D&R Coupe - just now building it

[sisqocracker]

I've been radio silent as I have been building on the Diablo again and not telling anyone.  I'm working on the seat belts right now.  I'll have to shoot some pics of what I have fab'd up for the center bracket to hold the 2 rollers in the top of the center console.
GF did help out with the radiator grills and center rear grill getting cleaned up and I then sprayed them this past Friday.  I got the center rear grill installed for a look.  It came out well enough to stay.  I've got the mesh I'll be installing sometime soon as well that goes inbehind of the grill.

I am posting some progress on the lambo builders group on fb.  But because I have always posted to this thread, I will continue to add updates here as well.  Hope you all are doing well.  I keep wanting "this year to be the year", but feel like I'm getting so much done and so close to paint, that I'll get it plausible this year and start driving it. 

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

I have an OpticArmor windshield in mine.  Was easy to cut with a jigsaw blade made for cutting plastic.  I made up my own framing to go around the windshield support area so that it will be easily removable if needed in the future. 

Here's the one I chose to use in my kit:
CAM931-4    1/4" Thick Windshield    WINDSHIELDS    $520.00
http://opticarmorwindows.com/applications-oversized-windows-detail.asp?model=Firebird%201993%20to%202002&manufacturer=Pontiac

[jb1]

Siscocracker , is there any way I could get info on the windshield?
 I have a gen2 DnR have quarter glass and side windows but need the windshield..
 

[sisqocracker]

Well.  Many moons ago I had great aspirations of my buddy fixing up my doors and getting my car in color.  sigh
Anyhow, here we are today.  The car is back in my garage, some other things that needed done are out of the way. i.e. new clutch in the Lotus Exige, LS swap into my 78 Trans Am, making that car drivable... so now we're back to being able to work on the Diablo once again!     

Work to make a living is currently busy, but once I get a couple of thing put to bed there, I'll be back on the Diablo real regular.  I've got to restore it back to where it runs again.  Then I'll get it painted and the lights & horn to work.  After that, I think I'll get it inspected.   

I'll start posting progress on the build diary 100mpgmotors.com again as I get it back together.  I'll also make those same updates here with links to the new blog entries. 

Take care.  Glad to be back!   

[sisqocracker]

Sorry I've been away for so long, but needless to say, my shop and I have had a come to Jesus meeting.  Yes.  It is still there.  No, it isn't painted yet.  Yes, there is a guy working on it every week now. 

And, I haven't looked in the threads yet for chatter, but are we thinking about Carlisle this year or no?

I'm thinking about it, because I think I will have 2 cars to show.  The Diablo but in color this time (Monterrey Blue) and minimal interior.  And my 78 Trans Am which I plan to have running on fumes also at that point, but carb instead of FI like the Diablo has been done.

What say you?

Oh yeah, and, I'm glad to be back.  I'll be posting up pics of the progress again shortly.  Already have some, but have to run for now.  Will post by the weekend if not later today.  I got to get back to Texas.  Yeah, a lot has changed, I live near Austin now.  I did get to go see LamboBuilder since I've moved there, took my Lotus Exige to go visit.  Oh yeah, I have an Exige now.  Lots to catch you guys up on.  :-) 

Take care,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

Oh HAPPY DAY!!!     I got my Diablo over to my buddy's shop to do more body and such tot he car as I'm getting pretty busy with my work and a move to TX and I don't want to loose momentum on getting the car done.  So I have pics of the struts in the doors and a short video of my daughter letting the door open.  SO excited about this getting done I've had enough left over for 2 days now, going into the 3rd!  :-)  I've waited on this day to see the doors open on their own for 16 years now!!!

Here's the pics and video.
http://100mpgmotors.blogspot.com/2017/10/oct-18-door-struts.html
https://www.instagram.com/p/BabzQYkHdBr

Let me know if the links don't work.

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

Sorry it's been soooo long since my last post.  I hadn't fallen off of the face of the earth or anything.  You guys aren't getting that lucky already.  :-)

No, I've been tackling plenty of other things as of late.

I did however get some help from the forums on speeduino.com for getting my car to spark on the new Speeduino setup.  Pretty sweet.  Now that, that is done, I'm ready to get the fuel right for the fumes box.  Once I have that, I'll have a full list of things that people could get and copy what I've done.  You know, for whoever would like to have a 100+ MPG V8 around to drive.  :-D

Some links here to some of the troubleshooting I've been doing.
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-vtYU1vyiE
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkKR_kmT7vE
3.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3IGWbBgUz4

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

I was saying over on kitcentral that I was dropping the car off at a buddy's shop and probably not working on it while it was over there...

Ok, so after dropping it off, I'm still running out and doing stuff to the car.  I replaced the fans as mine were growling badly (bearings were going in them).  The growl was louder than the air moving through them, that's how bad it was.  But now they just sound like air moving so fast that I could knock it neutral and ride on it.  :-)

I will download all my pics and videos for updates and get them posted up on the build diary and a link to them here.

Oh yeah I got a cool new FI computer setup that I will talk about too.  Very easy to get it going.  Now we'll see if it is easy to get it going on the car itself.  But loading the code and testing the board itself was a snap.  just followed the page and it worked as it should.  Speeduino is what it is called.  All open sourced hardware/software.  I'm all about that.  :-)

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

Oh, it's pulling well.  Next up will be mapping the FI output to tables.  (RPM + MAP) & (RPM + TPS) and I'll not have to turn the knob anymore after that!  SWEET!!! 

https://youtu.be/cJkqKtjkZ-w
 
Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

Small update and a link to the video I was in.

http://100mpgmotors.blogspot.com/2017/05/may-24-late-update.html

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

I got a  alignment today.  W00T! 

Another milestone down. 

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

 thought I'd share my lock screen i made for my phone. It's my wheel from my car.

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

I've finally got my front suspension all torqued down.  Yes.  The videos you've seen  of me driving it around before now had some bolts with nuts and some were just bolts.  :-)  Like the top of the shock was just pinned (and yes there is a ton of friction there) and I wasn't doing any highway driving so I wasn't worried about it.  The few passes I have videos of are about all of the ones I've ever done.  I think I only have one drive without it being video'd. 

But I'm so glad that this is finally done.  Was a real bear trying to find all the right metric hardware to put my stuff together with.  3 out of 4 (as it turns out) of my bottom A-arm bolts are M12x1.75x90mm long. One of them was a 1/2-13x4!  Whatever.  It's all smooth and as it should be now.  I have some extra 1/2-13x4 bolts and nylon lock nuts lying about now.  I guess I'll take them back to the store and get my money back.  Don't think I'll be needing them in the rest of the build.

But the big deal (drum roll please) is that I can now get an alignment.  YAY!  :-)  I've been looking forward to that day for some time now.  My crap toe job and non-center steering wheel days are about to be over (until it needs another alignment).  hee hee

I've got a guy I've used for my regular cars, he does a bang up job and has a nice laser setup.  I'll be talking to them first about the settings.  I have the Diablo manual that has been floating around out here forever and will see what he thinks about mostly following that.  I don't know that every number will be the same or not.  As these things (even though mine is coil over) are not the same as factory.  Plus it has to look right in the wheel arch.  :-)  I noticed when screwing around with my caster and camber that it can move the wheel to the point that it interferes with the body.

Anyhow, thought I would share.  I'm also posting this to my build dairy, so no link, as it is the same info.

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

I think you guys know I'm not bashful, I will ask for help on things that I need direction on.  I've been reading for about 10 years before i started the build so I have a lot of things that I've already decided that I'm going to do.  Thanks RT for the nod on having the right attitude.  I understand how folks feel about what they do.  Not trying to step on any toes anywhere.  I know that this car will never be to the Nth degree of a real one.  If I were to go that route I would have had a tube chassis from day one.  But I always knew I wasn't going to do that.  My thought on that was to save my money and get a real one, one day if I wanted to go that degree.  But that's me.  I may still get one.  I was thinking the other day that I'm paying over $2k/month on both my 1st and 2nd mortgages at the same time (total for the two together).... I was thinking that could be a car note.  hhhmmm  :-)  hee hee

Here's my latest update.  May get more done tomorrow.  Depends on if the rain holds out or not.

http://100mpgmotors.blogspot.com/2017/03/mar-25-more-on-doors-pt-2.html

Thanks,
Coop

[sisqocracker]

Oh, totally. I'm going to connect it. :-)

Thanks,
Coop