awilli6

Began disconnecting items to try and bring my 87 back to life after a car-b-que this summer. Driver's fender burned completely through. I need some assistance identifying parts I'll need to purchase from that area. The entire fender and all structures housed in that area are toast.

Does anyone have a diagram of the bolts to be removed in order to remove the fender?

What's ya'lls opinion on head gasket replacement? Engine ran great prior to fire. Do you think the heat may have affected the head gasket. I know most will say, "while it's out, might as well", but in my opinion, that's a whole different level of mechanical skills.

jeff spahn

Head gaskets will require a very good torque wrench with angle torque capabilities. You also need to make sure the washers under the head bolts don't turn when you are torquing them. This will distort your values.

awilli6

Thanks Jeff. So you think the fire could have affected the head gasket?

dr bob

It's unlikely the head gaskets were affected by the fire, at least without enough other local damage to go along with it.

That said, if the engine is out and getting even a partial top-end teardown and restoration, you are doing yourself a major disservice if you don't go ahead and replace the headgaskets and all the other top-end seals and hoses while you have the chance.

On the rest of the stuff that lives in the left-front that needs to be replaced, I'd be sorely tempted to take some pictures of the area once the engine is out, share them with Mark and Tom at 928 International, and ask them to build a care package with the pieces you'll need. They disassemble cars pretty regularly and could probably put a few boxes next to a donor car and start filling them with pieces they remove.

Another option might be to find a donor car near where you are, and scavenge the pieces you need. Then sell the rest to the next owner who has a similar project.

I like buying used parts from 928 International because they tend to buy cars from the southwest, so corrosion is not a serious concern.

My too sense.

awilli6

Thanks Dr. Bob. I am planning on doing another intake refresh. I used Dewayne's write-up the first time. I haven't seen a head gasket tutorial that's similar to Dewayne's tutorials. I'd hate to tear into it and mess something up. I'll do more research and if I can find something, I may give it a try.

When you say top end tear down, are you talking about intake refresh?

Kiln_Red

What caused the fire?! Good luck on your rescue.

Speedtoys

autoatlanta.com has the PET diagrams for most everything...love it.

awilli6

Had to be a broken fuel line on PS of engine. I smelled gas once it started. It spread to DS and took out the fender. All fuel lines were changed a couple of years earlier with the intake refresh.

Kiln_Red

My condolences. Was the hose that comes up from the undercarriage to the passenger cam cover replaced too? What type of clamps were used?

awilli6

Yes hose was replaced. Clamp probably came loose. They were the clamps supplied with the kit. I'll be going to GB fuel lines this time.

dr bob

If you had a fire that toasted the intake and cam cover bits, the rubber stuff on the front and the wring, you'll have a lot of the pieces out of the way to pull the heads.

At the age of our cars, and especially if you don't have a very complete history of coolant services during its life, it's almost foolhardy to miss the opportunity to get all that stuff restored to new. Better to do it now than t find out in five years that you get to do the whole thing again. Best you'll face for doing it now is some time and a few more gaskets. Worst is some head repair and those same gaskets. It's out and easy. You can borrow or buy the torque angle wrench.

Kiln_Red

I overlooked this. They're easy to take off... It's getting everything out of the way that's more of a chore.

First thing to do is remove the fender liner. Shoot PB blaster or a comparable penetrating oil onto the 8mm nuts for the bumper cover. The easiest thing to do is to do this for both sides and count on removing the front bumper completely. Now pull the headlights. Take the headlight hoods off, disconnect the plugs, remove the hardware that secures the lights to the bar and the hardware on the apron. Now the lights can be removed.

The bumper is next. After it is off, you have access to all of the fender bolts. The obvious bolts under the hood, including the one that goes through the cowl piece. At least one bolt at the bottom of the fender at the front. Then there are at least three bolts at the hinge pillar. You have to get them from inside the wheel well, so it would be best to pull the wheel and tire. Oh, and of course, disconnect the marker.

awilli6

Thanks for the info. I'll remove the engine first and then get the body panels out of the way