1984 Caprice CLassic

Okay so this is my first car, however not the first one i've worked on. i basically inherited it from my grandmother who doesnt drive anymore *it was my grandfathers but he passed away about 4 years ago i believe* anyways he used to keep it running good til he got lung cancer which was like 14 years ago then the car basically sat, and you can tell :frown:, the dash is cracked and brittle there is no headliner *i wanna know where it went...* and it has 3 differnet colors of paint, some stock some spray paint and some i dont know. and thats just cosmetic!
the engine, 305 v8, i've been working on for quite some time now, i've replaced the carburetor, alternator, and had someone replace the compressor. my dad *who had it briefly before me and didnt really drive it* basically had the front end suspension replaced and did have a fairly extensive brake job done.
it was having alot of problems after i replaced the carb. of 23 years with a remanufactured one which solved some problems but brought on new ones. i had basically no acceleration and very crappy gas mileage *10 mpg* so after alot of research i found out that it was probably my TV cable after "setting" it, my car runs MUCH better much more power, i have yet to fill up after doing this since it was not that long ago but it still has alittle bit of the old problems *not downshifting properly when i really gun it* and it seems like whenever the secondaries open i lose alot of power.
so i know i have multiple issues one of which im pretty sure of is the transmission, and i think there may be an issue with the fuel pump
all that being said, i love this car and i intend to return it to its former glory!
oh and the covered top is cracked and worn but i dont see any rust on the metal beneath it, your thoughts on what i should do?
thank you so much for reading and helping

Marc

Depends on whether you want to restore the vinyl top, or strip it off. You can strip it to the steel, and if you're careful you can even remove the glue without damaging the paint underneath. Caveat - sometimes they paint the whole car evenly, sometimes the area under the vinyl roof isn't fully painted and you may see some primer. Also, the seams where the roof meets the C-pillar are often unfinished on vinyl-roofed cars and may need some attention if you decide to strip the vinyl off totally.

On the carb issue, it's going to be a feedback carb and if you rebuilt/replaced it, you may need to set the M/C solenoid/idle air bleed. This is a specialized process and requires a dwell meter (such as what you'd use on an old contact-point distributor). If you research this forum a little (Caprice), you will find a few posts where myself and others have pointed out how to perform this adjustment.

The TV cable needs to be adjusted exactly per spec - too loose and you fry your transmission (and quickly I might add), too tight and you have harder shifts and no O/D. It sounds to me as though it was in a loose state and you tightened it a bit. Good job - you may have saved your transmission. Remember though, too tight and you lose overdrive.

If it has been sitting for 14 years, you should have drained all of the old gasoline, and flushed the system. Change the antifreeze if there's any in it - NOW. Or, you could lose your head gaskets, water pump, radiator, heater core etc. Get that old stuff out - even plain water is preferable for the time being.

Change the oil. Change all filters- Oil, PCV, fuel and air. Change the spark plugs. Change the transmission filter and fluid, but only what's in the pan. Don't flush it.

Oh, and last but certainly not least - replace the fuel pump - or you may wind up stranded.

These things are necessary to enjoy extended life from your Caprice (or any other car that has been sitting for extended periods).

In addition to that excellent advice, since the carburetor was replaced, you will also need to check/set the secondary air valve spring windup, vacuum choke pull-off linkage, choke linkage, high idle, curb idle, idle kicker, and secondary lockout adjustments. One cannot expect to simply bolt on a replacement carburetor and have it perform properly without the required adjustments.

As for the headliner, that's a fairly easy replacement with the OEM fabric which is commonly available at many fabric and craft stores. Remove the dome light, visors, coat hooks, and trim, then the entire headliner and compressed fiberglass core. Peel the old material, then use a stiff wire brush to lightly scrub off any remaining foam without disturbing the fiberglass core. Apply a contact adhesive, such as Camie-Campbell 363, then apply the new fabric with a light roller, and reinstall the headliner. Should be good for another 20 years that way.

I would also replace every single vacuum hose (and the rubber connectors to the hard lines).

It would help to know how many miles are on the car.

oh sorry, its got about 150k i believe and i've already replaced some of the vacuum lines ill replace the rest of them when i get the money

i've changed all the filters, except for the pcv, changed the oil and flushed the radiator previous to this post *forgot to mention it sorry :eek:* and today i replaced the windshield wiper motor *since it stopped working and being able to see is kinda important* so now they work real nice :grinyes:

i will have the transmission filter and fluid changed by someone else *i really dont like doing anything with the trasmission if i can help it* when i get the money for it *this will be a primary point*

i'm checking all the carb settings tomorrow, i'm also in the process of moving so not all of my tools are over here yet :( and my dad's dwell meter isnt either so...

thanks for all the help and suggestions guys

okay i have my dwell meter and reading this thread (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=607279) that i have found out im running at im running at around 50 degrees on 6 cylinder. so i then came to the conclusion "hey i need to adjust the m/c solenoid" when i go to do so, the person who reman. my carb. put in a plug with no way to get it out... as in there is no indentation at all to get it out its completely flat... am i just overlooking something completely?

okay i have my dwell meter and reading this thread (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=607279) that i have found out im running at im running at around 50 degrees on 6 cylinder. so i then came to the conclusion "hey i need to adjust the m/c solenoid" when i go to do so, the person who reman. my carb. put in a plug with no way to get it out... as in there is no indentation at all to get it out its completely flat... am i just overlooking something completely?

If the carburetor was properly rebuilt, and the lean and rich stops were set right for the M/C solenoid, you can make the adjustment at the idle air bleed screw, which is under the little door at the front of the choke, in the center. You may need to remove the rivets on each side, if the door is there. You adjust that screw, with the engine running, to obtain the 30-degree reading on the 6-cyl scale.

Don't forget to inspect the brakes and the brake fluid, too!
Did you check the fuel filter? :)

yep yep im good for the most part about checking filters and brakes, last time i checked the fuild it was fine, i should prolly check that again though. Its actually running pretty well if i do say so myself, thanks in much part to you guys *bows*! i need some new tires though and next weekend is the weekend for the headliner after that though, not much left to do. *besides paint lol*
after i paint it ill try and get some pics of it up on here though
thanks again guys

marc

okay i've replaced the headliner since our last chat and it looks somewhat nice :D but i was wondering since i was just going to remove the vinyl completely how would i go abouts getting rid of the glue stuck on there and what about the gap around the back windshield? i started there and was like... hrm i better wait and ask somemore! suggestions?