Tommy's GB Restoration

[ripthesystem]

So I decided to join the band wagon.
Seeing as I pester around the forums with noob question I decided I might as well make a thread for my car haha

Picked my GB up from a guy in Capalaba which was originally from Adelaide!

Pretty sure I have actually seen it in the back ground of other peoples pictures which is quite scary.

When I picked it up it was not running and had some serious tinkering with the engine (all the bad kind).

So recently I got it up and running but unfortunately it sounded like a motorbike rolling over tin cans so I
have placed my entire engine into a mechanic close to my house (Brisbane road, Gold Coast).

Here are some recent pictures, I will be uploading as soon as I progress any further!


Early Morning (kind of)

Bonnet Off

Two Hours Later!

The rims I was so devastated that they did not fit!!!

Half cleaned engine bay (massive difference)

Rust proofing the drums!

Restoring the grill / headlight chrome SHE IS SO PRETTY!

[fridgeGB]

[75glnt]

Nice!

Actually don't mind the white roof

What are your plans?

[ripthesystem]

My plans are to first off get it on the road.
remove all surface rust and leave it in primer/paint for a while.
Then I have a few options.

1: respray in valiant blue (same colour) with the addition of a white leather roof.
2: Rust wraps (not so keen)
3: going a completely different colour and stripping the whole car for a full shell respray.

Option 3 is most practical for the long run, though time consuming.

I will be fitting extractors and exhaust system myself as the current one I have has rusted out.
Thinking just standard piping back to a cannon, possibly go straight through

The interior is perfect bar the drivers seat but that doesn't phase me yet as I am focusing mainly on mechanics and safety as of right now.
by safety I mean brakes, steering, diff, wheels, mounts, rubbers etc.

[75wagon]

Looks like it's a good project.
I've always wanted to see one of these in gun metal grey.

[VGJONO]

Very nice mate

are you going to do a disc brake conversion on the front ? i have a GB that was a victim of drum brakes not a good thing, they are alright if you intend to just cruise her, but for anything more serious i would say its priority no.2 (no.1 being the motor )

Cant wait to see how this goes

[ripthesystem]

Yes well to be honest jono I don't want anything tough. I don't see the point anymore really.
Chances are if i had power under the hood i would be likely to crash her

Most likely I will upgrade though I am still yet to weigh up if it is easy or not?

Did you struggle at all?

[VGJONO]

Fair enough, i havent had to do a brake upgrade, neither have i had Drum brakes all round on the road, but seeing as my GD with front discs is still a pain to pull up i would think that drums are worse. i have looked into brake upgrades and it seems easy enough, firstly an upgrade for your car would be a conversion from a later model disc brake galant, the GA i just picked up had GD struts, brakes and a remote brake booster (i can get some pics for you if you wish), if you want to go one more then getting the front struts and brakes from an early model sigma GE and GH i think, will also work and will give you more room for bigger wheels. if you go a later model sigma you will have to re-drill the stud holes in the top of you strut tower.
so basically its as easy as swapping the strut out with all the brake stuff on it. only thing i can think of that is difficult is that GB lower ball joints don't fit GC-GD struts so the ball joint would also need to be swapped, which isnt really a bad thing as its one less thing to go wrong with the front suspension

Cheers
VGJONO

[ripthesystem]

Hmm definately worth considering then. Thanks for the info that really gave me a clear idea on what time and effort will be needed to be spent

Unfortunately my mechanic called me 5 minutes ago claiming my cylinder head is busted beyond repair so I am now in desperate need of one lol!

If anyone can help please let me know!

I will pay $$ of course!

[VGJONO]

it is definitely worth it,

I have a 1600 head EDIT: forgot this was a 1400

[Scorpma82]

Looking at your pics of your drums.......there's a HUGE amount of moisture hanging around the brake pipe area....was that the degreaser you used for cleaning the engine bay or is that a brake leak????

If that's a brake fluid leak, you'd want that fixed as YOUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
If you use slotted rotors, hi-po pads, steel braided lines and a hi-po brake fluid, the car will stop MUCH harder and MUCH more effeciently!
If the car is going to be a street cruiser, running the orginal (but hyped up) driveline, your only adding a few extra kg's to the car....certainly not enough to warrant a *compulsory* brake upgrade...it would save you alot of hassle and money that way

My two cents worth

(P.S. Being a street cruiser, I'm very curious and interested to see how this car pans out and what has been done to the car....car's looking great atm...keep up the good work )

[ripthesystem]

Looking at your pics of your drums.......there's a HUGE amount of moisture hanging around the brake pipe area....was that the degreaser you used for cleaning the engine bay or is that a brake leak????

Hey mate, It's actually a mixture of degreaser and water from the gurney haha.
nicely spotted though, when i uploaded the pic i thought someone would think i threw a bucket of oil on it.

[Scorpma82]

Ahhh fair enough then

Just wanted to pint it out more than anything since you were looking at brake upgrades and i saw all that moisture build up lol

[ripthesystem]

haha yeah I would definitely be looking into it if that were the case

So to all the guru's how well does a 4g32 cylinder head go onto a 1.4 bottom end?
My 33 head is rooted (see below)

[77GDWAGON]

32 and 33 heads are the same. Do you need a square or round port head?

[ripthesystem]

Awesome!! Thanks a bunch!

I need a square port

[simon]

Hi, I might be able to help you out

I have a Saturn motor (4g32 I think), a saturn head [not sure what sort],lancer struts/discs.

I am not home at the moment but I can have a look next week when I get home if you like.

Simon

[ripthesystem]

Looks like it's a good project.
I've always wanted to see one of these in gun metal grey.

Thanks mate it should come along smoothly

Haha you may just see that sometime soon as I'm thinking that or peruvian violet!

[ripthesystem]

So This past week I learnt arc welding an exhaust is a lot harder than i thought.

Decided to order some new headers as mine are old and dirty.

Any recommendations?

I have stumbled across rpw.com then have a set of square port 4-1 headers that are perfect for what I need.

Anyone ordered from them before?

So sick of this rain. Can't go out and rub my car's forehead!

[75glnt]

Still raining at the coast eh? Stopped here yesterday (browns plains).

I've heard that 4-2-1 extractors are better. Not sure why.. But eBay have sets as well. But I don't know about square port ones.

[Scorpma82]

According to McDonalds bro's racing (drag racing/hi-po workshop in Melb), 4-2-1 headers are sold more often because they are cheaper to make. 4-1 "collectors" make more HP (on a general basis) as they support a better flow and increase back psi (how this is possible i'm not sure...but given their experience with drag cars and seeing that the vast majority of purpose built drag cars run the 4-1 collectors....i'm guessing they are on the right track)

[75glnt]

Yea... But how many drag cars run a full exhaust? Or rev under 4000rpm??

Not having a go just thinking outside of the box

[75wagon]

I have nothing to base this on other then what I have been told since I was a young bloke (and had plenty repeat it over the years).
4-2-1 extractors are better for low torque
4 into 1 extractors are better for a high revving engine.

If it's not right I'd be glad to be corrected.

Dave...

[Scorpma82]

Yeah that's fair enough there 75glnt

I got no idea how much truth there is in the 4-1 collectors

As far as i'm concerned, the best exhasut for me is the one that I can afford and fit my car off the shelf, and give me noise/power and fuel economy gains that the mechanic has promised me lol

[ripthesystem]

Still raining at the coast eh? Stopped here yesterday (browns plains).

Luckily it stopped the day I started complaining

I've heard that 4-2-1 extractors are better. Not sure why.. But eBay have sets as well. But I don't know about square port ones.

I tried Ebay but I must be searching wrong hmm..

I even tried putting mph in the search i know they do nice ones for gemini's

[75glnt]

Try 4g32 extractors?? I think I was just going through "galant" on eBay and seen em.. So it could be anything

IMHO I'd save a bit more and go get her dyno tuned with a custom set of tuned lengthed extractors.. Best thing I've ever done!

[ripthesystem]

how much did this set you back 75?

[ripthesystem]

so the engine is good to go bar one tiny thing which is really annoying haha.

My old rocker cover doesn't fit the 4g32 head?

aparently it doesn't bolt in to the head?

anyone know how or where they bolt on by any chance?

[bruggz351]

I have nothing to base this on other then what I have been told since I was a young bloke (and had plenty repeat it over the years).
4-2-1 extractors are better for low torque
4 into 1 extractors are better for a high revving engine.

If it's not right I'd be glad to be corrected.

Dave...

Spot on my man. 4 into 1, aka tuned length, move the torque band higher up the rev range.
Try Y, 4-2-1 etc, aka interference headers, keep the torque lower in the rev range.

Similar type of reasons as long or short intakes.

cheers

[75glnt]

My tuned lengthed are tri y's.. And it set me back $600 inc heat wrapping. An old friend had an exhaust shop, which sadly, is closed could've used another set for the ute. Lol