Saved From The Crusher - 93 Stealth TT Rebuild/Restore

[DrGonzo]

Not to much going on with the project since I started working. I only have time to work on it on weekends now.

After trial and error I come to find out that I cannot sand "Wet or Dry" flat black paint! So all of the imperfections and roughness of the body panels I will just have to live with. I have to respray the drivers door and wing and finish painting a few odds and ends, I will most likely tackle them tomorrow.

Today was spent removing the transmission so I could cut the shield/plate that goes between the trans and engine. I had to cut out a small section out of the bottom of the shield for the output shaft to the transfer case. I also had to cut the flywheel cover shield also. I tried tracking down the correct shields but I got tired of waiting and I was not hearing back from people on prices. So I just modified the FWD shields I had. All of the drivetrain minus the first drive shaft is installed. Also got the clutch lines and slave mounted. I just now realized that the AWD trans does not use the damper that the FWD uses. This explains now why the mounts where all off. So I will most likely have to go out tomorrow and rebend a line and remove the damper from the system. Clutch is most likely going to be pretty heavy as I deleted the clutch vac assembly

I will also be breaking out the welder tomorrow so I can install the AEM UEGO Wideband O2 sensor in to the 3SX downpipe. I found a nice spot right on top of the collection point to weld the bung where it won't hit anything "fingers crossed". I am thinking that I will run open downpipe for a bit as I either need to modify the exhaust I built for the N/A or get one of those nice Concept Blue Ebay specials.

Tomorrow I will be running the pick up fluids, vacuum lines and hose for the power steering cooler. I hate the look of that stupid loop in the front so I am going to use an old ATX trans cooler and run that instead. In the future I plan on moving the oil cooler up from and plumbing it with Earl's lines so it will look good with two coolers up front along with the 2 14" fans I am mounting in front. Since I am not using a FMIC I got the fans to help with cooling and fill in the big void left by the 99 front bumper.


As for those Harbor Freight ties. Those are more for computer wire management. I would not trust those Velcro straps under the hood of my car!

[BadHabit]

Damn,I hate that,I just emailed you about the shield...day late and a dollar short..that's me.

[DrGonzo]

I was able to finish off some of the painting and in the process now I have to do more painting....

I used plastic to cover the car when I painted the door. Well it seems when I was mixing the paint that it slipped a little over the drivers fender. So I have a huge overspray spot on the driver side fender that I will now have to sand and respray the entire fender! I was so pissed...

The rear bumper got painted and installed also. Now with the rear end 90% completed the car is looking even better. I still have to respray the wing and finishing installing all of the hardware on it. It is only sitting on the car just for the photo.


I am debating tinting the tail lights and reverse lights. I haven't decided yet.

I got the Wideband O2 installed and the downpipe is also installed. I also was able to finish up installing the last of the drivetrain pieces. So I said what the hell and put the new rims/tires on the car and finally got it off the jack stands.





I still have to put the rear rims/tires on. But I have other work to do on the back end. it still has no gas tank, rear brakes or sway bar links. I have all the parts just didn't want to mess with it when the front end was on the jack stands.

Until next weekend.......

[n2nsanity]

for the wire management stuff, i meant mostly for the clips that look like spark plug wire separators.
maybe useful for interior or engine bay

car is looking great, i can't wait to see it in person

[Austin@STM]

If you can get your hands on some flat clear, i think the tail lights would look really good flat, keep the red though.

[Greg E]

If you can get your hands on some flat clear, i think the tail lights would look really good flat, keep the red though.

Was thinking the tail lights stood out too much too. Maybe some nite-shades over them or something...

[DrGonzo]

I agree that the tail lights stand out to much. I think I will dust them with nightshades to flatten them out some. I did it on my other Stealth and they still had the red tint just no gloss.

[kjzstealth]

I have never used nightshades, curious how it works

[Austin@STM]

I have never used nightshades, curious how it works

On a flat car it would work out good, because its not very shiny. I hate it on glossy cars though, it just looks cheap because its dull. That why i used to paint tails with black basecoat then clearcoat. I would thin out the black 9 or 10:1 and then just spray on a few light coats, then clear, it would as shiny as the rest of the car that way, plus they would still light up very well.

Heres a pic of a set i did a couple years ago

[DrGonzo]

With nightshades it depends on how you spray it on. I have gotten it to spray on very glossy or dull. To get it glossy I had to do it in somewhat think coats/layers and then wet sand it after-wards. It comes out really nice but it does hinder the light output during the daytime. To do it dull you just spray from a greater distance and very light coat. That way the paint particles dry somewhat in the air. If you coat it to heavy it will gloss so the key with dull is light and hazy.