Outlaw's Project '84

[Outlaw]

BTW, I would like to Thank Ken and -=Jeff=- and especially Corvette Action Center for allowing me to post this CONTINUOUS Project here at CAC. It has been a gas doing the teardown and should be an even more enjoyable task of putting everything back together with much improvements over the Factory '84 Corvette...

And also, you two as well as many here at CAC have been a great help with questions that have arisen during the Project...

BTW, for anyone who may have asked, the name of this project is:


Outlaw's
SS X-Fire

Thanks again everyone...

 

[Ken]

Thank you Outlaw. Your pictures will prove invaluable to others working in or on the same areas. I mean, how could you get any deeper into a C4? Thanks a lot!

_ken

 

[Outlaw]

Decided to change my mind on having the Front Spindles and Bellhousing Chrome Plated. Not worth it in my opinion. $350.00 for only 3 pieces to be chromed. That is a joke...

Wiped down the Bellhousing with some Naphtha VM&P Cleaner & Picked up some Dupli-Color 500* Aluminum Engine Enamel (Spray Can) and layed 3-4 Coats on the Bellhousing and it made a world of difference on the Finish. The shine on the Bellhousing would make you believe it had 5 Coats of Clear on it...

Will probably do the same to the Front Spindles, Control Arms, and Front Sway Bar...

Do like the finish of Gloss Aluminum...

 

[-=Jeff=-]

Thank you Outlaw. Your pictures will prove invaluable to others working in or on the same areas. I mean, how could you get any deeper into a C4? Thanks a lot!

_ken

Ditto what Ken said

 

[Outlaw]

Well, not been able to get much done to the '84 Corvette in the past few weeks. But able to finally get back to it today...

Just went and picked up my '84 350ci Corvette Shortblock today from DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) in North Carolina...

Total Cost involving Labor & Parts on the Shortblock totalled $ 2,425.00...


Here are a few pictures after getting the Shortblock back home:

Hopefully tomorrow (if the weather is fit), will be trying to get the Shortblock painted and then will be able to proceed to the topend...

 

[Outlaw]

Within the next few days, I will be placing my order with Summit Racing for the following items:

• Edelbrock Performer RPM Aluminum Heads
• ARP Head Bolt Kit
• Crane Cams ChromeMoly Pushrods
• Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap Intake Manifold
• ARP Intake Bolt Kit

 

[geekinavette]

Interesting project Outlaw, keep it comin'.

I'm curious why you want to go to coils, lookin for a softer ride?

BTW...did you ever have any luck selling your CFI stuff? Speaking of which, I think you need to change the name of your project...after all it's not a cross-fire anymore.

Bill

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks geekinavette. We will be trying to do more to the old '84 in the next few weeks...

As for the coil-overs, I have tried to do as much research on the conversion as I could find and really haven't decided on the changeover or not. On one end of the scale, we get info that:

• You will not need to modify the current suspension (other than removing the Mono-Leaf) to make the Coil-Overs work...
• You will need to Modify the Upper Shock Towers in order to provide clearance for the Coil-Overs...

If it is required to modify the Current Mounts to get the Coil-Overs to work on an '84, then we will be staying with the Mono-Leaf Suspension...

As for the Parts off the Crossfire that are for sale, we have not been able to sell nothing. I did do as you stated and Posted the Items on the CrossFire Forum, but nothing. The only part that has been spoken for is the Air Filter Assembly (Top Lid Only). But, I need to sell as a Complete Assembly. I will be changing the Prices again for the items, but I will not GIVE AWAY...

As for the Name of our Project,

SS X-Fire

That was a Name that was given by my 4 Year Old Granddaughter and it kind of stuck...

Hopefully, we will be able to get the Shortblock Painted today and also get the Front Control Arms and Spindles Painted as well...

 

[Tom Bryant]

What a great project Outlaw. I'm just getting up to speed on it. What suprised me most is how reasonable the cost was on everything you had done at DEI. I always had the belief that a top race shop would be prohibitively expensive but the prices are the same, cheaper or just slightly higher than what I'm used to. Thanks for posting your engine building $$ breakdown. Looks like a great short block for a bargain price.

Tom

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks Tom Bryant. I have a good friend (JP) who works for DEI as their Chief Mechanic and I guess he swung a few favors here and there for me. I could have gotten it done locally for about $1,900.00, but the quality just would not be there that DEI puts into their Engines. Personally, I don't really even know whether DEI even does engines for the public. Never have asked. But, at least mine is finished...

Thanks for your response...

 

[Outlaw]

Just got through with the Painting of the shortblock. Would have been much easier if the Shortblock was bare (without the Oil Pan, Timing Cover, & Dampner). But, considering I'm into Body Work & Painting anyway, it was just a matter of using some Good Quality Tape and masking for the Paint Job...

Due to the fact that I do not like the color Orange (and especially Chevy Orange), I chose to go with the Dupli-Color 1200* Ceramic Paint (Red) for the Shortblock. Here are a few pictures after I finished with the Paint:

Getting ready to start Painting the Control Arms & Spindles later tonight, so will try to post some Pics tomorrow...

 

[Outlaw]

Just completed the Control Arms and Spindles last night using the Dupli-Color 500* Ceramic Aluminum Paint and if I say so myself, I like this better than I would have chrome...

Next thing to do now is to get the Floorpan Repaired and Painted. Then to get the Firewall and Front Frame as well as the Crossmember Cleaned and Painted and the Front Suspension can finally go back together...

 

[Tom Bryant]

Nice job.

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks Tom...

I like the shiny Aluminum look better than Chrome anyway. To have just the above Chrome Plated here in Tennessee, the cost was going to be between $500 and $600. Not worth it in my opinion...

Total Cost for placing in Hottank and 4 Coats of Dupli-Color 500* Ceramic Aluminum Paint:

$ 20.00


Not bad at all...

 

[Outlaw]

Man, I just love clean parts! :cool

That thing is gonna be sweet Bro'.

_ken

I agree with the Clean, shiney parts...

 

[Outlaw]

Well, just got back to working on the Corvette Body and where else to begin than the BOTTOM...

As I had posted previously, I had cleaned the Underbody Floorpan and sprayed with Dupli-Color Truck Bed Coating and then in a few days, found the horror of Black Confetti hanging everywhere. So the time had come to Totally Scrape the Underbody Floorpan and then get it prepped for ONLY Painting...

A had been advised that it was very difficult to remove the Undercoating that had been applied at the factory. So, in thinking that this was going to really be a tough job, I went and sprayed a Good Coating of Kerosene over the entire Underbody Floorpan and let it work for about 2-3 hours...

Went back out after about 3 Hours and Sprayed another coating of Kerosene onto the Underbody Floorpan and let it work for about 30 minutes...

Using a Razor Scraper, I began at the front (just below the Firewall) and began scraping with the Razor. Come to find out that this was not as bad as had been anticipated. Seems the Undercoating peeled right off very easily. After about 1 Hour of scraping, it was time to wash everything off...

Decided to sprays another coating of Kerosene over the Underbody Floorpan and using a ScotchBrite Pad (3 of them), this shined the Floorpans very nicely...

I have posted a few of the Pictures after the Cleaning and Scraping...

Will be trying to get all the Holes Patched this week and hopefully, will get the Underbody Floorpan painted by Next Weekend...

 

[Ken]

I don't think there's gonna be a nicer, more detailed C4 around. Nice work man!

_ken

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks Ken...

It has been a lot of fun really...

When I finally get through with this one, I will probably be ready to start another...

 

[Ken]

When it's in the blood, it never ends.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Looks fantastic. Don't you love it when a dreaded job goes better that you thought it would?