Progress Thread 89 GT Resto Project

Here is my progress so far on my 89 GT that I purchased in September of 21. The car was rust free and had great bones but definitely needed some TLC. Engine is stock and has an AOD. I wanted a T-5 but all the manual cars that I found had rust issues around the strut towers and floor boards.

Shortly after purchasing the car I upgraded the suspension. It had factory springs in the back and some old Eibachs in the front and the front struts were completely wasted. I purchased the SVE lowering spring kit with shocks and struts from LMR along with new BMR tubular control arms for the front. Ride was night and day afterwards.

The hatch area looked like someone stored used engines and transmissions back there. Carpet looked like C$%p and the panels were all stained and scuffed up. I pulled out the rear seats, panels and carpet in the hatch area. I then installed KilMat and went back with new hatch carpet. I cleaned and died the panels and it is 1000% better. I lost my before photo of the hatch area but I do have a before and after of the carpet on the rear of the back seat to give an idea.

I am now restoring all the door window molding and run channel weather strip. I have completed the passenger side but still need to do the driver side. Ran into a little wiring issue with the power to the door locks that I may post about in a different thread to see if anyone else has seen what I am seeing. I searched the other threads but did not find a match.

More to come!

Here are a few photos that I managed to not lose! The photo on the trailer is the day that I picked it up.
 

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One of my favorite Cars in my collection is an "almost stock" 1990 GT convertible with an AOD. It is nice to just put it in drive, and have a nice casual cruise in it.
 
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Looks like a real decent car to build

ppl by me are getting nuts with asking prices I dont mind tower or floor pan rust. I still have a couple new oem strut towers and pans are cheap enough but damn. I'm not paying what people are asking for a rot box coupe that needs tons of metal work, most are pretty much shells too... One semi decent complete coupe just popped up for sale by me asking 20k with rotted rails lol. its funny the further south I look the less rust and cheaper they are. I really need to move south soon lol
 
Looks like a real decent car to build

ppl by me are getting nuts with asking prices I dont mind tower or floor pan rust. I still have a couple new oem strut towers and pans are cheap enough but damn. I'm not paying what people are asking for a rot box coupe that needs tons of metal work, most are pretty much shells too... One semi decent complete coupe just popped up for sale by me asking 20k with rotted rails lol. its funny the further south I look the less rust and cheaper they are. I really need to move south soon lol
Move South, it is warm down here!
 
OK, here is the issue that has developed after repairing the auto door locks. While working on the door locks I quickly identified that I did not have power to either side. After a little research I tested the 20A breaker at the solenoid and it was bad. I removed the negative cable from the battery and replaced the circuit breaker. I reconnected the negative cable and tested the locks. They worked intermittently and I started to hear the breaker pop and then reset. I disconnected the battery cable and then disconnected the black and white wire from the breaker and reconnected the battery cable. I touched the black and white wire to the breaker and it sparked pretty good. I then disconnected the power seat and retested and no spark. Problem solved but I then noticed that my dome lite and hood lite were not working. Found a blown fuse and replaced and all is good.

I reconnected the black and white wire to the breaker and tested the door locks and they now work great!

I started the car and moved it in the driveway and turned it back off and noticed that the break warning indicator on the instrument cluster was illuminated. Turned the key on and the lite turned off. I went back and disconnected the black and white wire and bam, no break warning lite. Drove it to work the next evening and all was good. Drove it home the next morning and when I turned the key off the lite was back on. Went ahead and reconnected the power to the door locks. Engaged the emergency break on and off a few times and the lite is still on when the key is off.

Any ideas?
Break lite.jpg
 
Black wire with white stripe in my 83 were radio lights..... NOT a ground....


I should have checked before I posted.

It does appear that the power wire off the circuit breaker is in face a 12V power wire. They also used it as grounds, which IMHO is poor wiring practice to make a hot wire black.
 
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I should have checked before I posted.

It does appear that the power wire off the circuit breaker is in face a 12V power wire. They also used it as grounds, which IMHO is poor wiring practice to make a hot wire black.
Tell me about it.... I installed a " cassette" player in this car in 86 for my sister and could not figure out why the dash lights kept on blowing....... If the wire is not a solid black, I figure its NOT a ground....
 
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