Rebuild Work Completed

Body: Replaced door handles. Replaced all rubber seals and weatherstripping around doors and windows. Replaced front hood handle and latch. Replaced gravel guards. Installed new running boards (Nutech). Installed new radio antenna in the antenna well in the left front fender. Thoroughly cleaned and painted underside of the car, including wheel wells. Installed locking gas cap. Replaced both bumpers and bumper brackets with new bolts (drilled out broken bolts). Installed new/used engine lid brackets. Replaced missing bolts in door strikers. Replaced the front apron. Replaced both front fenders and installed new beading. Replaced both headlight assemblies. Replaced both turn signal assemblies. Replaced the rear apron with a fiberglass one. Cleaned and painted underside of hood and engine lid. Replaced the horn. Completely stripped the paint from the car, down to the bare metal. Sanded with 120/180/220/320 sandpaper. Painted the car in pieces.(BMW "Cosmos Black Metallic," PPG #9949). Reassembled the car and installed new rubber around all of the windows and doors. Installed new "clip-on" engine lid seal.

Brakes: Replaced all four drums, wheel cylinders, brake shoes and all brake internals. Replaced the master cylinder, the brake fluid reservoir, and associated brake lines (bench bled the master cylinder). Replaced both brake light switches; repaired wiring and installed new boots. Adjusted the pushrod; bled and adjusted brakes. Replaced rubber brake lines with braided SS lines. Installed new dust plugs. Sanded and painted hand brake. Had a serious problem with pressurization of the brake system. Finally resolved by properly setting the length of the master cylinder push rod. Installed front disc brakes.

Electrical: Repaired rear license plate light and replaced lens. Replaced battery grounding strap. Repaired turn signals and horn. Replaced backup switch, in-line fuse, and all associated wiring. Replaced and adjusted taillight lenses. Replaced interior light fixture, door jam switches, and associated wiring. Replaced headlight switch. Reconnected wiring to the rear window defogger and installed new relay. Installed new battery tray, hold-down strap, and battery cover. Replaced alternator with new one having an internal voltage regulator. Rewired alternator with new wiring. Installed all new wiring in the engine compartment; clustered with cable ties. Refurbished windshield wiper motor and gear box; installed new/used wiper arm assembly with all new fittings. Installed new fuse box cover. Installed a "power block" in the engine compartment to organize the wiring. Installed a 25-amp fuse in the wire from the ignition switch. Installed new turn signal switch with horn contact.

Engine: Replaced broken alternator pedestal with a high-quality VW original (used). Cleaned and painted oil filler and installed on new alternator pedestal. Installed new chrome alternator pulley and new drivebelt. Replaced oil strainer cover with one with a drain plug. Replaced muffler (GT Sports System); painted with high-temperature paint. Replaced oil cooler seals. Thoroughly cleaned and painted fan shroud and fan, including all internal components. Installed new cooling vane assemblies. Installed new thermostat. Replaced the engine compartment firewall insulation. Replaced engine and transmission rubber. Installed gaskets between pre-heater tube and muffler flanges. Installed new cylinder/heater box tin (bottom). Thoroughly cleaned and painted intake manifold and pre-heater tubes. Replaced rubber grommets in holes in firewall tin. Replaced numerous missing bolts in engine tin. Replaced the valve covers (aluminum). Later installed new stock (black) valve covers to help reduce operating temperature. Replaced the engine case, the crankshaft, and all of the bearings in the engine. Replaced the main oil seal. Installed new Chromaloy gland nut on the flywheel. Torqued to 275 ft-lbs. Installed a competition clutch disk and replaced the pressure plate. Installed new "Mexican-style" thermostat. Installed Type 2 engine seal. Installed new crankshaft pulley with degree markings. Installed new oil cooler. Rebuilt the engine (new pistons, cylinders, bearings, etc.) Upgraded to 1641cc. New 1641 pistons and cylinders. New dual-port heads. New camshaft (crankshaft was okay). New main bearings. New rod bearings. New pushrod tubes. Resurfaced flywheel. New alternator, strap and pulley. New fuel pump and pushrod. New clutch (Femco, by Sachs). New spark plug wires. New spark plugs (NGK B5HS). New heavy duty oil pump, pressure booster and sending switch. New miscellaneous seals and gaskets. 20W-50 motor oil.

Front Suspension: Replaced McPherson struts. Replaced steering damper. Replaced control arm bushings, stabilizer arm bushings, and idler arm bushing. Replaced left and right tie rods and tie rod ends. Adjusted steering and front end alignment. Installed strut tower support bar. Front wheels balanced on the car; "out-of-round" corrected. Replaced universal joint shaft in the steering linkage.

Fuel/Carburetor: Replaced wires to automatic choke and idle solenoid. Replaced fuel pump and fuel filters (2); later removed filter between the fuel pump and the carburetor. Checked for intake manifold inleakage; found leak around throttle shaft. Replaced the carburetor with a new Bocar 34 PICT-3. Cleared interference between accelerator pump and alternator. Set the accelerator pump to maximum stroke. Installed small chrome louvered air cleaner (later wised up -- see below). Replaced accelerator cable. Replaced rubber portions of the fuel line. Cleaned and painted gas fill well and door; install new rubber stop. Cleaned out the rust and gunk under the gas tank and repainted. Cleaned and painted gas filler neck and installed new seal. Refurbished the fuel tank – cleaned it out thoroughly, sealed the inside, and painted the outside. Replaced all fuel tank vent lines, hose clamps and seals. Overhauled the carburetor and replaced the float needle valve. Installed a new stock air cleaner, with all hoses and vacuum lines properly attached. Five years after installing the new Bocar carburetor - replaced the carburetor again with a Pierburg 34PICT/3 model. Jets: Main jet - X130 Idle - 55 Air Correction - 80Z Three years later - air leakage again around the carburetor throttle shaft. Sent the carburetor to Keifernet (keifernet@hotmail.com) to be rebushed with brass bushings. Installed new intake manifold. Replaced the carburetor with a rebuilt German one (427-1 flange) from Keifernet.

Heating/Cooling System: Cleared heater cable channels and installed new cables. Replaced fresh air hoses. Replaced the heater boxes and lever arm assemblies. Painted new heater boxes with high-temperature paint. Replaced left defroster plenum and defroster hose with new fittings. Replaced footwell vent flaps and control cables. Replaced Y-tubes under rear seat with a straight piece of flexible hot air tubing. Replaced hot air flexible couplings with insulated ones. Disassembled fan shroud and fan; cleaned and painted shroud and all fan components. Installed right and left rear deflector tins and other pieces of engine tin as needed.

Ignition: Replaced centrifugal advance ("009") distributor with new Single-Vacuum Dual Advance (SVDA) distributor. Installed new coil, distributor cap, points, condenser, spark plugs (NGK), spark plug wires. Installed Capacitive Discharge Ignition (CDI) system. Installed Compu-Fire electronic ignition. Replaced the ignition switch. Installed new starter motor. Tuned completely.

Instruments: Replaced speedometer cable (routed properly) and grommet. Repaired odometer. Cleaned instrument cluster bezel; replaced the face; replaced lights. Installed VDO oil temperature gauge with oil relief plug sensor.

Interior: Replaced door latch trim plates and finger guards. Replaced handbrake lever boot. Replaced driver’s seat bottom frame and springs. Replaced all seat padding and installed new upholstery. Installed new clips on front seat runner points. Installed inside and outside seat frame covers on both front seats. Replaced rear seat back pivot bolts. Installed new Formuling steering wheel. Replaced front and rear seat belts. Replaced sun visors. Installed new radio/tape deck and speakers in doors. Installed plastic piece around the fuse box and taped up wires. Installed new fuse box cover. Clean and painted underneath the rear seat and tied up wires. Installed soundproofing padding behind and under the rear seat. Thoroughly cleaned and painted interior floor pans. Installed new speaker kick panels. Installed new radio/tape deck with speakers in front kick panels. Installed new carpeting. Installed new dash cover. Cleaned and painted inside of trunk; installed new trunk liner and stow boxes. Restored windshield washer system. Prepared emergency road kit and placed it in the trunk. Cleaned out and painted fresh air box. Cleaned/painted/lubricated window regulators and door latch mechanisms. Installed more soundproofing behind the rear trim panels. Replaced the accelerator pedal and associated parts. Installed new door trim panels. Installed new center console. Wired radio so that it goes off when the key is turned off.

Rear Suspension: Replaced rear shock absorbers. Cleaned and painted drive shafts.

Transmission: Rebuilt the transmission. Replaced the transmission mounts. Replaced shifter bushing and coupling. Replaced the shifter stop plate. Sanded and painted shift lever. Replaced the throw-out bearing. Installed competition clutch disc and pressure plate. Adjusted the clutch. Installed new Gene Berg shifter

Exhaust: Installed street header. Installed "Hideaway" muffler. Removed header and muffler because of interference with right valve cover. Installed ceramic coated GT Sports muffler.

Wheels: Installed EMPI-style eight-spoke wheels (black with silver rims). Installed spinners. Enlarged spare tire well so spare would lie flat. Installed new 14mm x 1/2" studs in the brake drums and secured them with Loktite. Installed new front wheel bearings; packed and adjusted.