The 1988 GTA - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

L695speed · 07-11-2012, 12:42 AM

As some of you may know, I bought Matt's (88WS-6) 88 GTA. Koni Yellows, Eibach springs, LS1 driveshaft, 3.70 9 bolt rear, Polys, just about rust free and very straight save for a minor dent in the passenger quarter. L98, hardtop, cloth interior, analog gauges. Only problem it had a knock in the bottom end.

Dragged it up to Sussex County where I bolted down the seats with some spare hardware I had laying around...yes it was missing two nuts on each front seat...vacuumed out the interior and found a cassette of love songs in the tape deck.... Yanked the motor out, found the main bearings were destroyed, rod bearings were normal wear and tear, but the cam bearings and cam were in the same shape as the crank and mains. Destroyed.

Eagle cast crank, rebuild kit and an LT1 cam (Thanks to green92formula for that) later I'm almost done with it and just about ready to go back in the car. I'm thinking this car will be a stepping stone between my 84 in stock configuration and my 84 as it will be done when I finish that project. I will certainly get an idea of how it will handle thanks to the suspensions being nearly identical.

Perhaps this weekend if all goes well I'll have it on the street. Pics to follow. Since this was a quick rebuild, and the top half was very clean I left the heads alone save for cleaning them up. I'll do them eventually if needed.

88WS-6 · 07-11-2012, 06:31 AM

That was the original owner's cassette tape that was in the stereo when I bought it.

Did you get the motor punched out at all? No stroker kit? Will the stock L98 heads handle the LT1 cam lift? Don't forget that it has a 3000 stall TC so double check that cam range.

greenformula92 · 07-11-2012, 08:28 AM

the L98 heads should be able to handle that cam. It's not very big. I am glad to see you are making use of one of those cams i gave you

1320B4U · 07-11-2012, 09:29 AM

Post some pics you crazy kid.....2 3rd gens is 3 too many...or something like that.

L695speed · 07-11-2012, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1320B4U

Post some pics you crazy kid.....2 3rd gens is 3 too many...or something like that.

So says the guy who has two third gens lol.

Better Dave? lol. The 84 is in the garage behind it.

Matt, I thought of getting it punched out, but when I talked to the machinist he said the block was so good (Just full of crap from the bearings) that there was really no need for machine work. Besides talking to a couple of friends who hang around at the strip, they say had you run the car and it was running good, you probably would have run a mid 13 with the gears and stall. And the rule of thumb with adding power is you'd have to upgrade everything behind it, I didn't want to turn this into a bigger project than I had to. Besides you had several vacuum leaks as well due to rotting gaskets in the throttle body and rotting vacuum hoses. So there may have been some performance left on the table.

As Greenformula92 said, the LT1 cam isn't that much different than the L98 so I should be alright there. I've heard rumors of 35 horses in that cam swap...yeah right with other work maybe but I know I will get something out of it. I didn't want to go too crazy with this one. The 84 is the wild child. Only thing I may do is paint the motor Poncho Blue.....

88WS-6 · 07-11-2012, 01:56 PM

Original owner claimed it ran 12.9s but I always chalked it up to bs. I would have been happy with low 14s had I made it down the track.

Anti_Rice_Guy · 07-11-2012, 02:18 PM

Glad to see this clean third gen isn't going to waste!

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88WS-6

Original owner claimed it ran 12.9s but I always chalked it up to bs. I would have been happy with low 14s had I made it down the track.

You mean had we not suggested that you take a car that sounds like a ticking time bomb down the track

88WS-6 · 07-11-2012, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti_Rice_Guy

You mean had we not suggested that you take a car that sounds like a ticking time bomb down the track

Suggested? It was more like, "don't you want to drive it home later?" and, "don't blow it up and ruin the track for everyone else."

92REDBIRD · 07-11-2012, 03:41 PM

Blowing up a car at the track isn't to bad......

L695speed · 07-11-2012, 05:17 PM

Well as they say, "build it, blow it up, rebuild it, repeat" lol. It was a good thing I decided to trailer it as opposed to throwing it back together and try running it up to where I'm at. I don't think the bottom end would have lasted that long.... Its already faster than stock, thats for sure....

L695speed · 07-11-2012, 08:49 PM

Valves are adjusted, intake is on, hell the whole top of the motor save for the runners and throttle body, fuel rail is done.

Gotta get a standard volume oil pump (the high volume ones seem to be too much trouble) torque the rods then the pan goes back on and it goes in the car. I've done everything by the book, so if something goes wrong its because of lack of practice...

L695speed · 07-14-2012, 04:10 PM

Engine is just about done save for passenger side exhaust manifold. Stud snapped, gotta do that. Or I could just bolt it in, and drive around on open exhaust but thats just obnoxious. Not that I haven't done it. Its stupid BS stuff left. thermostat housing, smog pump pulley, flywheel (when it goes in the car) dipstick tube, stuff like that. But its otherwise done.

88WS-6 · 07-16-2012, 06:59 AM

Nice. I want a start up video.

greenformula92 · 07-16-2012, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88WS-6

Nice. I want a start up video.

I 2nd that motion

L695speed · 07-16-2012, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenformula92

I 2nd that motion

I'll see if I can get one, will have to borrow the bro's camera for that. Having the studs replaced today, gonna work on the broken eyelets for the grounds that bolt to the driver's side head, replace several vacuum lines, I'll see about getting the motor in the car in the next day or two. As much as I hate automatics....I have to admit, they're much easier to line up and install engines into LOL!

L695speed · 07-16-2012, 08:44 PM

its official, tomorrow its going back in. I've got nothing left to do on the stand. Gonna set it at TDC so I know where I am at for the distributor, throw the plugs in, wires, and oil filter, then in it goes.

88WS-6 · 07-17-2012, 06:27 AM

Sweet

L695speed · 07-17-2012, 03:31 PM

Its in.......

L695speed · 07-17-2012, 08:21 PM

Hood is back on, just about half the wiring is in, damn I'm cruising....

L695speed · 07-19-2012, 01:37 PM

Well the weather has pretty much halted what was steady progress. I was hoping to have it back on the ground yesterday, we had every severe storm hit us. And today its on and off rain with the ground soaking wet. If I can get the last two trans bolts down low tight, torque up the mount bolts, do the exhaust and tighten the starter it can come off the stands.....all I need is a couple hours of DRY weather.

L695speed · 07-21-2012, 09:42 PM

Its on the ground......rail and injectors are in. All thats left is the penluem, runners, distributor, wires, valve covers, belt, fans and cross fingers. Make sure everything is tight too. I couldn't get the passenger exhaust on. I guess the studs were not lined up right. Top two trans bolts were not playing ball either. I'll have the local mechanic do that once I have it running, also have him make sure the other 4 are tight as they should be. some stuff is easier on a lift.....

The Fixer · 07-22-2012, 07:53 AM

Here's something to try for the top two trans bolts. Drop the crossmember and angle the trans down a bit (put the jack under the trans mount), and if you go back by the tailshaft you should be able to see the bolts clearly. Then use about 24" of extensions and you should be able to reach them from there. I've never had access to a lift, and this was the way we we were able to get the trans in and out of the Monte several times.

deadtrend1 · 07-22-2012, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TPI Monte SS

Here's something to try for the top two trans bolts. Drop the crossmember and angle the trans down a bit (put the jack under the trans mount), and if you go back by the tailshaft you should be able to see the bolts clearly. Then use about 24" of extensions and you should be able to reach them from there. I've never had access to a lift, and this was the way we we were able to get the trans in and out of the Monte several times.

This usually works, but i also normally pull the distributor first.

L695speed · 07-22-2012, 12:18 PM

Steve and Deadtrend, I need to get them back in, bottom four are in and tight as I can get them. People have told me to avoid dropping the crossmember on the older cars because it can lead to broken bolts and more pain in the ass work that doesn't need to be done. I can get at them from the top, but they won't start threading in. I'm gonna keep going because I want to know if the motor will run and won't leak and all that crap. I don't want to waste days trying to get those bolts in to no avail. If it runs then I'll get them in or have them put in.

L695speed · 07-23-2012, 07:49 PM

Well its just about ready to fire. Gotta get the wires on, EGR hose hooked up, fluids in, make sure everything is tight, crank it over without the fuel relay in place, then plug it in and cross my fingers.

On another note, if anyone has a upper radiator shroud for a dual fan setup I'll take it. Upper hole where the passenger fan attaches to the shroud is cracked and fan is hanging free. Thats like the only thing I need.