Today I...

[hakitup]

Today I removed the tire chains from the Trans Am and gave her a bath. Next on the list is to bore scope the tranny.

Tom H

[Casey]

It seems like a manual transmission in most GM cars is a rarity, but especially the less performance minded ones.  I think it's a shame they never offered a manual in the later Grand Prix GXP and Monte Carlo SS, could've helped them better compete with the imports of the time I'd think.  At least they put a manual in the Cobalt SS and G5 GT.

[GTABill]

It seems like a manual transmission in most GM cars is a rarity, but especially the less performance minded ones.  I think it's a shame they never offered a manual in the later Grand Prix GXP and Monte Carlo SS, could've helped them better compete with the imports of the time I'd think.  At least they put a manual in the Cobalt SS and G5 GT.

I don't think GM had a manual for the front drives that could handle the 5.3 in the GXP and SS.  The 4T65E that is in them now is at its limit with the power they put out now. The closest thing they have would be the F40 6spd out of the G6 GTP and I can imagine the 5.3 would make quick work of that without some beefing up.

Speaking of rare manual sightings, back in the day, I was looking at a brand new Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais with wire wheel covers, the famous Quad 4............................and a 5 spd.  It was silver blue with dark blue interior.  I had to do a double take.  It would have been fun to make some noise in that thing, but I instead opted for the Beretta GT with the 5spd...........glad I did.  It was way more fun.

[Casey]

I meant more so the earlier 3.8 supercharged variants, since there was the F40 used in the Saab 9-3 at the same time.  For the LS4 it'd depend on how much power 9-3 owners are pushing through their F40 to sorta know, but I suspect it might could manage.  Which I suppose the turbo Cobalt SS and G5 GT are the peak of GM FWD manual performance, probably a good value these days if you don't mind FWD.

It's kind of funny what cars do and don't have manuals as options, and then who ultimately orders them as such in some instances.  Like could you imagine a Cadillac DeVille with a manual, had it ever been offered, and who'd even buy one that way.

[Casey]

That's ok I can't even imagine trying to drive a FWD V8 with a manual, torque steer for days.  FWD V6 with a manual is bad enough.

[GTABill]

I think stock LS4 GXPs were pushing about 305hp off the lot.  The 4t65e in those are an "HD" version but according to Triple Edge Performance, still not meant for a lot of abuse. That tranny was put into everything during that time. Ive got the same tranny in the Aztek and it started having little hiccups at 150k. It now has over 200k and is most likely in need of an overhaul. I wish they would have given the option of the F40 mated to the 3800 SC or the LS4. Those would be fun cars.  I actually liked the feel of jamming through the gears of my Beretta. Yea it would jerk the wheel a bit, but nothing like seeing peoples expression when you were rowing the gears and get the tires to chirp in third gear.......from a measly 140hp V6 lol

[Casey]

Yes, a manual can make the most gutless of engines bearable.  The paltry 110 horsepower in my Celica wasn't so bad with the 5-speed, could get it to chirp into second and if you banged off redline going into third you'd hit interstate speeds before you'd have to merge.  From what I can gather from a quick search the F40 will survive 300ish horsepower and torque indefinitely so long as you don't beat on it, so sorta like the T-5 in the Mustangs and third gen F-bodies would survive so long as it wasn't thrashed.

And there are people doing the LS4 and F40 in Fieros, so that'd be really fun.  I'd love an '88 GT(only one with Lotus suspension and not Citation rehash) with a LS4 and F40, but that'd take lots of money.

[Casey]

Well here it is, a 2008 BMW 335i:

[FormTA]

Nice car but still not T/A.

Today I broke down and order a Honda GX630 V twin engine to replace the Briggs and stratton Vanguard on my Grasshopper mower. $2400 as it needs a few adapters because it uses two PTOs. My briggs runs ok bit is pumping oil out the breather tube into the carb. It empties the crank case in one mowing.  Compression is around 145 PSI, but it must still have blow by. Power is really lacking now too. Went with the Honda because it has the most HP of the two options that will fit my frame. Hope it's a good engine, two many conflicting opinions on the net now a days.

[Casey]

At least it makes 500 horsepower with bolt-ons and a tune though, so that's something right?

We had a Crapman with the Break & Scrap 'em engine, after needing more rebuilds than I want to count it threw a rod and that ended it.  Now there's a Husqvarna with a Kawasaki V-twin in its place, significantly better is an understatement.  Just the engine alone is so much smoother and quieter, it's amazing really.

[nas t eh]

Those 335 coupes are a very nice car, we just got rid of our 08 328 sedan. We loved it but it was starting to need work regularly to keep reliable and I just didn’t want to bother or worry about it anymore. It was my wife’s daily driver, so we replaced it with a 2014 335 GT that has only 32,000km(20,000miles)on it. I just installed the JB4+ tuner and a tuned turbo inlet system (380HP at this point) The rest of the bolt ons( catless down pipe, High Density intercooler, oversized charge pipe and turbo outlet pipe) are sitting in the garage waiting for another free day.

[Casey]

It is, especially since it has the higher spec leather interior instead of the leatherette.  It's Black Sapphire metallic paint with black leather, very nice.  It has the JB4 tuner on it too, apparently that's the best one for them.  This one only has 70K miles on it, and he's used to working on European cars(one would hope since that's his job) and it seems to have been really taken care of.  Being it's the cheapest source of 500+ horsepower he's willing to pay to play, as he's been looking at replacing the Genesis for awhile now since it peaked at 300 or so horsepower without having to build a MKII block and then you peaked at around 500 street-able horsepower where the N54 is just getting started.  Apparently people do 700-800+ horsepower builds all of the time on stock internals of the N54, which knowing him once he sells the Genesis and its parts as well as the Audi it wouldn't surprise me if that's not to follow shortly after.  Of course it's not low enough for him even though it has the sport package, so he's looking at ST Suspension coil-overs which apparently are the same as KW now just with galvanized steel instead of stainless.  That and it's going to cost $2K to put a LSD into it, since BMW got cute and welded the ring gear to the carrier so you can't put one in yourself and have to buy a complete center section.

[LeighP]

That's ok I can't even imagine trying to drive a FWD V8 with a manual, torque steer for days.  FWD V6 with a manual is bad enough.

back in the late 80's- early 90's, Ford Australia was selling a Telstar TX-5 Turbo with a manual in it. It was famous for swapping lanes on full throttle shifts.

[GTABill]

That's ok I can't even imagine trying to drive a FWD V8 with a manual, torque steer for days.  FWD V6 with a manual is bad enough.

back in the late 80's- early 90's, Ford Australia was selling a Telstar TX-5 Turbo with a manual in it. It was famous for swapping lanes on full throttle shifts.

IIRC, something very similar was sold here named the Merkur XR4Ti.  Guy in school had one.  Thought he was the shiznit...............uh, sure. 

Box, while driving the boy's GXP home after work, I was stepping into it pretty good to see what kind of torque steer it had at different speeds.  Needless to say, a manual in that would either really hone your driving skills or make you a regular customer at your local body shop.  Its a bit squirrely.

I have been contemplating doing the F40 swap on the Black McLaren Grand Prix project.  I think that coupled with the 3.1 Turbo would make it a lively fun coupe.

[ryeguy2006a]

IIRC, something very similar was sold here named the Merkur XR4Ti.  Guy in school had one.  Thought he was the shiznit...............uh, sure. 

Box, while driving the boy's GXP home after work, I was stepping into it pretty good to see what kind of torque steer it had at different speeds.  Needless to say, a manual in that would either really hone your driving skills or make you a regular customer at your local body shop.  Its a bit squirrely.

I have been contemplating doing the F40 swap on the Black McLaren Grand Prix project.  I think that coupled with the 3.1 Turbo would make it a lively fun coupe.

I had a 1990 Cavalier Z24 5 speed in high school and loved that car. I remember seeing one of the GTP Grand Prix in the pick and pull and was very tempted to pull out the Turbo 3.1 for my car. I've kept my eyes out for another Cav, but they are really hard to come by.

[nas t eh]

It is, especially since it has the higher spec leather interior instead of the leatherette.  It's Black Sapphire metallic paint with black leather, very nice.  It has the JB4 tuner on it too, apparently that's the best one for them.  This one only has 70K miles on it, and he's used to working on European cars(one would hope since that's his job) and it seems to have been really taken care of.  Being it's the cheapest source of 500+ horsepower he's willing to pay to play, as he's been looking at replacing the Genesis for awhile now since it peaked at 300 or so horsepower without having to build a MKII block and then you peaked at around 500 street-able horsepower where the N54 is just gettingo started.  Apparently people do 700-800+ horsepower builds all of the time on stock internals of the N54, which knowing him once he sells the Genesis and its parts as well as the Audi it wouldn't surprise me if that's not to follow shortly after.  Of course it's not low enough for him even though it has the sport package, so he's looking at ST Suspension coil-overs which apparently are the same as KW now just with galvanized steel instead of stainless.  That and it's going to cost $2K to put a LSD into it, since BMW got cute and welded the ring gear to the carrier so you can't put one in yourself and have to buy a complete center section.

We sold ours with right about that mileage(132,000km) Even if it’s been well looked after he should be ready for a few things to need attention, the high pressure fuel pump, water pump and radiator are all know issues. The brakes should have been done by then, but if it’s always rotors, pads and sensors. Brake fluid and coolant are to be flushed every two or three years. The valve cover gasket and the cover itself crack and neeed replacing. We also started having wiring issues with the harness out to the trunk, the area where it flexes to open and close the trunk was the issue. The parts are a little pricy so they are not cheap to own, but they are great cars.

[Casey]

Box, while driving the boy's GXP home after work, I was stepping into it pretty good to see what kind of torque steer it had at different speeds.  Needless to say, a manual in that would either really hone your driving skills or make you a regular customer at your local body shop.  Its a bit squirrely.

I have been contemplating doing the F40 swap on the Black McLaren Grand Prix project.  I think that coupled with the 3.1 Turbo would make it a lively fun coupe.

Which a helical LSD helps mitigate torque steer, just a matter if one is even available for a given transaxle.  Also yes, F40 swapping it would be awesome.

We sold ours with right about that mileage(132,000km) Even if it’s been well looked after he should be ready for a few things to need attention, the high pressure fuel pump, water pump and radiator are all know issues. The brakes should have been done by then, but if it’s always rotors, pads and sensors. Brake fluid and coolant are to be flushed every two or three years. The valve cover gasket and the cover itself crack and neeed replacing. We also started having wiring issues with the harness out to the trunk, the area where it flexes to open and close the trunk was the issue. The parts are a little pricy so they are not cheap to own, but they are great cars.

I found him a video of the 20 or so common E92 problems and he still wanted one, so he's aware of the HPFP, water pump, cooling system, and turbo waste gate issues.  That and specific to the coupe are the tail lights constantly failing.  Of course for him those are all excuses for doing upgrades when possible.  He did a fluid flush and change after getting it at work, but I mentioned checking the brakes since at that mileage they could be due.  Being I can't think of many other means of getting 500+ easy street-able horsepower for under $10-15,000 I guess it's something you deal with.  Personally I'd just buy a Corvette and be happy with 400 something horsepower, but I'm not the speed demon he is either.  I thought the 142 horsepower in the NB2 Miata was sufficient if that says anything.

[hakitup]

Today I registered the Trans Am in South Dakota one step closer to removing the California from my life.



Tom H

[76 - 455 - 4]

One step closer to removing the California from my life.
Tom H

Now that right there is about the best statement I've heard all day!

[Casey]

California, it's not for car people.  Shame they have some of the nicest roads for driving on in your Prius.

[Vroom_vroom]

bill hope you didnt get too aggressive with the boys car, right after i put some power to mine the trans checked out fast! sounded ungodly nasty however, (still miss it a bit) will have to dig up an old video lol

box nice ride, i was never sold on the bmw because of the maintenance (and the safeguards on such) but there are some naaaaasty ones running around town that you just dont want to mess with! the seats where always the highlight of a bmw for me, the best out there personally. 

[roadking77]

Box, let me get this right, youre brother buys a new beemer, but meanwhile he wrecked your car and hasn't gotten it fixed yet...…..just saying! LOL.
Nice car but Im a 'Benz guy.

I remember the Merkurs, I think they were German design maybe. I thought they were god awful ugly but they were supposed to be pretty good cars at the time.

[LeighP]

Tom, congrats on the SD plates.

[GTABill]

bill hope you didnt get too aggressive with the boys car, right after i put some power to mine the trans checked out fast! sounded ungodly nasty however, (still miss it a bit) will have to dig up an old video lol
 

Nah, I behaved pretty well.  No tire smokin off the line.  Was fooling around at about a 20 pull............still would get me in a lot of trouble and speaking of trouble, the boy came home last night and immediately pull the GXP around behind the house and shut it off.  Guess he was coming home and doing close to 100 down the highway when he saw a patrol Tahoe on the outer road.  So as not to give said officer a chance to get on the highway to question his quick pace, he proceeded to up his pace to the nearest exit and take the back roads home.  My only thought when he told me this was........................"I've lost the black Trans Am(except I inserted black Grand Prix).............set up a road block!!!!!!!!"

[Casey]

box nice ride, i was never sold on the bmw because of the maintenance (and the safeguards on such) but there are some naaaaasty ones running around town that you just dont want to mess with! the seats where always the highlight of a bmw for me, the best out there personally. 

Yeah the maintenance and German nonsense would rule one out for me too, but he wants power and the N54 is probably the cheapest and easiest way these days.  The seats are quite nice, the only thing that bothers me is they don't have shoulder bolsters so that's weird.  Then again, few stock seats do have shoulder bolsters which is why I liked the ones in my Celica so much.

Box, let me get this right, youre brother buys a new beemer, but meanwhile he wrecked your car and hasn't gotten it fixed yet...…..just saying! LOL.
Nice car but Im a 'Benz guy.

I know right, he was supposed to be asking the paint guy if he'd just come to the house to fix it so then I don't have to tag and insure it only to turn around and take it off after selling it.

Mercedes Benz doesn't really have many manuals, and when they do offer one it seems to be rare or they stiff you on the more powerful engines by having those automatic only.  It's like the SLK AMG models would've been so cool, if they had put in a manual...  That said I think Mercedes Benz generally look better than BMW though, so that's something.

[FormTA]

Put the nose on my car.

[roadking77]

That really looks nice, great fit and finish.
Box, I'm old and dont care too much for stick shift anymore. I had my share of that whilst driving a dump truck!

[Casey]

Maybe I can post pictures of a freshly painted nose soon too...

I feel old and am selling one stick shift because I can't drive it for another, but I'm stubborn.  Then again I need a manual in order to care about driving, otherwise I rather just be able to stretch out and relax as a passenger.

[DeCaff2007]

Put the nose on my car.

Looks great so far.  I have to say, though, 4 flat tires and no interior..... these cars are so much work.

[FormTA]

Ha, ha. Those are just to roll it around.  17s ready to go when the paint stops flying.

[Casey]

Can't be too good for rolling in that state.   So are you going to the 3rd and 4th gen wheel diameter of 25.66" or staying with the second gen diameter of 27.4"?  I noticed these days you could do 18's with a 27-28" tire having a good selection, I don't recall seeing very many 27" tall tires for a 17 though.  I think that'd be the way to go if modernizing, helps keep the wheel wells filled and you wouldn't have to re-calibrate the speedometer.

[FormTA]

I am thinking either 275/40/17 or 255/45/17. I have 2" Hotchkis lowering springs in the front and PTFB GT rear springs on the slowest setting of the shackle.

[Casey]

With 275/40-17 BFGoodrich Sport COMP-2 on a 9.5" wide rim there's a bit of sidewall bulge, had it gotten to where I needed tires again I was going to go with a 255 if possible to get rid of the bulge.  If they're 8-9" wide I'd definitely go no wider than 245 or 255.

[GTABill]

Well, yesterday, after enjoying a good Easter brunch with the wife, I decided to go out with the old and in with the new................on our basement door.  I thought I did a pretty good job of impersonating a renovation guy.  The old door frame was original when we built 22 years ago and was pretty much rotten. 

Old......


New......

[Casey]

Much better, but now you'll have to do all the window framing to match.

[GTABill]

Much better, but now you'll have to do all the window framing to match.

Yea about that..............

Actually I will be replacing all the window trims soon and repainting all of it this summer............sometime lol.  That way the door trim will match the window trim.............or something like that.

[nas t eh]

I am thinking either 275/40/17 or 255/45/17. I have 2" Hotchkis lowering springs in the front and PTFB GT rear springs on the slowest setting of the shackle.

I have 285/40/17 rear and 255/45/17 front, I think they are to short / don’t fill the wheel opening and would go 255/50/17 all round instead. When I replace (or maybe before and get rid of what I have)the 255/50’s will go on the front for sure and if Nitto makes them like they plan to, it will be 275/50/17 on the rear. I want the wheel well full and the ground clearance for headers. My car is lowered at least 1 and 1/2” in front from stock.

[roadking77]

Big improvement Bill, looks great! I did similar between last weekend and yesterday. I needed just a door jamb for a job, so I figured I would take the door and replace our back door that is showing its age. Wife decided to pick out something completely different, so we ended up replacing the front door. Of course then we had to change paint colours. So yesterday, we got up early, did a bit of landscaping, painted the mailbox to match the new front door, and started the patchwork on my ta's dash. Then cooked Easter dinner and relaxed. Busy day.

[Casey]

I am thinking either 275/40/17 or 255/45/17. I have 2" Hotchkis lowering springs in the front and PTFB GT rear springs on the slowest setting of the shackle.

I have 285/40/17 rear and 255/45/17 front, I think they are to short / don’t fill the wheel opening and would go 255/50/17 all round instead. When I replace (or maybe before and get rid of what I have)the 255/50’s will go on the front for sure and if Nitto makes them like they plan to, it will be 275/50/17 on the rear. I want the wheel well full and the ground clearance for headers. My car is lowered at least 1 and 1/2” in front from stock.

That must've been the size I did manage to come across that was 27" in diameter for a 17, 255/50-17.  I think that'd be ideal for second gens or any other car of the time with the same diameter going from 14-15 to 17, since you wouldn't have to re-calibrate the speedometer and it'd keep the wheel wells filled and everything looking proportionate.  The few second gens I've seen, lowered or not, with the 3rd/4th gen diameter of 25.66" haven't looked right to me.  You'd have to slam the rocker panels into the ground to eliminate the gap and even then...

[GTABill]

Big improvement Bill, looks great! I did similar between last weekend and yesterday. I needed just a door jamb for a job, so I figured I would take the door and replace our back door that is showing its age. Wife decided to pick out something completely different, so we ended up replacing the front door. Of course then we had to change paint colours. So yesterday, we got up early, did a bit of landscaping, painted the mailbox to match the new front door, and started the patchwork on my ta's dash. Then cooked Easter dinner and relaxed. Busy day.

Thank you!  We must have been on the same thought waves because after i was done with the door yesterday, we did a little landscaping as well by installing solar powered LED sidewalk lights we got from Costco a while back.  Then this evening we planted about half of the flowers for the wife's butterfly/hummingbird garden. Last year we had 7 or 8 hummingbirds. This will set me up for a couple of evenings to hopefully wash the GTA to get off all the old wax and polish so I can do some minor paint correction and then start doing the ceramic coating for it.