[Cruzing12]

Wheel position sensors are ordered. And I caused myself a headache when I did the head job... ended up having the wire loom for the alternator return droop down into the way of the air manifold's servo arm and popped the linkage off.
( or so I thought I did, turns out the ball and socket is so worn out it just slid back in and hasn't come out yet)

Another idea I have coming is making some pvc rings for the rear tires...

 

[Blasirl]

About a foot long piece of hose, and a old outlet power supply as a pet **** turning tool.

Can you further talk about this?

 

[Cruzing12]

Can you further talk about this?

Sure, was wanting to flush the car's coolant after buying it and didn't want to Jack it up. So I got a tub and a short 3/8" ID section of tubing. Put the tubing up through the square mesh and pushed the end onto the petcock. Then I fashioned a old USB/ receptical power supply as a turn tool, utilizing the prongs to open the petcock.

 

[Cruzing12]

Eww. The strap was giving up to corrosion. So time to get off my butt and finish the task.

Here we have a 4awg positive wire, and two 4awg ground straps. One to the chassis the other to the head.

As clean as I could get it.

On a side note I disconnected the power lead to the steering rack and am liking it thus far. Voltage is down to 13.6v while cruising. And feeling is good through the turns like it's a road rod lol. Actually finished up a 300km journey and no real fatigue.

 

[Cruzing12]

Wow 2 months. Hooked the power steering back up. Got an alignment. No more notchy steering.

Had starting issues, turned out the crimp connection connecting to the starter solinoid was nothing but copper oxide.

Flushed the brake fluid... reminded me of dark maple syrup. Adjusted the rear drums and retracted the parking brake cable. Got the hand brake to hold the car by 4 clicks now. And brake feel is more responsive.

Got around to changing out the rear wheel speed sensors and have yet to do the fronts. The "service stabilitrack, service traction control" are still going. When I had a buddy check with a obd tool it showed 3 of 4 sensors dead.

Also took the time to paint the caliper arms white. Not sure if I want to do the caliper white too.

And lastly I think the one tire's belt has gone. Inflated to 35 it runs smooth once it deflates a bit it shimmies.

 

[Cruzing12]

Have my design done just need to paint it.

And another pic of new rims.


I'm going to try and get the car into camper mode. Aswell I'm considering adding a power inverter for those off the road days. With having the amplifier in the back theres already the power there, so might mount it under the rear deck. For in the car, and out the trunk access.

 

[Blasirl]

Next coming project is going to be the brakes again. With the new rims I want to paint the caliper and exposed surfaces of the rotors white along with painting the rear drums white. I want to experiment with diy'ing in rim signal / brake lights. That and see bout drilling adjuster acess holes in the drum face so I can use the rear pads, that I blindly got, before the car gives the ghost.

Also need all 4 wheel position sensors as none are showing a resistance. Which gives me good acess to the grommet behind the wheel well liner to run the power wires for said LEDs. Just have to figure out the circuitry to have that option as I'd plan on a constant fixed color that either goes out and blinks orange for the front signal, or illuminates to red upon braking.

I went back through the entire thread looking for where you spoke about these LEDs with no luck.. Can you clarify what it is you are wanting to do?

 

[Cruzing12]

I went back through the entire thread looking for where you spoke about these LEDs with no luck.. Can you clarify what it is you are wanting to do?

I'm only thinking about it at this point... but what I was anticipating was using some 12v led strip lights of one's color choosing. Then affixing them to the heat shield or making a ring, to avoid heat issues, to affix the LEDs to the shields.

In theory the led strips would point out facing the rim and the rim itself would reflect the light outward.

 

[Cruzing12]

(A 48 pop can format cooler, camp stove, socket kit. Under the glove box, sleeping bag, air mattress, 12" cast iron and some kitchen stuff/watter.)

1000w inverter.

Still have to rework the wood frame, but pretty much as is with the exception of the inverter being mounted on a cross member behind the tool box. Under that room for a second 80ah battery.... Will do a better post when I have it done.

 

[Blasirl]

I'm only thinking about it at this point... but what I was anticipating was using some 12v led strip lights of one's color choosing. Then affixing them to the heat shield or making a ring, to avoid heat issues, to affix the LEDs to the shields.

In theory the led strips would point out facing the rim and the rim itself would reflect the light outward.

For what purpose? Just to make the rims stand out?

 

[Cruzing12]

For what purpose? Just to make the rims stand out?

Under glow but rim glow. Lol for no other reason other than the ooh, awhhhh

 

[Cruzing12]

So here is the table in its almost final form. I used scavenged wood from work for the whole thing, and despite building it in place, I'm able to take it out with no more difficulty than lifting the passenger seat out. And I got diffrent bolts so it even stays in place using the chair's mounting point.

Also did a camping trip.

And the table proved valuable... as a table lol. Was able to pack in so much stuff using the table. Definitely had an intresting time with the added weight, brought my bike, subwoofer and enough wood for a good fire every night aswell. Car needed about a good 1000rpm more to keep pace.

Which made for fun when a empty bin truck decided he belonged in the fast lane during rush hour. I kept my distance knowing what was going to go down in front of me, as the traffic would ebb an flow. Problem, flow would go to highway speed and ebb, would be a stand still. So as predicted this empty bin truck locked it up and slid just that smidge. Firm on the breaks I already had my exit planned and took the shoulder.

Fun fun merged back in and continued on my way.

 

[15CruzeTD]

View attachment 294344

So here is the table in its almost final form. I used scavenged wood from work for the whole thing, and despite building it in place, I'm able to take it out with no more difficulty than lifting the passenger seat out. And I got diffrent bolts so it even stays in place using the chair's mounting point.

View attachment 294345


Also did a camping trip. View attachment 294346
And the table proved valuable... as a table lol. Was able to pack in so much stuff using the table. Definitely had an intresting time with the added weight, brought my bike, subwoofer and enough wood for a good fire every night aswell. Car needed about a good 1000rpm more to keep pace.

Which made for fun when a empty bin truck decided he belonged in the fast lane during rush hour. I kept my distance knowing what was going to go down in front of me, as the traffic would ebb an flow. Problem, flow would go to highway speed and ebb, would be a stand still. So as predicted this empty bin truck locked it up and slid just that smidge. Firm on the breaks I already had my exit planned and took the shoulder.

Fun fun merged back in and continued on my way.

Awesome! Just curious, how do you haul your bike?

 

[Cruzing12]

Awesome! Just curious, how do you haul your bike?

When I don't have the dual sub box in the trunk I take the front wheel off and load the rear first into the trunk.

In the case of having the sub in I take off both wheels and seat and load the bike in through the side laying the wheels on top.


Next year I'd like to fashion a mount using some canoe foam blocks and straps. Have the handle bars on the trunk and rear wheel on the roof.

 

[15CruzeTD]

When I don't have the dual sub box in the trunk I take the front wheel off and load the rear first into the trunk.

In the case of having the sub in I take off both wheels and seat and load the bike in through the side laying the wheels on top.


Next year I'd like to fashion a mount using some canoe foam blocks and straps. Have the handle bars on the trunk and rear wheel on the roof.

What you need is a roof rack. Put your bike up there along with some other stuff then your car wouldn't be so full!

 

[Cruzing12]

Finally getting to the paint job side of things. And am going the long way around. Have a lot of stone chips so I spared nothing.

Lots of those size chips.

And am going to finish it like here. Pearl white, eventually polish the head light lense and follow up with a protective wrap/ paint the portion taped pearl too.

 

[Blasirl]

Add a hitch and a hitch mounted bike rack.

 

[Cruzing12]

Step by step lol don't have much time to do it all.

And I got a door handle done. I took the time to sand the inside seam away during my prep work. And painted Pearl from top wrapped around the inside to the bottom. One of those up close details I'll get to enjoy every time I look in the mirror, as it really isn't visible from 6ft... maybe once I polish and wax the body it'll reflect more but no hopes there.


On another note I think I found my acces point in the fire wall, the dead space on the transmission shift linkage grommet is just that, potential space. As I'm thinking of that 1500w inverter I have to upgrade my 4awg and run a negative back through to the battery. So that's alot diameters to put through the fire wall.


On a side note my car is up to 345k km/ 214k miles. Still runs smooth.
Future to dos in no order.

1. Clean up under carriage rust.
2. Replace rear hubs
3. Drill acess hole in drum face for easy drum adjustments.
4. Free up parking brake cables, one is stuck, easy enough to pull free by hand.
5. Fix my p2070 code, the imt valve is working so I'm not sure if it's the sensor or what, but no tc or abs till that cel less problem is fixed.
6. Secure the wire harness below the imtv so there isnt interference.
7. Replace transmission output seals/ new tranny fluid. At 40k of the 50k km interval.
8. The most pressing, crimping the starter solinoid wire to the connector so I'm not diving into the engine bay while at the grocery store.... although I was able to clutch start it by the grace of god but that usually doesn't happen due to how the car is programmed.

 

[Cruzing12]

Wow a month...

#8 got taken care of, the solinoid wire had a black streak of corrosion in it. So I did the best I could and stuck the wire in the dielectric grease tube before crimping.

#6 it turned out I tightened the starter's starter to chassis ground strap in to high a position that it interfered with the intake manifold tuning valve linkage...a simple fix.

#5 I got the Ebay linkage to try and deal with the p2070 code and am yet to install. As I'll have to remove the intake to acess what I need.

 

[Cruzing12]

Got my design down pat, the lip above the head light. Although I ruined the curve by lifting the black paint off removing the masking tape. So I'll have to redo that section of paint before making it white.

Got my window vents on too. Got the putco brand off rock auto. Close up they have close to the same lip as the front hood so may at one point visit having the pearl streak on em too.

As for painting.... boo. It is the time of year when temps are low. So I'll have to make an enclosure, get a hot jug of water to keep the paint cans warm. And work some other powers of magic.

Not sure if I posted this but this is the rear design.