Restoring the SSEi: F40 swap, HIDs, and a HY35 turbo.

[99BonnevilleSE]

Wow, that looks amazing! Will you take customers? Lol.

[redmetrix]

Progress looks good. I found it ironic that a red 1986 LeSabre was just listed in my area:

http://appleton.craigslist.org/cto/3201706624.html

[99BonnevilleSE]

Progress looks good. I found it ironic that a red 1986 LeSabre was just listed in my area:

http://appleton.craigslist.org/cto/3201706624.html

2 Door H-Body=<3

[MattStrike]

Progress looks good. I found it ironic that a red 1986 LeSabre was just listed in my area:

http://appleton.craigslist.org/cto/3201706624.html

&@^%#@ Do want!!!!

*checks wallet*






Did some more work n' stuff today. Found out there was hidden rot under the drivers side front floor panel corner, had to cut out a large amount of good metal just to get to it. I got the rear seat floor pan lined, started on the trunk. I do have to replace one rear control arm - it's too far gone to salvage. Worked on the subframe mounts a little, got good lower washers and bolts but somebody beat me to the yard so no uppers at all, seriously 28 H-body's all with the sub-frames hanging by a single bolt, what I got were the 'leftovers' from the ground. So, looks like I'm going to have to buy the upper washers new (x4) and the retainers (x4). Not sure which is more cost effective, $80 in polyurethane casting compound or $75 for a set of S-10 poly mounts.

While we were there, there was a guy trying to pull heads off a 3100 with a 3/8 ratchet and 12-point sockets... I ended up breaking the head bolts for him, he'd been there 5 hours, but who goes to a u-pull-it without the proper tools?

I can't find any nice, dark metallic purple paint (think later model Firebirds). I'm sure the internet can help, but you know.

[MattStrike]

but I just found out from the collision shop (who are getting the quote for my $500 plpd thing) that my LeSabre was worth $3200 . They are also looking into the compatibility with the frame on later model cars for me. It reminds me, of one of the firemen that was at the scene, asking me if my car really was supercharged..."Well, it was"..."That really sucks, "...

They guy at the shop was thoroughly confused about what year my car was; something about a supercharged 3.8, the gauge cluster and front suspension . He didn't believe it was an '86 until he had the VIN. He'll have the quote ready in a few days...

[ga93sle]

$3200? Wow! That's literally twice what I got for my car! lol

[MattStrike]

So, anybody that doesn't live where they salt the roads (I don't really want to spend $20 each for upper spacers for the four rearward mounts for this subframe), wanna do a junkyard run?

I going to get some stainless steel nuts instead of the retainers, does anybody know what thread the bolts are?

---> This guy didn't plan his week for obtaining parts very well... Left the bolts in the car yesterday

[devin1986]

Too bad on that 2 door. I looked up appleton only to see it's on the other side of the state.

[MattStrike]

Call me crazy, but is seems that polyurethane adhesives are able to be purchased in varying degrees of hardness - from 50 Shore A to 80 Shore D. Of course, the shore hardness isn't spelled out on most, but the black stuff used for roofing (that I used to re-seal the seams on this build) is very similar to the windshield polyurethane adhesive, which is 50-60 Shore A. Each tube ($5) should have enough to make 1.5 sets of bushings (still verifying that - have to model the bushings to calculate the volume. I could do it by hand, but I need practice solid modeling). Factor in the cost to make plaster of paris molds, mold release, and I could make a test set for about $35. Beats $80 for casting resin, beats $140 for S-10 mounts (2 sets needed).

I might try to make my own upper spacers, if I can do it cheap enough.

[repinS]

Hockey pucks are approximately 80 to 94 Shore A, if that brings any relativity to things.

I used 60A for my trans mount.

[MattStrike]

I got rained out this afternoon. Lotta progress, and pics to come

[nos4blood70]

Can't wait. That thing is looking very good.

[MattStrike]

Here are some more pics. I got rained on, didn't have a chance to finish up. I left the hole in the floor pan so I have an access to the subframe mount retainer, I want to put an access door in on each side yet. It has not been sealed (stitching the metal is faster than continuous welds), and needs to be sprayed with bed-liner. Not sure yet what to do about the other hole, I assume it is left in for assembly purposes, and a cover is glued in after to close it out before they install the insulation and carpet.


Under the hood, drivers side. All cleaned up and pretty again. Still needs to be sealed (polyurethane roof adhesive) and undercoated. The white spot is a rain drop on the camera lens.


The front body corner. Both inner and outer metal needed to be replaced here (my hidden rot find). There is a fore/aft support behind the rocker panel that I didn't see was rotted as well. It has not been undercoated yet.


The metal I picked up for the rocker panel is too thick. Rather than continue to fight with it, I'm going to get something thinner for this, but it was perfect for the support. You can see the stitching I did to the support behind the rocker panel. See if you can find my mechanic kitten! She's my fire-watch


I tested out my polyurethane casting idea using adhesives. I used a plaster of Paris mold, sealed with shellac. Lightly greased for a release agent, and fill with poly. It's a lot of work, and despite the results I don't have time to make 11 more. The roofing adhesive is too soft, but if you use a steel support (similar to the nylon piece in the lower and steel in the upper) the loctite premium construction adhesive could work. Instead, I'm going to use hockey pucks! $10 for the set of 12 at a local hockey arena. I'll get pictures of the setup once I get to it, but suffice to say it should be a lot, well, better than oem . I have to see how tight the puck fits into a piece of 3" exhaust pipe, there's not a lot of compression available on them to make them squeeze into the mounts.

[nos4blood70]

Woah! Nice work Matt! Looking great.

[MattStrike]

I have a nice, busy 9-day weekend planned to work on this project. I'll try to post updates on my progress, but I expect to put solid 10 hour days in. I should be able to finish welding everything and mount the subframe by Sunday, hit up the junkyard for 1/2 off on Monday, get the L67 out of the LeSabre and ready for install Tuesday (I'm going to try to repair the headers, needs a new starter), get everything wired/plumbed in by Thursday, finish the interior and get plates on Friday, get the hood fabrication and other misc body work done on Saturday, and take it for it's maiden voyage on Sunday.

We'll see how well this works out, there is plenty of opportunity for snags along the way. Also hoping for something unique to occur during the repairs that will lead to me giving the car a better name.

[Squilliam]

I'll be watching this thread. When I do the swap on my 95, I'll be G.I.'ing the rest of the car to get it ready for salt season. Looks great though! Keep her up!

[MattStrike]

Got my drivers side rocker panel and the front corner of the body finished. It needs to be sealed, and new holes and clips installed to retain the molding.

Looks like I'm on schedule. Tomorrow I get to tackle the passenger front side. The one rear subframe mount is fine, but the other needs new metal, and I need to weld a piece into the floor pan, end of the rocker panel, and body in that area. Then I'll clean and repair the subframe and mount it on the three mounts that survived, drill out the holes for the other three, install new retainers. If all goes well, I may even have time to get the front of the car back on the ground!

I got most of my 'core' parts ready for Monday's junkyard run too.

[ga93sle]

I'm loving watching this thread! It's exciting to see one getting brought back to life, the fact that it's my favorite year and color helps, too

[MattStrike]

Been very busy, decided to check in before I hit the junkyard.

I've got the rear suspension removed, finished repairing the subframe but need to get to a lathe to finish the mounts, removed 3 sets of brakes lines (for each wheel) and one of those 'repairs' was pieced together from 9 individual sections of brake line. The engine bay is all cleaned up and done.

Other than the snag with the subframe mounts, and having to cut out the rear control arm, things have been progressing very well.

[MattStrike]

My junkyard run was kind of a bust. No good struts, no gas tank/filler tube/sending unit, no '92-'93 h-bodys at all so no firewall pass-through (for L67 adapter) no multifunction switch. I did get a new starter, headlights and side markers, dash bezel, control arm (there has to be a better way than a mini-sledge!), and an antenna. I wasn't able to get any parts for the SE either.

So, while I wait for the fuel tank/parts and struts to come in the mail (going to give the Monroe-matic plus struts a try), I am working on painting the wheels and devising a plot to remove the L67 from the LeSabre without removing the subframe/wheels so I can still drag it around. I've got new brake lines, '98 rear brakes and wheel bearings that originally were meant for the LeSabre (no '00+ in the yard either to get calipers from). I have to get the interior carpets cleaned, seats cleaned, etc. And I have to find my magic green tub of electrical wires and connectors so I can have cruise control, evap, and neutral safety switch. I'll be running new speaker wires to the rear deck, and (eventually) upgrading them.

There is a wiring harness that runs between the rear strut towers, it looks like it has the speaker wires in it plus a few others, it was cut off and I didn't find anything in the junkyard that was similar to identify what those extra wires are for. Anybody know what these are for? I'll get some more photos up tonight, after I pick up a lathe and make some subframe mounts.