I’m now 2 years into my 1981 Pontiac Trans Am project and things are just now starting to come together! This post is a good outline of everything that has been happening since February, 2012. Front Suspension Together Again The front suspension is back together! I have to thank my my friend Joel for helping […]
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Bench Testing Fuel/Gas Gauge
You just got some gauges at a swap-meet but you don’t know if they work? What do you do next? Test them! The fuel gauge in most pre-digital cars work by pointing a needle within a sweep range on a gauge based on variable resistance through variable resister in the fuel tank. This resistance measured […]
If you own an f-body 1st or 2nd generation car from 1967-1981 (F Body chassis by GM found in Pontiac Firebird, Trans Am and Chevrolet Camaro first and second gen vehicles from 67-81) and are getting ready to replace your body to sub-frame bushings, you have three options: stock rubber, polyurethane and solid. If you […]
During the disassembly of the steering column from the Trans Am the retaining snap ring that holds the lock plate got damaged. One option is to bend it back into shape. The other option is to replace it. Unfortunately, you’re not going to find an auto parts store that knows what a continuous retaining snap-ring […]
I’m now 22 months into my 1981 Pontiac Trans Am and it feels like I’ve got nothing done! But this blog post is a good outline of everything that has been happening since November, 2011. Short Block Assembled The hiccup with the wrong piston valve relief was sorted with the machine shop relatively quickly. After […]
There are a lot of sound deadening, insulating and anti-rattle products for automotive applications. The list below (as of February, 2012) is the most comprehensive list of products organized by type. Spray on Sound Deadened/Insulation Spray on sound Deadeners and insulation are paint-on products that can be applied in a number of ways. LizardSkin is […]
A flare wrench is like an open end wrench with 5-6 contact sides and/or 4-5 contact corners. As it’s name implies, the wrench is intended for use on flared fittings. A normal open end wrench makes contact on only two sides, making the flare wrench ideal for better contact in certain situations. In many cases […]
So I’m now 18 months into my 1981 Pontiac Trans Am project and things are just now starting to come together. From April – July I really didn’t get to spend much time on the car, our new baby was coming (born June 27th) and preparing for/having him took precedence! I even had to neglect […]
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Piston Ring Filer
My Pontiac 400 engine rebuild requires me to file to fit the top 2 compression rings. In order to make sure the rings keep their true edge, a mechanical Piston Ring Filer is recommended. Because I do not plan on using this tool very often, I decided to purchase an inexpensive clone from Jegs. A […]
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Torque Wrenches Reviewed
I’m currently in the process of rebuilding a Pontiac 400 v8. The process has led me to buy a lot of new tools. Most of these new tools aren’t too expensive, such as a dead blow hammer and piston ring compressor. The one tool for this project that is quite an investment is a good […]