Plastic Fantastic 2

[SuperBuickGuy]

What do you think caused the rocker arm issue?

not-checking-twice-itis....

 

[bobs77vet]

thats strange, but look on the bright side, now you can cover it up and worry about it for the next 6 months, the gift that keeps on giving

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

thats strange, but look on the bright side, now you can cover it up and worry about it for the next 6 months, the gift that keeps on giving

Ever read the author Patrick McManus (wrote for Field and Stream)? He talks about a worry box.

His tl;dr is you have limited space in that box, and the greater the worry the more it fills the box until it tosses out the lessor worries in favor of the greater worries.

The rocker arm issue is so minor as it's got no chance of getting into the box until the day before I go to Optima - then that bastard will keep me awake all night before.

so it's all good, it's been scheduled.

 

[mfain]

I don't know if you have been watching the Optima Challenge on MAV TV. It is on at 9 PM (MST - Phoenix) tonight (26 Feb) and this segment will be last year's finals at COTA. Chris Ramey has been tearing GTV up with his C-4. There are a couple of C-3s and lots of Gen I/II Camaros, mostly with LS7s and full independent suspensions. Ramey has an LS7 also, with C-4 suspension and good aero. His road course times are often FTD - even faster than the GTL and GTS cars. Usually only Austin Barnes in his twin turbo, 1000hp C6Z is faster on the road course.

 

[bobs77vet]

thats the good thing about a memory like a steel sieve.....it all slips through good and bad

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I don't know if you have been watching the Optima Challenge on MAV TV. It is on at 9 PM (MST - Phoenix) tonight (26 Feb) and this segment will be last year's finals at COTA. Chris Ramey has been tearing GTV up with his C-4. There are a couple of C-3s and lots of Gen I/II Camaros, mostly with LS7s and full independent suspensions. Ramey has an LS7 also, with C-4 suspension and good aero. His road course times are often FTD - even faster than the GTL and GTS cars. Usually only Austin Barnes in his twin turbo, 1000hp C6Z is faster on the road course.

TV? who has time for that?

dip my toes in the water, see how it goes...

in other news, before I go, I need to replace all the bushings with delrin or solid because the rear tires are touching the rear of the fenders....

14:00 "the two cheater Corvettes are ahead".... oh to be number 3 in that lineup
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrBhkmYo_j8[/ame]

I've got to start somewhere, might as well be here..

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

had to take the dash out to fix the door alignment....edited

fixed


still working on the window alignment.... what a hateful system

 

[bobs77vet]

are you using any dense foam for the window to rest on at full bottom lowering height? almost to stop the thunk when it goes fully down?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

are you using any dense foam for the window to rest on at full bottom lowering height? almost to stop the thunk when it goes fully down?

I've solved that problem with very loud sidepipes... without the thunk, I'd never know it was down...


doors ugh


the window needed to be moved back and then twisted to fit the opening.edited It's not perfect but it's better than GM ever did....edited


one problem was the handle really had to be pulled on the inside to get out - given I have to be timed getting out of the car, that could be an issue.... the fix was basically move a shim



and then finally, put the handles on


easiest way - drill the holes large enough to get the handles through


wiper issue, this is going to be painful....edited



I'm in the process of finding tires.edited 200 AA treadwear is required - but I'm taking a higher-level view.edited If I was anywhere near competitive - then sure, the 10,000 miles (or a lot less) tires at 300-400 each would be fine.... but I'm taking a step back and getting 40k mile 320aa wear rating tires.... maybe next year after a bunch of autocrossing and track days... but I also want to drive this beast (and it is a blast to drive)....edited

​​​​​​​So the ones in the shopping cart are Toyo Proxes Sportedited

 

[bobs77vet]

i have two sets of tires for my c5 the michelin supersports on the stock c5 rims , and the toyo proxies t1r on the zo6 rims.


I like both the tires but i dont think they would ever make it 40k, from general conversations with my friends 15 to 20k seems more like it what the "community" is getting

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

i have two sets of tires for my c5 the michelin supersports on the stock c5 rims , and the toyo proxies t1r on the zo6 rims.


I like both the tires but i dont think they would ever make it 40k, from general conversations with my friends 15 to 20k seems more like it what the "community" is getting

I'm working on getting a second set of rims, but the tires on these rims - they're 6 years old and one has a fairly sizeable chunk out of it...

 

[BBShark]

I'm doing my latch right now a was really suprised how poorly that part was designed. First your pushing a small rod and it's not even aligned with the load. It also takes about 15-20 lbs to unlatch. That why the little elbow on the end is always bent (which makes things even worse).

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm doing my latch right now a was really suprised how poorly that part was designed. First your pushing a small rod and it's not even aligned with the load. It also takes about 15-20 lbs to unlatch. That why the little elbow on the end is always bent (which makes things even worse).

it's better with the shims on either side but that's one of those are pretty terrible.... that's something I will get around to making better - but right now this is better than before a good enough for now....

 

[bobs77vet]

do you have the space where can you run some strengthing beads down the back of the TAB to beef it up with out interfering with anything?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I think the right fix would be bend the tab 90* to its current position, then fab a U channel to hold the pivot. Weld a bushing to the pivot then it should work just fine.... basically, the way it is now, it flops longitudinally to the car instead of simply moving in a latitudinal direction....

or put the washers on both sides, take out some of the slack by unscrewing the rod and call it a day... :3rd:

I'll let you guess the direction I went

I have no idea why GM made it that way - I get that it offsets the pivot (the rod is closer to the door then the tab the pivot pushes down to open the door), but it really seems unnecessary..

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

well, time to cut in fresh paint

for my UK and Aussie friends.... don't breath this crap.... I've been watching Car SOS and it strikes me every time that the problems people are suffering there are avoidable.... cutting fiberglass aerosolizes glass dust - which will cut the hell out of your lungs.edited Watching Fuzz cut fiberglass with an abrasive blade and nary a dust mask or baby powder to close the pores... off the soapbox...



two cuts down

last cut

there it is.... and a chip... thankfully, the hood will be mostly flat black to reduce glare....edited


Covette19.... she's a black menace... hopefully soon causing wailing and gnashing of teeth on the autocourses .... likely mine, but I can dream.

 

[bobs77vet]

what does the baby powder do?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

what does the baby powder do?

keeps the glass dust/splinters out of your skin (more specifically, pores)

 

[phantomjock]

That is a great "old-boaties" trick. Try this one when it "fits" - use a wet-tile saw to cut carbon fiber sheets. Keeps the mess down to a manageable level too.

BTW I hate the cold shower afterwards - but keeps the pores from opening though.

Jim

 

[bobs77vet]

would the talc work for putting in fiberglass insulation? i usually use long sleeve shirts and just get sweaty, although these days i pay people to do that

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

would the talc work for putting in fiberglass insulation? i usually use long sleeve shirts and just get sweaty, although these days i pay people to do that

yes, it works especially well for that.... key is to remember it sweats off pretty quickly - thus, if you're putting it in during the winter; it works pretty well, summer, you look like you got hives (don't ask me how I know this)... and actually the comment was "I didn't realize that hives could happen in streaks"....

the best part is the running commentary by people-who-think-they're-funny who say they love their contractors to smell baby fresh....

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I have more parts, but I don't dare put it on jackstands or on the lift..... the Colorado needs to be done first....

why GM used rubber suspension points in a race car is a good question (the Camaro SS donor)
but I have axle tramp and the tires seems to be moving fore and aft either under power or braking

I may, also, do some mods to the arms which adjust the rear toe.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

time to fix the paint



there, that should make me Wayyyyy faster.....edited

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Tires are here.... went with Toyo Proxes, 320 AA tread rating but summer tire - I think a 200 rating would be a waste at this point
​​​​​​​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

who knew a 315/30zr18 and 345/30zr19 could fit?edited
but I digress, I drove half way across Washington today to pick up some tires/wheels..... they're C7 Z06 wheels with Hoosier A4 tires (that are seriously date challenged 1/15 and 2/15)

what's under it is 275/35zr18 and 305/30zr19s


they fit/don't hit - the caveat is the A4 tire has quite a radius sidewall otherwise there would be problems

oof da they're huge

and they fit







the 345 does fit very well on the rear



so the puzzle, leave them the same color, paint them? paint them what? likely these will be the going to town tires and wheels (the new tires on the z06 wheels).... I'll put the slicks on the other wheels for days when I need a 40 treadwear tire....

​​​​​​​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

and just for the record, sometimes I feel like I'm 3 years old and my parents gave me Thor's hammer to play with...... it may not be a good result but it will be entertaining....

 

[bobs77vet]

something with some shine to it.....maybe a painted dark grey....like a painted cast iron color...not to silvery but clear coated with a subtle shine

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

onto new stuff.
poly bushings

this arm is what keeps the tire going straight and is what you adjust for rear toe

a stamped steel, rubber bushed piece of....

this one is twisted

the other bent

anyone want to guess why the rear tires are moving around? smh

remove bushings




tomorrow the fix is cap them with 1/16" steel and put the bushings in place. I'm really tempted to make one end an aluminum bushing...

and to answer the question, yes, there are great replacements.... $369 just for the adjustable to arms... uh, no.

​​​​​​​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

something with some shine to it.....maybe a painted dark grey....like a painted cast iron color...not to silvery but clear coated with a subtle shine

Orange? I hear that's a thing for track cars.... they have bright painted track-only wheels :bestwishes:

 

[bobs77vet]

if you make the bushing non absorbing isnt it going to twist the tube again? those tires are creating lots of grip