The All About My 1980 Pontiac LeMans Station Wagon Thread...

[Be4u]

That exhaust is pretty.

[daveismissing]

The pipes are definitely too long for the car on the right.

[motorhead]

That exhaust is pretty.

Thanks! It should be pretty loud too.

The pipes are definitely too long for the car on the right.

No kidding, but that Lil' Red Corvette has a pretty mean rumble already.

[motorhead]

Made a little more progress on the wagon's S60 install (nothing ever truly bolts in: http://ls1tech.com/forums/gears-axles/1838550-strange-s60-assembly-questions.html) but, the wedding rings got pressed on today - which means that I can stab the axles in.  In the meantime I have been working on the brackets for the e-brake cables and caliper hard/flex lines.  As well, I figured out how to get the front Matrix/Vibe springs to work using the upper strut mounts from a TrailBlazer (just happened to have a spare pair), stock G-body pigtail insulators, and a little bit of heater hose.  The picture is the new springs compared to a stock cut spring from my MCSS (28" ride height); both are at 13" free height.  Installed and the weight of the wagon on the springs it is right in the middle of the suspension travel.  Works for me.  As for the weight jacker setup, I will put in coil-over springs as helpers later on.

[motorhead]

Somebody needs to take this project off of pause. 

The rear wheels, the Ronal R15s, are in Windsor with my brother ready to go to WeldCraft in Michigan for widening.  Aiming for a final size of 17x11 for mounting the 345/40R17 Toyo TQ drag radials on.

[motorhead]

Managed to get this idea out of my head and into reality.  -6AN bulkheads, and a cantilever bracket using factory holes in the core support to get that pesky B&M transcooler mounted.

[motorhead]

My brother just picked up my wheels from Weldcraft.  These might be (?) the only set of 17x11 R15s in the world.  The only reason these could be widened to the outside is because they are a "reverse mount" style wheel and have a non-stepped lip.  I kind of want to polish/powdercoat the lips now vs. respraying them all black.  Cost is a factor, as is time - I should probably just work toward getting the 345s mounted and the wagon on the ground and running.

[good2win22]

Those look fat!

[motorhead]

Those look fat!

Almost 4" of fat lip.

[motorhead]

As I continue to chronically avoid finishing this project mechanically - I present my latest distraction: bling!

Plasti-dipped the grille and bezels to hide 30 years of weathered chrome and pitted pot-metal a few weeks ago; did the same to the knackered Pontiac emblem and text tonight.  Made a quick bracket and added a GTO emblem, and topped off the million different type-fonts with a set of RAM AIR decals.  Nothing says Poncho performance like copious amounts of stickers and badges.

[good2win22]

This might just tip the scales on certification for an official red neck jerry-rigging hot rodder. I like it!

[motorhead]

Oh it is still pretty shade-tree.  But, thanks!

[larrym]

That GTO badge looks good I like it.


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[motorhead]

That GTO badge looks good I like it.

Thanks!

After cleaning up the garage I decided to make it messy again by building a driveshaft loop (out of one of those Summit universal kits) with integrated exhaust hanger locations.  Funny the projects you forget about until you start to tidy up... welding 1/4" plate is so much fun with the right welder.

[motorhead]

Here is a quick comparison between the first driveshaft loop I ever bought, and the one I just built.  Much more clearance with the new one near the yoke and in terms of driveshaft droop.