The new GA GT is home

[cage47]

Here are links to pics of the new ga. The first is our pitstop just after getting the car loaded.

http://web.netstartel.com/~cage47/data/ga1.jpg

The next is the front view with one of the few body defects. The broken blinker light.

http://web.netstartel.com/~cage47/data/ga3.jpg

This one shows the biggest body defect. The broken skin by the fog light.

http://web.netstartel.com/~cage47/data/ga4.jpg

Here is the engine.

http://web.netstartel.com/~cage47/data/ga5.jpg

This one shows the interior. I still have to put the radio back in. He still had thestock radio.

http://web.netstartel.com/~cage47/data/ga6.jpg

The last is the last two body defects. The fender and the broken side blinker. No biggies.

http://web.netstartel.com/~cage47/data/ga7.jpg

[cage47]

So far it doesn't look like it needs much work than I thought. It does need tires on the end. Going to use the tires off my old GA to get it inspected. The LIM gasket. I had to pull the flop down back seat out. It was stuck. And the driver seat is whipped. A used at pick a part $25, no big deal. But the passenger floorboards are drenched. Both front and back. I think, though that the weather seal on the door is whipped. it looks fairly worn. I'm going to test it this week. I have to shoot him an email and ask about that. But it starts up good. (Though I only start it for a minute to test it and get it on the hauler because of the oil). So now just waiting for the taxes to get in so I can get the parts to get it fixed. Then registered and insured.

[sunrunner_pei]

The exhaust seems to be haning low in the last pic. Might need a new hanger or 2. :) Lookin' good!

[tgussie666]

Looks good for it's age.......good luck with it......

[Big Joe]

looks greats. I always love to see anouther older ga being bought and fixed up

[DontPassTheFence]

nice, nice -- my dad had one of those, but with the quad, and a 5speed. He drove it into the ground, he didnt want to pay for the blown headgasket, and sold it @ 155k mi
but atleast you dont have the quad, altough it is a blessing in the performance, it doesnt like cooling... waterpump and all. I hope you have fun with it!

[ga5speed02]

looks great, best of luck to you with it

[cage47]

Well it has different types mufflers from one side to the other. The left side is bigger. But it does seem to be missing a bracket. I just noticed it when I took the pictures. But it's solid. I've got the upper manifold off and working on getting the lower off. Tomorrow. Seems I need the valve cover gaskets and I didn't get them. Just hope it doesn't rain.

[cage47]

I had forgotten what a pisser it is to work on these cars. I'm putting the engine back together after getting the new LIM gasket in. Man what a difference. Those old gaskets compared to the new felpros. But it took me 3 hours to figure out how to get the serpentine belt off. I couldn't get the wrench between the tensioner and the fenderwell. Untill I took the tire off and had the engine supported and lowered the car almost to the ground and the engine came up enough to get to it. Then it was a breeze. Now to get that passenger side leak and it'll be 100%.

[ga5speed02]

good luck. glad to hear you are attempting this work yourself.

[cage47]

Well it is turning into a real pisser. I got it torn down and got the LIM back in only to have one bolt on one head strip and on on the other snap off in the head. I drilled out the broken one and I'm waiting now for my dad with the tap and die set to tap the new hole and retap the stripped one. I'm going slightly bigger bolts in those holes. Had to drill the manifold for the broken bolt too. Sets me back a half day though.

[ga5speed02]

i dont know to much about this, but if your going to tap one hole you might as well tap all the rest for that peace. i could be wrong tho

[cage47]

Well tapping them out is only half the battle. You see the clearance between the bolt tops and the sides off the manifold towers is too close for sockets. I did the one and won't do the others. I'm hoping to have the money later this year and just get a replacement head. It was a real pisser to say the least. ended up getting a spacer and a longer bolt. For the work it isn't almost worth it. If there's no alternative it's workable but not easy. But it's down. I just couldn't believe how low the torque levels were. But it's set now and tomorrow I'll get the rest put back on. That should be a breeze. But I have to find one of the bolts for the alternator. It's getting too dark now. I'll post a pic of what that spacer looks like.

[DontPassTheFence]

damn, you have got to be mechanically inclined, good work...

[ga5speed02]

good luck man, hope it works. maybe you can get a new head thats ported and polished

[cage47]

Well it took some doing but I got it back together. It didn't end up doing what I hoped. I ended up using a thredded rod with a nut and locking washer and used a double washer setup at the top to torque it. But got it started up today. She purred like a kitten. Got the radiator filled up. No leaking. But looks like I need a ball joint. And I got the dash leak fixed too. Permatexed under that flapper housing in the engine compartment under the cowl. You could see it wasn't sealing. So a couple more days, get that ball joint done and She'll be on the road. And turns out someone is buying my old GA. Will be sorry to see her go though. But I need the $$$ for the parts for the new car.

[ga5speed02]

cool sounds cool. ball joints are a pain in the ass tho. hope that goes well. see if you could get pics up when your done. would be cool

[cage47]

Yeah. I had the ball joint go in my old 92 GA. What a PITA having to drill out the rivits. I still have the drill bit I used with part of the rivit still stuck on it. So far no new pics aside from what is up already. But now that the water leak in the dash is fixed the next big thing......a WASH! Then I'll get nice shiny new pics. Gotta get a shot of the 90 and 95 side by side before the 90 goes. It is wierd. I feel like I'm back in my old car.

[cage47]

Well I have the LIM gasket fixed and also finally found out the reason behind the dash leak. (See my post in the Problems and Solutions area). So now I'm working on the last little things. Here's what I've found.

I had no headlights. Not even highbeams. Turns out the switch itself, not the lever but the actual part with the electrical contacts, was bad. Going to pic a part and replace that. Also, had no horn. This was two problems. First the plug under the air bag that goes from the airbag to the steering column itself was broken. Actually the socket that it goes into is. So that's not an easy fix. I'm going to re wire it somehow. Too complicated to explain. But when I got the wiring figured out it kept blowing fuses. Turns out my right horn is shot. I unplugged it and the left one works no prob.

Have to get new brake shoes for the front. No biggie. And then replace the lower ball joint on the front right. I'll need to get a new tire for that side eventually. I'm going to use my 90 back tires for the inspection.

Should get another hanger for the left tail pipe. It's hanging low.

Got the stock radio and since the dash was open I plugged it in. Front channels are scratchy but back is fine. I'm either going to get my old radio out of the 90 and put this in there or since it has the antenna adapter and radio housing adapter I might get the wiring harness and put my pioneer casette deck in. That'll be next week.

Aside from the radio and tail pipe that's what I need to get it inspected. Eventually I'm thinking of replacing the driver seat which is a little wobbly. And I forgot to get the left rear reflector for the fender behind the tire. That and the driver door panel is busted at the screws. That'll need replacing eventually. And possibly a can of freon for the a/c. It's cool but it can be colder. But it works.

But I'd say, all in all, for $610 I came out ahead.

I'll wash it tomorrow and put a clean pic up.

[cage47]

The latest stupid update. Well it took me the better part of the afternoon. I tore the steering column open and pulled apart the light switch. Even down to the component level. Had some gunk in there thought connections were bad. Tried it 3 times. even got an extra from pic a part. Only to find out that the large fuse in the fuse box is missing for the headlights. That's why everything but them worked. Now I just need to find one. (I konw it was this since I used a jumper quick just to test the lights. Switch works fine). And I had to do a temp rewire on the horn. Just hope I used enough wire to compensate when the wheel turns. And the brakes look fine. Got the ball joint and ready to put it in. By tomorrow afternoon I should be rolling good. If I have enough time, it's bath time. Oh also got the radio in. The connector seems to be touchy with the power connection. Sometimes cuts out. I'll look at that later. Also the speakers in the doors are out. Well passenger is out. Driver is intermittent. Backs are fine.