Outlaw's Project '84

[Outlaw]

Exotic Muscle has their Complete Set for $1,195.00. $400 cheaper than Doug Ripple Motorsports...

That's a little better anyway...

Since I was going to need to purchase New Shocks and New Springs anyway, that might not be too bad...

Had any Negativity about Exotic's Products???

 

[Ken]

Never purchased anything through them. Sorry.

 

[Outlaw]

Just checked the prices for the Replacement Mono-Leaf Springs and Edelbrock Performer IAS Shocks...

• Fiberglass Composite Leaf Spring (Front) - $459.99
• Fiberglass Composite Leaf Spring (Rear) - $349.99
  
• Edelbrock Performer IAS Shocks (Front/Pair) - $259.98
• Edelbrock Performer IAS Shocks (Rear/Pair) - $229.98

Total of $1,299.94

Doesn't look too bad for the Exotic Muscle Coil-Over Shocks NOW!!!

 

[FourAndAHalf]

just curious, are you setting up your 84 to race or is it like a weekend cruiser? what kind of engine you dropping in there?? the coil over suspension i dont think are the most comfortanle ride out there but i guess it depends on what your doing. Also the good thing about the coil overs is their adjustable so you can go as low as you want, yay!

 

[Outlaw]

Hey FourAndAHalf,

My '84 Corvette Project SS X-Fire is going to be a Weekend Cruiser as well as special occasions. Me and my Wife like to take drives to Panama City, FL once or twice a year and this is a One-Way 425 Mile Trip. But, we do enjoy taking the Targa Top off and enjoy the breeze down 431 South...

We also enjoy the numerous Rod Runs that are frequent here in Tennessee...

The Original 350 Shortblock is being built (Balanced & Blueprinted) by DEI (Dale Earnhardt Incorporated) in North Carolina and is being bored to 355ci. We are going all out on this Project with Edelbrock Performer RPM Heads, Speed Demon 750cfm Carb, CraneCams Hydraulic Tappet 228/234 Cam, CraneCams Roller Rockers, complete MSI Ignition System (ALL Computer-Related Electronics are being removed from '84), Painless Universal 18-Circuit Wiring System, as well as adding the Richmond 6-Speed ROD Transmission...

I always enjoyed the days of the Carb. Easy to work on and maintain. Nothing against the Computers & Sensors used in today's automobiles (I have a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Systems Analysis). But, I did like the old days. Either a Fuel Problem or Firing Problem. Simple...

We are changing so much on our Project "SS X-Fire". Totally changing the '84 Bodystyle to the '00 Bodystyle, Installing a Complete 1993 Corvette Dash with AutoMeter Phantom Gauges, Recaro Power Seats, 17 x 9.5 Cragar SS Wheels with the new GoodYear F1 GS-D3 Tires, Hooker Ceramic Coated Headers, Corsa Stainless Exhaust System with X-Pipe, Baer 13-Inch Brakes with 2-Piston Calipers, and doing a total Re-build from the Bare-Frame up. We will also be installing the "Corvette Stinger-Style Hood for our Project. Paint will be a 5-Coat Base of PPG Gun Metal Gray Metallic with a 4-Coat Clear-Coat. We were going to be adding the GS Stripe using the PPG Silver Metallic BC/CC, but at this time, we are still undecided about this issue at hand...

At near 49 Years Old, we hope to have many years of enjoyment with our Project "SS X-Fire" as it will be staying in our family...

Looking forward to many days here on CAC and all the friends we have made while we have been here...

 

[Ken]

... on CorvetteForum

:L Oops! :nono

_ken

 

[Outlaw]

Yeah Ken, I caught it... LOL...

 

[FourAndAHalf]

wow, thanks for the summary man, sounds like you got an awesome project on your hands, good luck to the both of ya, your gonna have one bad ass corvette

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks FourAndAHalf and going to enjoy every minute of the rebuild...

 

[Outlaw]

Well, as many may have kept up, we have been down a little, but just now getting started back on our Project SS X-Fire...

Here are a few Pics of the entire Front End Assembly dismantled and ready to Sand, Prep, and Paint:

Just finished Sanding and Prepping the Underbody and have now got it Clean and Painted with "New" Undercoating. We used the Dupli-Color Truck Bed Coating for this and it is tough as nails...

Our Engine is coming along nicely. Cleaned, Bored, Align Honed, etc...

 

[Outlaw]

Now for the Balancing Act...

More info will be available soon. Getting to the point of Cleaning and Painting the Firewall, Front Frame Assembly, etc...

 

[Outlaw]

Well, just went by DEI and everything is coming along nicely with the '84 Corvette Shortblock...

So Far, this is what we have had done to the Old 350ci CrossFire Engine:

• Disassembled Block (DEI)- $ 50.00
• Cleaned & Magnafluxed Block (DEI) - $ 90.00
• Bored .030 & Torque-Plate Honed (DEI) - $ 164.00
• Installed New ARP Studs For Mains Installed (DEI) - $ 35.00
• Align Bored (DEI) - $ 100.00
• Decked Block (DEI) - $ 85.00
• Installed New Freeze Plugs (DEI) - $ 5.00
  
• Magnafluxed Crankshaft (DEI) - $ 21.25
• Grind & Polished Crankshaft (DEI) - $ 95.00
• Chamferred Oil Holes in Crankshaft (DEI) - $ 15.00
• Installed New Clevite Main Bearings (DEI) - $ 26.00
• Installed New Detroit Rear Seal (DEI) - $ 6.00
  
• Pressed Old Pistons from Rods (DEI) - $ 14.00
• Magnafluxed Rods (DEI) - $ 21.25
• Reconditioned Rods (DEI) - $ 80.00
• Installed New ARP Bolts for Rods (DEI) - $ 49.00
• Installed New Clevite Rod Bearings (DEI) - $ 18.00
  
• New Speed Pro Power Forged Pistons (Summit) - $ 223.60
• Pressed New Pistons onto Rods (DEI) - $ 14.00
• New Speed Pro Moly Rings (Summit) - $ 35.95
• New ATI Harmonic Balancer (DEI) - $ 70.00
• Re-surfaced Flywheel (DEI) - $ 30.00
• Balanced Entire Crank Assembly (DEI) - $ 175.00
  
• New Durabond Camshaft Bearings (DEI) - $ 20.00
• Installed Camshaft Bearings (DEI) - $ 40.00
• New Crane Cams PowerMax Hydraulic Camshaft with Lifters (Summit) - 226/234 @ .050 - 114 Degrees - $ 159.95
• New Edelbrock Performer-Link True-Rolling Timing Gear/Chain (Summit) - $ 45.95
• Degreed-In Camshaft (DEI) - $ 35.00
• New Edelbrock Polished Timing Cover w/Gasket/Bolts (Summit) - $ 73.95
  
• New Melling High Volume Oil Pump w/Stainless Steel Shaft (Summit/DEI) - $ 21.95
• New ARP Oil Pump Bolts (DEI) - $ 5.00
• New Milodon Oil Pump Pickup (Summit) - $ 11.95
• New Detroit Oil Pan Gasket (DEI) - $ 12.00
• New Milodon Stock Gold Iridited Oil Pan (Summit) - $ 79.95
• New ARP Oil Pan Bolts (DEI) - $ 6.00
  
• Labor on Rebuilding Shortblock (DEI) - $ 350.00
• New Pilot Bearing (DEI) - $ 6.00

So far, we have spent a Total of $ 2,290.75 on the Shortblock. But, it should be well worth it in the long run...

We should be able to Pickup Shortblock by the 27th of September, 2003 and be ready to order the Edelbrock Performer RPM Heads and the Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap Intake Manifold within the next week or so...

 

[Outlaw]

Just received the Flywheel, Bellhousing & the Front Spindles back after having them Chemically Cleaned...

Now it's time to send the Spindles & Bellhousing off to Nashville to the Platers for Chroming and Polishing...

Getting ready to start Sanding and Prepping the Firewall and Front Frame Assembly for Painting...

More to come later...

 

[Ken]

Man, I just love clean parts! :cool

That thing is gonna be sweet Bro'.

_ken

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks Ken for the kind remarks...

Looking forward to getting this Corvette back to running. Maybe by March, 2004, we should be complete with this project...

 

[Ken]

Maybe by then, mine will be dependable too. :L

 

[slashnick]

Cool pics. Now I know what mine looks like under all that fiberglass and metal.

I can't wait to see how it looks and runs when you are done.

 

[Outlaw]

Well, we have had 2 setbacks now with our 1984 Project:

Number 1: After spending a lot of Time and $$$ Prepping the Underbody as well as spraying the Dupli-Color Truck Bed Coating on the Underbody, we soon found out 3 days later that looking under the Corvette that it seemed like we had quite a bit of confetti hanging from the Underbody. Seems that the Dupli-Color Truck Bed Coating does not like Fiberglass and would not bond to it. So the next thing we have got to do is get all the Dupli-Color Coating Material as well as the old Undercoating removed from the Underbody (down to the Raw Gelcoat/Metal...

Number 2: While removing all the Dupli-Color Truck Bed Coating from the Underbody, we soon found many surprises:

Seems the previous owner of this '84 Corvette took one large shortcut and did a shabby job of repairing the floorpan from what looks like he had struck a large rock (or something) and just did a fast patch. And not a very good one at that...

Will be going down to O'Reilly's tomorrow and picking up some Resin and Fiberglass Cloth (or Carbon Fiber if available)...

This will set our Project back a few weeks...

Will not be using the Rhino Bedliner again and will switch to a good PPG Acrylic Enamel Paint for the Underbody...

 

[Ken]

Could have been a jack that damaged the floorpan too. You shoulda seem mine; they're still not flat, but they're better than when I got it. The previous owner raced it and the pit crew must have used the floor to lift the car quickly for pit stops or something, because both floors were bent up so bad that the seats were leaning outwards toward the doors. :L

I just got in there and jumped up and down on them (with the seats out of course) and when that didn't do the trick, I used a large hammer; that sure did the trick. :L

Looks like your coming along though. There'll always be those times when you seem to take two steps back for every one forward. :eyerole

_ken

 

[Outlaw]

Could have very well been jacks Ken. Never really thought of that...

The Metal Parts of the Floorpan seem to be in great shape. Only the Front Fiberglass part on the Drivers side is bad... The passenger side floorpan is in excellent shape...

I am going to go get some High-Quality Resin tomorrow. A friend of mine has about 4 yards of Carbon Fiber Matting (which is about 10 times stronger than Fiberglass) that we will be using to patch the floors correctly...

Going to fill in with Heavy-Grade Aluminum and then mat over with the Carbon Fiber/Resin Mix. It should be about as strong as steel when we are through...

As soon as we get the repair finished, I will post some pictures of the Patch...