My '85 MGM, "Maisa"

[Arquemann]

Got the painted bits on, should've clearcoated (or powdercoated) the fender braces, paint is ridiculously easy to scuff. Can't find cheap semi gloss clearcoat, meh.
Master cylinder cap obviously got scratched the moment I flipped the hold down over it.

Today I washed the car, a bit more thoroughly than usual, scrubbed the trunk opening gaps, hood edges and cleaned up in the engine bay a bit. Especially the channels and corners under the trunk lid have slowly been gathering some unsightly green stuff. Paint needs a good waxing again, but I don't currently have anything other than SRP that plays ball with the rough paint.

My quest for making a nice engine bay is kinda running out of steam. The bottom of the hood, top of the radiator and core support need repainting, and new hood insulation wouldn't hurt. But overall the looks don't quite satisfy me, but I can't really figure out what to do next. Looks busy and scruffy. And I'm not saying it needs a can of silicone spray either.



SPOILERStill alot better than the starting point...



Somehow, every time I wash this car after a longer time, it always surprises me that it's clean white and not off white.

[DerekTheGreat]

That's about as unbusy as one of those can get, you did a great job with it. Most cars look like ass under the hood in just three years, yours is as good as anyone could hope for. The gold rocker covers are a nice touch. The OCD in me would have me spin the air cleaner cover forward, label facing the fan shroud.

[87gtVIC]

Looks good to me. Like you said it came a far way.

[Arquemann]

That's about as unbusy as one of those can get, you did a great job with it. Most cars look like ass under the hood in just three years, yours is as good as anyone could hope for. The gold rocker covers are a nice touch. The OCD in me would have me spin the air cleaner cover forward, label facing the fan shroud.

Thanks, I fing these late 70's / 80's cars to not have the simplicity of older things in the engine bay, but they also don't have clean functional look of modern cars, which are full to the "brim" with stuff, making it look smart.
Air cleaner lid isn't straight because I had to take it off for quickly measuring the filter size, as I went to get a new one today. Have no worries, after I put that new filter element in, that lid sticker will be pointing dead straight. I've thought about getting a "5.0 Liter 4V H.O." sticker from a fox Mustang on the lid. Would be appropriate, I think.

[Arquemann]

Did a couple things yesterday, before heading to a cruise night.

- Swapped in a new air filter, which is too tall and the air cleaner lid won't seal properly. Both old and new are Wix 42073.

- Switched vacuum advance pots, went from a 20° to a 10°. Instead of 12° initial and 20° vacuum, there's now 15° initial and 10° vacuum. Engine really likes more initial and the ~32° total it had under cruising speeds was teeny bit too much and the engine was just on the verge of timing stutter at some speeds. Now it runs clearly smoother.
I'm a bit tempted to try hooking up the vacuum advance to manifold vacuum for a bit more consistent throttle response at low throttle, though it could make very light throttle too lean.


Cruise night got broken up by private parking enforcement of all things. Some concerned citizen called them because people were having a quiet meetup at an abandoned fuel station lot...

A friend of mine got a box, but of the GM variety.

[Tiggie]

I'm surprised to see a GM box over there. How unusual are they? I haven't seen a GM box on the road in years here. A base model Olds?

[Arquemann]

I'm surprised to see a GM box over there. How unusual are they? I haven't seen a GM box on the road in years here. A base model Olds?

Box GMs are much more common than box panthers. Maybe 8 to 1, something like that. And like with Fords, wagons outnumber sedans by like 15 to 1. Finland, go figure

The Olds is a '79 Delta 88, pretty base, no AC or cruise, but has power windows and tilt wheel. Now it has a mid-60's 350 Olds in it, surprisingly it wasn't originally a diesel either.