Black Jack: Mark VIII fan is installed

[FastDriver]

This time it was the coil. Swapped in a known good one, disconnected the O2 sensors, even though I wasn't sure it had any effect on start up, and it ran without issue. Tonight or tomorrow am, I'll trace the O2 sensor lines back and make sure I hook em up right.

Any of ya got a preferred coil?

 

[AeroCoupe]

Standard Ignition Blue Streak.

 

[FastDriver]

Thanks, ordered. It'll be the on-shelf backup when it comes in.

Major Vibration resolved:
Between the O2 sensors being reversed, the ignition coil being weak/intermittent, and I found the #4 plug wire loose, which I don't remember messing with at all, the car is running much better. Gone are the major low RPM vibration, miss, etc... There's definitely a vibration that feels like the new-used aluminum driveshaft. It's good enough for now, but I will continue to try to resolve this issue, up to and including a new custom driveshaft if I keep the car long enough.

Caster/camber plates & then just drive for a while:
MM Caster/Camber plates will go on Wednesday. After that, I'm soooo done for a while. Kinda stressed about the move and the complications after the trans install hit me a little harder than usual. I just want to drive it for a while. I can't hardly help myself when I feel something wrong with the car, but I honestly would like to just drive and enjoy the damn thing.

Listed for sale:
I've half-heartedly listed it for sale. I'm pretty burned out & have a couple other projects I need to get back to. I've listed the car at $15k. The car has come a hell of a long way, and the market seems crazy. So, I guess we'll see how it goes.

 

[hoopty5.0]

15 seems reasonable or even low for a half clean car. I'd imagine yours is cleaner than average?

 

[FastDriver]

Then, perhaps I've underlisted it. Nobody's beating down the door, yet. So, let's see.

 

[FastDriver]

At over 300 reactions in 2 days, it's getting plenty of attention. One guy says he's gonna try to put the funds together. 2 others are in the Fort Bragg area and say they'd come see it if I brought it out there. It's all talk at this point, but it has given me the impression it could go for asking or perhaps more.

While I don't do this hobby for the attention of others, it's refreshing to get such positive feedback on Black Jack.

 

[WhiteCobra95]

Are you really sure you want to sell? Your car looks pretty nice and they're not so to easy to find anymore. Restoring one is getting even more expensive. I've had to go through "cooling off" periods with some of my cars in the past after a good knuckle-splitting repair / upgrade or blowing up something at the track. I was ready to be done with them, but after walking away and letting her sit for a couple weeks all it took was one good cruise or wrenching weekend and we fell back in love again.

 

[FastDriver]

Are you really sure you want to sell? Your car looks pretty nice and they're not so to easy to find anymore. Restoring one is getting even more expensive. I've had to go through "cooling off" periods with some of my cars in the past after a good knuckle-splitting repair / upgrade or blowing up something at the track. I was ready to be done with them, but after walking away and letting her sit for a couple weeks all it took was one good cruise or wrenching weekend and we fell back in love again.

Thanks, and no, I'm not sure. I'm just sure I'd like to find out where I am on the car, at this point. I thought $15k was a pipe dream, but I have had 2 *soft* offers, where a caveat gets thrown in that makes it probable that they aren't serious, like "when I get that next paycheck" or "I'm gonna get some funds in order, what's your bottom dollar?" lol

Anyways, you're right about me listing it out of frustration. That said, I really won't be satisfied if the ignition woes or others continue to make it an unreliable car to DD. I know it's a 30 y/o car, and I know it will have *some* challenges... I know foxes. But, it can't need a part every time I take it for a spin... it gets to be a little out of control and crazy-making. So, there's a real possibility of me being fed up enough with it to sell.

There's also the *slim* possibility of a couple of ballers deciding they want a T56 fox more than anything else on the market because they are hard to find, especially at this price point, and getting into a bidding war. $15k is a lot of money on a fox, but if it goes up from there, I'm definitely letting it go. Finally, it's valuable to know where it's at in the market, and I'm getting a clearer picture that if I've overpriced it, I'm not that far off. It's hard to keep spending money on a car that I've already dug a financial hole with. I let this one snowball, and most of my recent projects I've done better keeping that in check. What I might learn is that I should hold onto my T5 instead of selling it, and then swap it back into Black Jack when it is finally time to let it go.

 

[GroverDill]

I will offer you 4 dollars and half a ham sammich !!

 

[RaggedGT]

I’ll still store it for you-ya know-if he doesn’t sell before the move…..

 

[FastDriver]

I will offer you 4 dollars and half a ham sammich !!

We already made that deal once and it worked out! Why not?

 

[Noobz347]

I'd say get the $15k while you can. I don't have a lot of faith that these used car prices are going to hold forever. Worse case for you is that you do it all over again

 

[FastDriver]

Worse case for you is that you do it all over again

Worse case?! Hell, that's a given!

I'm doing it on a Cobra R or a Saleen just to piss in everyone's cheerios, next time

 

[FastDriver]

Remaining Minor Vibration Resolved:
Alright, so it's not absolutely flawless, but before I took the new driveshaft to the driveshaft shop, I wanted to give the U-Joints one more go. The ones that came with it were obviously used. So, I swapped them out, tonight. The vibration that bothered me is finally gone. It already was minor, but now anyone driving/riding in the car for the first time will not walk away thinking there was anything out of the ordinary. This is so relieving. Black Jack has never been so smooth! It took 2 transmissions, 2 sets of U-Joints, test fitting 3 different drive shafts, Wheel & Tire balance, Axle bearings, messing around with the pinion nut, Adjustable Upper Control Arms, learning to and aligning the pinion, D/S, & Trans. I learned a lot along the way.

MM Caster/Camber plates & Steeda Bump Steer kit:
The other thing I had someone else do for me, today, was install these kits and align the car to my specs (-2* camber, 0 Toe, & up to 6* positive caster or as far as it will let you go. I admit I was a bit disappointed with the caster results, but the rest came out right on the money. The caster isn't terrible, but before the plates, the same guy manages about 2* of caster:

Updated engine bay pic:

Bumpsteer kit, a.k.a. tie-rod end extender:

Alright. I've done what I've set out to do, and I'm going to lay low for a while. It's time to turn my attention to outprocessing post, packing, and moving. Never been more sick of working on one of my cars, but now that it's done, I think/hope that I'm in a place that I can just drive and enjoy.

 

[bird_dog0347]

I had a similar issue/problem trying to get caster on my 92 but I'm hoping it will be better when it's all done with the build since it will also have the K member and control arms.

 

[FastDriver]

I wondered if their standard K-member would help since it moves things forwards a bit.

 

[AeroCoupe]

I am running the full MM suspension on my Coupe and the most I could get is 4.5 degrees. I am running the reverse offset control arms so the wheels are in the stock location and so I did not have to relocate the sway bar. If you run the non-offset or forward offset control arms you will get more caster but realize this will move the wheels foward 3/4" and 1-1/2" respectively.

 

[FastDriver]

That's how it is on my blue car. I'll take a look to see if I can find its caster setting.

 

[Noobz347]

The forward offset usually looks "off" to me

 

[FastDriver]

It is. But it works.