog vendors. Some of us partake in the delicacy, others...

www.facebook.com

 

[Tourmax]

One thread I look forward to reading just to see what's new. Great DIY. I shared the link to this on my HDR Facebook page so others may enjoy reading it.

HDR Corvette Cruisers (Toronto/GTA)

<<< HDR EXPLAINED >>> >>> It is called a Hot Dog Run because at the end of the cruise, we usually end up parked in front of several street hot dog vendors. Some of us partake in the delicacy, others...

www.facebook.com

Thanks. Not so sure I’d call it a “diy” thread though.

I’m not so much posting how I do things so much as what I do. DIY implies (at least to me) that someone is showing how to do something...

 

[Tourmax]

Wasn’t planning to do anything to the ‘vette today, but the humidity is so high the house windows are fogged up on the outside!

It’s also raining on and off with no warning it’s going to pour on you, so I’m essentially stuck in the house.

Figured I have a go at the under hood “corvette” placard since I was getting tired of looking at the chalky black paint in it. That should be a nice and easy project.

I didn't feel nuts on the back of the pins, so I gave the placard a little push with a bent screwdriver I use for these type of things. Turns out it’s just double sided tape holding it on, so it popped right off with a little careful prying.

I then stripped the faded black out of it with surface prep. Once cleaned, it looked so good I actually considered putting it back on with it all silver! Looked like a little piece of jewelry. Unfortunately, without it’s black accents, it was just lost once back in it’s place. Essentially, all you could make out was a silver rectangle stuck to the hood.

So once it was dried, I shot it with trim black:

Now to let it sit for a couple hours and then lightly sand the black off the high spots, leaving fresh black paint down in the low points.

 

[Tourmax]

Not too shabby:

I think I’ll give it a coat of clear to protect it and give it a little more “shine”.

 

[Tourmax]

Figured I’d try a “test polish” on one of the accessory brackets:

Came out ok for the little amount of time I spent on it. I only worked on it for about 45 mins. Buzzed it with the da sander to knock down the casting flash/sandcast marks and then on to the buff wheels.

It still needs more sanding and then buffing, but the brackets look like they’ll be one of the easier parts of the polishing work.

Here’s the hood placard in place with it’s coat of clear:

Mmmmm, that’s nice! Looks fresh enough to be a new repo.

 

[Rruuff Day]

Figured I’d try a “test polish” on one of the accessory brackets:

View attachment 30549

Came out ok for the little amount of time I spent on it. I only worked on it for about 45 mins. Buzzed it with the da sander to knock down the casting flash/sandcast marks and then on to the buff wheels.

It still needs more sanding and then buffing, but the brackets look like they’ll be one of the easier parts of the polishing work.

Here’s the hood placard in place with it’s coat of clear:

View attachment 30550

Mmmmm, that’s nice! Looks fresh enough to be a new repo.

Everything you've worked on appears to be coming out just fine.

 

[Tourmax]

Ugh.

Chasing the AC problem today.

Pulled vacuum on the system, not a tick of a leak. Held 30 in/mg just fine for nearly an hour.

Then pumped 80 psi into the system. Held for about an hour again. Went around the system with leak detect....nothing.

So then I started charging the system. Got it up to pressure and.......dammit! I can see the leak now.

The compressor is leaking at the middle case split line and the suction/discharge plate on the top of the compressor:

Can’t see it in that pic, it’s only visible when running. Then, the pistons pressurize the housing itself and the leaks appear.

And then, just to make it that much more fun, the low side schrader also starts leaking.

Grrr.......

So, I ordered a seal kit out of the states and I'm going to reseal the compressor since everything else is working fine. Cost 50 bucks to my door from century auto air. Parts were only 20 bucks USD. But after shipping and exchange, I was looking at 50 bucks CAD.

That's still better than 400-500 for a rebuilt compressor.

I've rebuilt compressors before, it's not complicated. You just have to be meticulously clean and pay attention to dissasembly and reassembly.

The problem, usually, with these types of compressors with the "split lines" on the body itself. Because the aluminum is "unprotected" (IE: bare aluminum), they tend to corrode in the seal lands. Water gets in teh split lines and that white-ish corrosion that builds up on aluminum (aluminum oxide) slowly works it's way in under the seal. Once it gets under the o rings, there's no way they can seal up. Pull the compressor apart, clean out the lands, replace the seals and you're good to go again. As long as the aluminum isn't so corroded the sealing surface is too damaged to seal up again.

Last compressor I rebuilt was an HT6, which has a reputation for this type of failure. So much so that they are nicknamed "belly leakers". Not sure if it's also a problem with the 10PA20C (what's on my 88), but this one is gone in pretty much the same place as the HT6 would leak.

Now I'm toying with ordering a new drier and orifice tube. That would be another 50 bucks out of Rockauto. I'd rather not spend the money, but I'm also not sure how long the system has been leaking, so no telling what shape the drier is in.

How's that old saying go?

Ya gotta pay to play.....

 

[Tourmax]

Ok. The vette has developed what would best be described as a “rattle”.

I seem to have narrowed it down to the rear of the block or the front of the transmission.

I gave it a quick cursory look, hoping it is was something simple like a loose heat shield. No luck, everything seems tight and solid.

I know the po had the transmission rebuilt at some time. Both from what the car lot guy told me and by the blue painted housing.

I’ve been meaning to have a closer look at the transmission, as the vette 700r4 is a little different (servo, sun shell, etc) than a “regular” 700r4.

But now I have another reason to look at it closer. When they rebuilt the transmission, it’s beginning to look like it’s possible they installed the old bolts or maybe didn’t torque them properly.

Personally, I always replace flywheel/flex plate bolts when I take the trans/engine apart. It’s just cheap insurance. But I know I’m an exception and most guys (shops included) simply re-use the orginals. Nothing really wrong with it if they are in good shape, but like I said: cheap insurance.

So today, I’ll get the vette up on jack stands, slide under it, remove the inspection cover and have a good look/torque check on the convertor bolts. I’ll have a look at the starter nose while I’m in there too. If not shimmed properly, the flex plate can “tick” the starter nose.

Unfortunately, the rattle really sounds like loose/missing convertor bolts. I’ve seen it before and the sound the vette is making is pretty damned close to that sound.

I also picked up a couple new orifice tubes and ordered a bottle of A/C mineral oil (car is still R12). Now I just have to wait for the seal kit to show up....

 

[Tourmax]

Old and new orifice tubes:

Thats actually a good sign. The okd tube is dirty, but it’s not choked solid with crap. There a few small metal flakes caught in the screen, but almost nothing. The screens are pretty clear:

Which means not a lot of seal breakdown or wear metals in the system. It indicates the system, other than the comp leaking, is in pretty sound shape overall.

 

[Tourmax]

Okey dokey.

Got the vette up on jack stands and crawled under.

First thing that jumps out is the drivers side heat shield on the body over the cat had been bent over by some previous ham fisted wrench turner. The front was bent down and in contact with the pipe. Making matters worse was the rear mount for the heat shield had pulled both it’s pop rivets through the fiberglass floor pan.

I grab the shield and give it a shake. Yup, pretty much the same metallic rattle I was hearing before.

Thinking I’d found the problem (some foreshadowing there) I pulled the heat shield off. Rather than just chuck it, I take it over to the welding table and rework it back to the original shape.

Then, I drill out what was left of the floor pan mount rivets and reinstall the bracket with over sized head rivets. That’s not pulling through the floor again.

The shield bolts right back up without a problem.

Then I start pushing and banging on things to see if the sound could be somewhere else.

I hit the drivers side cat and......”clunk clunk clunk”.

What?

Well, after more digging around and following the pipes up to the engine and back to the splitter, all I can figure is something has come apart inside the cat and is rattling around. After the things that I’ve found wrong on this car, it wouldn’t surprise me if someone ran it with a bad sensor and melted down the cat inside.

Well, that’s not something in ripping apart any time soon. So if that is the noise I was hearing, I’ll live with it for now.

In the course of looking, I also noticed a small hole in the leading edge corner of one spot. Somewhere along the line, the car was either hit or scraped by something and left a hole a little smaller than a dime. That’s an easy fix though. Just pull back the carpet and a quick fiberglass patch.

I also changed out the oil while I was under there. Mobil one synthetic and a Mobil one HP filter. I put synth in every engine I own, unless it’s something like a lawn mower or snowblower that calls for a straight weight or specifically calls to NOT use synthetic.

And now, I’m going to try and take a break from working on the vette. Between crawling around in and under the car, my broken back, broken neck, messed up shoulders, messed up knees and a screwed up wrist, I’m pretty tired and sore. I’ll probably leave it alone (other than maybe cleaning and driving) until I can get in for some physio, a massage and probably try some acupuncture...

 

[Tourmax]

Well, looks like I may have spoken too soon.

Took the car for a burn after the oil change.

The “rattle” noise is gone. Just smooth, mellow sounding streams of power when you step on it.

Actually, it seems like the car has quite a bit more “pep” than when I got it. Just putting things to right seems to have perked up the throttle response. I let a friend drive it a couple days ago and he had a hard time pulling away from a stop without squeaking the tires. He actually atarted “wussing out” becuase he was worried he’d unintentionally shoot it across a T intersection and into the ditch. When I drive the car now, it’s super easy to break the rear loose if I’m not paying attention taking off. Somehow, I seem to have managed to free up some hp robbing issues. It will still run out of breath around 4500-5000 rpm, but this car is all about bottom end torque for me. More power down low firs in just perfectly for how I use it.

Which makes getting rid of that rattle noise even that much nicer.

I guess the heat shield was the rattle noise after all....

 

[Tourmax]

Sunday, sunny day, ‘Vette is freshly waxed. Perfect day to throw the skinny blonde “trophy wife” in the passenger seat and go for a drive.

The Vette perfomed flawlessly. All the little tweaks and fixes in my couple weeks of ownership have been worth the effort.

We motored down to Canning to the Fox Hill Cheese Factory. Sampled some cheeses and sat outside by the pond in a couple of adirondac chairs, enjoying some gelato.

Then it was up to The Lookoff to take in the view.

Headed home on country backroads, enjoying the tree covered lanes and back and forth between farm land and small towns.

Slipped the Vette back into the garage and gave it a nice wipe down with Mothers Instant Detailer and a microfibre cloth. Looks sharp!

I’m in to the Vette for about 12G (canadian) now. The Vette was purchased for enjoyable sunny day drives and to get the missus and I doing more things together.

It may not be the best money I’ve ever spent, but we sure have no regrets about it. The Vette is filling it’s intended purpose perfectly!

 

[Tourmax]

Well, well, well.

Seems the car has a bit more "hidden history" than I thought.

I knew it had been resprayed at least once, but I was cleaning the drivers door in the sun the other day and I noticed the sun had caused the window felt on the drivers door to pull back some. And right there, poking me right in the eye was......purple.

That's right...Purple:

Who the hell paints a ‘Vette purple ? If you like purple, more power to ya, but...well, on a ‘Vette? Just makes no sense to me. Maybe it’s that deep metallic purple factory color? Still....purple?



Anyways, it seems the driver door has been replaced at some point and it used to be purple.

I went back and re-checked the rest of the car. I found nothing but black under the lines where it had been resprayed. The build sheet (found stuck the gas tank) confirms it was born as a triple black car, so I know it’s just the door hiding that purple paint job.

So now it's got me wondering: how do you smash a drivers door to the point where it needs to be replaced, yet do no other damage to the car?

I specifically looked for those types of damage when I had it up on the lift, but there was nothing. At least nothing that woudl indicate a hit severe enough to “roach” a complete door. Straight chassis, bodywork all intact. Or if it was "crunched", the repairs were top notch. But that seems unlikley as I can't see someone doing top notch repairs on chassis and bodywork and then not removing the window felts for paint.....

Only thing that comes to mind is someone backed into it and crushed the door or something similar.......

At least the purple is dark enough that it doesn't jump right out when the sun/heat causes the rubber/felt to pull back a bit. I'll just roll the rubber back and give it a coat of touch up black for now. That will at least hide it until I get around to a full body and paint in a couple years time.....