Build Thread 1978 Fairmont. I bet somebody back home’s thinkin’…I wonder why he don’t write..?

[02 281 GT]

I think the incorporation of the Comet tail lights is by far the best styling cue you have added to that car; with the Magnum 500 wheels being a close second.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

No, I had stock T-loc. Did you have a truetrac in your axle? The difference in traction and how planted the car is with the truetrac is night and day.

Kurt

The Mustang had a spool, but it was a straight drag car. I’m at a rock and a hard place on this rear end. I put Moser 28 spline axles in the OG monster rear because at the time, a 400 whp target on street tires was the goal. The rear also had a 28 spline T loc.
As stated, Ill upgrade the rear in due time..I’ve always wanted a Detroit Locker,..I know it’s more Janky than the tru-trac, and noisy comparatively speaking,.....but it’s got history,...It’s bonafide.

 

[revhead347]

The Mustang had a spool, but it was a straight drag car. I’m at a rock and a hard place on this rear end. I put Moser 28 spline axles in the OG monster rear because at the time, a 400 whp target on street tires was the goal. The rear also had a 28 spline T loc.
As stated, Ill upgrade the rear in due time..I’ve always wanted a Detroit Locker,..I know it’s more Janky than the tru-trac, and noisy comparatively speaking,.....but it’s got history,...It’s bonafide.

I've driven a car with a Detroit locker before. That's a ballsy move, and I can respect that. Pull up to the line, hope it's locked, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. If it is, it works great, if it isn't, straight into the wall you go. Believe me I am aware of how long it takes to get this stuff together. It was 20 years before I upgraded from the 28 spline Moser axles. The tru-trac is amazing though.

Kurt

 

[xecute]

i see influences Mike der Metalwork King.....Your a modern day Ron Fournier. His Sold For $47,500 On 9/16/20

 

[MustangIIMatt]

The Mustang had a spool, but it was a straight drag car. I’m at a rock and a hard place on this rear end. I put Moser 28 spline axles in the OG monster rear because at the time, a 400 whp target on street tires was the goal. The rear also had a 28 spline T loc.
As stated, Ill upgrade the rear in due time..I’ve always wanted a Detroit Locker,..I know it’s more Janky than the tru-trac, and noisy comparatively speaking,.....but it’s got history,...It’s bonafide.

ElSuperPinto has a Detroit Locker. I like it, until it's time to turn and back up at the same time...

 

[LILCBRA]

My Cobra also has a locker. It's more than just a noise when you're turning. It's something you'll get used to, but the first time you experience it you're gonna go "wtf was that?!?" But it's always worked any time I've tried using it. Granted, my car isn't 500+ horsepower or anything, but it works for me.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

So......

Lets talk about what I haven’t been talking about. ( hint..it’s 3amd talk)
The first gear is pretty freakin noisy.

I was hoping that it was gonna be ” all 4l80’s are noisy in first gear”.
Then....
I was hoping it was gonna be “ all 4l80’s are noisy in first gear if they have straight cut planetaries.”
Then i’m thinkin....
1.While noisy first gears are common in a 4l80, how “ noisy” is acceptable is another thing.
2. Straight cut plantetaries were only installed in the 1st gen 91-98 trans....( mine is a 2007).

So in the end.....It’s pretty freakin noisy....So .....I got that.

But before you roll your eyes,...I’m running it. I’m driving it. The howl stops howling when I shift it into 2.
Its going to Mississippi with me...You should be in this car at 75 MPH.......it’s.....perfect.

Its been so long since I haven’t had something that I absolutely HAD to do to get this thing running, or let that fckin’ 3AMD rob sleep from me... I don’t know what to do with myself...Except..

Wait till Sunday..

Where 600+ WHP is waitin’.....
Where “what happens when I put 20 psi into this engine”? wanders around aimlessly....
Where.. “ I guess maybe I should boil the sht out of these tires now that I’m replacing them” comes into my thought processes....
And none of them worrying about some noisy assed first gear..
This is the new me.......First I’m like....
Then I’m like..
And then I’m like

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

My Cobra also has a locker. It's more than just a noise when you're turning. It's something you'll get used to, but the first time you experience it you're gonna go "wtf was that?!?" But it's always worked any time I've tried using it. Granted, my car isn't 500+ horsepower or anything, but it works for me.

it’s supposed to be “Wat the fck is jammed in my spoke dude” when turning around a corner.. then after getting lined up for a visit to 1320 town ...Straight as an arrow,
It’s all me.
.

 

[90sickfox]

Mike, I just had a Chevy truck with a 4l80e whining in 1st. Sounded like a mini supercharger. You could clearly hear it. Sent it to Chevy and they sent it back saying its normal. Here's a bit of the TSB on it. ( this is a screen shot from the interweb) I'm sure you know this already. Just posted incase anyone else is wondering.

 

[LILCBRA]

That was my basic thought the first couple times, then I thought about how it actually works and didn't think of it any more. But for anyone who's not driven with a locker - it takes some getting used to.

 

[TOOLOW91]

I've driven a car with a Detroit locker before. That's a ballsy move, and I can respect that. Pull up to the line, hope it's locked, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. If it is, it works great, if it isn't, straight into the wall you go. Believe me I am aware of how long it takes to get this stuff together. It was 20 years before I upgraded from the 28 spline Moser axles. The tru-trac is amazing though.

Kurt

Hopefully this winter for mine . I have 31 spline t loc stuff still. I am going to do a tru trac and 33s with 9 inch ends .

 

[droopie85gt]

My brother has a 1998 Suburban with the 454 and 4L80E in it. It has the straight cut planetaries. It's loud as fck in first gear. Maybe someone has been in that transmission....someone before you. Or maybe it's about to fail.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

It rained all day today. ( its still raining).
I decided to do the heater bypass thing.

Both valves are quickly accessible should I need to get the heater going again.
The AC system is proving to be a challenge. I cannot get it to charge properly. The low side is high, and the high side reads low..and adding freon just keeps raising the low side pressure.
Truth is I know nothing about what I'm doing.
While I'm laying under the car, I discover that the freaking oil feed tube the sends oil to the top of the engine is leaking. The fix required new aluminum washers.
The oil pressure sending unit was leaking too, and I removed it, and wrapped everything in Teflon tape. I hope the stupid Guage still works now that I've taped everything.

But the one discovery I made where the hassle to fix will yield who knows how much additional power was, ( and has been) the exhaust leak..That finally revealed where it was today.

I'd been hearing the definitive " Bluh-bluh-bluh" of a big leak for awhile, but could never actually see any evidence of the leak.

But today,..there's this nut just sitting on the header..under the turbo flange. Checking to see if the other nuts were loose found that they were as well.
And removing the turbo told the tale.

I really heard it driving back from the alignment..

Who knows how much boost was slipping by here..

Drag radials are here tomorrow, the heathen-fest is on for Sunday..if i can find a safe place where losing control of the car won't kill me, or the car..ill leave the old tires on, and satisfy the burn-out-a-holics here.

 

[revhead347]

The AC system is proving to be a challenge. I cannot get it to charge properly. The low side is high, and the high side reads low..and adding freon just keeps raising the low side pressure.
Truth is I know nothing about what I'm doing.

What's the deal on the compressor? I went through 4 new ones before I got a good one one time.

Kurt

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

What's the deal on the compressor? I went through 4 new ones before I got a good one one time.

Kurt

The AC worked last year..This is a Sanden 508 compressor. Clearly either I’ve done something wrong, shoulda replaced something I didn’t ( drier) or It needs to be redone.
Your chart says I have a weak compressor. But in late September....I ain’t changing that.

 

[droopie85gt]

It rained all day today. ( its still raining).
I decided to do the heater bypass thing.

Both valves are quickly accessible should I need to get the heater going again.
The AC system is proving to be a challenge. I cannot get it to charge properly. The low side is high, and the high side reads low..and adding freon just keeps raising the low side pressure.
Truth is I know nothing about what I'm doing.
While I'm laying under the car, I discover that the freaking oil feed tube the sends oil to the top of the engine is leaking. The fix required new aluminum washers.
The oil pressure sending unit was leaking too, and I removed it, and wrapped everything in Teflon tape. I hope the stupid Guage still works now that I've taped everything.

But the one discovery I made where the hassle to fix will yield who knows how much additional power was, ( and has been) the exhaust leak..That finally revealed where it was today.

I'd been hearing the definitive " Bluh-bluh-bluh" of a big leak for awhile, but could never actually see any evidence of the leak.

But today,..there's this nut just sitting on the header..under the turbo flange. Checking to see if the other nuts were loose found that they were as well.
And removing the turbo told the tale.

I really heard it driving back from the alignment..

Who knows how much boost was slipping by here..

Drag radials are here tomorrow, the heathen-fest is on for Sunday..if i can find a safe place where losing control of the car won't kill me, or the car..ill leave the old tires on, and satisfy the burn-out-a-holics here.

FCK YEAH!

It'll have to do until there's Falcon burnout vids to post.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Let’s Hope I never break this thing,....What I bought for 2799.00 one year ago, is now double that.......everywhere.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Im just gonna say it.

These are the cure all for what ails you if you have lackoftractraction-itis.

And putting 24” of soft, sticky rubber on the ground should fix me right up.
Dr. Traction says:
“ Uhhh take two of these, and call me in the morning”

 

[Essn95]

Now we’re talking!

 

[revhead347]

The AC worked last year..This is a Sanden 508 compressor. Clearly either I’ve done something wrong, shoulda replaced something I didn’t ( drier) or It needs to be redone.
Your chart says I have a weak compressor. But in late September....I ain’t changing that.

I can understand that. Go out and enjoy the car a little. As a general rule, the drier and the orifice tube gets changed every time you open the system up.

Kurt