Bad-sig's 1978 GE Sigma SE...

[BAD-SIG]

Here is my current build (I still got my original blue GE Sigma SE that I bought as my first car over 10 years ago, but that's getting way too rusty to fix up). The car is a 1978 Chrysler Sigma SE. When I bought it it was completely original and had only one registered owner (since he passed away the car was bought by another local who then sold it to me unregistered). My plans for this car is to tastefuly modify it with either pre-1985 period correct parts or with rare genuine Sigma parts from Australia and overseas (mainly Japan). The car has only 98,500 original kilometers and was fully optioned, which includes vinyl roof, real leather seats and air-conditioning.



Mods so far: Sigma Turbo Globe Montego wheels (polished), wooden steering wheel with rare Sigma greek symbol horn button from a Peter Wherrett Sigma, NOS bonnet and boot SE badges, NOS GE Sigma GL front and rear bumpers (no ugly rubber bump strips here, just full chrome goodness).



I'm currently working on the finishing touches of fitting twin Solex carbies complete with extremely rare Japanese-market stock airbox, so it should be much easier to register the car if it looks stock. I've also fitted an electric fuel pump and glass/chrome fuel filter.



I also already have a pair of chrome aftermarket airfilters to be fitted after I get the car registered.



As always, you can view much more on this project (and many other Sigmas) in my blog (link below in my sig). Click on the following link for just the posts related to my project Sigma: http://bad-sig.blogspot.com.au/search/label/My%20Sigma

Now to the sad stuff. The car was running perfect with the stock carbie. Not a bit of engine smoke, started first time every time and didn't miss a beat. Now with the dual Solex carbies, the car is a bit harder to start on cold weather due to the mechanical chokes not being connected (in the process of fixing that though). Once the car warms up a bit, I can get it to idle and rev without misfire for about 10 to 15 seconds then it seems to start strugling more and more until it stalls, and if I try to rev it it seems to make things worse and cause it to stall even quicker. Can anyone help? Am I right to think its just getting too much fuel? Could it be the secondaries vaccuum solenoid being stuck on open? The carbies seem to be getting correct amount of fuel and I don't think the fuel pressure is too high as the electric pump I'm running runs at 4 to 7 psi. Do I need a pressure regulator?

Any help, suggestions and comments would be greatly appreciated.

[BAD-SIG]

Here is the latest on my Sigma. I spent the entire weekend working on the engine to change the blown head-gasket (due to old age and inherit corrosion) and while I was at it, I also fitted the Crow Cams mild camshaft I bought.





The engine is now all hooked up again and ready to fire, I just need more time to go over the timing and make sure it's all lined up properly. I tryed starting it quickly and it sounds like its a bit off (the timing).

[BAD-SIG]

Ok, checked the timing, car was pretty hard to start, but once started it coughed and complained a bit and then started reving properly but still wouldn't idle. I kept it running and above 2000rpm so it wouldn't stall and also so the head-gasket would cook properly and after 5 minutes at 2000rpm it stopped misfiring and started idling perfectly!

After a short drive to the end of the street and back, I noticed it's heaps more powerful (and I haven't even adjusted the timing properly with the timing gun yet!). I also noticed the gearbox kickdown wasn't working at all. So I parked it in the driveway again, checked for leaks again, turned it off and adjusted accelerator cable and then the kickdown cable. Now it runs like a dream except it has a little bit of hesitation only if you take off from stand still with too much gas.

The car feel so much more lively, not only because of the twin carbies and mild cam (compared to stock single carby and stock cam), but it also has a new head-gasket and compression is perfect on all cylinders! Besides the corrosion on the block from the car sitting around for a few years, the engine and internals are like new. No leaks, no smoke! The car now feels like it has at least 25 horsepower more and even with the stock airfilter box it sound so much better!

As always, you can read more about my Sigma (and others too) including videos and photos, in my blog. Here is the latest blog post on the head-gasket change: http://bad-sig.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/ ... nd_29.html

[Benharjon]

Great work another endangered beast is saved from becoming a memory!!! Keep up the great work