Tom400CFI

Man, this is going slowly, so far.

Finally had time to move forward. I installed the Buick 3800 injectors, put the intake back together, buttoned everything up and hit the key. Guess what happened?

She fired right up and ran beautifully. I warmed it all the way and check for cooling fan operation...it worked perfectly too. I decided the car needed to go for a quick spin, just to make sure everything was "OK" driveline wise.

From the accident that the car was in, the left rear rim was bent out at the bead -every rotation of the tire would cause some air to shoot out as the bead didn't seal w/weight on that part. I beat the bead back into shape w/a mallet (which I've had success w/in the past) and it worked perfectly. The LR wheel was toe'd way in, too. so I aligned the toe and camber by eye...then put the wheels on and lowered it.


I grabbed my wife and told her we were going for a test ride. She hopped in, I fired it up with a roar (it has no exhaust from the Y-pipe back) and we pulled out of the garage. I headed up the road to an area that has no houses and honoring Roadkill, I "tested" this car by doing a nice donut and then a big, long break stand into a burn out. Oh yeah! Car sounded great, had great power (for what it is) and was a blast, for 5 minutes.

Now that it runs, I can pull it in/out of the garage...I can start stripping the thing. Sorry, no pics of the burn out (unfortunately) Wife didn't have her phone w/her. I may "have" to try again though when our boy gets home tonight. You know....just for him, of course.

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1993C4LT1

Awesome!

mazdaverx7

Getting that beast up and running gives you the motivation needed to continue with your project! As rough as it is, it still has to be a blast o drive! Me being me, I'd fix it cheaply and paint it and enjoy it for a bit, but I'm not against the idea you're leaning towards as well.. Will look forward to updated pics!

Tom400CFI

Putt - putt - putt - putt.....


Well this update isn't very exciting. Pulling and selling parts is taking up most of my time. It's fine, b/c the parts need to come off the car, but the parts sold is sort of "driving" how the car comes apart (so far) more than the way I would have done it. No big deal.

The rear is stripped to the FRP...I started trying to remove the rear 1/4's but couldn't figure out how to w/o ruining them. Posted about that...didn't get much help, so I guess I'll proceed, destructively removing the 1/4s. Got the rear glass, interior, and electrical out of the car at this point.

Console, dash, door panels and seats are out (Driver's seat is just sitting on the floor). Here is what things look like at this point...

jay23ls

^^ should leave the hatch area for cargo. Instead of Roadkill, Roadtrip?? haha jk

Looks like it will be a blast driving a giant go kart

cv67

[QUOTE.with some modifications to that execution. I want mine to be street legal.][/QUOTE]
do it!

Raidmagic

Love it. Big fan of this idea.

SJW

Looks like fun! Gonna go with the '59 Caddy taillights on yours, too?

Live well,

SJW

Tom400CFI

Ha ha....those are interesting. I'm thinking more modern; LED's. We'll see, as that's a ways off still.

I also want to alter the cage to make it look slightly more "Arial Atom", and less "Jeep".

VikingTrad3r

subbed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom400CFI

Well, had a little time last night so I made a little progress. My boy is all about this project, so he grabbed some tools and helped too. I dig that.

Let me tell ya...there is a LOT of glue holding the car together! I bet there is over a gallon of glue used in each C4. It turns out that I was able to peal the rear 1/4 off w/o ruining it, but that was the only piece I was able to remove w/o breaking to pieces. Anyway, on to some pictures.






This pic gives you an idea how much glue they slobber in there to hold the parts on. I guess they didn't want rattles.

VikingTrad3r

have u said what it cost u yet?

Tom400CFI

Getting the "tub" out was a total PITA. It's weird. First, they glued, riveted, screwed and seam sealed the tub in....but only in the front. As far as I could tell, there is nothing down the frame rails or in the rear that supports the tub. It appears to be entirely supported from the front. If there is a glued attaching point in the rear, some how I've missed it. The other odd thing is that the hatch glass latch is affixed to the tub itself. I'd always assumed that the latch was attached to a piece off the metal frame of the car. It's not. It seems as though the whole rear of the car is sort of "floating" from the top/front or the hatch, and the front mounting of the tub.

The tub really needs to be installed/removed w/the rear suspension out. With it in, the storage bins hit the axle shafts, before the front of the tub tries to move rearward coming up out of the angled "rear fire wall". I may have tried to save the tub, but it was already broken in several places from the accident that the car had been in. So I broke it more, cut it, etc. to get it to come out. What a PITA though. A cut-off wheel cuts through the FRP like butter. An air hammer w/the chisel attachment is invaluable for separating the FRP from the steel. I ended up forcing the tub out after cutting and breaking, using a floor jack under the right storage bin, a variety of pry bars and a sledge. It was more like demolition, than car disassembly.















That's where I'm at right now....now I need to go dispose of some Fiberglass.

Tom400CFI

I haven't. I bought the car for $2k. I've sold (been PP'ed) 1058 worth of parts so far, so to date, the car has cost me ~$950. I'll be SUPER stoked if I can get the rest of the parts sold and come out net zero, but still have...a "car". So to speak.

Even if it doesn't pay for itself, that is totally fine. It would MORE than pay for itself if I parted the engine, ECM, harness, trans sassy, rear diff, suspension/brakes etc. etc.

Also, tearing the car apart is a fantastic way to become intimate w/how the car is built. I mean, I knew roughly how it was put together...but now I really KNOW how it's put together which makes any work I do on my '92 or any other future C4, easier.

-Tom

Tom400CFI

Made a little more progress today.







On a good/cool note, I took it for another spin around the neighborhood to see how it feels w/less weight. MAN...the thing has no traction. I mean, the tires are old and hard...that isn't helping, but it sure will spin some tire! Yikes. With no exhaust it's LOUD...too loud. I need to get some exhaust built soon. But it drives great, feels good...if it wasn't so LOUD, it would or could be pretty fun to rip around with, already.

On a slightly depressing note, now that I've got the frame "naked"...or mostly so, I can see that it's bent from the accident it was in, much worse than I originally thought. Getting it straightened back out is going to take some serious thought, effort....and force. If you look closely at my first pic above, you can see that the rear "halo"/roll bar is slightly higher on the driver's side than it is on the passenger's side. That is not just the camera angle. Suck.


Need a vote now: Keep the wind shield or lose it? I want to lose it b/c it's heavy and it encroaches in the driver's area a lot. Everyone else is saying I should keep it (but no good reasons why). I bet the stock w/s, frame and hardware come close to 100 lbs. I think a plexiglass w/s would work O.K. and obviously be a lot lighter.
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Patsgarage

If you are going to keep it street legal you might have to keep the windshield, but it might depend on the local laws. I would think plexi might not hold up too well to scratches, maybe a cut down "speedster" screen ? I would love to see the WTF looks you get driving that thing around. We also need some massive burnout videos.

Tom400CFI

Good suggestions about the w/s. I agree plexi won't last long...but it's so cheap and for the amount this will get driven on the street, I think it's good enough. I won't be road tripping this thing...that's for sure. I'll have to check my laws and post back.


Funny that you mention that. I only took it out b/c a Car-guy bud of mine stopped by...he wanted a ride. That's all the "excuse" that I need. But honestly...it looks like ****, it's SO LOUD...not too appealing to the neighbors, I'd think. So I'm rolling through the neighborhood and there is this family out in their front yard. "Oh god", I thought..."this is embarrassing (and offensive to the family)". Well we get about right in front of their yard and they all start smiling, waving and giving "thumbs ups". Well....COOL!

A bit later, I was back in my garage working on it, door open, and these two boys are walking by, they're maybe 12 years old? Unsolicited, the announce, "Nice car!"....then they invite themselves into the garage to check the thing out. They were stoked about the "kart" idea.

So IDK. So far, the reception isn't....all bad!



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TorchTarga94

Tom,

Just an idea, but I think I would keep the windshield and rear halo (provided you can pull it back into shape) and build a "Targa Truss" utilizing the stock mounting locations. Then build a cage triangulating it all together. I think that would achieve more of an ariel atom/less jeep look and be cost effective in doing so. Still ditch everything else as planned.

Tom400CFI

Hot diggity DOG! I can use a lexan windshield!

Scroll down to page 77, "B/7"

UTAH SAFETY EQUIPMENT

I think that windshield is a goner. That thing is a heavy chunk.

pologreen1

Yep, I would feel like a target in that thing. I feel funny in my c4 the way it is and don't want to disturb people. Good to hear the neighbors are not judging you you or making you feel guilty for having a novelty.