78 caballero
- Thread starter The ghoul
- Start date
thank you thank you!
Im geeked to be able to start it and back it out of the garage... this pushing thing was getting to me!
Beigg
Club Member
LoL "yabba dabba doo!"
just called in a big order to kingauto;
- passengers front floor pan
- poly body mount kit
- poly suspension kit
- floor shifter
- upper and lower balljoints
dang, guess it wasn't that big of an order... just pricy stuff I suppose..
going to be ripping her all apart this weekend and hopefully get the body off the frame.
game plan is basically rip the frame out, strip it apart, box the rails clean paint re-assemble; then get all the metal work done over winter and get her prepped for some paint come spring...
- passengers front floor pan
- poly body mount kit
- poly suspension kit
- floor shifter
- upper and lower balljoints
dang, guess it wasn't that big of an order... just pricy stuff I suppose..
going to be ripping her all apart this weekend and hopefully get the body off the frame.
game plan is basically rip the frame out, strip it apart, box the rails clean paint re-assemble; then get all the metal work done over winter and get her prepped for some paint come spring...
DRAG-ULA
Club Member
Sounds like a good plan! Glad to see you back on this project.
So far all I've done was order parts! Today my recliner totally killed my plans.
Btw you drag that truck out of Ray's back yard?!
Looks like an awesome project!
DRAG-ULA
Club Member
Haha I hear that, spongebob and the couch might kill my Sunday. Ray wouldn't sell me his 51 or 40 Chevy, but he said I could have this one.
No offence to ray or his toys (lord knows I love his camino!) but the truck is the coolest out of the three!
Wow! Great day at parts galore! Floor shift steering column from a monte SS with good stiff bearing set (the scews in the sanwich plates always loosen on them) with what feels like a good turnsignal mech. Also scored a set of 2001 blazer 2wd knuckles, hubs, rotors, caliper brackets and hoses (I already have the calipers for these).
This is basically a bolt on brake upgrade for the Gbodys, larger/thicker rotors and dual piston calipers.
I originally had intended drop spindles but I think I have made my mind up to Z the frame and air bag it down the road...
for $150 out the door I'm happy happy happy!
well, lesson learned...
I was able to get most of the 01 blazer front brakes rebuilt except for the dust boots in the calipers. Typically the caliper castings have a ridge that the outer boot slips into and in some cases a spring clip that helps hold it into place. Well, apparently GM decided to go with a press-in style dust boot. I tried just about every dirty trick I know (socket and hammer, washer about the right diameter and a press, warm up caliper in over ect) and it only resulted in 4 mangled dust boots and no successful installs . I don’t know if the issue was cheap parts out of tolerance or lack of tolerance/patents on my part, either way, not a success...
So, my tip on rebuilding the calipers for this swap is don’t! You are much better off taking your junk yard calipers and using them for a core deposit, professionally rebuilt ones only run $40 each after core..
That aside the caliper hardware kit by dorman was spot on, the slide pin boots took a bit of skill but using a 13/16 deep well socket to hammer them on did the trick. The guide bushings inside the bore took a little playing with to get the old ones out but a little brake cleaner and an angled dental pick did the trick. After I get the new calipers I will be dressing them with new blazer rubber brake lines, crush washers and banjo bolts (they were cheap enough just to replace them).
I was able to get most of the 01 blazer front brakes rebuilt except for the dust boots in the calipers. Typically the caliper castings have a ridge that the outer boot slips into and in some cases a spring clip that helps hold it into place. Well, apparently GM decided to go with a press-in style dust boot. I tried just about every dirty trick I know (socket and hammer, washer about the right diameter and a press, warm up caliper in over ect) and it only resulted in 4 mangled dust boots and no successful installs . I don’t know if the issue was cheap parts out of tolerance or lack of tolerance/patents on my part, either way, not a success...
So, my tip on rebuilding the calipers for this swap is don’t! You are much better off taking your junk yard calipers and using them for a core deposit, professionally rebuilt ones only run $40 each after core..
That aside the caliper hardware kit by dorman was spot on, the slide pin boots took a bit of skill but using a 13/16 deep well socket to hammer them on did the trick. The guide bushings inside the bore took a little playing with to get the old ones out but a little brake cleaner and an angled dental pick did the trick. After I get the new calipers I will be dressing them with new blazer rubber brake lines, crush washers and banjo bolts (they were cheap enough just to replace them).
ShadowRuleZ
Club Member
I went with Kore3 adapters and C5 calipers up front with the 2WD spindles and 12" LS1 disc brakes on the factory 7.5. If you haven't found one yet, look at the Jeep Cherokee steering intermediate steering shafts.
Is that an SS steering wheel? Looks like an LS steering wheel from the back.
Is that an SS steering wheel? Looks like an LS steering wheel from the back.
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I hopefully will be going with a fox body 8.8 down the road so I dont want to throw too much money at the stock rear end. Yeah the Kore3 stuff looks like the way to go. If I ever get a deal on the calipers I will go that same route.
Yes cherokee steering shaft has been done, as well as an F body quick ratio box; I think that also will soon be swapped out again. I like the idea of the s10 manual box better, especially when I discovered the F body box will give it a real crap turning radius..
I think the steering wheel is actually from a cutless (according to the horn pad I found in the car). I didnt feel like fighting to take it off at the yard (only ran me $3 extra just to keep it)
Made the 2:30 drive to visit a forum friend currently cutting up his second parts Camino.
I was able to acquire from him (for less money than I invested in gas)
-full non-ac heater system including the hard to find intake screen, glove box and vent cables/pulls
-the last of the patch metal I need (under heater box, drivers rear 1/4 window "drip tray")
-hood latch, latch plate, cable and pull
-tailgate
-better a pillar, rear lower window plastic, and bet retractor kick panels
-plastic lower cover for smugglers hatch (didn't even know I was missing that!)
-uncut radio bezel
I am quickly running out of excuses to not work on her!!
I was able to acquire from him (for less money than I invested in gas)
-full non-ac heater system including the hard to find intake screen, glove box and vent cables/pulls
-the last of the patch metal I need (under heater box, drivers rear 1/4 window "drip tray")
-hood latch, latch plate, cable and pull
-tailgate
-better a pillar, rear lower window plastic, and bet retractor kick panels
-plastic lower cover for smugglers hatch (didn't even know I was missing that!)
-uncut radio bezel
I am quickly running out of excuses to not work on her!!
mikesfastss
Club Member
Wow this things coming along, bout time for me to get another g body lol
LMAO, I think I'm one G body away from the wife leaving!
She has been wating for me for so long to getting her a 2ed gen charger...
Just realized that I have only succeeded in turning this project car into a storage unit thus far!
so I finally got off my butt, cleaned up the garage and got a good bit of work done
ran into a surprise, I guess that energy suspension sticker in the back window wasn't BS
Tomorrow I will shot blast the upper and lower control arms at work and cut some plates to box them in.
so I finally got off my butt, cleaned up the garage and got a good bit of work done
ran into a surprise, I guess that energy suspension sticker in the back window wasn't BS
Tomorrow I will shot blast the upper and lower control arms at work and cut some plates to box them in.
Hover car conversion compleeted
As well as getting most of the suspension stuff shot blasted and the blocking plates fabricated
tonight I will get the last upper and lower controle arm shot-blasted, press out the rest of the old busings, and press in the new lower ball joints. If Im still motivated by that point I will weld in the plates to box the rear upper and lower controle arms in and por15 all the parts...
As well as getting most of the suspension stuff shot blasted and the blocking plates fabricated
tonight I will get the last upper and lower controle arm shot-blasted, press out the rest of the old busings, and press in the new lower ball joints. If Im still motivated by that point I will weld in the plates to box the rear upper and lower controle arms in and por15 all the parts...
Happy thanksgiving every one!!
I couldn't really sleep last night with visions of turkey dancing in my head, so I was able to get some work done before I had to get cleaned up for family stuff...
As I was tacking together the boxing plates and realized one of the lower control arms was a bit bent out on one side.
So welding that one was a bit awkward..
my intention with these boxed upper and lower control arms is a stronger than stock, but to be replaced one day by store bought boxed lowers and adjustable uppers, so I am not going for perfect or super pretty, merely passable... Just like my welds! LOL
I am unsure if this makes much difference from a rigidity standpoint but I felt, cutting, folding and welding the ends would help keep crap out of it..
So, I feel a good bit of work for a lazy thanksgiving morning
I couldn't really sleep last night with visions of turkey dancing in my head, so I was able to get some work done before I had to get cleaned up for family stuff...
As I was tacking together the boxing plates and realized one of the lower control arms was a bit bent out on one side.
So welding that one was a bit awkward..
my intention with these boxed upper and lower control arms is a stronger than stock, but to be replaced one day by store bought boxed lowers and adjustable uppers, so I am not going for perfect or super pretty, merely passable... Just like my welds! LOL
I am unsure if this makes much difference from a rigidity standpoint but I felt, cutting, folding and welding the ends would help keep crap out of it..
So, I feel a good bit of work for a lazy thanksgiving morning
I was able to get some work done before the honey do list caught up with me and wrecked my fun... Turns out the poly busings were only on the ass end, he still had the rubber bushings in the upper and lower control. I got the old bushings pressed out, the new shells pressed in (a lot easier said than done), and the new balljoints pressed in.. Tomorrow I should be able to get some paint on em..
