Project Second Chance Pics, Vids, Update PG19!

[Money pit Beretta]

I bet that SC sucks the gas.
The RPM change on the highway with the 3.33 was very small. Just like 200rpm, so the MPG was not effected. It did help the around town MPG. Less gas used to get off the line, so you save a bit there.

[90GTZHO]

Actually, my GTP does good on gas. If im hard on it my combined mpgs is about 23. If im nicr she does about about 26-28. If im casually driving on the highway, she will do 30-31ish, and thats with the mods i have done to her. Im sure once i get it tuned that all goes out the window lol

[90GTZHO]

And that is also good to know that i wont loose much if any highway mpgs and in town might be better. The more i can get while having fun when i want is always a bonus. One of the reasons i didnt put a 3.29 trans in the GTP. Would have lost my highway mpgs. Great thing about 3100s, even in a larger W-body with a 3.29 they still net 30+mpg highway.

[88gtz]

Looking great!! Any more progress?

[90GTZHO]

Yeah. I need to make an update post about her. Not much has changed but i will be able to have enough to update with

[90GTZHO]

Hey everyone whats going on?

Been a while since i did any kind of update. Wasnt able to get the car "finished" before the summer heat, but dont think im not still out there givin love.

I recently have been kinda busy, but have still managed to atleast once a week do some work. I have put all new brakes on the back (minus drums), new shock mounts and i found out that the shocks and struts are ones i can warranty thru my work. So i may wind up changing the struts and shocks too so i have fully brand new suspension front to back. It would be nice if i had the capabilities to do a set of control arm bushings from ES on my car. I remember how nicely it handled with those in there. Sadly i dont have pics of the new rear brakes or shock mounts. But i figured, everyone has seen it before, no worries.

I did get the body kit full mounted and installed. The only thing left to do, is sand and paint it. I was having a hard time locating the rear bumper support brackets behind the rear wheels, until a 96 Z dropped into the yard. Of course as soon as i found out, i had a buddy check it for me (cause im 45 mins away and hes right around the corner for it) and come to find out, the damn thing is almost in perfect shape. Great thing is, perfect timing. So, the very next day i found some cash and went to the yard. The entire exterior of the body is IMMACULATE!!!!!! The frame on it however, is rusted, must have come from back east. But rockers, perfect; doors, perfect; hood, perfect, fenders, perfect; body kit minus front bumper (it has a base bumper on it), flawless, including spoiler. Needless to say, since they will not sell a whole car once its in the yard, this car will be stripped to bare bones when im thru with it.

I grabbed the interior parts that are hardest to get first. So all the seats, console and plastics.





The guy at the front counter was like "Holy crap bro, you weren't messing around!" Lol Told him nope. Cars are hard enough to find in myt area, let alone in good shape.







Door panels need a little repair work, but not bad. I plan on redoing the fabric on them.

[90GTZHO]

I still need a passenger carpet stay. The one in there was busted in half.



Would you believe the donor car has 193k miles on it? Wouldnt be able to tell by the way the seats look. Minus being a little dirty, they will clean up.



Didnt waste much time when they got home, in the front seats and console went (for the time being). And before you guys say anything, yes, the blue e-brake handle and steering wheel are going. Parts yet to grab from the donor.



95-99 Monte Carlo/Lumina shifter handle too

[90GTZHO]

Also, since Shane has been patient with me and helping me get some front lights, i have been working on getting those installed as well. Found out that my 95 front sidemarker sockets are different on the 96, so good thing i got the front side markers with sockets and a length of wire from the Z. From Shane, he got my stocker foglights (which we're kinda still working on), front clear corner lights, and rear side markers. I have gotten the "new" front and rear side marker lights installed and the cornering lights, but still messing with the fogs. All in all, the car is coming together, slowly, but coming together.









I need to get some interior clips and the rest of the seatbelts from the Z still. I already grabbed the lighted rear view mirror, and the center seatbelt buckles for the rear. I still have the dash (questionable on getting), carpet, headliner and maybe the rear deck for the interior to get. On the outside, probably everything that unbolts or unclips.

Stay tuned for more...

[themixer]

i am so irritated how easy you can come across beretta parts, i've traveled thousands of miles to get similar

[90GTZHO]

In all honesty man, i dont come across them so easily. This one just happened go show up in our local yard. In all of the junk yards in northern Arizona, this is one of two i have found. Still have yet to scope Phoenix yards, but its too damn hot down there to pull parts this time of year.

Its funny, i offered to buy the whole car from the yard a few times, but onces its in the yard, no can do Oh well, in the mean time, everytime you hit the yard and you have a crap load of stuff, the dont usually itemize

[1988GTU]

Why not buy it in 1/4 sections? I've bought front "clips" rear "halves" and "center" section all pertaining to the very same vehicle in one day. Thy just wanted the firewall vin tag removed and any other visible tags with the vin

[90GTZHO]

I thought about it. but they want way too damn much for them, then i have to find a way to get it home then disposal afterwards. Id rather just get what i need off it. Im hoping to go again this weekend.

[Money pit Beretta]

Damn....you hit the mother load!

[90GTZHO]

Didnt make it there this last weekend, but im gonna go this next weekend for sure. I really wanna grab all the window trim and rubber seals. The ones on here have seen better days.

So, on Saturday, i took the Beretta to my work, just to see how it was doing driving-wise. Didnt do too bad honestly. I was happy to be driving down the road in a Beretta again. made my day. Although, it does smell something fierce inside lol. I think once i get the seats cleaned, headliner installed and new carpet, should be alot better. Also, need to hose out the inside of the car and get the 20 years of dust out of it.

Anyways, driving down the road i noticed a nice grinding/howling noise that i could feel thru the wheel i didnt notice before. Only did it from 46-58 mph and at low speeds around corners (both directions). Well, tells me the front hubs are shot, which i was expecting soon anyways. I mean, 151k miles with original hubs, its to be expected. So lucky me, the basic hubs were in stock at work so i got the pair; for $66 for both my cost, i wasnt gonna bitch. They will work for a while. I was happy to be working on her again too. For some reason, driving her is fun, but so is working on her. Even if its stupid stuff, i love working on her. I cant wait to get some money saved up and get the rims redone and some new tires on it.

I also have a full cluster and fron FE7 sway bar that i want to install as well. Hopefully, i can get those very soon.

More coming!

[3X00-Modified]

FE7 bar unless from a V6 car will have clearance issues on the 4t60e IIRC, and honestly I'm not even sure if the v6 bar will fit... I'd have to compare my Indy to the pink car to see if it would hit anything on the 60e vs the 3t40