spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Hello gang, this is a little late but I figured I would try a project thread. A little over a year ago I worked out a deal to trade a low mile non running 87 200sx SE (electrical issue) for a 72 wagon that had popped up on IL Craigslist. The wagon had been rescued from a salvage yard by a young fellow that swapped his early 80's 720 for it. Car was surrendered by the owner to the garage that had tried everything they could to get it running to end up writing it off to a bad gas tank. Rebuilt carb, new fuel pump, plugs, cap/rotor/points, and what ever else it is they tried to do to get it running and failed miserably.. When you hear the root cause you'll laugh. So from the salvage yard to a car trailer and residing in a storage shed for 8 years till it became available on CL. The cat that saved it never once touched it to try and see what the issue might be. It just sat there on the trailer (good thing it did) till I pulled it out with the X. This thread will be picture heavy!! ;-) Much more to come. 4 Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 The trading stock Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Loaded and heading for home After a trip through the car wash 3 Quote Link to comment
tr8er Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 And the fix? Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 After getting her home I gave her a good look over. Pulled the VC to see the cleanest valve train I have ever seen on a car with unknown miles! So I pulled the plugs and shot a squirt of PB blaster in all 4 then dumped a bottle of sea foam in the tank as well as a little in the carb and let it sit for the night. The next day I put a socket on the crank pulley and it turned freely so back in go the plugs and hook up the wires, pop in a battery and now for the kicker. As I am removing the fuel line from the stock filter location (pre pump) I notice right away that the lower hose clamp on the bottom side of the filter is not tight and the hose is old and hard and the filter easily pulled off. So I pop some hose in a bottle of gas, poor a shot of gas in the carb and give her a try... Turners over about 2.5 times and fires right up and idles!! I'm thinking too myself is it possible that a loose hose clamp has been the issue all this time?? It was! I drained the tank, blew carb cleaner though all the hard lines an reconnected everything with new hose, clamps, and filter. Added some gas to the tank with a lil more sea foam and it took very little time for the system to prime and fire up from gas in the tank. Ran and whent into gear like a champ! 1 Quote Link to comment
hobospyder Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 wait... are you kidding? loose hose clamp? damn... Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 With the car running the next "logicle" thing to do is make sure it is drivable but 1st I need to make sure it is able to stop!! Added brake fluid and bled the brakes, checked the calipers and rear wheel cylinders to make sure they where no major issue and topped off the trans fluid. Old tires would not hold air for long so the trip was short but very rewarding!! Order new skins, pull the stock carb and intake and toss on my SU's and let the modification begin!! 1 Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 wait... are you kidding? loose hose clamp? damn... Honestly.. No joke. But there would be a lingering issue I would not pin point for some time in the form of a botched tank liner.. Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Another VT shot Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Let's toss on the strut brace that's been hanging in the garage for 3 years. Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Next upgrades came again from CL. On my way back from retrieving a Conquest TSI I scored an L18, ZX 5 speed (with some suncro issues), modified 510 struts with all GC bits!! Camber plates, and coilover sleeves with 250lb eibach springs. This engine was rebuilt in 2012 and had a brand new a87 closed chambered casting with a "mild rally cam". Still unsure on the cam specs but It seems to be a great mid range to higher range cam. Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 More to come tomorrow. Quote Link to comment
mrbigtanker Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Black very nice.. 1 Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 yes a loose hose clamp will suck air . Happen to me. But shouldnt take Achemedes to fix this. Look in carb and gas should squit in the carb with the accel pump. Or pour gas in the carb to see if fires off. I assume you have a taller retainers and bigger lash pads as this looks like a regrind cam you have. You can see thew back side of the lobe is close to the core. Sign of a regrind.(nothing wrong with them) Its getting harder to find lash pads its seems Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 yes a loose hose clamp will suck air . Happen to me.But shouldnt take Achemedes to fix this.Look in carb and gas should squit in the carb with the accel pump. Or pour gas in the carb to see if fires off.I assume you have a taller retainers and bigger lash pads as this looks like a regrind cam you have. You can see thew back side of the lobe is close to the core. Sign of a regrind.(nothing wrong with them)Its getting harder to find lash pads its seems The only info I have on the head is a build date. I measured deck height and it has not been decked or shimmed. The water ports for the head have never been added. Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 A little paint and some love and the L-18 is ready to go in. Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Out with the old. Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Addressing to auto trans well to make way for the Dogbox Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Next up was addressing some rust in need of repair. Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Additional shifter hole work 2 Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Lookie what arrived in the mail!! This is after a little prep and paint on my part. 13x7 Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Before I drop the L-18 in I decided to do a little match porting (ghetto style that is) on the head to mate up to the SU intake. Before After Quote Link to comment
spec-bre Posted October 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Ebayed some new skins, centers, and puffy decals 1 Quote Link to comment
Just Joel Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 That's some rough ass port work! Use one of these to clean her up a bit... ;) Quote Link to comment
FirstDime Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 great find that wagon looks super clean minus the floorboards. Awesome work so far and it appears to be in good hands now :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
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