Nice Looking 1985 on LACL - $3,600
09-05-2010, 11:18 PM
#151
Nordschleife Master
Here is an update...might also cross this over to the great saves thread when I get some more pics...
The rear qtr panels hae been repaired...they were slightly dented and bowed in non-standard ways, probably due to one of the rear impacts the car has seen. I have not put a new rear bumper shock on so the bumper (and rear fog light) are still pushed in, but the dents are gone from both sides and the hood. I will eventually pull the rear qtr lights, fill the holes and repaint both rear qtrs and the front and rear bumper covers and the hood.
The S spoiler is on!
The drivers seat side bolster is repaired! NICELY DONE TOO! I will get shots of that soon.
Need a decent shift lever for the car, put on new windshield wipers and get the rear view mirror glued back on the windshield and we will be quite far along. Still need to figure out what is wrong with the passenger seat but probably won't bother with that for awhile and while the tires have good tread they are OLD...making good progress though!
The rear qtr panels hae been repaired...they were slightly dented and bowed in non-standard ways, probably due to one of the rear impacts the car has seen. I have not put a new rear bumper shock on so the bumper (and rear fog light) are still pushed in, but the dents are gone from both sides and the hood. I will eventually pull the rear qtr lights, fill the holes and repaint both rear qtrs and the front and rear bumper covers and the hood.
The S spoiler is on!
The drivers seat side bolster is repaired! NICELY DONE TOO! I will get shots of that soon.
Need a decent shift lever for the car, put on new windshield wipers and get the rear view mirror glued back on the windshield and we will be quite far along. Still need to figure out what is wrong with the passenger seat but probably won't bother with that for awhile and while the tires have good tread they are OLD...making good progress though!
09-05-2010, 11:41 PM
#152
Chronic Tool Dropper
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James--
Passenger seat problem is the fore-aft switch. As previously mentioned, that seat was in the full-forward position when we picked the car up. I wound it back manually using the manual drive on the front there where the motor sits. Then I pulled the main connector under the seat so it couldn't be accidentally run forward again while I was crawling around in the footwell. The connection is accessible from the rear of the seat underneat, reaching about 2/3 of the way forward and slightly to the right. It's a flat nultipin similar to the main 14-pin in the engine bay, but it has only a few pins used for main seat power.
I had pulled the cover off the switch after remembering reading about a DIY cleaning that someone had done. That same memory said that there are a bunch of little springs and ball-bearings as contacts in that switch. When I pulled it out, it wasn't obvious how it came out so I put it back until I could locate the original instruction. Which I never did. Search was not my friend that day.
Passenger seat problem is the fore-aft switch. As previously mentioned, that seat was in the full-forward position when we picked the car up. I wound it back manually using the manual drive on the front there where the motor sits. Then I pulled the main connector under the seat so it couldn't be accidentally run forward again while I was crawling around in the footwell. The connection is accessible from the rear of the seat underneat, reaching about 2/3 of the way forward and slightly to the right. It's a flat nultipin similar to the main 14-pin in the engine bay, but it has only a few pins used for main seat power.
I had pulled the cover off the switch after remembering reading about a DIY cleaning that someone had done. That same memory said that there are a bunch of little springs and ball-bearings as contacts in that switch. When I pulled it out, it wasn't obvious how it came out so I put it back until I could locate the original instruction. Which I never did. Search was not my friend that day.
09-06-2010, 01:35 AM
#153
Nordschleife Master
Bob,
I remember the seat prob, no worries. Will get that taken care of soon...that the diagnosis is done and it is just a matter of getting it fixed. Should be pretty easy I am guessing...just a part replacement probably...heck maybe taking the switch apart and fixing that could eliminate the need for a new part. Glad it is not the seat motor.
More pics and updates to come!
I remember the seat prob, no worries. Will get that taken care of soon...that the diagnosis is done and it is just a matter of getting it fixed. Should be pretty easy I am guessing...just a part replacement probably...heck maybe taking the switch apart and fixing that could eliminate the need for a new part. Glad it is not the seat motor.
More pics and updates to come!
09-06-2010, 02:10 AM
#156
Nordschleife Master
Oh, it will be in the calendar, you can bet on that! In fact the calendar shot was taken before any of the current repairs.
As to the LP...it is not technically legal in TX, but I have been pulled over SEVERAL times in my '92 GTS that has the EURO tag that reads: "TX 92GTS". I have the REAL plates in the car and mention that when/if the cop asks about the rear tag, but not one of them has given me a ticket or even suggested that I change it out. I mentioned I had the correct tag in the car without being asked by one of the cops and he said, "I don't care." LOL! In most of these cases the only thing they seemed to care about was that I DIDN'T have a front LP on the car! Go figure! I have seen one other car working this same angle (I think it was a BMW) but it is not something you see everyday and I probably wouldn't suggest it on a DD car... My experience has been fine though.
You can have the plates custom made for you too. I think it is GermanLicensePlate.com or something like that. You can order them from Griot's garage too, but they charge a fee for ordering it through them and it probably takes a bit longer too.
As to the LP...it is not technically legal in TX, but I have been pulled over SEVERAL times in my '92 GTS that has the EURO tag that reads: "TX 92GTS". I have the REAL plates in the car and mention that when/if the cop asks about the rear tag, but not one of them has given me a ticket or even suggested that I change it out. I mentioned I had the correct tag in the car without being asked by one of the cops and he said, "I don't care." LOL! In most of these cases the only thing they seemed to care about was that I DIDN'T have a front LP on the car! Go figure! I have seen one other car working this same angle (I think it was a BMW) but it is not something you see everyday and I probably wouldn't suggest it on a DD car... My experience has been fine though.
You can have the plates custom made for you too. I think it is GermanLicensePlate.com or something like that. You can order them from Griot's garage too, but they charge a fee for ordering it through them and it probably takes a bit longer too.
09-06-2010, 12:49 PM
#158
Chronic Tool Dropper
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James--
Looks like excellent results from your PDR guy. Those guys are artists!
I pulled the seat switch out with the seat still in the car, but it was still wired into the seat so it didn't come out too far. It also wasn't obvious how it came apart, and the combination of possible permanent damage to the switch due to ham-fisted repair guy, and the probability of a spring-and-ball-bearing explosion if I did get it apart there, well, I was a little shy that day. By then I as feeling the pressure to just push it over the edge, so spending a lot of time on it was not an option that day.
Looks like excellent results from your PDR guy. Those guys are artists!
I pulled the seat switch out with the seat still in the car, but it was still wired into the seat so it didn't come out too far. It also wasn't obvious how it came apart, and the combination of possible permanent damage to the switch due to ham-fisted repair guy, and the probability of a spring-and-ball-bearing explosion if I did get it apart there, well, I was a little shy that day. By then I as feeling the pressure to just push it over the edge, so spending a lot of time on it was not an option that day.
09-06-2010, 01:52 PM
#159
Nordschleife Master
Bob, right on man. No problem. Hell, I'll probably just get another switch and do it that way...I to remember reading many threads about how taking those switches apart is an act of futility! No worries, you did WAY, WAY more than you ever signed on for or I ever expected, I am indebted to you for your kindness and generosity!
Bronto, I do indeed need a pic (or 100) of the whole school of Sharks... Might need a large format camera to get them all in though! LOL! What IS the best way to arrange 8 cars to get a good pic of them?! LOL!
Bronto, I do indeed need a pic (or 100) of the whole school of Sharks... Might need a large format camera to get them all in though! LOL! What IS the best way to arrange 8 cars to get a good pic of them?! LOL!
09-06-2010, 04:16 PM
#161
Chronic Tool Dropper
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James--
The switch does come apart, and it does fix easily. For a first-timer though I think I would do it in a plastic bag to catch all the little ballistic bits as they exit. A new switch is costly enough to make at least an attempt at disassembly worthwhile, at least in my frugally-budgeted garage.
For the pictures--
Photoshop and even some of the "light" versions offer an option to automatically 'link' individual frames into a panorama. A good panning tripod is a must, and you really need to lock all the camera settings so color and exposure correction don't make the individual frames look different from each other. Once you get the frames linked, you can clean and crop as needed to get the view you want. You can pose your cars and models in each frame rather than trying to get everyone to flash perfectly at the same time.
The switch does come apart, and it does fix easily. For a first-timer though I think I would do it in a plastic bag to catch all the little ballistic bits as they exit. A new switch is costly enough to make at least an attempt at disassembly worthwhile, at least in my frugally-budgeted garage.
For the pictures--
Photoshop and even some of the "light" versions offer an option to automatically 'link' individual frames into a panorama. A good panning tripod is a must, and you really need to lock all the camera settings so color and exposure correction don't make the individual frames look different from each other. Once you get the frames linked, you can clean and crop as needed to get the view you want. You can pose your cars and models in each frame rather than trying to get everyone to flash perfectly at the same time.
09-06-2010, 05:25 PM
#162
Nordschleife Master
Bob,
I like the take it apart in a plastic bag idea! I have taken $hit apart like that before...you NEVER find all the crap that goes flying! LOL!
Like the linking of pics idea too! That is a good thought.
I like the take it apart in a plastic bag idea! I have taken $hit apart like that before...you NEVER find all the crap that goes flying! LOL!
Like the linking of pics idea too! That is a good thought.
09-08-2010, 09:04 PM
#165
Nordschleife Master
Well, here we have it...
The LP is in place...
The dent on the hood is taken care of...(the scratch is still there of course, but it will take paint to fix that)
The dents in both rear fenders are fixed but they each will both need paint at some point...when I remove those nasty add on rear qtr lights.
Front spoiler (a used one that was repaired) is in place as well! I figure paint will be a good ways off so might as well put it on!
The drivers seat is fixed and looking good too! YEE HA!
New plug wires this weekend, as well as kick down switch getting put back in the right place and maybe some trim bits reglued and the car will be very good for the time being. If I can land a good new job I'll do the paint (as well as trans on the S4 and suspension stuff on the '84 S and ALL cars will be well!)
Hope you guys enjoy this save as much as I am!
The LP is in place...
The dent on the hood is taken care of...(the scratch is still there of course, but it will take paint to fix that)
The dents in both rear fenders are fixed but they each will both need paint at some point...when I remove those nasty add on rear qtr lights.
Front spoiler (a used one that was repaired) is in place as well! I figure paint will be a good ways off so might as well put it on!
The drivers seat is fixed and looking good too! YEE HA!
New plug wires this weekend, as well as kick down switch getting put back in the right place and maybe some trim bits reglued and the car will be very good for the time being. If I can land a good new job I'll do the paint (as well as trans on the S4 and suspension stuff on the '84 S and ALL cars will be well!)
Hope you guys enjoy this save as much as I am!