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'01
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We put on my old hood and I went to the late July NOPI Semi finals.

A few days later, we noticed my valve cover was leaking...

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Engine Painting
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We disassembled everything and fixed the leak. While the parts were off� The intake got partially polished. We had to put it back together so I could get some more work done to it. Otherwise, it would have been fully polished. It took sanding rolls, then filing to get the metal level. Then came the hand sanding. The problem was the small areas where you could not get any tools. We polished the edge of the lower intake and clear coated it. The rest of it was painted red. The valve covers were painted candy apple red.

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Carbon Fiber
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My stepdad helped us make custom carbon fiber panels for the center console and stereo trim plate. He knew a guy who made a bed cover out of carbon fiber. So they worked together and made my pieces.

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New Shift Knob
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Since mine kept breaking, I replaced the side button carbon fiber shift knob with a Spectre anodized red & carbon fiber shift knob. It took some getting used to, but the red goes better than the old style.

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String Lights
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Then I installed Quest neon string lights...

Around the center console, dash...

T-tops...*NOTE* overhead console not installed at this point

Rear radio panels.

I was supposed to glue the stuff down, but I just couldn't. Instead I used a few small spots of it.

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Strobes
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I finished off the lighting with strobes in the front turn signals,

Rear tailights,

front & rear sidemarkers. It required me to drill 1/2 in holes in the housings.

That was actually pretty easy with my big drill and the 1/2 drill bit.
Here is the wiring in the rear to one of the strobes.

I also went to the Whitlee show down in Perry at some point. We put my stock hood back on since the Ram Air was still not painted.

With my car getting up in mileage and having some odd drivability issues...

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Shaving the fuel filler
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The fuel pump was now suspect, so we decided to pull out the tank. First, we had to get All Pro Muffler to put a coupler on my exhaust so we could remove the rear section. Now on to the fun part, yeah right! Time to pull the tank. his meant pulling and tugging, screaming and cussing. That was no easy job, but finally out it came.

Since I wanted to shave the gas filler door anyway, we had the horrible job of relocating the filler neck as well. While we had it out, we rerouted the filler neck so it came out inside the car through the wheel well. We had to cut off the old filler neck and put on a new on that could make the turn to the inner fender well. What a mess, nothing seemed to work.

Finally, a few concoctions later we got it to work. After much fighting with the hole saw, you now access it through the rear cargo glove box.

Of course, while it was out, you guessed it, I had to soundproof and paint it red.

It was filthy. I had to hang it outside to spray it.

Then the only thing I was unable to sound proof the first time I sprayed under the car, got my attention. I got up under the car and sprayed where the gas tank sat. This time I wore a plastic shower cap and a full-face mask made from a coke bottle. I did not want that crap in my eyes.

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Panhard Rod
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Once the tank was reinstalled, we put in a Herb Adams/VSE Panhard Rod.
This was off of Joe's SS Camaro. He is planning on selling the car & wanted me to have his Panhard bar.

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Shaving
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Now it was ready to be shaved. We took the car to Joe�s dad & he did the shaving. While Joe was removing the handles, Joe�s dad had me help make the patterns out of paper to fill the holes. He then took the patterns & cut them out of a spare sheet of sheet metal. Then he began to weld them in.
He started with small spot welds so he would not heat the metal so much that it would warp. Then he little by little filled in the welds. All that was left now, was a touch of body filler and some sanding. He shot it with primer to seal it.

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Fire
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After we got back from shaving the car, my engine caught fire. Thank god I had just bought the extinguisher. We were at a light and Joe noticed a fuel smell and I noticed what looked like a touch of smoke. We both jumped out of the car. I got the hood up and he shot the fire. We caught it just in time and had just enough in the extinguisher. I called my wrecker friend and had it taken home.

That night we broke down the engine and found the problem.

A mechanic in the past had not replaced the O-rings in the fuel rail with the proper size ring. The fuel leaked out of the fuel rail and ran down onto the exhaust. There it caught fire. We are not sure which mechanic. My bets are on the mechanic that replaced my injectors, same one who rebuilt the engine the first time. So he managed to mess up something else.

We replaced the burnt things, a few vacuum lines, and a few wire looms.

Now the big problem was from the chemical that is in the fire extinguisher... it's caustic to metal. Any bare metal was definitely going to rust. It had even messed up the paint. So as we took things apart to fix the engine we decided to paint the pieces... Then we had to repaint the lower intake and the valve covers candy apple.

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Godfather Customs had a show in August. The shaved areas were still primered, so I put my unpainted Ram Air hood on as well.

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Partial Paint
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We had John paint the shaved areas. He got to keep the car for a few days. He only painted the panels where the car was primered. I had a limited budget, plus I want to get the whole body Done.

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Engine Trim
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When we got it back, we added breather filters to the valve covers. I now have one in each side. One in place of that stupid pipe that went back to the intake and left oil residue everywhere and the other in place of my oil cap.

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In October it was time for the NOPI Nationals...
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My only big project was making the fang for my car to cover the gap b/w the fins up front. It would have been easy except that a few days before the show someone stole the prototype and half the fin off the car. Now I had to go back to the junkyard and get another fin.

Well I got it all done just in time. The fang was another prototype. It was made of the foam you stick in the bottom of flower arrangements. It is pliable and holds water. I thought I sealed it, but it kept absorbing the paint.

Finally it looked black and I went over it with touch up paint, which is thick and dries fast. That did the trick. It looked great. I had to carry it and put it on at the show because it was so fragile.

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Pics
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I took the car for some shots at this cool hotel.

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Serious Work
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PARTS
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With the show season basically over, I thought things would wind down. We ordered new:
cross drilled & slotted rotors,
red Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings for the front and rear suspension,
Eibach Prokit lowering springs,
clear side markers,

polished Stainless reservoirs,
Spohn Subframe connectors, &
KYB struts.

On Ebay I finally won a set of red Camaro seatbelts.

We even made our first trip to Pull-A-Part. Wow, there are tons of birds there� 2.8s everywhere. We found a stripped Z28. It still had its suspension pieces. We rouged its front and rear sway bars, and steering box.
Later trips turned up overhead consoles, sunshades, dash pads, a disk brake rear end, and a black interior.

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Mechanicals
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Well, my car had other ideas...

Suddenly, it was hard to start. It had a delay like there was a fuel problem. Then came the check engine light again. It coded for the fuel system. We traced it and found nothing wrong anywhere. The relays were good. So we looked in the book some more. The last resort, the computer had gone bad. Well to Pull-A-Part we went. We found a 2.8 with the same computer code #. We put it in�problem solved.

In November, I was on the way home and the fan belt began to squeal something awful. I was almost home so I waited to check it. I got home and waited for Joe. When he got there I started the car and there was the squeal. Everything looked fine, but there was alot of play in the belt. I shut the car down. Joe thought the tensioner had gone out. He started to remove the belt.Out of the corner of my eye I saw the power steering pump move I told him to look. He pulled and released the tensioner a few times. The power steering pump bracket had broken clean off the engine. There were 2 bolts that broke off in the engine. The only thing that had held the pump on was the belt. Talk about lucky.

So to get to the bolts that broke off meant taking off the water pump and the exhaust manifold on the driver�s side. Now to get to the bolts meant having to get some stuff out of the way and use a 90-degree air drill. I had to get a new used power steering pump w/ bracket from Hawks Third Gen.

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Engine Bay Makeover
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Thanks to the fire and the chemicals in the fire suppressant, some of my bay was developing surface rust... Most of the old factory paint was dull or worn away. Then with the red wire looms & hoses, it was just too much red.

We decided the car would look better with a black engine compartment to set off all the red. If it had been feasible, we would have loved to remove the engine, sand, fill, level, and really put down a nice coat of gloss black. But if I'm gonna pull an engine, that 2.8 is not going back in, so the engine stayed in for now.

What finally gave us the opportunity to have the car to a point where the bay could be painted, was a mechanical failure. My power steering pump bracket had broken; some bolts had been sheered off in the block. One of the broken bolts was a tie in to the water pump. So we had to take the water pump off anyway. The other broken bolt tied into the exhaust manifolds. So what were a few more accessories?

We were already planning on doing a front suspension rebuild, so the car would be down for a while anyway...It was decided... Paint everything. The accessories were off, the front suspension off, with all this removed it would make it possible to paint in there, so what the heck!

So the disassembly continued...
Battery out,

brake master cylinder and booster out...

Charcoal canister got relocated to the underside of front passenger fender,

wires got moved, the fluid canisters were removed, and the steering box came out.

Took out the radiator & fans

Now we could get some painting done...

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Prep
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All that was left was to get the body ready for paint.

We had to sand everything down so it would accept paint. Then we had to really get in there and scrub the bay down with dish soap to cut the grease & oil that had built up over time. The tough areas we got with degreaser then the dish soap. The final stage was a good wipe down with paint prep.

We had to mask off what looms & wires were not removed with aluminum foil, works great for wrapping around things.

Here are some shots of how we draped the body to protect it...

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PRIMER
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Now the car was ready for primer. Some areas we had to sand down to the bare metal to get out the chips, burs, or rust spots. These areas definitely needed primer, some even a light filler.

Once everything was even, the car got a final coat of primer to help bond the paint coats to the surface.

Here is the driver side fender in black primer...

Battery tray...

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PAINT
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Once things looked covered & even, the area was sanded smooth, then washed in dish soap and paint prep.

Shooting satin black on the passenger side...

Here we are finally done with the fenders...

You can see all the foil we had to use to protect the wire looms & lines...

Here, you can see the nice gloss on the painted passenger fender...

From these passenger side shots, you can see how we masked the engine. Then you see how the bumper cover was draped to shot the nose area.

One of the final things we did...
The ac cooler, in process�

I basically just fogged it.
Too much paint and I might have reduced its cooling properties or blocked up the fins..

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Some last shots of the paint as we unmask...

A step back....

Here it is done and waiting on the accessories...

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The accessories and brackets got painted colors ranging from: candy apple red, black, red, anodized red and some even got polished.

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Candy Apple Red
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Joe and I first used to use a 4 stage rattle can process:
Duplicolor Primer,
Duplicolor Custom Colors Silver Metallic Metal flake,
Testors Transparent Candy Apple Red, and then Duplicolor Clear Coat.

To do paint a candy apple color...
First you have to prime the surface for good adhesion and to even the surface color. Then you get a gold or silver base coat. I chose Duplicolor's silver metal flake paint. You get a nice even coat on...let it flash and move on to your color base coat. I was going with red...I got Testors Candy apple transparent red. Then you apply a clear coat!

When fresh this process gives a beautiful finish, but the Testors has alot of problems.
The Testors paint is too cloudy. The color darkens over time. So much so that the metallic is not visible once the color is over it! It chips very, very easy. Then when you go back to touch it up, you can't match the color! So you try to sand it and re shoot. Well this red has a problem with this step. It will not accept another coat over it. I have had to take it back down to the silver and reshoot the silver, then the candy!

I would instead for the transparent red coat, go with VHT metal tint paint. Or Duplicolor�s new metal tint. Both are a true non-cloudy transparent red. It makes bare metal look anodized. They go over metal and silver paint bases as well and look like Anodized metal. It does not have any reactive problems once it dries. It can be painted back over as well. Then clear and you have metallic candy paint.

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Note
Rattle can paint is a cheap substitute for using real Automotive paint. See after some time we realized that the rattle can paint darkens and looses it gloss. I think its heat and the lack of UV protection in rattle can paint. So when we redid some things, we switched to Automotive paint.
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This time, we primed with automotive primer.
Then used Ford Laser red base coat. This was a bit pinky, so
next I added some Duplicolor anodized red (a true transparent red in rattle can form)
Then on to the clear coat.

Idealy, if and when I redo some things, I plan to go to House of Colors candy base coat colors they introduced after we had redone my bay. This would illiminate the chance of not matching the reds painted at different times. And allow for an easier touch up for chipped areas.

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PAINTING
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I decided what I wanted to paint and what I wanted to polish. Each was cleaned with degreaser using a toothbrush. Then rinsed off. Those chosen to be painted were prepped for paint by washing them in liquid dish soap then finished with a paint prep wipe down. Then on to paint.

Engine pieces can be quite dificult to paint. The brackets have alot of nooks & crannies & you have to paint both sides. Normally you have to string them up with cord to get every side and angle.

The pulleys are difficult to paint as well, since you have to get both sides. Normally you have to tape off the surface the belt rides on. If not, there is a chance that the belt will rip the paint instead of wear it. If it rips there is a chance it could take paint off the area you wanted painted where the belt does not ride.

You really have to watch for runs and even coverage. Some of the parts had such odd shapes that it was quite difficult to get even coverage in the crevices & tight places w/o running the paint.

Now with a multi stage paint like a tri stage candy color, the candy is not a very durable paint around screw holes. It is so thick it tends to chip and break off. I had to buy a small bottle of ruby red model paint to use as a touch up paint. It works OK.

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Accessories painted candy apple red
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Major accesories that got painted candy:
Brake booster,

Alternator brackets (alternator now chrome, bracket has polished fins),

Alternator bracket with new polished fins...

A/C brackets,

Air Conditioning Bracket with new polished fins...



tensioner pulley,


idler pulley,

Water pump pulley,

water pump,

power steering pump pulley,

steering box,

crank pulley,


& the home made bracket for the tranny dip stick

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Engine parts painted Candy Apple Red
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Lower intake,

Valve covers,


Runners,

Accents on plenum,

Heads

Notice the candy oil filer too. Can't beat a matching oil filter...I only use AC Delco filters and they are blue, so does not match! On this filer you can see where the label started to peel over time. Its replaced with a new painted candy apple filter now!

Then finally the block and oil pan...

Only pic I have developed right now!

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Satin Black
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Now there were still a few parts I repainted black to help set off the red. Mostly parts that would see more wear and tear and possibly need touch ups. Also any pices I thought might offset the candy red.

Engine compartment,
power steering pump,

& misc bolts.

Timing cover: Also with polished fins!

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Anodized Red
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We painted the radiator with the VHT Metal tint.

Duplicolor also makes a translucent metal tint in a variety of colors. This stuff looks great on clean metal, VHT Anodized Red Tint Spray. Comes out a deep red, even more transparent than the Candy.

I also painted my Cross-drilled rotors to keep the rust down...

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RED
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Now the only pieces that recieved true red paint in the engine bay, were the suspension components and 2 frame brakets.
Passengerside...


Driverside...


(a bit dirty from a powersteering leak)
They have tons of wear & tear from road debris and I though candy would be too hard to touch up.

For information on the suspension pieces check out my suspension page
A arms,

Front and rear sway bars, tie rods, steering linkage, idler arm, struts, & spindles

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Ceramic Coating
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There are some brackets that mount to the exhaust manifold. They sustain such high temps that paint can't withstand it and usually disolors or sluffs of. Leaving you with a rust bracket. Chrome plating on hig heat items, will tend to blue and eventually sluff off as well, from what I hear!

Well I decided to do something about these tie in brackets when the manifolds were coated. I got some spares & sent them with the manifolds.

They received the same ceramic coating as on the manifolds...all designed to withstand high temps and not rust. Since then I have eliminated all but one. Here is some pics of it...

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Polished
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Ok I do not recommend doing this unless you are committed to taking it to the end. Polishing anything that came stock on a car it a long painful process. We started with sanding disks. Then we used 240, 400, 800, 1200, 2000. You sand till your fingerprints are gone, and then you sand some more. After days and days of sanding with various grits, you have something that begins to shine. Usually around the time you are about to give up and throw in the towel.
Then you attack it with the buffing wheel with a compound and low & behold it does shine. Then the sweat, pain, and blood was all worth it.

And that�s just Aluminum...
List: Front of the alternator,

Master Cylinder (whew, hard one), Tensioner bracket, & the power steering fluid lines.

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PARTS ARRIVE
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Most of my parts came in, all except the springs. We had taken the rotors off with the spacers still attached because the steel bolts had seized to the Aluminum spacers. It would have been nice if some one had told me about antiseizing them before hand. Luckily, the heads of the bolts were counter sunk. It was relatively easy to drill the heads off and separate the halves of the spacers. Then we used vice grips to remove the bolt shafts. We had to call all over to get new ones. At install we used tons of antiseize.

Now Christmas was upon us. Mom was ticked that the car was still not done. Soon, we told her. We were still waiting on the springs�

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HOME PAGE

Follow this link to additional information on the car not found on this site!
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DIRECTORY FOR RAIF'S HISTORY SITE
01 Site Overview
02 (1987) Options and window sticker...
03 (1989) Stock pics...
04 (1990) Bottom Accent color changed to Black, Enkei rims, & Tint
05 (1992) Wreck & Added 2 amps
06 (1994) Changer, Alarm, Taillights painted red, Emblems Modified
07 (1998) Engine�s top end rebuilt
08 (1999) Major mods began...Misc. trim, exterior lights, & Alpine head unit
09 (2000) Journal of events
10 (pre July 2001) Journal of events
11 (post July 2001) Journal of events <<<
12 (pre March 2002) Journal of events
13 (March 2002) Pensacola Fiasco
14 (post March 2002) Journal of events
15 Grey and Black Interior
16 Old Sub box
17 Cop Stories
18 Old 2.25 Inch Exhaust
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