Blue Bastard 2.0

[stealthee]

There were random delays along the way but I still tried to make progress so I moved on to the nasty radiator fans







After some elbow grease, cleaning and painting of the fan motors along with new mounting hardware for said motors







Mounted to the Mishimoto rad



I took another day and installed the cat back



I don't have a picture of it but right after getting the catback installed I remade my "custom cat" (with welding help from my cousin) that I've had for years. Once it was cooled off it was bolted up completing my exhaust.

I purchased a brand new Mitsubishi 5 speed shift knob too since mine was trashed.

[stealthee]

I had to do some figuring on wiring along the way. I knew there would be a few differences but one snuck up on me. I didn't realize that the SOHC has the oil pressure sender wiring in the body harness, whereas the DOHC has it in the engine harness. I know the stock gauge isn't all that accurate, but I wanted it to function so I ran my own single wire from the sender, along the lower rad support, up the frame rail, then outside the inner fender with the body harness. From there I ran it inside the car with the body harness.

I pulled the glove box and had access to the plug for the center cluster. I unplugged it, depinned the oil pressure sender wire, and I plugged my wire I ran into its spot using a pin I had cut off one of my spare dashes. It plugs in just like OEM with no splicing so I can put it back like stock when the next phase happens with the car....

Have I mentioned what the next phase will be???

[stealthee]

Before I move on...

This is what is left of Blue Bastard 1.0







The hatch isn't even there any more either. I sold the glass from it to my buddy after someone threw a brick through the back window of his.

[OhioSpyderman]

WOW Brian, I am impressed!

VERY nice work on everything...

The car runs when? (you know I am a hard ass..)

Bob.

[stealthee]

After checking, and double checking, and triple checking things it came time to crank the car for the first time. I pulled the coil wire from the distributor and tried to crank the car over a few times to build oil pressure and fuel pressure. After a few cranks I started smelling fuel so I figured I had enough pressure to start the car. I climb out and take a peek under the car to look for leaks, and I see a puddle of fuel back next to the tank.

Upon inspection I apparently had one of my "oh, look a squirrel" moments when I hooked up fuel lines. I must have gotten up to get the wrenches to tighten the soft line to the hard line, gotten distracted by something else, and never went back to it. The fitting was so loose I spun it in by hand several turns before needing the wrenches.

After fixing that I went back over things a few times and gave it a few more cranks before hooking the coil back up.

So, now, the moment of truth has arrived



I didn't run it long, due to no coolant, but other than slightly loud lifters (to be expected) it sounded great. My oil pressure gauge fix worked and all my electrical seems to be working as expected. On that note one of the things I forgot to mention I did along the way was completely depin and repin and fix the drivers door harness. Everything there worked like a charm (well after I seated some plugs that weren't plugged in.)

The one thing I did notice not working was my alternator. I knew the alternator wiring was an issue from the beginning and I thought I had it figured out, but I only had it half figured out. Upon digging I found out I didn't have 12 volts going to the exciter (I think thats the right term) in the SOHC harness. I did have 12 volts going to the DOHC exciter harness that I had taped off.

So, I acquired another alternator plug in, and made a jumper harness. I jumped from the DOHC exciter plug and ran the wire around the engine and was able to plug it in like factory, with the SOHC wire now taped off. Another quick start up showed the alternator now charging.

[stealthee]

My next step is the core support. My cousin and I put our heads together to figure the best course of action to weld the new buckets into the car without use of a spot welder. I contemplated buying one, but couldn't justify spending $180 on a tool that would likely never get used again.

To make life easier I took the old bucket assembly I had removed and measured distances across common points that the 2g buckets have. From there we used vice grips to hold the core support together and onto the car



I made a list in the dust on the windshield

[stealthee]

This weekend was a slight wash, but we did get the buckets welded to the upper rad support. I had to order some weld through primer and seam sealer so we can finish that job. If all goes to plan the buckets will be welded to the car this coming weekend.

If that happens then I can really move forward on assembling the rest of the car. I guess I should finally put it in my name.

[j2k4]

I like the sound...

[Steve '92ES]

That update was worth waiting for!
How did you do the intake? Was that dipped?
Looking good!

[stealthee]

Yes sir. The black base paint was a "teaser" of sorts. It was just in prep of the hydrodip. Christmas day my cousin and I had a few minutes to burn so we set up our "dip station" and it came out great. This was, of course, after a few failed attempts where we were experimenting.

Thanks.