89 Trans Am

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twinturbo427

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To anyone considering making a fuel pump hatch in their third or fourth gen: PLEASE DON'T!!!!
Besides hacking into a body that needs the strength, there are multiple other issues.

The access hatch is in a non-structural area. I have done several over the past 30 years. I guess if "hack" is the word to use it is more of a comment on skills. The entire point is moot when the roll cage and subframe connectors tie the chassis together.


They are exactly that... a myth.
 

bucket

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The access hatch is in a non-structural area. I have done several over the past 30 years. I guess if "hack" is the word to use it is more of a comment on skills. The entire point is moot when the roll cage and subframe connectors tie the chassis together.

The way a 3rd gen body flexes in rear area collision, that area of floor is indeed more important than most think. Then, you have to cut all the fuel lines to get the sending unit out. Putting those back together with hose and clamps (no flares) is 'hack'. Doing the lines the right way is a PITA and takes time. Then you still have to make flanges or make a new panel. And then finally it all has to be sealed off. Doing all that takes just as long as doing it the right way, except you have a hole in the passenger compartment floor.

I've done a lot of fuel pumps in these cars, it's really not that big of a deal and can be done easily in a few hours if the car is not rusty.
 

yevgenievich

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Just few hours is correct. But all agree to disagree. I never seen any good in the argument of cutting the back open.
Drove to work today. Definately feels like those 300 or so horses are back under the hood. Parked next to my old daily driver of 10 years.(Sold to a coworker few months back). Both of them were shiny and clean 10 years ago. The texas sun got to them both
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yevgenievich

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That 30" of rain the other week brought up the broken pull down on a hatch back in to view with a trunk full of water. The new slides were a bit too tight and it shattered the gear. Got a new one installed, sanded the slides and the tracks for a better fit and back together with a dryed out trunk.
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bucket

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Where do you get your parts for those, Top Down Solutions?
 

yevgenievich

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Where do you get your parts for those, Top Down Solutions?
Originally found rockauto to have the whole motor assembly cheaper. But after braking it, tds had the gear
 

yevgenievich

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Have few parts coming in. But while waiting finally spent money on new full set of tires and now have complete matching set of wheels on it. It never had complete set of new tires in over 12 years. Going to mess with steering and suspension in next couple of weeks and then it is off for alignment.
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yevgenievich

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Started removing parts. Need to remove metal to weld in weight jack plate in the upper spring pocket. Been riding using rubber spacers for too long. Also found the transmission mount lost its bolts and the oil pan leaking. Might end up removing the whole k member. Pretty dirty under there
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bucket

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So how do these suckers work anyway? Just get the weight off the front, then go through the control arm and adjust the screw in the center of the pocket?

And it really only works with a firm, short spring, right? Stock type springs always have a lot of tension in them.
 

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This one's are set up a bit different. They are adjusted from under the hood. There will be a hole through the frame rail with the the adjusting rod sticking through. The idea is to have extra weight of the weight jack on top of the spring, otherwise it will become sprung weight. And stock spring can be used, but there would be almost no adjustment because it already puts everything too high. Especially in this example, factory springs set it to almost 2 inches higher than stock.
Here is a picture with stock springs(ignore the wrong spacers on the rear):
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So how do these suckers work anyway? Just get the weight off the front, then go through the control arm and adjust the screw in the center of the pocket?

And it really only works with a firm, short spring, right? Stock type springs always have a lot of tension in them.
 

bucket

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Ah, I see now. What springs are you running and do you know how much weight you have on the front wheels?
 

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Ah, I see now. What springs are you running and do you know how much weight you have on the front wheels?
I do not remember the weight any more, but stock minus about 145lb. Front springs are 900lb and rears I believe are 300lb. Going to install ac back in for next summer, so 20lb or so will be going back in. Did not have the correct hole saw to cut the spring pocket out today. Stopped at installing astro steering shaft and bearing.
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Did not get far today. Drilled one side out. Also received strut tower brace from qa1, but need to cut some bushings for it. All of the important holes are oversized and would probably still allow flex that I am trying to eliminate. Measured the required height for front bump stops, the stockers that I have cut before will work fine with current wheel/tire
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