Today I... "Redux Edition"

[ryeguy2006a]

Great car and great color! That will be a car that appreciates in value over the next 10 years for sure. Nice find.

Ryan,
 I may be asking you a lot of LS questions in the future, since you seem to be the TAC LS expert,😊

Jim

Jim, fire away haha. But I'll say when you do cut the cowl for the LSA Supercharger, you loose the windshield wipers. It's only a small cut though...18"x6"x3" out of the cowl. 

[Casey]

Continental ECS are great tires if you're only driving when it's above freezing, which I assume will be the case.

[737driver]

Great car and great color! That will be a car that appreciates in value over the next 10 years for sure. Nice find.

Ryan,
 I may be asking you a lot of LS questions in the future, since you seem to be the TAC LS expert,😊

Jim

Jim, fire away haha. But I'll say when you do cut the cowl for the LSA Supercharger, you loose the windshield wipers. It's only a small cut though...18"x6"x3" out of the cowl. 

Not that I will do it anytime sooner or later, but do you know what things I would have to consider if I swapped the LS1 with a LS3?
Jim

[737driver]

Continental ECS are great tires if you're only driving when it's above freezing, which I assume will be the case.

I have been looking at different tires, I will probably go with something all season, even though it’s usually above freezing in LV. Really looking for good combinations of ride quality and performance.
Jim

[Casey]

I have been looking at different tires, I will probably go with something all season, even though it’s usually above freezing in LV. Really looking for good combinations of ride quality and performance.
Jim

Continental DWS are a great performance all season, BFGoodrich Comp A/S are also good if they're still available.

[Casey]

If these Dunlop DZ102 ever wear down I was planning on going to Continental DWS, but no they're holding out just as long and annoyingly as Covid.

[ryeguy2006a]

Not that I will do it anytime sooner or later, but do you know what things I would have to consider if I swapped the LS1 with a LS3?
Jim

Physically it's a direct swap since the motor would be a direct swap for oil pan, headers, and etc. Electronically they are much different. LS1 uses a 24x crank and 1x cam sensors, where the LS3 (Gen4 motors) use 58x and 4x sensors. Another difference is that the LS3 uses a DBW throttle body vs the DBC LS1. There are a few ways to address these differences. You can either have a 24x crank sensor installed on the LS3 crank which requires you remove the crank, remove the 58x ring, install the 24x and reinstall the crank. You could either have a machine shop do it, or Goodson sells a jig to reinstall. Lingenfelter makes an electronic 58x to 24x conversion box that will allow your LS1 ECU to read.

For the cam sensor, you'd need to get a 3 bolt cam and run a 3 bolt 1x cam wheel with the LS3's front mounted cam sensor. You also need to flip the A and C terminals since they read differently.

[FormTA]

Good info Ryan! I always wondered this especially if I need to replace my LS1 in my TA.

[ryeguy2006a]

Luke, in your case I would suggest going with a Terminator X Max ECU. More up front, but you can run any combination of cam/crank signals and it will work. Plus in a swap application it is very adaptable and more intuitive than the stock ECU's.

[Vroom_vroom]

I have been looking at different tires, I will probably go with something all season, even though it’s usually above freezing in LV. Really looking for good combinations of ride quality and performance.
Jim

Continental DWS are a great performance all season, BFGoodrich Comp A/S are also good if they're still available.

the a/s where like driving on rocks when i had them on my cts-v. fought a long list of random issues from having them. all went away when i got back to the regular sport comps.

[Casey]

Were they new?  The Shinsen Miata had new Comp A/S and they were great, better than the Dunlop "summer" tires I have now.

[Nexus]

To day I had hoped to break free of the COVID hold but alas, still positive. Shizu and I have been sick all week with the vid. She tested negative at least yesterday or the day before, but I'm still positive.

What a way to start for opening week of the dojo. We will prevail and people love us so things are getting done and moving along nicely as we already have 25 registered, students in the first week!

Time to plane for the slow months!!

[Jack]

You might test positive for few month but that does not mean you have to isolate... if you are symptoms free just wait 5 days and you should be good to go.

[72projectbird]

Rescued another Trans Am yesterday. It's a numbers matching 78 SE. Was sitting in a wrecking yard here in MA. The 2nd pic is next to a 77 SE W72 I found in Maine over the winter. I guess things come in pairs.

What's cool is they're both 3rd week of January builds, both from Norwood, and both had their gold pinstriping hand painted on. What are the odds? Separated by exactly one year in age.

[FormTA]

That is really cool. Wish I could find em like that!

[Nexus]

That is really cool. Wish I could find em like that!

Me Too!!

[Jack]

Rescued another Trans Am yesterday. It's a numbers matching 78 SE. Was sitting in a wrecking yard here in MA. The 2nd pic is next to a 77 SE W72 I found in Maine over the winter. I guess things come in pairs.

What's cool is they're both 3rd week of January builds, both from Norwood, and both had their gold pinstriping hand painted on. What are the odds? Separated by exactly one year in age.

I really don't know how you find all of these cars, I'm also constantly looking on Craigslist and marketplace but the only thing I see is over priced junk.

[roadking77]

That one you just found looks to be totaled with all of that front end damage  I will do you a favor and take it off your hands.

[72projectbird]

Rescued another Trans Am yesterday. It's a numbers matching 78 SE. Was sitting in a wrecking yard here in MA. The 2nd pic is next to a 77 SE W72 I found in Maine over the winter. I guess things come in pairs.

What's cool is they're both 3rd week of January builds, both from Norwood, and both had their gold pinstriping hand painted on. What are the odds? Separated by exactly one year in age.

I really don't know how you find all of these cars, I'm also constantly looking on Craigslist and marketplace but the only thing I see is over priced junk.

Constant searching, and some luck certainly helps! This one was just listed 30min ago when I found it. Got in touch with him and off to Upton MA I went.

For a place with up in its name, it certainly is south west for me. 

[79GoldnTan]

So...today, this evening, we got our power back, went out Monday nite, April snowstorm, not uncommon here, is our infrastructure that bad?

[Nexus]

Wow, took that long eh?

This past winter our hydro went out often. Thankfully we are able to hook up the generator to keep some of the appliances going.

Are able to do the same thing to keep you going until the hydro did come back?

[scarebird]

So...today, this evening, we got our power back, went out Monday nite, April snowstorm, not uncommon here, is our infrastructure that bad?

Sadly yes, this is what happens after 4 decades of trickle down economics.

[Vroom_vroom]

Were they new?  The Shinsen Miata had new Comp A/S and they were great, better than the Dunlop "summer" tires I have now.

yup, i still have the receipts unfortunately its just a hard tire, traction out here sucks however ( im sure 737 can back that up) the road compound they use is very different from the east coast roads. getting anything with hp to hook is a challenge, im about to run a set of mickey et streets. having said that id also love to know what my motor is actually putting out. when i put it on the dyno almost all of my lifters where seized up  and it still made an incredible amount of torque. 

[79GoldnTan]

Guess my earlier post didn't make it. Yes we have a generator but doesn't help with phone and internet. I'm a hands on contractor and most of my work is from out of town people. E mail is tops for them. Cell service is iffy here so a lot of my contact with clients is e mail. Never thought I would say this but I can live without power but when internet go's out I get stressed.  Anyway, calling for 70 tomorrow,  may bust the TA out for 1st ride of the year!

[Casey]

So, this happened:

[5th T/A]

Casey,

Looks to be in great company, there has to be a story to go along with it?

[Casey]

Casey,

Looks to be in great company, there has to be a story to go along with it?

Fiancée's new-to-her car, sold the MX-3 to get it yesterday.  It's a '90 A-package with 126K miles, only paid $2K for it.  It needs love here and there, but it is solid and rust free.  The biggest thing is it needs tires and a top, but I'm going to patch the top up tomorrow to hold her over.  Looking for tires now, but seems to be another shortage.

[roadking77]

I dont know those cars but from the outside it seems like a decent price. I remember when a car hit 60k miles it was deemed over the hill and time to trade in. Now, with 100k its just getting broke in.

[ryeguy2006a]

Sweet rides!

[Casey]

I dont know those cars but from the outside it seems like a decent price. I remember when a car hit 60k miles it was deemed over the hill and time to trade in. Now, with 100k its just getting broke in.

Sadly in this current market it was a steal, most roached out Miatas are selling for twice as much these days... and something like my car goes for like $10K now.  The days of cheap Miata fun are over sadly.

Sweet rides!

Thanks!  She wants to LS swap it, of course.  Maybe way down the road.

[ryeguy2006a]

Thanks!  She wants to LS swap it, of course.  Maybe way down the road.

LS swaps are old news haha Tesla swaps are all the rage now. 

[Casey]

Thanks!  She wants to LS swap it, of course.  Maybe way down the road.

LS swaps are old news haha Tesla swaps are all the rage now. 

Someone LS swaped a Tesla, don't lie to me.

[FormTA]

I dont know those cars but from the outside it seems like a decent price. I remember when a car hit 60k miles it was deemed over the hill and time to trade in. Now, with 100k its just getting broke in.

Heck, any car under 5k that runs well is a great deal nowadays.

[Nexus]

Nice addition Casey!!
the LS swap will be an interesting read if you get to that point some day!

[ryeguy2006a]

Today... I sold my Camaro. Bittersweet moment, but with my family looking to relocate down south, this will help get us there much easier. I'll get another project someday, but I'll be sure to stick around here. 

[5th T/A]

Congratulations Ryan,

I enjoyed in-depth reports on your Camaro and learned a lot. For almost 40 years I was pretty much out of the car hobby because of more important priorities like family and work. Something tells me we will see another interesting project from you once things have settled down.

[Casey]

Today... I sold my Camaro. Bittersweet moment, but with my family looking to relocate down south, this will help get us there much easier. I'll get another project someday, but I'll be sure to stick around here. 

I was wondering about that since I remember you put it onto BAT.

You can come help LS swap the Miata, then you get the project without the associated costs.

[ryeguy2006a]

I was dealing with the high bidder on BaT until he flaked out on me. It was a good experience, but I think my car was too modified for that crowd. Maybe if I had more stock appearing wheels it would have done better. At this point, it's anyone's guess.

I love spending other people's money! Let me know when you get the parts and I'll be happy to help!

5th T/A, Thanks for the compliments and you are right about the project. I'm sure that I'll get something at some point once things settle down, but my main priority is getting relocated. We have to get my oldest son through 1st grade, then we can figure out what our next steps are.

[mrbandit]

When you say down south, where exactly? 

[ryeguy2006a]

Well being in NY Mike pretty much everything is south haha. My wife and I are targeting Virginia. Either Charlottesville or Richmond. Hopefully we'll know soon and I can have a post about that soon.