New Daily Driver (Caprice)

[yevgenievich]

Looks prerty good. Going for simple repaint or needs some body work?

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

There's no penetrative rust, which is good, but there are dents so those have to be taken out, and I'm gonna have it repainted in the factory color. Is the paint code on the RPO sticker because I wasn't able to decipher that...

 

[foamypirate]

There's no penetrative rust, which is good, but there are dents so those have to be taken out, and I'm gonna have it repainted in the factory color. Is the paint code on the RPO sticker because I wasn't able to decipher that...

It should be on the RPO sticker. They are usually at the bottom and start with WA-XXXX (being 4 digits) in most cases.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

It should be on the RPO sticker. They are usually at the bottom and start with WA-XXXX (being 4 digits) in most cases.

Alrighty, I'll check it out again. Thanks.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

It's been a little over a week since I updated so I'll fill you guys in. I got home and hit the ground running with this thing. I bought a new cap, rotor, wireset, plugs, fuel filter, oil filter, and oil. I took a day to do the ignition tune up (slight learning curve because different than TBI and mixed the wire order up about four or five times). The cap was melted and the rotor was torched, but I actually did save the plug wires as spares because they looked really good. I used all Delco because I believe in that kind of thing. The same day I got most/all of the suspension issues diagnosed. All four shocks are completely awful. That's why she said it felt unsafe. Both tie rod ends are shot. That's causing a slapping noise when the wheel's turned. The pitman arm and idler arm look pretty half ass, but they're nice and tight from what I can tell. I might check them out again. I'm pretty sure, however not 100% certain, that both upper ball joints are toast as well because in addition to side to side play, there's up and down play. You can also hear a squeak when you turn the wheel, the boots are completely torn open, and the joints are packed with miscellaneous road filth. The lower ball joints look very good, though. As far as that starter skip goes, I pulled the flexplate cover off and found that it looked good except in one spot that had chunks bitten off the teeth right where the pinion is supposed to mesh with the flex plate so I know for sure that has to be replaced. I wasn't able to figure anything definitive out with the starter. I can hear it loudly revving down a few seconds after the engine's started, which doesn't strike me as a great sign, but I feel like the flexplate is definitely the big culprit for that issue. I got it running a lot stronger, and now I've moved to the fuel aspect. Even though I saw it had good jet/accelerator pump action, the carburetor was absolutely disgusting inside and out, and it was not the easiest to cold start. The primary throttle shaft was even sloppier than my TBI. I could move it one way and stall the motor and the other way would make it idle at highway cruising RPM! The secondary shaft has a little bit of play, but I'm not too worried about it. I sent it to Mountain Man Carburetor and Fuel Injection in Hackett, Arkansas to be rebuilt, bushed, and internally tuned. A bunch of El Camino and F-Body folks on the internet recommended them unanimously, and they seem like a very legitimate operation. I just pray it makes it there okay. That sumbitch weighs thirteen pounds. I'm gonna show you my carb off the Caprice and what it'll look like when it gets back.

 

[foamypirate]

Nice work, you sure dove right in! I'll be following the progress.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Thanks, buddy.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

I have a 120 MPH 9C1 cluster from a 1989 Caprice sitting in my garage that is doing nothing.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

I have a 120 MPH 9C1 cluster from a 1989 Caprice sitting in my garage that is doing nothing.

Wow, really? That'd be really cool to have. How much do you want for it, and do you have the little side gauges that go with it?

 

[RetroC10Sport]

Wow, really? That'd be really cool to have. How much do you want for it, and do you have the little side gauges that go with it?

No side gauges unfortunately, the car never had them. I didn't want to see the cluster go to waste.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

No side gauges unfortunately, the car never had them. I didn't want to see the cluster go to waste.

Well, I'd love to have it.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

$25 shipped? I think I have that in it but I'd rather someone use it.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

$25 shipped? I think I have that in it but I'd rather someone use it.

I sent you a message, but I'm not sure if you got it. I asked you if it was cable speedo or a VSS speedo, and if it worked the last time it was used.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

I sent you a message, but I'm not sure if you got it. I asked you if it was cable speedo or a VSS speedo, and if it worked the last time it was used.

Dangit, not sure why I am not getting notifications, let me check my settings then I'll answer.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Dangit, not sure why I am not getting notifications, let me check my settings then I'll answer.

Sent you another message, bud.