Cottees' 1980 Chrysler Celeste Lancer LC GT A73M Resto

[Leeroy]

Top 2 bolts were from the Blue/Silver LC were bent, and needed replacing. The parts from the Orange LC were not bent.

Would a possible cause of that be from hitting the gutter too hard straight on?

[Cottees]

Would a possible cause of that be from hitting the gutter too hard straight on?

That I am not too sure. It has been in a front end accident, so I assume it was at that time that it could of happened. On closer inspection while cleaning, it looks like the side panels and strut towers were the parts replaced, not the chassis rails themselves. Another bent piece was the U shaped mount that holds the sway bar bush.

[Cottees]

I picked up some parts from U-Pull-It today for the LC.

A complete uncut centre console. I am going to use this one in the LC for a while, and that'll give me time to complete the mods to the other centre console I have that'll have the Pioneer KP-500 head unit in it.


Since the stock head unit is AM only, I am going to swap it out for an FM radio that'll fit into the console without mods.


I also got some uncut side trim pieces. The door trim is not the best, but the tops are not cracked like the ones I already have.

[A112H]

That stereo looks exactly like the one in my Grandparants GJ Scorpion, gotta love Mitsi re using parts

[Cottees]

Today I was still exhausted from yesterday, so I did some light work. I swapped the AM radio out of the centre console with the AM/FM one I got from a Cordia. It fit perfectly like it was meant to be there.


I found out the head unit will not work without the tape unit plugged in, so I have put it into the storage compartment for now, but will attach it some how without drilling holes.


I used 84GKSIG's idea of replacing the sun damaged rear view mirror with one from a Magna. It fit perfectly.


I also installed an old set of Pioneer speakers. Will replace the actual speaker with a newer set later.


View from the back seat.


Cleaned out the back of the LC, and it is starting to look like a car again.


The rear hatch hatch needs to be repaired and re-carpeted.


Replaced the rear trim which had a hole cut into it for a speaker.

[Cottees]

FINALLY picked up the rear louver for the LC. Thanks 79_Lancer


Also got the rest of the front suspension and the Scorpion front struts thanks to geezer101


Once that was all done, finally got the the LC back supporting herself.


The height and camber of the front end seems to be off, but that should correct itself once the engine is installed.

[Leeroy]

10,000 views!

yewyew

[Cottees]

Over 10,000!

I did a quick clean and repair of the rear louver.

[BlueThunder]

Looking good Cottees!

[Leeroy]

I did a quick clean and repair of the rear louver.

That looks really good. Wish I had one!

[Cottees]

Got a start on getting the head back together today.


Put in the new double valve springs.



Almost back together, but I left the rockers at home.


Everything is starting to take shape.


The engine almost all back together now. Just some more pieces needed to be put back on.


The math to work out the compression ratio of the newly built engine. She takes Premium, dude! PREMIUM!

[A112H]

Starting to come together and looks good.
I think that single carb might prove to be a restriction

[Cottees]

Dismantled and cleaned up the rocker assembly.


84GKSIG drilled some oil holes for the swivel feet tappets. Just have to close up the external hole.



Now have most of the engine bay neatened up.


Another photo of the engine, in the light.

[Cottees]

Finally uploaded the day 3 of the engine build video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwCfaAGdNSc

[Cottees]

Was bored, so I decided to clean up a Chrysler badge for the LC.

Before (the top Chrysler badge):


After:

[Cottees]

Got more done on the LC today. Mostly engine stuff. Ran into one problem though. The swivel feet tappets weren't allowing the valves to return back to it's seated position, so it was not getting compression. Since I have run out of time to get the car running, I am just going back to standard tappets for now. Just need to install the flywheel and clutch, then the engine can be put into the engine bay.

[Cottees]

Finally got the engine back into the engine bay.


It still seems to sit a little too high.


Popped the fenders back on, and looks to be a little higher with the Scorpion struts vs LC struts.

[A112H]

Looking good, don't worry about the struts they will settle once the car moves

[orangelancer]

+1 to the struts settling. when i had the engine out of my lc the front end sat up heeps high. shes almost done now cottees. keep up the crazy work

[Cottees]

Tuesday's goal was to get the LC running, but a couple small issues, like the dizzy not fitting, made me miss that goal. Most of it is back together, and will turn over.


Here is a vid of the engine turning over.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWuzDm5ufCs

When I first got the LC, I noticed that the dizzy was installed in a real dodgy way. While 84GKSIG and I were trying to put it back in, we found out why. It was an Astron II dizzy trying to fit up to an Astron I head and intake. The intake I am using is both Astron I and II, but the dizzy still wont fit on without fouling on the thermostat housing. So means a trip to UPI is in order.


I forgot to get a photo of the clearance between the air filter and the strut tower. The air filter got dented a little when lowing the engine into the engine bay, and it swung and hit the strut tower.


There is some bit left to do and get, but I picked up some important parts today.


The parts I need now are:
New 'cooler' spark plug since it is running at a higher compression ratio
Radiator cap
A dizzy that fits
Nuts to hold the radiator fan to the water pump

Work to be done:
Bolt up sump
Install radiator
Install oil filter and fill with oil
BLEED THE BRAKES! (important step)

Once this is done, she should be just about ready to drive!

[75glnt]

wicked read mate! keep up the good work. i love the red sway bar to

[Cottees]

Got a little more put back together in the engine bay.



A bit of a problem with the modding of the timing chain cover. I didn't cut enough out, so will have to either have to take the cover off and cut more out, or try and carefully do it while the cover is still on the engine.


Installed some fluffy dice to add 10HP, and try and get rid of the fish oil smell.


Was going to replace the GL badge with a GT badge to add another 10HP, but seems like it is slightly different, so I'll either have to mod the rear garnish, or the badge itself.

[orangelancer]

my old man bought me fluffy dice. havent fitted them up yet. WHY IS IT NOT FINISHED YET. haha keep up the good fight cottees. your on the home stretch now

[BlueThunder]

[/quote]
Was going to replace the GL badge with a GT badge to add another 10HP, but seems like it is slightly different, so I'll either have to mod the rear garnish, or the badge itself.

[/quote]

Hi Cottees!

the left (GL) badge is an LC badge, the GT-badge is LB. Hence the difference in height of the pins on the back, also the dept of the "gutters" on the rear panel is different

But you probably knew that already...

Cheerz
Sven

[Cottees]

But you probably knew that already...

I actually didn't! I thought maybe it was a Aus spec difference in the rear garnish. Thanks for the info.

[BlueThunder]

But you probably knew that already...

I actually didn't! I thought maybe it was a Aus spec difference in the rear garnish. Thanks for the info.

Your welcome ;)

[Cottees]

She's alive! ALIVE!!

The video does not do it justice at all. It sounds and feels very deep in person.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjORWtHikh0

I took the timing chain off and cut the part fouling on the oil pump.


The starter wouldn't turn over the engine fast enough to get the car to start, so 84GKSIG helped out by doing some rewiring.


84GKSIG also wired up a relay to stop the fuel pump if the engine stops running.


Now it is on the home stretch. Just a little more to do like the exhaust, some piping for emissions, and finish fixing the front fenders while they are off.

[75glnt]

awesome! looking good mate. what's the coil?

[Cottees]

what's the coil?

I'll have to look have a look when I am with the car again. It was just a coil that came with the car and engine.

[orangelancer]

ABOUT TIME. feels good aye. keep up the great work. love seeing the progress