Jump to content
News
Reviews
Discussons
Activity
Create New...
Close

Newbie to board, signing on...

traumadog

By traumadog
in Member's Rides Showcase

 Share

Recommended Posts

traumadog Newbie

traumadog

Posted
Posted

Just wanted to drop a line in here... figured I'd peek in here to see how things go.

Anyhow, my house is pretty much a GM house, with products from three decades and four divisions.

My main car is my 2004 Pontiac GTO in silver, now almost completed with the process of a LHD Holden Monaro conversion (only missing some seat covers).

Some pics:

The exterior:

445494382_d06752d3a8.jpg

445498645_788abaa205.jpg

445498561_bf2565d3eb.jpg

Underhood - I tried my hand at airbrushing some Corvette fuel rail covers:

310682048_907c72905c.jpg

310682093_129c95f1d9.jpg

List of mods:

Engine:

* K&N AirCharger short-ram intake & baffle

* Hand ported/polished throttle-body w/ coolant bypass

* NGK TR55IX Iridium Spark Plugs (gap to 0.055 inch)

* Taylor "409" 10.4mm wires

* EFILive street tune in progress...

Transmission:

* B&M Ripper short-shifter kit

* Royal Purple Synchromax (transmission fluid)

* =! CAGS via EFILive

Exhaust:

* DynaTech long-tube headers w/ cats

* SLP Power-Flo stainless cat-back

Suspension/Brakes/Wheels:

* Hotchkis front/rear adjustable swaybars

* Pedders heavy-duty front end-links

* Pedders front "radius rod" bushings

* Delco Durastop front pads (Corvette C5 size)

* Front PowerSlot rotors w/ painted calipers

* Stock 18x8 & 235/40/18 Bridgestone RE040s

* (winter) Stock 17x8 wheels & 225/50/17 Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50

Body:

* 2005 Monaro VZ front bumper and fender side markers

* Gravana Tuning Type-W ("Woodward") hood

* Monaro/Commodore SS molded splash guards (painted Silver)

* Deleted spoiler, filled/painted stock holes

* Replaced Pontiac badging with Holden emblems front, rear, door sills, wheel centers and dash

* Vauxhall Monaro instrument cluster gauge faces, in black

Interior/Electronics:

* Installed homemade dead pedal

* Hard-wired Valentine One radar detector w/ mount next to interior rear-view mirror

Pending install:

* 2005 OEM calipers w/ Monaro decals & Russell braided SS brake lines (320mm vs 296 mm diameter rotors, now just sitting in my garage)

* ATE Super Blue Racing (brake fluid for the caliper swap)

* port/polish LS1 heads (OEM 241 casting)

* PFYC/Banshee "split-dual exhaust" rear bumper inserts

The net-net - last dyno 8/13/06, untuned:

215417824_a8ceb3c4d0.jpg

And for those that might be interested, I've done some autocrossing in it, too.

181880202_7f974f1940.jpg

It's been an Autoblog Reader's Ride of the Day

Autoblog link:

And I even got a mini-magazine write-up in GMHTP, too.

969989490_e8b3b53140.jpg

traumadog Newbie

traumadog

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

As for my other cars, I also have a "garage queen"...

My pimp-tastic 1981 Cadillac Eldorado 5.7L Diesel

299712333_875b431be1.jpg

299712707_de9c614cf6.jpg

299712637_5af53d7334.jpg

299712417_d2d0be88b1.jpg

This is my rolling monument to GM stupidity... It is currently unrestored, but has had repairs from being stolen... it does have its original Burgundy Metallic paint on the doors, though the hood, trunk and fenders were repainted.

Even unmodded, it made AutoBlog's Reader Ride of the Day too.

And, the saga that goes with this car made it on Cadillac's site MyCadillacStory...

A listing of my big changes:

Exterior: Stock

Interior: Stock

Electronics: Wired for CB, Sony 3x10 rear deck, 4x6 front speakers w/OEM head unit (old speakers were stolen)

"Performance": Touring Package tires (225/70R15 tires), Performance Friction pads on stock 4-rotor brakes, K&N Air Filter.

And as it sits, it's probably the last Diesel Cadillac in NY.

Edited by traumadog
traumadog Newbie

traumadog

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I also have a "project car" for my son. Mind you - this car isn't meant to be a big-boost project or anything - it's really meant as a "car care 101" for my 14-year-old.

That being said, we've done quite a few things...

Here's where it was when we bought it (at 160k miles) - it was owned by a girl not long out of college, who owned it since high school:

2037133936_27d7f14d5f.jpg

2037133628_685540841a.jpg

First, some basic maintenance was done - change oil/trans fluid & new filters, as well as recharged the A/C. We also replaced a worn upper-engine mount, and since it also seemed to be "overheating", we replaced the engine coolant temp sensor as well (apparently a common problem).

Then came the somewhat harder stuff.

First, new brakes all around. The originals were worn well into the backing plates and were grinding badly.

2037147074_26ff59d1bb.jpg

2036347093_913b8b61ac.jpg

931121925_edd496d94b.jpg

931121869_2c8a3d86b0.jpg

Did some bodywork - including fixing the headlights... it's amazing how much these things can rust:

841128027_b5aed870d3.jpg

841988480_45ea09412d.jpg

And next, the exhaust... many parts on it were rusted, and the flex-pipe was even gone:

1308503925_5456860eaa.jpg

2036355853_8532becaae.jpg

Here's a shot of the entire cat-back, rusted out in several places

2374660781_c44592c6ca.jpg

We also added some electric door locks to the SC2 - got the actuators and wiring from an old SL that was being junked. We wired the actuators into the remote start that came with the car.

2146950255_b30351ff15.jpg

2146950401_7b1103987a.jpg

Missed the pics of the outer door skin off, but it was a royal pain getting 14-year-old rusted bolts out. Threading the wiring into the passenger compartment was a pain, too.

We also decided against installing the internal door lock switches, as reaching across for a 2-door isn't that hard. And besides, both locks are wired to lock/unlock together.

As for what else, we're waiting for warm weather to install the "new" item - a '92 header...

2037149326_809474d489.jpg

caddycruiser Newbie

caddycruiser

Posted
Posted

Awesome cars! Transforming that GTO back to a Monaro makes it really a standout, and should get it some extra attention--I assume it does.

And the diesel Cadillac...another special one :AH-HA_wink:

traumadog Newbie

traumadog

Posted
  • Author
Posted

My last car is a '02 Trailblazer EXT...

It's the wife's car, and as such, not much is done to it except for lowering springs (~2" drop all around). I've also been tweaking it some with my EFILive, especially since gas is now close to $3.50 a gallon here...

2046208_1_full.jpg

loki

loki

Posted
Posted

are those alpines in the sc2's door? hehe.

good looking fleet, if not the oddest set of cars our members have. :)

traumadog Newbie

traumadog

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Hey, welcome to the site! your not from LI are you? your Goat/Monaro looks familair

No - I'm not. I'm way upstate - though I've heard of that guy (I think he sold it though).

XP715 Newbie

XP715

Posted
Posted

Nice fleet; the diesel Cadillac especially scores points with me. There's a '79 diesel Coupe DeVille in a local junkyard that I wish I could have had before it met its fate. Welcome to the boards!

  • 3 months later...
Sixty8panther Newbie

Sixty8panther

Posted
Posted

Welcome to the loonybin.

Careful, it's addictive! :D Seriously thought, best GM forum on the w/w/web.

Sixty8panther Newbie

Sixty8panther

Posted
Posted

I was busy leaving a flaming brown-paper bag of poo on PCS' front porch. :wink:

  • 2 months later...
traumadog Newbie

traumadog

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Ok - a couple updates...

1) I said buh-bye to the GTO lettering on my seatbacks...

2513071574_ba1e27d75c.jpg

2) I swapped out the front brakes.

New vs. old rotors:

2597009204_4a0a23a3d1.jpg

The upsized calipers, with a custom touch...

2596178271_a826d1d7cb.jpg

And added Russell stainless lines

2596178813_992f7fb339.jpg

Now waiting on a bleed

2596180209_7cdd933ab3.jpg

I hope to get DBA rotors and Hawk pads soon.

Edited by traumadog
Sixty8panther Newbie

Sixty8panther

Posted
Posted

A true enthusiast. B)

  • 2 weeks later...
traumadog Newbie

traumadog

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Another weekend project... a.k.a. "tore my baby a new butt-hole".

I swapped from my one-sided SLP Loudmouth II to a split Magnaflow setup, so it's a bit quieter.

This is where it started...

445498561_bf2565d3eb.jpg

And where it finished up:

2922165145_ff70b72966.jpg

2923018324_4c09bac5e0.jpg

It was a PITA doing it on jackstands, but it looks better to me with the split exhausts... I just have to get the bumper refinished now (have to re-finish the inserts).

CMG Newbie

CMG

Posted
Posted

I've always liked the Monaro. Great looking car, and for the price it's pretty danged tough to compare.

Nice job, any other projects in mind for it?

traumadog Newbie

traumadog

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
I've always liked the Monaro. Great looking car, and for the price it's pretty danged tough to compare.

Nice job, any other projects in mind for it?

Couple thoughts... not sure between heads/cam vs. adding some pressurization. Depends on what falls in my lap, as it were.

I still have to swap out the stock front rotors I have on now for new DBA slotted ones and Hawk HPS pads.

Edited by traumadog

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

I've whitelisted
Continue without support

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search