"Bandit" (2bandit)
09/17/2013 at 19:03 • Filed to: Blue, blue turd
0
23|
"Bandit" (2bandit)
09/17/2013 at 19:03 • Filed to: Blue, blue turd | 0
| 23 |
Does anybody have any quick cosmetic tips? It has some pretty bad scratches on the hood, the black trim is fading quite badly, there is rust starting near the wheel arches, and the steering wheel has degraded terribly. We plan on sanding the rust off the bottom 8 inches of body (right under the body line), shave the blazer badges, and plastidip/undercoat that part of the body. More pics of car and damage after gap.
Also the transmission has a problem shifting from 3rd to 4th under moderate-heave acceleration, I have to lift off the gas for it to shift. Would new trans oil and filter help? It looks like a 4L60 (or whatever the electronic version of the 700r4 is). The PO said the car has new brakes but the ABS light on the dash is still on. The V6 is a dog, it takes forever to get up to 50 mph.
How cool would it be if I put gold trans am wheels on the truck? They fit!
All in all, not bad for 2k.
I want to keep things cheap. I do have a random orbital buffer (not the kind that looks like a grinder), but I have never used it before. For some reason, the truck has had a respray before (original color).
One speaker is out in the back of the car, there are squeeks in all the typical places. One thing that annoys me though is a clicking noise from the passenger side of the dash that is in sync with the turn signal clicking but occurs when the turn signals are off. Ideas?
The nasty steering wheel. Oh, the truck has been named Blue.
I shall use this truck for DD dutys until Emma is done being restored. It will also be used as a snow car, no way will I want to take Emma out in the snow after all the body work that will be done.
ddavidn
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 19:05 |
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Step 1: wrap wheel in perforated leather.
Step 2: Relax, and move on to all that unimportant stuff...
The Swedish Bandit
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 19:11 |
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New oil and filter might help...
But on to the good stuff! I'd say leave the body alone and get some 36' tires. Proceed to go mud bugging and never wash it after that. Absolutely no one will notice any of the shortcomings of the body!
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Bandit
> The Swedish Bandit
09/17/2013 at 19:12 |
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It's only RWD :(
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The Swedish Bandit
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 19:18 |
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Well uhh in that case then... I here they make for a great hot rod chassis to build on.
offroadkarter
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 19:33 |
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put a brazilian front end on it
or a russian front
or an indonesian front
or make it an opel!
BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 19:39 |
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A Trans Am and a truck? The only way it could be more American is if it was a pickup.
I approve.
I also approve of the cheap car with issues method of automotive purchasing. Much more interesting than buying something that works right out of the box.
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Bandit
> BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/17/2013 at 19:42 |
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I didn't buy this one. My parents bought this car and are letting me DD the thing as much as I want (as long as I pay for gas). When my brother gets a license, he will buy the truck from my parents. I am paying for every single bit of the trans am with my own money (parts, gas, paint, etc).
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Bandit
> BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
09/17/2013 at 19:45 |
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The car is 13 years old, I expect it to have faults. It has a working stereo and air con which is more than my Trans Am has.
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BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 19:47 |
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"The car is 13 years old, I expect it to have faults"
It's a good attitude to have. I know a fair few people that just don't understand this.
ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 19:49 |
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Why do you care how it looks? It's a beater truck, which by definition is supposed to look hideous.
Aside from the preventative rust-proofing, I would leave it the hell alone, never wash it, and deal with making the interior livable. A beater need not give the driver diseases.
I'd try some Simple Green and a heavy rag on the steering wheel. Then bleach, lots of it. Then wrap it in something less icky.
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Bandit
> ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
09/17/2013 at 19:53 |
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Because it is still nice enough I should care. If it were older and in slightly worse shape I would say screw it and not care about it at all.
CTSenVy
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 21:50 |
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I've got a Chevy s-10 with a 4 banger. I know I have to change my transmission oil and filter about every 40,000 to 50,000 or else it jerks when shifting gears. I would say getting those change would be a good first step.
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Bandit
> CTSenVy
09/17/2013 at 22:40 |
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Thanks for the info! BTW, your comments on Oppo posts should now show up as black you are no longer relegated to the grey pending area.
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CTSenVy
> Bandit
09/17/2013 at 22:45 |
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Cool, Thanks!
boostbeef
> Bandit
09/18/2013 at 00:13 |
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I know with the 4.3 the main things to look out for motor wise is a leaking intake manifold gasket and the whole fuel injection spider setup. Other than that, the motor is pretty stout and there are several things you can do to pep it up a bit.
As for the transmission, the 4L60E's are prone to breaking. My dad's on his 3rd rebuild of his fullsize (220,000+ miles though). One thing I did for my S10 is swapped in a corvette transmission servo. Supercheap and easy to do, doesn't make the shifts jerky like a shift kit, just firms the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts up real nice.
http://www.oregonperformancetransmission.com/mm5/merchant.m…
Lowering these trucks is easy too. a pair of 2" drop springs and 3" blocks would set it off nice. You can find a 33mm sway bar off a 4-door model for the front (it may already have it). With it being a '00, I believe you have the dual piston front brakes, they make a huge difference stopping wise. Here's a pic of a friend of mines I ran at an autocross one time (long story behind that, lol) Those are the 16" ZQ8 wheels on it btw.
Bruno Martini
> Bandit
09/18/2013 at 11:39 |
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The wheel is a typical gm wheel from the late 90's to today. Its made of crap rubber and the sun and the oils in your hands will degrade it. However if you have access to a junkyard there is a leather warpped version of that wheel that came in astros/gmcsafari/express vans/ and im sure there are more out there. Just visit a junk yard and grab one for 20bux. The leather is not real, but it will last much longer than rubber. Alternatively get a leather wheel cover from e-bay. Those run between 20-50bux. As for the engine I assume its the old workhorse 4300? You cant kill those engines, just replace cap/wires/plugs and drive it.
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Bandit
> boostbeef
09/18/2013 at 16:28 |
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Thanks a bunch for all the info!
Goshen, formerly Darkcode
> offroadkarter
09/18/2013 at 16:54 |
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Opel? That car was sold in European markets as a Chevy, why would they badge it as an Opel?
MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> Bandit
09/18/2013 at 16:57 |
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Slow and steady this one with the 4.3L in 2wd. For the wheel, I know there was a "leather" wrapped one in my 2004 blazer. Might be a direct replacement for you from a junk yard.
The rust is actually fantastic for this year, but obviously showing in the typical Blazer spots.
I say put on the Trans Am wheels, just for the fun of it. I have no info on the other stuff. Good luck, only trouble I had with my 4.3L Vortec was Oxygen sensors. But I sold it at 100k miles.
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offroadkarter
> Goshen, formerly Darkcode
09/18/2013 at 17:05 |
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because GM badge engineering!
Takuro Spirit
> Bandit
09/18/2013 at 17:44 |
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It's probably a fault in the multifunction GM stick of death. My Silverado has the same issue, it would click or buzz annoyingly until I wiggled the stick just right.
Try a fluid and filter change for the trans, but it might do more harm than good. Is the fluid full? Red? Smells like nom nom?
Also sounds like the engine needs a tune up. They aren't supposed to be that doggy. Hopefully it's firing on all 6, as injection spiders are known to fail.
BUT, if both the trans and motor are bad, you can always V8 swap it!
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Bandit
> Takuro Spirit
09/18/2013 at 18:23 |
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Thanks for the input. I happen to have a spare 350/350 combo lying around that I know runs...
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Bandit
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
09/18/2013 at 18:24 |
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Thanks for the idea!