1992 RS Camaro. First car for Der Burger.

Catbox · Sep 4, 2024

Whelp.
The story continues.
Max and I were told to take Friday off last week to make for a nice long 4 day weekend.

Max tried to clean up and protect the soldered in resistors that eliminate the need for the resistor key.
He broke one of the legs off two days before we have appointment with the DMV.
Enter Amazon and speedy fast delivery.
I bought a kit of resistors that has some 1,350 pieces in it.
Just need one.

It came in on Friday morning and he then soldered in the 680 ohm jobbie and we were back in business.

Then we had to put the dash install into overdrive and get it ready to hit the road by appointment time.
Now we have the proper sized holes for speakers and all the mounting spots for the dash.
I didn't want the back of the speaker open so I also started working on making a backing to close it off to help prevent sound cancellation.
I started with a pair of coffee filters to get the shape I wanted, those with some tape to hold the shape got me started....

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I popped the speaker into the hole to check fitment and then added some more tape for structure.

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I was satisfied with the shape and size of the "shell".
I then added more tape to the shell and then flipped it over and added HVAC mastic butyl tape for structure.

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It looks like a baked potato dish.

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After some fitting and refitting, I have a nice fit to the speaker and the dash.
I have also trimmed off all the extra materials that are not needed.

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Catbox · Sep 4, 2024

New dashboard is in and complete!
Just have to get some double sided tape so that we can reaffix the 25th Anniversary tag on the passenger side.
Look at that complete dash area....

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Speakers both have backing on them now with wiring and are fully screwed into place.

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Dash pad is on and the rest of the trim is going in next.

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Just ignore the console mess that is on the floor as we didn't have time to get that part put back in before the DMV trip.

Catbox · Sep 4, 2024

I forgot to take a totally complete photo of the dash project.
This is how it has been sitting for the last two months on the big 6 ton jack stands.

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Must be getting close as Max is lowering it down from monster truck status...

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Heckin yeah!
They took it for a rip around the block after I did to see how all of our work turned out.

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But right after this was complete we ran the car to the DEQ where it passed the emissions test and then to the DMV where I transferred the title to make it ours.
Here it is with the tailpipe sniffer in the tailpipe.
We took a chance at going through DEQ as we still don't have the muffler installed.
Just a 3" pipe that terminates just after it comes over the axle tube and points down at where the muffler inlet pipe shall be.
It passed just fine with a visual cat inspection and good exhaust fumes.

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It sits so low now.

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I let her drive it to get it washed and then she went to show her friend.
While out showing it off, the 90 that went over the axle broke off.
It was only tacked in place for final welding after all was in place including the muffler and tailpipes.

So there is still more to do on it like the console and muffler, but it is nearly there.

Catbox · Sep 4, 2024

Also, before we took it down she got to learn to change her own oil.
The PO true to form, put the filter on as tight as possible.
Awesome.
Jacob was over so I had him get under there and assist with the removal of the filter.

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After that was all did down below, they put the new earl into the pan.

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While at the house, I put Jacob to work as he was standing around looking at his phone.
I had him change out the rear brake soft line as it was showing some wear on the outer casing of the hose.

Friday morning before the DMV, Max, Burger, and I bled the brakes with me pushing the pedal and them going around to open the bleeders.
We did each side twice on the rear and then for the front as well.
The car has great brakes and it will lock them up if you give it enough.

Catbox · Sep 4, 2024

So now this is how the front of the house looks, all Chevy and all considered old now.

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She loves the car and just wants to be set free to drive and drive.
Now I have leverage to make sure she does well in the next terms of college.

I did see that this car seems to run hot.
Like at 240 consistently, in stop and go as well as on the open road above 40+ mph.

This is the stock radiator cooling fan that is on the 1992 we have.
No shroud on it and only 5 blades.
Advance/Autozone shows a replacement at ~1200 cfm and the stock mount sets the fan a couple of inches off the radiator, allowing it to draw around the radiator instead of through it.

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So over the weekend we went to the junkyard that was having a sale on all parts pulled from the yard.
Enter my over enthusiasm along with some internet research and I now know what to look for when shopping for efficient cooling fans from the OEM suppliers.
I stacked up 5 different styles of fans in just a couple few hours.

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This unit off a Volvo wagon is rated at 600w and they have been proven to be able to cool even the most rowdy of turbo engines.
To run them I will have to learn some new tricks as you can hook them directly to the battery and they won't budge.
They require a Pulse Width Frequency Modulator to generate a signal to trigger the fan on.
The really nifty part is that guys are using these and other similar fans at 50% duty cycle and they have more than enough to cool the radiators they are behind.
So overkill, excellent.

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Catbox · Sep 4, 2024

The PWM gizmo's are a massive $10 each and I picked mine up off Amazon.
They are similar to the ones shown in this graphic below.
I have not tested to see how this electrical design will work just yet, that and I will not be using the ECM to trigger the fans.
In my car the computer does not trigger the fans, a temp sensor in the passenger head does.
So I am going to try using two different temperature fan switches with the ac over ride when that is turned on.

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Just for knowledge, whilst out with the dogs on a potty break, I got out a big block fan shroud and laid it over one of the larger units.
Mounting the fan inside the hole and then filling the gap around the two pieces should make for a tidy install on the pickup truck.

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There is a lot of information out there on these fans and putting them into other than what they were designed for.
I have read that a Vette C6 and a Ford Focus use the same little control module.
So a cheap way to control one is again with junkyard parts as seen below.
Again, I have no idea if these are correctly drawn to function as I am just getting started.

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This is the Focus module they are speaking of...

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squaredeal91 · Sep 5, 2024

Catbox said:
The PWM gizmo's are a massive $10 each and I picked mine up off Amazon.
They are similar to the ones shown in this graphic below.
I have not tested to see how this electrical design will work just yet, that and I will not be using the ECM to trigger the fans.
In my car the computer does not trigger the fans, a temp sensor in the passenger head does.
So I am going to try using two different temperature fan switches with the ac over ride when that is turned on.

You must be registered for see images attach

Just for knowledge, whilst out with the dogs on a potty break, I got out a big block fan shroud and laid it over one of the larger units.
Mounting the fan inside the hole and then filling the gap around the two pieces should make for a tidy install on the pickup truck.

You must be registered for see images attach

There is a lot of information out there on these fans and putting them into other than what they were designed for.
I have read that a Vette C6 and a Ford Focus use the same little control module.
So a cheap way to control one is again with junkyard parts as seen below.
Again, I have no idea if these are correctly drawn to function as I am just getting started.

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You must be registered for see images attach

This is the Focus module they are speaking of...

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That is cool!
I need one i think lol. What temps does it come on and off at. Or is it in the fine print

Catbox · Sep 5, 2024

squaredeal91 said:
That is cool!
I need one i think lol. What temps does it come on and off at. Or is it in the fine print

I am still a newb.
I assume you are talking about the Focus controller, if so I believe that it is adjustable.
More learning is needed on my part about that little controller doohickey.

Catbox · Sep 6, 2024

I totally forgot about the score that Max made the other day at the junkyard!

He wandered off while Paul and I were pulling a stubborn fan from its home.
Came back and said we weren't allowed to look until he told us we could.

He came into view and said to look...
He had found in a 1984 Camaro the yard recently put out had the T-top bag as well as a set of T-tops!
Now the bag is in great shape, just needs some cleanup and elbow grease.
Not exactly the same as the one for a 1992 car, but closer than nothing.

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This bag with Body By Fischer and GM on it was observed on Ebay for $200, so score.

They tops need some work as the pins are rusty and don't want to move much without persuasion.
There are also scratches on the under side where they were improperly stored.
But they fit the car and we wanted another set that we could modify anyway.

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Definitely some cleanup and detail work to do to them, but these things are expensive to purchase even used.
Once cleaned, we are going to figure out how to make them darker for less light transfer.
Ceramic tint, affixing a shade, straight up painting them on the inside, I am not sure just yet.
That would help with the heat in the car on a hot summer day, maybe.
So these are perfect to work with once we clean them up and get them working like they are supposed too.

One of the ones that came on the car has a broken part of the trim on the front edge, so these will also make that go away.
Hard to see and I never did take an actual photo of it, but you can see the front edge of the T-top looks lifted up cause it is.
Photo from the PO add we bought it from.

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bucket · Sep 6, 2024

Catbox said:
I totally forgot about the score that Max made the other day at the junkyard!

He wandered off while Paul and I were pulling a stubborn fan from its home.
Came back and said we weren't allowed to look until he told us we could.

He came into view and said to look...
He had found in a 1984 Camaro the yard recently put out had the T-top bag as well as a set of T-tops!
Now the bag is in great shape, just needs some cleanup and elbow grease.
Not exactly the same as the one for a 1992 car, but closer than nothing.

You must be registered for see images attach

This bag with Body By Fischer and GM on it was observed on Ebay for $200, so score.

They tops need some work as the pins are rusty and don't want to move much without persuasion.
There are also scratches on the under side where they were improperly stored.
But they fit the car and we wanted another set that we could modify anyway.

You must be registered for see images attach

Definitely some cleanup and detail work to do to them, but these things are expensive to purchase even used.
Once cleaned, we are going to figure out how to make them darker for less light transfer.
Ceramic tint, affixing a shade, straight up painting them on the inside, I am not sure just yet.
That would help with the heat in the car on a hot summer day, maybe.
So these are perfect to work with once we clean them up and get them working like they are supposed too.

One of the ones that came on the car has a broken part of the trim on the front edge, so these will also make that go away.
Hard to see and I never did take an actual photo of it, but you can see the front edge of the T-top looks lifted up cause it is.
Photo from the PO add we bought it from.

You must be registered for see images attach

I forgot how hideous those wheel covers were. Please don't post those older pictures anymore :rofl:

Grit dog · Sep 6, 2024

Wow, you guys are really turning that car into a beauty! Love seeing your junkyard scores too.

Radiohead · Sep 6, 2024

Grit dog said:
Wow, you guys are really turning that car into a beauty! Love seeing your junkyard scores too.

Those scores of his makes a daytrip over yonder sound fun. I find wrecking yard wandering to be therapeutic. Plus, some cool stuff for other projects always seems to appear.

Winning.

Catbox · Sep 6, 2024

bucket said:
I forgot how hideous those wheel covers were. Please don't post those older pictures anymore

I still have them in the back yard, I could send them to you....

bucket · Sep 6, 2024

Catbox said:
I still have them in the back yard, I could send them to you....

Please no. Just shoot them so they can't ever hurt anyone again, lol.

Catbox · Sep 9, 2024

Radiohead said:
Those scores of his makes a daytrip over yonder sound fun. I find wrecking yard wandering to be therapeutic. Plus, some cool stuff for other projects always seems to appear.

Winning.

Just so you can plan for it, they close the lower yard at the Sherwood location.
That means that on the first weekend of October things pulled are 40% off.
And the second weekend of October things pulled from the yard are 75% off with no returns.

That is a heck of a deal and you can bet your sweet bippy we will be there on one of the days stacking up more crap we don't need.
But want.

1992 RS Camaro. First car for Der Burger.

Catbox

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