Getting started.....Again

[MadBadger]

Well, I've had the car for a few years now, I've been off to several "starts" and then something always comes up....Last time it sat in the garage for almost two years without doing much, so it was time to either sell it or get to work on it...So, I am back to work on it.

I have been searching around locally for a place to do the bodywork and paint and think I finally found the right place (MuscleRoad in Madera, CA)...They do body, paint, and interior work at the same place, and have a truck they built in this months "Truckin" magazine.

I have rethought my order of doing things many times, and like I had posted long ago, I just don't want to get ahead of myself and have to re-do things. My main dilemma right now is trying to decide if I want to keep the engine and tranny that's in it now, or get an LSx engine and tranny. I like to shift, but I've read a lot of great things about the 4L60/4L80 trannys too, maybe the Shrifter???? Money-wise I should keep what's in the car, but I don't want to get it painted and then take things apart to swap the engine in a year or two. I figure it's going to take several years to get it done anyway due mainly to funding issues...

I got new tires on it yesterday, the old ones were shot. I'm getting the IROC steering box and new pump put on Monday so it will at least be safer and more pleasant to drive around while I'm weighing the multitude of options...

I'll be taking pictures (and asking lots of questions) every step of the way as this car finally get's going again...

This site has been invaluable to me so far and I'm sure it will continue to help out tremendously as this car finally gets started...again...

Thanks!

[67 ls1 vert]

car looks like a good candidate. The LSX engines are going to cost you a lot of money to get in and running good.

Just get it painted and running good and enjoy it. Maybe do a few suspension tricks. You can make an old school engine have 400 HP pretty easy.

What color are you painting it?

[MadBadger]

I'm leaning strongly towards silver/metallic gray.

The engine runs very strong, and it must be geared pretty low, about 52 MPH is about 3000 RPM (according to GPS and the tach that was in the car when I bought it). The tranny is a TH350, I understand they're pretty strong if built right, but I've got to do something to make it more bearable at freeway speeds. Right now I just drive it around town, I don't want to get on the freeway with it.

[MadBadger]

Got the IROC steering box installed, new pump, new lines, and the adapter fittings from Lee...

I've only driven it a little bit now, but the difference is incredible, it steers like a new car!!!!! Nice firm steering instead of that sloppy, too easy steering like it was, and the car doesn't want to wander all over the road anymore...I'm very happy with the IROC box..,

I saw a newer BMW the other day too that is the exact color I had in mind, it's darker than silver but lighter than gray if that makes any sense...I'm going to have to figure out what they call it...

[Krazed]

It's either Titanium Silver Metallic or Sparkling Graphite Metallic depending on how dark you want to go.

Here's a list of colors.

http://www.carsdirect.com/bmw/330/colors

A buddy of mine has a 2006 (same as newer body styles) in a Sparkling Graphite, and its pretty dark. Almost black.

either way, they look good!

Ive been looking at the Titanium Silver from BMW (Link: http://photos.ebizautos.com/5859/3665111/3665111_1.jpg ) or the Platinum Silver Metallic from Subaru. (Link: http://gtcarlot.com/gallery/photo.php?id=1236476 )

[MadBadger]

Krazed...Thanks for the info...I think it's the titanium silver I saw, but that Subaru looks very nice too...That's definitely the basic color I had in mind...