Mikey's new four-door

[87gtVIC]

What does you home alignment kit consist of?

Once I get big brakes installed I want to do the alignment myself.

[1987cp]

I sprung for the Fastrax alignment gauge and the add-on toe in wings. You can save $50 by not getting the wings, but I find toe measurements a HUGE pain without them, so for me they're probably worth it.

The setup is surprisingly easy to use, only extras you need are long straightedge or two and two tape measures. A pair of special alignment turntables for checking camber would be nice, but the ones I've seen are pricy, so probably either do without or make your own out of some wall paneling like I saw on a Miata forum.



Next up, figuring out how to make alignment changes on the Cavalier. Camber I know how to adjust, toe looks like a bit of trouble, and it *looks* like the caster isn't even adjustable ....

[87gtVIC]

Very cool!

[1987cp]

I has a drift. To the right. Thought it should be the other way, based on what I remember reading yesterday afternoon. Will have to try tweaking it again. Also didn't get the steering wheel quite centered, must need another 1/8 turn or so.


Got the camber pretty close on the Cavalier, now it feels very nice even though the wheel is still slightly off-center. Seemed laborious to yank the wheel, loosen the strut bolts, make a tweak, rinse, repeat, until I read that once you adjust the camber to positive, you can leave the top bolt tight and just whack the wheel with a mallet until camber reads zero. Guy at J-body.org said for caster you either move the top of the strut (impossible without modifications), or move the entire subframe fore or aft!

[pantera77]

I'm really curious to see what the actual alignment specs would be if you through it up on a legitimate alignment rack.

[1987cp]

:bump:

Anyone want to buy this car?

[packman]

Would you be willing to trade for an equally rusty and non-running '53 F-250? LOL



Packman

[1987cp]

Well, I seem to have a potential buyer coming to look at this car on Saturday. I spent some time with it yesterday, dragging it (literally, since the brakes had gotten crusty) out of Mom's garage, fixing a fuel leak (ironically, by reinstalling the cheap filter that came with the car to start with since I'm not sure how to get a replacement O-ring for the fancy Professional Products filter), and swapping the 16" wheels back on. I had put it away with the tank nearly full, as some people seem to recommend, and as it happens it's running OK on that fuel even though it's like a year and a half old. I transferred the plate from this car to my wife's car a while back so we could have the sequential plate numbers and renew both plates on the same day (in Michigan you renew plates on the birthday of the registeree), so driving on the street isn't a good idea, but I took it up and down the driveway a few times and everything seems functional. Electric fan kicked in fine when it got up to temperature, and it chirped a tire lightly on the smooth blacktop.

My main question now, is the Vic's condition significantly worse than when I parked it, or have my tastes just gotten snooty driving around in my '12 Mazda Peoplecarrier where I worry not about whether the engine will run but about whether the Bluetooth connection will connect to my phone properly every time?

[1987cp]

P72 is sold!

User "Louis" bought the car, and I packed it off to its new home this morning!

About an hour-and-a-half later I got phone call saying "The Eagle has landed."

Here it is leaving on its trip (click for more pics):

[79lincolnlover]

I hope Louis will enjoy it!

[1987cp]

I believe he is enjoying it. I got an e-mail saying he took it for a spin and it still does its firm 1-2 shift pretty satisfactorily, and that it should be enjoying some rust repair in the foreseeable future.

[packman]

I believe he is enjoying it. I got an e-mail saying he took it for a spin and it still does its firm 1-2 shift pretty satisfactorily, and that it should be enjoying some rust repair in the foreseeable future.

Packman

[1987cp]

And the saga continues!

New owner, new RR thread for TBP72FKATPOS (The Black P72 Formerly Known As The Police Order Special)!

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?49195-Old-Man-s-Hotrod-P72