What have you done so far?

So i made up a list of things ive done since i purchased my '83 almost exactly two years ago

new edelbrock intake manifold & gaskets
new valve covers & gaskets
new oil cap
new a/c compressor & dryer (R-134A system blows cold)
new tires have about 60% tread
oil changed every 3,000 miles
new wipers
upgraded sound system (4 new speakers, sony head unit w/ cd player)
aftermarket alarm w/ killswitch cutout feature
buick-style rally rims w/ chevy bowtie center caps
full size spare
redone headliner
new power steering fluid
new radiator & cap
flushed cooling system
new water pump
replaced steering gearbox (remanufactured)
recently aligned
new custom exhaust (dual flowmaster 40s)
k&n air intake
new dist cap
new plugs & wires
new fuel filter
new master cylinder
new front brakes (pads & rotors)
windows tinted to 15%
new brake pedal pad
updated warning chimer (more audible)
new radiator hoses
new belts
new thermostat & thermostat housing neck
new wiper washer pump
new windsheild (replaced due to crack)
upgraded electronic trunk opener (can also be opened by alarm remote)
patched trunk leak (still drips slightly, not as bad however)
new paint (basecoat & clearcoat)
new trunk carpet
new front door handles

soon:
needs to be timed corectly
rear differential oil change
new wiper motor
rear brakes (drums)
get slight front end damage fixed
battery again?
re-grease spedometer cable

Since i got it 2 years ago..

New tires all around
Purchased original stock wire spoke hub cabs (not using them right now)
Chrome trim rings and chevy center caps
Carb Rebuild
Valve cover seals replaced
Air cleaner painted
Spark plugs+wires
EGR valve
vacuum lines
TPS
CTS
02 sensor
purge valve
Replaced speakers all around
Sony Head unit
12 inch kenwood sub+1000w amp+RF 1farad cap
Window tint (can't remember what % off teh top of my head)
Flowmaster 50 (single) exhaust (removed the cat, new exhaust pipe)
Gone through TWO batteries in 2 years
Spent $415 in the shop for tune up

I've kept a spreadsheet of everything i've done. Grand total so far is about $2,500.

Future spending:
electronic trunk opener
engine still aint running right..gutta check that out
alarm
front brake job
replace all brake lines
trunk seal
A/C blows warm air..

nothing really..only had it since about the end of April...

tinted windows
pioneer head unit..now a flip out tv 7"
installed 2 12s..took the 12s out and put in 2 15s
carb re-tuned
had both UV joints replaced

things i need to do:

get tune up
brakes all around
replace front speakers
new tires
alignment
upgrade headlights to halogen ones

yeah forgot to add i need shocks too

My beater isn't that old (only a '94) and only has 127K on it, but so far it has needed a distributor cap and rotor (OptiSpark), a water pump, lower steering column seal, oil cooler hoses, four window guide rollers, and normal maintenance (lights, tires, brakes, fluids, filters, wiper blades, plugs and wires, etc.).

Have owned the sedan almost 9 years now, few engines, few tranny rebuilds, few axles, third set of headers, exahust we are doing next weekend will be I think the 4th.

Tried a few different cams, few different torque converters. You get the point.

The transmission case is the only original unmodified part of the drivetrain.
Still has the original rear upper control arms but new ones are awaiting install.


I do want to state very clearly that this is modification, not repair, car has always been very reliable for me, even at the level it is at now.

Nose has been replaced twice due to deer, one of those was bad enough I bought the wagon as a new daily while the sedan was fixed, that is what opened the door to the current level of modification. I still drive the tires off of it when the roads aren't icy and salty. It wont hook at legal speeds on cold salty roads even if they are dry so I don't bother exposing it to any more salt.

oh yea i put on shocks about a month ago

I have replaced this, that, and the other thing at least twice.......:iceslolan

Seriously, I will have to compile my list and post later, it's a long list also.......

yeah forgot to add i need shocks too
when you get shocks, i highly recommend tire racks KYB gas-a-just shocks for the 9c1 package.
they are more stiffly valved and really really help get rid of the floating couch feeling.
nothing like my camaro, but definately better than the monroes i took off.

yea me too, cause i do alot of haulin around lol

lls i think that was spam

yeah it was, i think thats against AF rules, if not it should be, its annyoing

I got this magazine called Donk Box & Bubble, im sure alot of you know about it, i get some ideas out of it. i came across this '79 impala in it that looks great and jus had to share it. in the mag it shows a front view and its got euro style headlamps too. http://www.rides-mag.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/sand-box.jpg

I got this magazine called Donk Box & Bubble, im sure alot of you know about it, i get some ideas out of it. i came across this '79 impala in it that looks great and jus had to share it. in the mag it shows a front view and its got euro style headlamps too. http://www.rides-mag.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/sand-box.jpg

man dat mugg is stupid clean

thats a nice pic. some day i will find a nice 2 door caprice car to restore

Here's my list: give or take :iceslolan

Feb-02 60500 New Owner
Feb-02 60500 LOF (Lube, Oil, Filter)
Apr-02 - Cat Back Exhaust
Jul-02 64000 LOF, Change Differential Oil (Mobil 1)
Oct-02 65500 Trans fluid & filter, PCV, Plugs (Bosch Plat)
Oct-02 - Alternator
Dec-02 67500 Front Brake Pads, 2 Rear wheel cyclinders
Dec-02 67550 Tires (BFG TA)
Feb-03 68500 LOF, Sway Bars
Aug-03 - Windshield
Oct-03 72800 LOF, Paint Job, New Front Fenders
Jan-04 74030 Tune up, Cap, Rotor, Wires, Fuel & Air filters
Jan-04 74200 EGR valve, O2 sensor, Smog check
Jun-04 76700 AC service, New Condensor & Hose Assy
Jul-04 76950 Rotate & Balance
Jul-04 77200 LOF, Belts
Oct-04 - Paint Roof & Hood, Fill roof holes, RR door
Jan-05 80700 LOF, Front brake pads & Rotors
Apr-05 82000 Battery
May-05 83000 Intake & Valve cover gaskets, 3 Row Radiator & hoses
Jul-05 84200 RF window motor
Aug-05 - Paint Roof
Oct-05 84750 Rear Brake shoes only (no turn), Rear Shocks
Nov-05 85000 LOF
Dec-05 85890 Air Filter
Jan-06 86300 Balance Tires
Mar-06 94500 Charge AC
May-06 89000 Battery
May-06 - Stereo system
Jul-06 89500 LOF, Tune up, Cap, Rotor, Plugs, Fuel filter
Jan-07 93000 Water pump, Timing Chain, Lifters, Oil pump
Jul-07 95360 LOF
Jul-07 95500 Front Brake Pads (PFC), Calipers, Rotors, Thermostat, Front Tires
Dec-07 98300 LOF
Mar-08 99792 Rt side exhaust manifold gasket & donut gasket
Apr-08 100359 Charge AC
Apr-08 100440 Flush radiator, Thermostat, New rear sway bar (warrantied)
May-08 100800 LOF, Center link, Idler arm, Tie rod ends& Align. Rear tires
Jul-08 101600 Air Filter
Aug-08 101800 Headliner
Sep-08 102590 Balance Tires
Dec-08 104500 LOF, O2 sensor, Trans filter/Royal Purple fluid, trans rear seal, Flush Brake fluid
Dec-08 - Repaint Roof
Feb-09 105019 LF window motor (warrantied by Kragen)



Imagine if I had to pay someone else to do all this work :headshake

1984 Chevrolet Caprice Classic

Work Performed So Far (All done myself)
Removed Vinyl Top
Removed All Trim including the Rivets and Stubs used to hold trim on
Painted entire car with Base Coat/Clear Coat (1st ever attempt, lots of Orange Peel)
Painted Interior Plastic Trim
New Dash Cap
New Carpet
New Spark Plugs
New Spark Plug Wires
New Cap and Rotor
New Fuel Filter
New K&N Air Filter
New Brake Pads
New Front Coil Springs (Police/Taxi Heavy Duty)
New Front Shocks (Police/Taxi Heavy Duty)
New Catalytic Converter, Muffler, and Pipes

Projects to be completed:
New Tires
Paint and install Chevy Rally Wheels from 68 Vette
Rear Springs
Rear Shocks
Sand and Repaint (Hopefully It Will Come Out Smooth This Time!)
CD Player
Tint Windows

Finally got the timing set right. turns out the distributor wasnt set in right when the new intake manifold was put on, thats why i couldnt get the correct timing adjustment. apparently my engine doesnt have timing marks on the timing chain cover either, so it was set somewhere between 8 and 10 deg TDC. Now onto the wiper motor, then shocks and springs.

apparently my engine doesnt have timing marks on the timing chain cover

You should have a timing tab on the cover although it is probably difficult to see.

Hello. My "84" caprice 305/4bbl. Has a tube like affair on the timing cover that you look thru to see the timing marks on the damper while using the timing light. It is directly under the water pump. I have not used that system in years since when i change out a timing chain set i install the cam 4 degrees advanced. This promotes lowend torque by having all of the cam events start early. Works well with the low rpms used when using the 700r4 tranny. I just went old school and timed it by ear. Set the inital timing at idle then the computer controled dist. Takes over from there. Car has 330k on it driven by the wife 54 mi. Daily. Averages 18-21 mpg. Great old car.
Hope this helps

john in belton
novaz27

Found some old caprice ad's http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a367/pctvman/capricebook2.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a367/pctvman/capricebook.jpg