04-03-09

**********SOLD **********

Traded her off (with some cash) for a newer Blazer. So sad to see her go after all this time, but after thinking and looking for a long time, this was the best possible choice I could have made. She got me through many hard times, many good memories, and overall was a great car to have. I can only hope the new owner will take the same care that I once did. I'll leave this page up since I probably still have parts laying around and lots of knowledge if anyone has any questions.

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April 14, 2008

Nothing new here, just driving her every day. TGP is almost done, so that'll be a big relief. Only news is that I'm sad that I'm still running my stock wheels, but that's what happens when your money has other priorities, like bills! Oh well, I'll get some tires for the 19"s later this summer and enjoy them for a while. She got a bath last week, but she was only clean for 2 days before it rained for basically a week straight. She needs an incredible detailing though, but hopefully the TGP will be done next weekend, and I'll have a day to detail both cars.

March 19, 08

Not much new. She blew a coolant hose, overheated for a week as I dumped a gallon of water/coolant in every time I had to drive ten minutes. Fixed the hose and she's fine. Stock wheels will stay on for a while until I can afford a new pair of tires, although if I can swing it I found a pair for $50, but I may hold out for smaller ones. otherwise she's just dirty from doing winter duty, but that'll soon be fixed.

October 30, 07

Nothing to new, she's been extremely reliable, no SES lights, nothing unusual, other than a possible bad ball joint or something up front, she thumps at speeds above about 50 on the front passenger side, but I'll probably get that checked out in the next few weeks. Other than needing to fix the rear window and figure out whether she'll do winter duty or not, everything looks ship shape!

September 26, 07

She's been great all summer, no problems to speak of, other than the occasional not wanting to start after hot issue. Oh yes, and I had a blowout going about 80 on one of the 19s, so she sits on stockers currently. Hopefully either A) i can get the grand prix road worthy before winter, or B) I can get a cavalier from a friend for cheap or free to drive over the winter. The cutlass would do just fine, but she doesn't currently have any rust, so I'd prefer to keep it that way. she needs a good wash and wax, but its actually been raining for the last two days.

April 27, 07

Not too much new here, been driving the car for about a month, and I haven't had any problems, shes been reliable finally! I think I have a wheel bearing going bad, though, but that's nothing too major just yet, and I think I need to clean my TPS. Otherwise, until schools over for the year I don't have anything major planned until summer. Main goals for the summer are suspension: new shocks and struts, get the intrax springs on, and hopefully get the rear lowered as well. smaller projects include making a custom lcd screen area (so that it can be hidden), and then just fixing/cleaning some of the other things that need it. Oh, I made a custom trunk liner, too, that I have pictures of, but havent posted yet. I'll have to download them from my photobucket and post them up. thats all for now!

Feb 21, 07

She sits in the garage, keeping warm under her nice car cover :-) Not too much going on, since it's cold and icky outside. A few new toys on the way: An underdrive pulley, some custom door sills, Working on finishing up the trunk lid liner. Got the Mirror wired up, but it didn't seem to power on when I had her out last. Fixed the HUD adjuster that I broke, and thats pretty much it. As soon as I get my tax check, it's time to order shocks and struts, and then the front gets lowered with the Intrax springs I have waiting to go on, and hopefully some smaller tires for the front. That's the plan as of about now. Here are a few pics of the trunk liner (Im making a different olds logo, and it's not carpetted yet):

Jan 5, 07

Not too much new, I finally found an Aurora shift knob, and I grabbed an autodimming/compass mirror thats installed but not wired yet. Otherwise, I fixed the PCV line, and thats about it. it's been warm out, so I may take her out of the garage soon if it stops raining.

Dec 27, 06

Wow, It's been a long time since I've updated! Nothing that new here, the car is sitting in the garage. I've taken her out a few times just to keep her up, but I think right now the battery is dead, so hopefully its nice out in the next week so I can remedy that. Fixing up a few interior pieces, and possibly an exterior mod, but that'll be later. My main goal for the next 5 or 6 months is to get the new shocks and struts, and have the front lowered finally, especially since I've had the springs for over a year. otherwise that's about it. Oh, I did try white front corners instead of the tinted ones, but I don't think I'll do it. What do you think? (dont worry, the hood was open. either that or I shut something in it! lol)

Sept 15, 06

The plan for tonight/next week is to fix up some of the small aesthetic things. Im going to repaint the one trim piece that is chipped up, as well as the part for the third brake light, i plan on polishing up the front blinker housings because they are yellow and ugly, and then I'll probably straighten my crooked fog light, and then sometime next week I'll probably wash claybar and wax the car all nice and shiny, as I'm going to a meet the following sunday. thats all, sorry for boring you!

Sept 13, 06

Not much new, re-tinted the lights, gave her a good wash and wax, and I have some silverstar bulbs for the front blinkers.

Here are some new pictures from last week.

August 17, 06

Not much new, here. Car is running great still, although I think I need to clean out my K&N. Once things settle down with school starting and work and everything I'll get the car all nice and clean and stuff, and at some point get it ready for storage this winter, actually in a garage!

July 15, 06

FIXED. all timed and now she flies. now just to go more than a few months without breaking anything! So yeah, a good running LQ1 is a happy thing

July 14, 06

So, enough of this crap, the car is in the shop getting retimed (and i think i crossthreaded the tensioner pulley, so that will be fixed too), and I'm basically just bumming around this morning waiting for the call to say it's done. Hopefully that finally ends this month and a half trek of trying to get the stupid thing right again. oh well, my mechanic is good, and since i already got a new catalytic converter, only things left to do this summer are cosmetic (suspension in the winter), so let's just say I'm really close to having the car look the way I want it. stay tuned, more mayhem to come, I'm sure.

July 9, 06

Still running bad, it's just the stupid timing. O2 sensor is fine, cleaned out my egr valves that were throwing a SES light, and got a new catalytic converter. Timing is definitely what's wrong, and even after messing with it today i still didn't get it right. I'm going to see if i can't find someone to give me a hand, because I know how to do it and what's wrong, i just need some extra hands. bah, stupid LQ1, I love it when it works, hate it when it doesn't

June 29, 06

Still running rough, I think its a bad 02 sensor, which will hopefully be replaced this weekend. other new news: Fixed the rear window switch (well, at least i can operate it from up front), put a boot on the shifter, a cover for the coils and ecm, OEM floor mats, I tinted the front corner markers today, and I have yet to put in the HUD and dashpad I got today.

First two pics are from earlier today (to show the tinted markers), the second two are from last week when i waxed her real good, and the last three are the mini projects from yesterday

June 6, 06

Retimed it again (third time's a charm) and it seems to be back to normal, or at least really close. I'll have to wait til I drive it a little bit before I can really tell. I only drove up to the store and back (probably about 2 miles total)

May 30, 06

Stupid timing belt actuator crapped out, so i picked another up and put everything back together this afternoon, and she runs, but sometihing isn't timed quite right, so it's wake up a bit early and try to tear it back apart and put it back together before heading up to michigan to play a show near detroit. wish me luck, maybe i can actually drive to work thursday, and not have to bum a ride again.

May 26, 06

Wheels on!

May 25, 06

Got some tires and got them mounted, so the rims will be on this afternoon, and Ill get some pictures. I wouldve had them on tonight, but it started raining.

May 09, 06

Oil change, and then washed up and waxed last night, and snapped a few pics. nothing else new really, rims to be on soon if i can get tires cheap enough.

May 02, 06
Not much here, been busy with finals and junk, but I'll finally have time here in the next few weeks. I cleaned up some of the wires in the engine bay, and everything seems to be running well. new exhaust is probably next, and little things like the trim on the passenger side isnt straight, as well as the non working oil guage. otherwise I think everything is working just fine and how its supposed to. I finally got around to testing my rims to see if they fit, and I have to say I'm pleased. The rears clear the calipers with tons of room, even without the spacer, except without the spacer they get very close to that support (see the last two pics) The front rubs the caliper a bit, but i think the scenario now is to get longer studs all around, move the rear spacers up front (i think they're 5/8) and get some slightly thicker ones for the rear.

April 16, 06
Finally done, and driveable. still a few minor things to clean up and stuff, but I drove her back to school (3 and a half hour drive) today, with no problems. I need to figure out why im lacking power though, but she has no problem hangin on even at 80 mph, just not a lot of power in between. I think once it gets driven more and broken in it will be better. I snapped a few pics after a quick wash last night.

April 8, 06
Car is done, runs and drives. Just needs the oil leak fixed, as well as figuring out why my new oil sensor doesnt work, and also why my speedometer now doesn't work. YAY! pictures next weekend 8-)

March 30, 06
So... Everything is done, except:
Oil leak, no big deal
alternator (with less than 2k miles) doesn't work
so basically, i have to get a new alternator, and everything should be good

March 29, 06
Engine is back in, and it runs! a few finishing things (as well as redoing a wire that was run wrong) and everything should be about back to normal. Gonna have my mom drive it to work on nice days to break it in a bit until i come home in a few weeks to get it. I'll post pics as soon as I bring it back.

March 18, 06

Finished the engine, its waiting to get installed. I'll be back at school, so I'll await the day i get the call that its done. My mom will probably drive it to work and back (all of 6 miles) for a bit to break it in a bit, and then next time i can get home its coming back to school with me :-)

March 16, 06

Tore down the '96 engine that's going into the car yesterday, and swapped over most of the stuff from the 94 that's going on it. Tomorrow, I just need to finish the last few things, including timing, making some changes to account for the engine differences, and then taking it back to a family friend who's going to drop it back in. Too bad I probably won't be around to see it fire for the first time again :-( oh well, as long as it does. Oh yeah, since I'm doing a bit of changes with this engine, im going to relocate the coilpacks, both out of convienience, and because I can't put them in the original spot anyways. I have a few pics of the process, but there'll be more once the car is done.

March 6, 06

Got a '96 engine sitting in the back of the blazer, taking it home this next weekend to rebuild at least part, if not most of it and then getting it installed either late next week or shortly there after, and then at some point picking it up and bringing it down to school. New suspension will be the first 'upgrade', with the rims put on right after that. Wish me luck, mostly the luck that I have enough time to get things done. I'll post some pics of the engine in the back of the blazer if I can get some decent shots of it. Too dark last night (i tried), and not much daylight today. Keep an eye out for updates in the next few weeks ;-)

Feb 16, 2006

In a few weeks, I'm making a 5 hour trip for a '96 LQ1 with 40k miles on it. That'll be swapped in during spring break (march 10-19) and I should have it back down here at school that next week (or at least soon there after). Once that's done, its just a matter of a few more little projects, such as tires for the new wheels, getting new shocks and struts to go with the lowering springs, and a new catalytic converter. Maybe some nightshades for some lights, and all will be well. Stick around for updates and pictures of the madness.

Feb 8, 2006

Well, as soon as I get time to get up to michigan and fix the darn thing...

New rims
19" Alessio F1 rims

as well as the Intrax lowering springs I already have, along with some Kyb Gr2 shocks/struts I have yet to buy, the GMPP trailing arms, and maybe some second gen lateral links (if i can find them) are next on the list. Then, some very minor exhaust work, and then hopefully summer fun time!!!