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214 Posts
I went to the garage to try and retorque my right front caliper in hopes that would stop my fluid leak. On the way-
I noticed that as I drove the GT, it would faintly cut left after bumps in the road. At the shop, it was found that the left lower ball joint was loose and had wallowed out the spindle area. Also the caliper is just no good, a faulty rebuild. Oh well.
While I'm down there fixing the brake/ball joint/spindle, I thought I might as well install some poly bushings, and some drilled rotors from OGTS. I found the car already had the upper control arm bushings replaced with Uber-hard bushings. Nothing had been done to the lowers...I tapped the uppers out with a punch, replaced with softer compound bushings, removed the shocks, and am getting ready to replace the lower bushings and the leaf spring bushings(a bit nervous about this). The (right) bump stop bushings had melted from the brake fluid and were glued to the lower control arm, so they got scraped-off and replaced. The GR-2's up front are good, but too mushy for me, so in go Koni Reds. I'll add my anti-sway bars if I can ever find bushings and body mounts...And maybe, just maybe, I will find a caliper so that the GT will have brakes again. (I have no children, and virtually no life-so this is where I am indulgent).
Next is the engine. I found a high comp engine supposedly rebuilt a couple years ago. After it was rebuilt, it still ran poorly (Solex and an old Allison ignition may be culprit), so the owner stopped driving it after 6 months. Hopefully I can get that in a few weeks and begin tearing it down. Replace stuff as needed, and replace, needed or not: new head, cam, lifters, total seal secondary rings, clutch, timing chain/dampners, lightened flywheel... Anything else?
All that to say:
- if your steering is loose be sure to check the ball joints
-brake fluid plays hell on rubber
-always expect to replace more than initially expected on a 30+ yr old car.
-Anybody got any cool spare parts that I can buy/trade? I have lots of Weber parts, these sway bars (sans most mounts), other stuff I'll trade
.
I noticed that as I drove the GT, it would faintly cut left after bumps in the road. At the shop, it was found that the left lower ball joint was loose and had wallowed out the spindle area. Also the caliper is just no good, a faulty rebuild. Oh well.
While I'm down there fixing the brake/ball joint/spindle, I thought I might as well install some poly bushings, and some drilled rotors from OGTS. I found the car already had the upper control arm bushings replaced with Uber-hard bushings. Nothing had been done to the lowers...I tapped the uppers out with a punch, replaced with softer compound bushings, removed the shocks, and am getting ready to replace the lower bushings and the leaf spring bushings(a bit nervous about this). The (right) bump stop bushings had melted from the brake fluid and were glued to the lower control arm, so they got scraped-off and replaced. The GR-2's up front are good, but too mushy for me, so in go Koni Reds. I'll add my anti-sway bars if I can ever find bushings and body mounts...And maybe, just maybe, I will find a caliper so that the GT will have brakes again. (I have no children, and virtually no life-so this is where I am indulgent).
Next is the engine. I found a high comp engine supposedly rebuilt a couple years ago. After it was rebuilt, it still ran poorly (Solex and an old Allison ignition may be culprit), so the owner stopped driving it after 6 months. Hopefully I can get that in a few weeks and begin tearing it down. Replace stuff as needed, and replace, needed or not: new head, cam, lifters, total seal secondary rings, clutch, timing chain/dampners, lightened flywheel... Anything else?
All that to say:
- if your steering is loose be sure to check the ball joints
-brake fluid plays hell on rubber
-always expect to replace more than initially expected on a 30+ yr old car.
-Anybody got any cool spare parts that I can buy/trade? I have lots of Weber parts, these sway bars (sans most mounts), other stuff I'll trade
.
