Thread: Project "OVERHAUL" rebuilding a 1990 Grand Prix LE BEWARE LOTS OF PICTURES!

Are you going to lcc yet. Let me know we were in the same program

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I appreciate all the feedback, hopefully this will answer everyone's questions

Nope i am not on w-body forums yet i may join up down the road.

Theres a couple of reasons why i decided to redo this car... 1st being that i am basically getting it for free so no upfront costs other then parts. Second Keith hit it right on the head is its a great car to not only learn how to work on it mechanically but also learn body work and if i make mistakes which i probably will its not a big deal. Also the transmission only has 60k miles on it so one major part is fairly new and my boss rebuilt it himself so i know it was done right.

Darion, i am trying to get registered for summer classes but haven't had time to go take the assessment testing BS even though LCC sent me a letter a month ago saying i was accepted. I am getting my Associates like i said so i have to take those assessment tests.

As far as backing out i have done a car before in similar shape but it was more mechanical then body. It was a 99 Ford Ranger that needed new rotors, calipers, brake pads, exhaust, plugs/wires, battery and alot of TLC only reason i sold it is i couldn't move it back up here to Michigan. Inless the motor blows up and even then i would probably stick with the project i dont foresee me backing out anytime soon I figured with about $350-$400 for tires, brakes, fluids and other odds and ends it will be safe and drive able and then ill start doing the detailed things. I have yet to get a exact price figure but roughly $1500 or so depending on all the extra goodies i decide to go with i will have a car in good mechanical shape that i know was done and the body done and painted the way i wanted so not much at all compared to what it would cost to purchase a car in the shape it will end up in.

My boss's son drove it, from what i know he just didnt want to drive it anymore so he just parked it and never drove it again.

Progress will be pretty slow till early/mid May but even then i still wont have as much time as i would like and like i said i dont have a ton of money at the moment left over after bills so whatever little i have over i am using to put into the car. Also it is sitting outside so if its raining any harder then sprinkling or the ground is completely soaked working on it is a PITA. Have to get 2 race cars race ready, one is almost done but will need maintenance done, and the other is about 50-60 percent done and we have to get the one that is 50-60 percent done race ready by end of April early May for the start of race season. I did however get the rotors and pads off today which when i pick up the wire attachments for my drill i will be cleaning those up and painting the inside of the rotors which should be this weekend. As soon as i get the $ for the fuel pump or i may put a '88 S-10 fuel pump in worse case scenario to get it up and running it should start right up (knock on wood)

Thats tight. I chose a 1998 buick regal gs as my car to work on. It has a bad pressure line and many more things. Its my dd. And my gtp is my baby

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Well today i didnt get a whole bunch done i wanted to get the gas tank straps off so i could clean them up and paint them but it was horrible outside. I did however pick up some masking tape, wire brush attachments for my drill, sand paper and got my prices for everything need. I also had the battery checked and it turns out its no good but i can get a refurbished one for $40 bucks so not a huge deal. I would really like to replace both front and rear rotors but for now ill just be cleaning the old ones up along with the rear pads and may just use those till i get the $ for new rotors. Right now the only thing holding me back from good solid progress is $ for the new fuel pump and would really like to get the fuel pump sending assembly as well but i guess i will have to see. If i have time today i will be cleaning up the rear pads and rotors.

Have you tried ebay.. That place will become your best friend.

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Originally Posted by darionmilton

Have you tried ebay.. That place will become your best friend.

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I will probably eventually be doing alot of shopping on ebay for various parts but everything to get it safe and drive able i can get from the auto parts stores. A few things have come up in a good and bad way but am hoping it will actually allow me to start some serious progress and get it up safe/drive able with in the next week.

Well I got I picked up some wire brush attachments and sand paper 2 days ago. Took the wire brush to the muffler, gas tank straps and rear rotors. I have to go get the right size star shaped tool to take the front caliper mounts off so I can pull the rotors. The front pads at useable so I may run those worse case scenario. I am currently painting the gas tank straps and muffler and then gotta put alot of elbow grease into the rotors with some sandpaper to get those done. I cleaned up all the front lights ( headlights, fogs, turn signals) out there was all type of crap in there the next step will be polishing up the headlights. As soon as I get the $ I will be picking up the fuel pump so I can get this baby running If I have time tonight I'll post up pictures of the progress

very eager to see updated pics. i love sh1t like this

Also finished painting the gas tank straps and muffler. I plan on getting the dual exhaust for it down the road but for now i dont want it rusting out.

Dirty old gas tank straps:

Nice and pretty once again!:


Here is the front brakes almost torn down (all i need is a larger star shaped tool to fit those weird bolts holding the caliper mounts on and i can get the rotors and mounts off for cleaning):



If i have time i will pull off the calipers and sand/paint those as well but at this point i may just clean them and paint them after i get this thing up and drive able.

Picture of the muffler all done:

I still have to do the other rear rotor and pads, and do the front pads. I am hoping to get the tool i need for the caliper mount bolts this weekend so i can get the front rotors done.

Thanks Texas I really appreciate it, I know it's not as much fun as when you have the funds and time to do everything at once but I am hoping when I get caught up on bills I then will have more $ to dump into my little project and the only way I am stopping is if the car magically blows up... Btw my boss also has a shell of a 94 grand prix that when I get to body work I am hoping to negotiate with him on so I can just cut out what I need and weld it to the other car instead of trying to mess with molding sheetmetal and all that.

Your looking for a T-60 or 65 Torx, I can't remember which one but I just replaced them with the same size/threadpitch hex head bolts when I took them off the first time, from what I remembered they stripped really easily.

Originally Posted by addzradd

Your looking for a T-60 or 65 Torx, I can't remember which one but I just replaced them with the same size/threadpitch hex head bolts when I took them off the first time, from what I remembered they stripped really easily.

Alright thanks addzradd, my boss has literally almost every tool you could think of and actually worked for GM for 20+ years and didn't even have that large of a hex tool. Why they didn't just use basic bolts with Allen ends beats the hell out of me... I mean they really had to put together a team on how to make life as diffucult as possible but of course it's so you take it to the dealer. Well as soon as I pick up that bit I will be taking the caliper mounts off and rotors and sanding/painting them like stated. I really need to pull all 4 calipers off and drain the old brake fluid but haven't had time to mess with them yet.

i would go ahead and pick up a set, you'll find they kid alot of random torx's around the car, like the window switch panel, the door panel, and a few other places i can't remember right now.