New Daily Driver (Caprice)

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

So I've been gathering parts for the car, but I've been detached from my projects lately because school ends in six days (hallelujah), and I have finals. Here are the parts I've gotten: I bought an owner's manual, a Haynes manual, a battery tray, an inner fender, a tail light to replace a busted one, and my favorite piece so far, a radio and HVAC control unit. I plan to finish buying the exterior trinkets like trim, fender moldings, and bumper fillers in the next day or two. I'm a big fan of stock GM radios up until the Model 2000 ETRs. Radios now seem very inauthentic to me, and yeah, I know that you can get great sound from an aftermarket head unit, amp, and lower resistance speaker set combined, but I like the look, and I think I can make this one sound pretty damn good. I found it at a used parts counter in Austin, and it looks good minus the dust. I'm waiting on my new old Quadrajet, and I'm going to clean out the tank and blow out the lines so everything is fresh, and it should run like a brand new or better car. I still need to make headway on the suspension and flexplate, but once I get out of here, the Caprice and the Jimmy will speed up exponentially in progress. Here's a picture of the radio. It's one of the silver ones they only made for '85 and '86 Caprices as far as I know.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Hey, guys. I've been out of school just over a week, and I've been working on the car as much as I can. After getting the ignition system tuned up, I did the fuel system next. I dropped the tank, cleaned it in and out as best I could, replaced the sending unit with a Spectra, blew the main line out, reinstalled the fuel tank, replaced the fuel pump, and replaced the fuel filter. I finally installed my newly rebuilt and rebushed Quadrajet and had a helluva time tryin to figure out that mess of hoses, but I think I got it nailed down pretty good. I had a setback this week in the form of a varmint coming to chew the battery to HEI wire, a brand new AC Delco spark plug wire, and a ground strap that goes from the firewall to inside the car by where the heater hoses are. It got in there after I left the hood off overnight. I was vacuuming trash out of the engine bay and getting ready to put hinges that I got off an Olds Wagon, which I did the next day. Before I fixed those wires, I got brave and decided to wash under the hood. I had this Krud Kutter stuff that I bought from Walmart, and it worked great. I doused it in a layer of that and then pressure washed it thoroughly. I let it dry for a day and then made the finishing touches to get it running. After pouring a little fuel in the carb and giving the pump ample time to pick the fuel up, it started and ran great. I drove it just to see what it was like and it wasn't awful, but it wasn't wonderful. I loaded it up on a U-Haul and brought it to be painted. The shop that's painting it and doing the body work will likely just go ahead and knock out that flexplate and steering linkage/suspension stuff. Here's a before and after of my carburetor after Mountain Man rebuilt it, and here's a right after the engine got washed.

 

[HotRodPC]

Sounds like good progress.

Yep, you've got the full blown CCC (Computer Command Control) OBD1 computer system in that car. Some think that was the first GM computer controlled system. Not true. First one was the C4 (Computer Controlled Cat Converter) that started in the late 70's in some models and mostly in Cali cars.

I don't see the high idle dashpot on the AFTER pic. You did put that back on right? You'll need it if your ever run your AC otherwise the car will not idle as soon as the AC compressor kicks on.

 

[bucket]

Argh, stupid critters. Doesn't that just chap your ass? Between squirrels and mice, a lot of good parts get ruined.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Sounds like good progress.

Yep, you've got the full blown CCC (Computer Command Control) OBD1 computer system in that car. Some think that was the first GM computer controlled system. Not true. First one was the C4 (Computer Controlled Cat Converter) that started in the late 70's in some models and mostly in Cali cars.

I don't see the high idle dashpot on the AFTER pic. You did put that back on right? You'll need it if your ever run your AC otherwise the car will not idle as soon as the AC compressor kicks on.

Yes, I did put the dashpot back on right before I installed the carb. They took it off so the spade wouldn't poke a hole in the box. I didn't think this was the first computer system. I read that Cadillacs had some primitive on board computers in the seventies. I can't quite remember what that was all about. I like the carburetor. I thought I would hate it at first, but it works pretty well. It hasn't left me scratching my head like the TBI in the Jimmy does sometimes.

 

[HotRodPC]

Yes, Caddy had the 4 6 8 computer system. I was moreless referring to the standard production car computer as far as a GM system, not a model specific system. The 4 6 8 was like today's Active Fuel Management or Displacement on Demand systems. The driver could select to run on either 4 cyls, 6 or 8 cyls to conserve fuel.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Argh, stupid critters. Doesn't that just chap your ass? Between squirrels and mice, a lot of good parts get ruined.

It had me fuming. I was on a serious time budget, and it set me back some. I saw a possum hanging out under my Jimmy one night, which the Caprice had been parked right next to it. I yelled at it, and it went away. I had the hood propped up with a bat for several nights, which was weird that it go in there and mess with my ****. It chewed up a battery charger with the battery and alternator tester a few days ago. It also sucked. Never again will I leave something valuable or something that has a lot of toil in it exposed.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

So I've been gathering parts for the car, but I've been detached from my projects lately because school ends in six days (hallelujah), and I have finals. Here are the parts I've gotten: I bought an owner's manual, a Haynes manual, a battery tray, an inner fender, a tail light to replace a busted one, and my favorite piece so far, a radio and HVAC control unit. I plan to finish buying the exterior trinkets like trim, fender moldings, and bumper fillers in the next day or two. I'm a big fan of stock GM radios up until the Model 2000 ETRs. Radios now seem very inauthentic to me, and yeah, I know that you can get great sound from an aftermarket head unit, amp, and lower resistance speaker set combined, but I like the look, and I think I can make this one sound pretty damn good. I found it at a used parts counter in Austin, and it looks good minus the dust. I'm waiting on my new old Quadrajet, and I'm going to clean out the tank and blow out the lines so everything is fresh, and it should run like a brand new or better car. I still need to make headway on the suspension and flexplate, but once I get out of here, the Caprice and the Jimmy will speed up exponentially in progress. Here's a picture of the radio. It's one of the silver ones they only made for '85 and '86 Caprices as far as I know.

As in Texas?

I know there's several 1985-90 Caprices in the junkyard here now.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

As in Texas?

I know there's several 1985-90 Caprices in the junkyard here now.

Oh, wow. Yeah, it was from Texas. I think it was from Browning Auto Parts in Austin. Yeah, that's it.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

I used to go to Browning before we got a few pick-your-parts, had to pay out the arse for things too.

Funny story with them. I had to get a lower control arm for a 1994 Cutlass Supreme. Went to them and they had it, said it would be a 3 hour wait though so I headed out the door for lunch. As I went out the door, I noticed a set of lower control arms laying on the floor, picked one up and checked the numbers, it was what I needed so I went back to the desk and explained that, the counter man was all like "naw man, that isn't it, I'll get you one pulled off." Another guy asked what it was for, I told him and he looked it up and said "yeah, that's the correct part, those were never picked up!" The first guy's jaw hit the floor... He said "if you ever need a job, COME SEE ME. I have NEVER seen anyone identify a part like that."

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

I used to go to Browning before we got a few pick-your-parts, had to pay out the arse for things too.

Funny story with them. I had to get a lower control arm for a 1994 Cutlass Supreme. Went to them and they had it, said it would be a 3 hour wait though so I headed out the door for lunch. As I went out the door, I noticed a set of lower control arms laying on the floor, picked one up and checked the numbers, it was what I needed so I went back to the desk and explained that, the counter man was all like "naw man, that isn't it, I'll get you one pulled off." Another guy asked what it was for, I told him and he looked it up and said "yeah, that's the correct part, those were never picked up!" The first guy's jaw hit the floor... He said "if you ever need a job, COME SEE ME. I have NEVER seen anyone identify a part like that."

Damn, that's pretty cool. That's also pretty lucky and convenient. Yeah, I paid a pretty penny for that HVAC/Stereo combo. It wasn't ridiculous, but it was enough. It's in okay shape. When I get to the interior in a couple weeks, I'm gonna have to figure out how to spruce it up to make it look new. They were nice over there, and I got it quickly and in good shape

 

[Stewzer55]

B-bodies really are great cars. glad to see another getting saved.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Thanks, man. It went into the body shop/mechanic shop yesterday, and they told me it'd be ready in a week so hopefully it turns out okay. I'll post pictures then, given that it looks good.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Finally got her out of the paint/mechanic shop! I won't delve into the specifics of the body and paint, but they did go ahead and put new shocks, get the air blowing cold, put new wheel bearings on both fronts, new idler arm/center link, and they did install the new trim trinkets that I ordered. I shall now move to the interior, and after I put a new windshield and PS mirror glass, the exterior will be sone. It's come a long way in a month and a half, and it's got a little more to go. I do think I have some water in the carb because it hesitates a little, and I did wash the tank out with water, but the fuel has been treated with Heet, and the lines and filter are clean. Oh, they also put me a new headliner to get the interior work underway.

 

[Stewzer55]

I don't think the front bumper is on right, the bumper is supposed to be over the filler panel IIRC.