Lamborghini update.
Since I last posted, I have done a lot to my little red Lamborghini.
Its now surrounded by tools, various parts and everything is covered with bondo and fiberglass dust. Yes. I have jumped into it and it will be a while before its back out on the road.
Here's a quick outline of my progress since Nov '02.
I have taken the car to two mechanics to look it over; the first didn't even know where to start. The engine (stock Fiero 2.8L) is loud, runs rough and overheated.
The mechanic Pat from Pats Automotive in Santa Maria took two days to clear up several sensor problems and bad engine wiring. I then towed it to the muffler shop to have the exhaust pipes rebuilt. I pulled the previous exhaust off myself, from the cat back. The previous owners cut holes in the muffler (in an attempt to make it louder?) or it just blew out somehow, anyway there's a new muffler in it. No exhaust tips or fancy pipes yet. Good thing... as you'll see below.
I was able to drive it on very very short spins to my office and back, out to lunch. I have broken down two times out of the 4 times it's been out so that all stopped real quick.. Getting a flatbed tow every time aint cheap. Even though I now have my "regular” tow truck guy. The car is so low that it takes 4x4 pieces of wood at the end of the ramp to help the clearance. The springs have compressors clamps on them (arg) and the car is way too low. I'll fix that.
My last trip, just after Thanksgiving was the last for a while. I broke something in the clutch. Or the pedal bent. I have read on the net that the common problem is the aluminum clutch pedals bending but my Pontiac dealer can't seem to locate a steel replacement. Anyone have a source for these?
I pushed the car into the garage and put it up on jack stands where it's been ever since. By the way, unless you have a very low clearance racing jack, it's tough to get under a Lamborghini Countach that's been slammed to the ground. I found a way to get the jack in between the front wheel wells enough to get my other cars road jack under the frame, then lower my cheapie Kragen jack and re-position under the center. Carefully (wheels braced of course) jack up the front and position jack stands. I then drop the jack again, insert a few sturdy flat boards (old shelves) under the frame, add the jack and repeat for even more height. It takes a bit of time but it's safe and I don't have to try and get 15" wide tires up 9" wide ramps while taking out the lower body panels in the process. Maybe that'll help someone.
Once I got it up in the air I decided to pull off several parts, the front clip (as my friend calls it) --the front bumper assembly, the headlight pods and the front hood. I put those up into the rafters of my garage out of the way. Now, my headlights never did open, they left the whole thing one big mess. I ordered new fiberglass pieces from IFG: A new front bumper (oh yeah, the old one was cracked bad, and the last tow home finished it off), new headlight pods (which turned out to be a completely different size, the fiberglass dash and console and some hinges. $$$
I have also decided to replace the engine. So much for the new exhaust system and all the money spent at the mechanics working on the 6 cyl.
I bought a junkyard 350 Chevy Small block V8 and a junked 86 Fiero GT at the same time and now I have to become an engine mechanic. (Man, the things that I've learned the last few months.) I successfully registered the car SPCNS through CA DMV so that it's no longer going to be registered as a fireo. It's a specially constructed Lamborghini Countach. The engine is a ‘72 (or so) and as such with the new law it won't have to have a smog check every two years after the initial inspection. Yeah! I know a sprint car mechanic and he is going to help me re-build and race out the engine. That should be an experience.
I have almost completely torn down the engine; It’ll be fully re-built. The hardest thing was to get it onto the engine stand from the floor by myself... After a few days I found a solution, it involved a sturdy hand truck, a ramp made from an old closet door and the back of my pickup truck. I got the engine into my truck then backed into the driveway up those cars ramps (finally used them) to get the engine the same level as the ramp. I then muscled the engine onto the tailgate (glad it held) and bolted it to the stand. I then blocked the stands’ wheels and slowly pulled the truck out from under it, pushed the engine up my driveway into the garage where I spend the following day stripping down the rest. By the way, there was one bolt on the 350 head that's a real pain to get off, it's sandwiched between castings and at a bad angle, you can’t get an end wrench in there, and normal sockets can't get enough bite, The solution was an offset socked adapter, the little universal joint type.
I have also started the bodywork on the front end. I finally got up the courage one night to hit the nice red paintjob with my new disk sander, had to be done or I'd never get anywhere. Once you get past that, then parts start flying off the car! I removed the entire electrical system from the front end and pulled the same from my new Fiero parts car, lovingly resting in my driveway. I have to say having another Fiero to look at when you get confused, or to just rape parts from at will is wonderful. Many times I have looked at a tangled mess in my car and wondered what it was all about, then I look at the Fiero and see it all makes sense. I sat on the couch on night with a cloth, electrical tape and tie wraps cleaning and tightening up the new electrical setup, I'll install it, with a few mods, into my car for a new, clean front electrical system.. I haven't touched the interior or rear electrical sys yet. (Too scared!).
Most of my real effort has gone into replacing the headlight pods with the new pods from IFG. The holes made by the previous owners were much too big, sloppy and the pods just didn't function. I had half circle type hinges made up at a welder's, then proceeded to cut new holes into the body where the new pods go. The old holes were short and fat, the new pods are skinny and long. I had to re fiberglass and patch the old holes, It has been quite a project. I finally have the pods in with the hinges clearing everything BUT I am having a hell of a time trying to get the motor/arm length and position right. PLEASE someone help me on this one! I've tried several positions and lengths but it either closes right or opens short or vice versa. If anyone has done this please, take some good digital stills and email them to me so I can see how it's done! (ryan@newrule.com)
Upcoming work:
Install newly purchased lowing coils, and shocks.
Finish front end: Move battery up front, install wiper motor/arm
install Fiamm Trupet horn, install electrical, hood latch and hinges, replace radiator with nicer one from other Fiero and reinforce front body with fiberglass and steel framework.
...Learn how to weld!
Install new bumper and add fog lights/circuit
OK, that all I can write for now, I hope someone can benefit from this. If anyone has any questions or better yet, suggestions, please write me.
Thanks,
Ryan
ryan@newrule.com
Ryan Johnson,
New Rule Productions
ryan@newrule.com
ReBuilding The Dream.. Lamborghini Countach
Posted - November 09 2002 : 05:32:28 AM
