99 GSX Rebirth/Clean-Up/Build

[bettfootball]

Are you a fellow Civ E as well? Since we are usually the only ones going for PE.

I am Mechanical, work at an engineering firm.

 

[bettfootball]

Yo!

I get married in 1 week so there has not been any progress on the eclipse really. But I did start the parts trips to the powdercoater and ordering more parts.

I'm also getting all of the OEM bolts zinc plated so I organized all of the bags of every bolt I have removed from the car. I just took pictures of the bolts, the size of the head, and the length of the bolt.

Basically did this for every bolt.

IMG_3836 by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

I picked up the first batch of parts from coating. Everything will be gloss black under the car, everything!!!. I did have some wrinkle black done, the water pipe and t-stat housings, but I think everything else I'll go with gloss black powder.

This batch included:

-Rear control arms
-Rear subframe bushing plates
-Rear Bumper brackets, all of them
-License plate bracket
-Fuel tank straps
-Rear sway bar brackets
-Front Shock Forks
-Diff mount
-Fuel Neck cover and other miscellaneous small items.

IMG_3844 by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

IMG_3845 by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

I have all new bushings for everything, can't wait to put them in.

Game plan currently is acquire parts, coat parts, clean parts, paint parts, zinc plate parts. Basically get as much of the small stuff done and off the to-do list!

Peace!

-Brady

 

[Ludachris]

Parts look great, and good job on labeling all the bolts. That's such a tedious, yet, extremely useful process.

Congrats on your upcoming wedding!

 

[92AWDHX40]

Amazing work again, congrats on the wedding, always following the build.

 

[idkiliketurbos]

Awesome work! Where are you sending the bolts out to get them zinc plated? I am looking to do something similar!

 

[JGL122]

I'm curious about that too. I had some zinc coated and they ended up losing a couple bolts. So its a good idea you're taking pics and making a list.

 

[bettfootball]

I'm curious about that too. I had some zinc coated and they ended up losing a couple bolts. So its a good idea you're taking pics and making a list.

There are plenty of metal plating companies. Theres a ton in Denver. I have talked with Denver Metal Finishing.

 

[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

Your sizes are wrong . M17 is not a size on the car its the socket size so you might want to adjust that as it to me says thread size not head/socket size. The front bolts are m12x1.25 so thats a m12 but it takes a 17mm socket where the others are M10 and use a 14mm socket so just might wanna adjust the wording incase it does get lost

 

[bettfootball]

Your sizes are wrong . M17 is not a size on the car its the socket size so you might want to adjust that as it to me says thread size not head/socket size. The front bolts are m12x1.25 so thats a m12 but it takes a 17mm socket where the others are M10 and use a 14mm socket so just might wanna adjust the wording incase it does get lost

I promise I am fully aware of metric bolt sizing and socket sizes haha. Just quickly jotting down the socket used for all the bolts. These notes are only for me. I just took the pictures then threw the paper away.

 

[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

I promise I am fully aware of metric bolt sizing and socket sizes haha. Just quickly jotting down the socket used for all the bolts. These notes are only for me. I just took the pictures then threw the paper away.

I knew you would but i have been here before years ago with bolt sizing and socket sizes so i thought i would mention it. If one did get lost least you know exactly the details and threads etc.

 

[Doubleot]

Those parts look dope! Can't wait to see the rest of the parts!

Congrats on the wedding as well!

 

[bettfootball]

Yo Yo Yo

Abbie was gone all weekend so I didn't feel bad spending all weekend inside organizing and getting some stuff done to the eclipse.

I have been kind of taking inventory of everything, finding more stuff I want powdercoated etc etc.

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

Also throwing stuff away like the wiper control motor/arms, sway bars and other stuff that I can buy new for cheaper than refurbishing them.

I tossed the headlights, well sold them for $20. I will get new OE ones when the car is ready since they are only 100 bucks. I also removed all the stuff from the interior that I had been storing in there and put it all in my basement. Basically putting stuff I wont be touching for months away for the time being to keep the garage organized. I will gut the interior and put all of that in the basement as well.

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

I plan on having just the bare shell with body parts in the garage soon.

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

While taking inventory I came across the new rear lenses. Wow mine were f***ed up!

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

I Found (2) 2G AWD rollers with zero rust I might buy for the rocker panels, rear hubs, axles, rear subframe, fuel neck etc etc and sell all the other parts on them, just need to figure out the logistics of having two project cars....

Peace!!

 

[spyderdrifter]

Having 2 project cars at once can be a challenge. Not impossible though. I had my GSX and a Talon. Was hell trying to find time and money to put into the GSX when I had to worry about keeping the Talon running as my DD. In the end I decided to scrap the Talon since it was hail damaged pretty bad. Kept the parts I needed, sold some parts, scrapped the rest. Still don't have much time for my GSX, but for other reasons. I at least have money to throw at it more often though.

 

[dwdsm]

That powder coat is absolute glass! I have two (DSM & a MR2) and I pretty much alternate putting money into them. It takes twice as long but when they are all on the road it's fun to choose. I have a cheap daily toyota Matrix as well but that one is just for rain and snow...

 

[bettfootball]

I know this will be super disappointing. But my shell will be getting scrapped. The rust was too bad, and would have cost thousands. Not including the hundreds of hours of my time to fix it all.

The shell needed new doors, fenders, front/rear bumpers( too spider cracked per the paint shop) and a new hatch. Let alone both rockers, rear axles, all new brake lines (rusted), about a dozen broken bolts underneath, radiator support and somehow fix the destroyed pinch welds and lower frame rails (completely crushed). Even if I completely fixed the rust, there was always a chance of it rusting through because of the hidden areas etc etc.

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

I've removed everything I'd possibly want off my old 99. Quarter glass comes out tonight, as well as the fuse harness/splash shields...

Everything is going into a storage unit for the time being.

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

All because I picked this up.

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

Pretty much untouched 99 Northstar White GSX. LSD, black leather, 5spd cali car. With the nicest underbody I've ever seen on a 2g.

Here is a comparison of the rear driver underbody section of old vs new.

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

The pinch welds and frame rails are untouched.

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

This has all the parts I needed to complete mine, and at first I was going to cut the new one up, but just didn't make sense. So this car will be the new one I build from.

Sorry to disappoint! But this will be much better than the old one. I will be keeping all the drivetrain/axles etc for sure, and getting rid of all the other duplicates.

Peace!

-Brady

 

[92AWDHX40]

Great find those are rare, keep up the restoration process.

 

[JGL122]

Wow, Congrats on the new car. One thing i found out recently that might be helpful. I've noticed with the aftermarket headlights, the fitment isn't always perfect. I've purchased 2-3 sets. I haven't tried this but one thing I'd like to try next time that I suggest is keeping the stock headlights, purchasing the new headlights and just swapping the front lens to the oem headlight. And maybe the side lens if thats showing age. Cause usually, the headlight internals are nice, its just the lens thats trash, Usually. Congrats on the wedding also.

 

[idkiliketurbos]

This is awesome! You will be much better off, in the long run, to build off of a much cleaner chassis! Be sure to post some more pictures of the new car!

 

[bettfootball]

This is awesome! You will be much better off, in the long run, to build off of a much cleaner chassis! Be sure to post some more pictures of the new car!

Agreed. Very excited to have an amazing condition canvas.

 

[ErikTande]

^^ Yep, that was the right move. It's not like a Datsun 2000 or something where you'll literally never find another donor car. While these cars are getting harder to find, fixing a rotted out shell at this point just doesn't make any sense. Way cheaper and much less of a time sink to just get a new shell.

 

[Craig1970]

wow holy shit that car is beautiful underneath

 

[Dusty Landrum]

Dude you just saved my ass on my restore too. I went back through your old pics and found the brake line mounting and stuff for the rear brake routing. Sucks you went through all that to end up scrapping it.

 

[bettfootball]

I pulled the rear quarter glass as they are in amazing condition and the new ones are not!

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

Untitled by Brady Dingeldein, on Flickr

Trying to get the new car in the garage this weekend for the initial clean up and tear down!

Peace

 

[spyderdrifter]

How did you get the windows out so well? I tried on my old talon before scrapping it and failed.

 

[bettfootball]

How did you get the windows out so well? I tried on my old talon before scrapping it and failed.

Have to use one of those suction cup devices with the crank wire. I had a guy with the tool come help. Have to use a wire.