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04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.

WarStryker13

WarStryker13

I break things.
She's a 2004 Grand Prix GT2. She's also my first car.

04 gp gt by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

I've had her since Sep. 2013, and she's definitely got a personality... Plenty of weird quirks, like being practically a 2003 on a 2004 chassis, VIN confirmed GT2 with none of the normal GT2 amenities, completely base model interior... Lol

As she sits now:

04 gp gt by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

95k and counting. Plenty of things that still need fixing, but hey, nobody's perfect. She's survived an unknown number of years in German humidity (it's literally wet every single day of the year.), having the crap beat out of her by previous owners with questionable car knowledge, a 5000+ mile trip on a boat exposed to the waters of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and she's got two Alaskan winters under her belt already...still running like a champ. Ish.

I'll be periodically updating the beginning of this thread, to hopefully avoid forgetting something, and give a bit of back story to whoever is interested. I find this car to be quite interesting, because I still don't know everything about this car. Always finding out something new...

Oh, and for whatever reason, I'm putting pics back up that I took down.

A pillar by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

B pillar by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

C pillar by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

There's some build plans for her, nothing terribly big but I've got plenty of time and patience to make it happen.

And as always, a large helping of ADHD and OCD, with a side of pathologically stubborn to a fault.
 
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Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Rewrap the headliner don't paint it, pillars look good looks just like mine.

Sent from my KYOCERA-C6745 using Tapatalk
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Thanks. I was going to replace the entire headliner later, but rewrapping it works. I'm thinking about pulling all of the plastic out of the interior and spraying it all, maybe sand the honeycomb texture off of some of it and gloss black or red on it. Throw some silver in there somewhere. I don't want to go too much red, but a few accents of a deep cherry on top of silver and black? mmmmmmhhhhmmmmmm.

Oh! and I re-did the headlights, how they lookin?

Before:

Hazy headlights by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

hazy headlight by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

After

like new headlight by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

other like new headlight by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

04 gp gt by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

I probably could have gotten better... but when I do the retrofits, I'll be using brand new clear lenses with the old backing, JIC so I have backups.
 
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Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

I would avoid the red looks gawdy, If you use the right type of paint the plastic will hold up fine, most of my interiors been dyed for years. Headliners rather simple to do especially if you lack a sunroof
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

I was thinking no more than one thing per area, like the seatbelt slider things, stitching in the leather I'm putting on the door panel, pedals, trigger on the shifter, Everything else body color or black. Trying to be subtle.
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Paints not going to last on things like the slider where your hands/feet will touch or ding leave that kind of stuff alone, dont do the pedal either dude if you wanna improve them then the gxp come with aluminum pedal inserts and gm also use to sell them. Subtle the keyword. Red is not subtle lol, yea things like stitching etc are fine
 


Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

I know where paint will rub off, I'm just throwing out ideas of what to change out. It will be a few months to a year before this will all be done... I am going to cast new rubber pedals with red ribs, black backing, its a pretty simple process, about $30 for the rubber, I have all of the molding materials. I will make a mold of the old ones out of plaster, negative the mold with expanding foam, cast fiberglass over the foam, dissolve the foam with a solvent. Re-useable molds for pedals in any color that can be mixed. I haven't seen the gxp ones yet but $$$? I'm guessing kinda pricey. I never adjust the seatbelt lol set it and forget it. Kicker panels I would wrap, door sills I would coat with bedliner lol or just make aluminum. I'm replacing the carpet... And I can't think of much else right now.

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Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Got a little add-a-fuse because I don't like splicing into ignition circuits, and I don't have a sunroof. I'm about to go plug it in, Should only take 5 min. tops.
 
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Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Took a sharp knife to the plastic between the blades, put a 15A fuse in for the switched 12V wire to the aftermarket stereo, and boom. Works like it was professionally done.
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Got hit with some news. It's not pretty. So I am unfortunately looking at selling this car... I'm actually sad to see it go. Lots of memories made and ALOT of experience learned from this car... But she's got too many problems all at once, and I simply can't fix all of them. I'll put new bushings and struts on her, Throw a Trans-go shift kit in and clean her up really nice. She should be solid for whoever gets her next, at least for a few good years.

EDIT: nevermind, got some fresh air the other day. :D she's still mine for the forseeable future. Now to order MOAR parts.

EDIT: EDIT: scratch that, I'm just too damn indecisive. I have no idea anymore. lol
 
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Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Washed and waxed it, but photobucket sucks giant hairy monkeydickballs.
 
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Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Starting to collect parts for a top swap. It's a Gen III blower and LIM, but since it was so cheap I had to grab it. It'll take some fab work, but that's easy. I love a challenge.
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

You are going to swap a Gen III onto an 04+? Why? Maybe cut out the LIM for a Gen 5, then use a Gen V?
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

It was cheap enough that I can afford everything else I would need to top swap it, and because nobody else has done it. Since it's an ultra low budget, I won't be buying super nice supporting mods like headers, or an intercooler, or anything else somewhat expensive. Just a tune, a plog and downpipe, or even just a ported stock front manifold. Im going to get it to run, drive, and make noise, prove that it can be done, then I'll put a Gen 5 on and start getting headers and whatnot. I'm not really looking to go too much farther, I'm gonna need a built trans after the top swap, if the trans doesn't go before then.
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Well my transmission seems to be defying the laws of physics, engineering, nature and everything else... with just fluid & filter changes it has gone from undriveable to perfect working order (as far as I can tell) and I have no idea why but I'm rolling with it. My engine sits on top of a UNICORN!!! lol
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

WarStryker13 said:
It was cheap enough that I can afford everything else I would need to top swap it, and because nobody else has done it. Since it's an ultra low budget, I won't be buying super nice supporting mods like headers, or an intercooler, or anything else somewhat expensive. Just a tune, a plog and downpipe, or even just a ported stock front manifold. Im going to get it to run, drive, and make noise, prove that it can be done, then I'll put a Gen 5 on and start getting headers and whatnot. I'm not really looking to go too much farther, I'm gonna need a built trans after the top swap, if the trans doesn't go before then.
Click to expand...

You are going to chip a piston with that setup. A top swap is a top swap, even with a less efficient supercharger. You'll need either some form of intercooling or headers to run that setup. I'd figure the supercharger would be the least of your concerns between headers, heads, LIM, all the various pulleys, fuel rail, injectors, etc.

How are you planning to run PCV? The Gen III is internal whereas the Gen V is external. I get what you are saying as far as a low budget build, but this isn't going to turn into one.
 


Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

the PCV top plate could be modified with a threaded adapter to a vacuum line...I can find somewhere to stick it. I obviously wouldn't wot, maybe just idle around the block. but I would have headers for the top swap, I just got a hard reminder about chip. buddy with an 04 comp g up here just put a rod through his oil pan... 3.2 pulley on stock manifolds. Headers are higher on the priorities list now.
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

You are going through an awful lot of work for nothing, especially when you admit it's going to be temporary. The only way I can think of to properly do PCV would be to drill and tap the 2 valve covers, and go from there.
 
Re: She's not terribly pretty, but she gets the job done.

Whelp, got a package today, on top of a trip to the JY...

Cat approved supercharger by Ben Stryker, on Flickr

Cat approved.

Gen V will wait for paint, port and polish until the Gen III is done. I will start on it Saturday, get it all cleaned up and start the cutting, Might start the LIM as well.

It has begun...
 
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