Making an L body handle - Shelby Charger content

In reply to moparman76_69:

Hmm, I WAS looking for a GLHS LM but already have that coming in.

I do need the metal return line on the steering rack and could possibly use the fuel filler pipe. Mine has only one mounting screw left to hold it in.

I'll be stripping the car down next week. I'm leaving to go out of town on the 8th, and will be coming through Tampa either late on the 10th or early on the 11th and can bring small-medium size parts with me and drop them off on my way through so you have time to get them put on before the challenge. Or I can ship stuff if needed.

The ZF pump was only on the newer end of the k-cars. I think the earliest cars it was in were 89s. So look for the newest body styles as a shortcut and you're more likely to find the ZF pump.

In reply to moparman76_69:

I may need the return line shipped if we can't get this one to spin. Copious amounts of lubricant have not helped yet. I'll let you now asap. There is actually a local autocross on the 9th that I want to try and get to and shake the car down. Fuel filler I could put in later at any time. I'll take another look at the whole car tomorrow to see if there is anything else I need. Thanks!

I'll check the turns on the rack also, as I'm pretty sure the GLH/Ts got the quicker ratio rack.

In reply to Vigo:

Good deal. Do have a picture of the console surround that you are looking for? Don't remember seeing any sticks but I will do a more thorough look on my next visit.

hobiercr wrote: In reply to moparman76_69: Hmm, I WAS looking for a GLHS LM but already have that coming in. I do need the metal return line on the steering rack and could possibly use the fuel filler pipe. Mine has only one mounting screw left to hold it in.

The GLH-S LM is different from the 87 T2 LM. The GLH-S LM is based around the earlier 85-86 T1 LM (has the built-in MAP sensor), the 87 LM has an externally mounted MAP.

moparman76_69 wrote: I'll check the turns on the rack also, as I'm pretty sure the GLH/Ts got the quicker ratio rack.

All of the GLH/GLH-T/GLH-S, Shelby Charger, Charger GLH-s received the same 14:1 racks and they do get incorrectly labeled and boxed all the time, especially because they look the same externally and many people bought new fast ratio rebuilt racks and brought in a slow ratio rack for their core deposit.

hobiercr wrote: Good deal. Do have a picture of the console surround that you are looking for? Don't remember seeing any sticks but I will do a more thorough look on my next visit. I need the 5spd version of it.

Pic? Kind of. I have a pic of my modified Auto trans shifter bezel thing.

Also keep in mind the power steering return line is a low pressure hose so you can just pull the hose section off the metal line going to the rack and just deal with it when the rack is on the ground. Although i suspect that is what you're already doing. If it's super stuck and you have the room my first preference would be to get a 'crows foot' line wrench, put a short exension in it and put it on your impact and slowly start impacting it until it breaks loose, then turn it out with a normal wrench. Or, if you have a normal line wrench, smack the end of it with a hammer. Or use it like normal although i dont think that's as effective. If you dont have a crows foot or a line wrench, a GOOD set of channel locks like the Knipex Cobras i have will work, but they will mark up the nut pretty good.

In reply to Vigo:

Thanks for the pict. I will try and get to the JY this weekend. On the return line, it is already twisting when we apply force. I'm going to have to find another one quickly.

Today was a good day. Got the gas tank sending unit (old one) installed and the tank in the car and all lines buttoned up. Added some fuel to the tank and tried the old LM again with the same results, only the right injector bank firing. Plugged in the new logic module and viola, both banks fire. It took a second for the left bank to kick in but both left injectors fire now. Based on this I am going to register tomorrow and send my check in. This weekend I'll get the injectors installed and try to fire her. Fingers crossed.

Also made some progress on the struts tonight after the ToT's stopped harassing me.

Got the rear shocks built up with the coilovers installed.

Before building them up I dug through my buddies circle track spring collection and came up with everything I need. Most excellent. The front struts may be a little more challenging.

The used SRT-4 struts I bought were suspect so I tore one down to be sure. Yep, it's shot. The ones that came on the Charger when I bought it seemed stiff so I'll tear them down too and see if their still good. If so I'll just grind off the stock spring purchases and add the coilover sleeves.

Saturday I should also get my new steering rack so I can get that bolted to the K frame and the control arms installed. I won't install that until I get the shift linkage swapped out.

She's coming together but there is still SO much work to do.

Finally got both the SRT-4 struts and the older Charger struts torn down. They're all shot. At least now I don't have to claim the SRT4 stuff.

Jumped on the interweb and after shopping around scored a set of brand new Gabriel front struts on Rock Auto on wholesaler closeout for $3.96 each! With ~$10 shipping I'm re-valving my front for $18.20!

Sweet!!

Since im such a cheapass im hankering to try the old 'drain and fill' on some dampers... drill a hole, drain stock fluid, refill with thicker weight fork oil from motorcycle shop, UPGRADE!

I'll definitely try it on my 346k mile rear Insight shocks, and im TEMPTED to try it on some front struts for K-car or L-body since they are so limited on strut options, but i would have to do some research and make sure they are not gas-charged......

I will purchase your SRT4 front springs from you at the Challenge if you drag them along.

The SRT-4 springs are Eibach aftermarkets which supposedly are a lowering spring. The entire strut assembly was roughly equivalent to my stock Charger assemblies but disassembled the SRT springs are shorter. I'll try and get some pictures for you.

Oh. In that case you should probably sell them to a neon person since they are worth more than $30 which is what i think a pair of stock SRT4 front coils is worth. Anything lower and stiffer than stock SRT4 springs is iffy for my K-car applications anyway.

Should be able to get $100 for them pretty easily i would think.

On our ChumpCSX we used Sti take-off's, had to hack to strut tops to get them to fit though. With more time and use of machine tools, one should be able to adapt the tops to work without using the flame wrench and a welder.

The bottoms bolted right up.

turboswede wrote: Is the ground connected at the side of the transaxle shifter tower? (Underneath the air box area on the top of the transaxle.

I'm cleaning up some wiring and this ground is not obvious to me. On top of the transaxle (where the air box would be) is a tapered thread shaft coming straight up out of what I'm guessing is the shifter tower. What ground runs to here? Is it into a harness or just from here to fender well, battery neg, etc.?

The ground connects to the side of the shift tower, should be a 13mm bolt that goes in sideways right in the middle of the top of the transaxle and doesn't serve any other purpose. There will be a matching ring terminal that fits that size bolt with a splindly little wire attached to it.

This is different from the large negative ground wire that goes to the head.

In reply to turboswede:

Ok, but where does the other end of the ground wire go? Into the harness, etc.? My wiring harness was hacked before I got the car so I'm having to clean up a lot of mess.

Hmm, I don't know for sure. You'll need to look into the wiring diagrams, unless Vigo, etc know off-hand.

Another random question. Is there a gasket between the upper and lower sections of the 2 piece intake manifold? I'm guessing that there has to be but I can't find reference to one online (Rockauto, etc.) anywhere.

I've checked the wiring diagram before but figuring out ground locations there has not been the easiest.

Yes, there is. Oddly, it was always included in the 87 Turbo headgasket sets, but no one ever pulled them apart, unless they absolutely had to.

That gasket still comes in the intake manifold gasket sets for all 2.2/2.5 motors. It's <$10 at the parts stores.

Ive never seen that ground wire (must be an L-body thing) and i have no idea where it goes.

There is the brown wire that should be grounded that is the neutral safety (or lack thereof) the threaded stud you're asking about is the pin that you use to lock the Trans in neutral when you are adjusting the shifter.

In reply to turboswede:

Good to know.