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#581
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
GTP Level Member
09-11-2018
Originally Posted by
ItHurtz
I have a non hud window in my car, hud while I hate it and never use it, when it appears to go on, is clear.
Originally Posted by
WarStryker13
.... But it looks much larger to the eye, and it's more than clear enough.
Good to know. Definitely not spending the extra $200 for the HUD glass then.
Good work Stryker. Odd about the temp though. I have ambient temp readout on the digital HVAC, but it doesn't display on HUD. But then neither do the radio stations, and they should. Gotta look into that.
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#582
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
09-11-2018
Yup, it's got 4 different displays: MPH with temp, MPH without temp, Stealth mode with temp, and Stealth mode without temp. Temp always reads 86° though... Might be worth it to get an temp sensor, I'm pretty sure there's a plug in the front bumper for it.
As for the display, I'm really wishing I had the trim piece. lol
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#583
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
09-21-2018
Still haven't ordered the trim piece, I know... But I did finally finish replacing the hubs.
Figured out that my front knuckles are completely FUBAR'd, the balljoint studs are loose in the socket, so much so that the castle nut will finger tighten all the way past the cotter pin hole. That might explain the clunk I get everytime I hit a pothole...
I have a long list of problems that I want to fix, whether or not that list actually gets finished or even written down is a complete unknown. But I can always claim progress.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#584
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#585
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
10-05-2018
Got some more parts, paid significantly less too.
Picked up a set of knuckles to replace the horridly worn-out ones that I've been on for far too long, and got a steering wheel coil so I'll have cruise control again. Oh, and a cargo net for the trunk.
Pictures will come later, especially pics of how badly I broke the old stuff.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#586
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
10-16-2018
It's been far longer than it should have, but now I've got all of the parts I should need to actually get this thing back together.
After pulling the old knuckles off, discovered why the car felt slightly off with steering and handling... https://i.imgur.com/YonZgYI.mp4 The other side was better but still easy to move by hand.
Then after I pulled the sway bar off, I found that the front bushings were just rattling in the subframe, explaining the clunk that I've had for a nice long while. Since the balljoints went bad so damn quickly, I figured I might as well replace those.
Long story short, I'm replacing the knuckles, balljoints, front LCA bushings, wheel hubs, steering wheel, and adding a HUD... All within ~2 months. This is the most love this car has gotten in a while...
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#587
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
GT Level Member
10-17-2018
That’s is a lot of love. Hopefully it will be good for long while now.
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Post Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 Likes, 0 Dislikes
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#588
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
10-21-2018
So. Three weeks ago (ish) the airbag light came on and I parked the car in my garage until it was fixed. Last night the car left the garage. This is what happened in between:
1: The clock spring (or steering wheel module coil) was broken. I maybe kinda sorta broke the cables inside the clock spring, probably from being a bit too forceful when pulling the steering wheel off (oops)
I think it's broken.... by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
2: The old knuckles were abused and mistreated, resulting in gouges and deformation inside the balljoint sockets
Old knuckle by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Old knuckle by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
It's difficult to see, but there's a ridge in the socket where the old balljoints weren't fitting properly and had widened the hole to the point that I would have had to drill a new hole farther down the stud in order to hold the castle nut in place with a cotter pin. So I picked up a set of knuckles, along with a clock spring, cargo net, assorted little plastic nuts for the trunk, and an extra double din bezel for when I finally get a new head unit. (I tend to break interior pieces)
Junkyard parts are the best parts. by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
(BTW, if anyone needs the extra trunk pieces, I can't fit anymore of them in my trunk so you're welcome to them)
3: The front LCA bushings had been rattling inside the subframe tabs for quite a while, I didn't have the T55 Torx driver that I needed when I installed the LCAs. Even though I got it tight, it wasn't tight enough to hold the center sleeve of the bushing between the tabs and a very slight amount of play turned into an annoying clunk and I had to fix it. So I went and bought the Moog Problem Solver spherical bushings and pressed those in, then used an 18" breaker bar with the T55 driver and a 36" breaker bar with a 21mm socket and full body wrenched those fukers tight.
New spherical bushings by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Full body as in feet on one bar, deadlifting the other bar. That seems to have fixed it.
4: Getting the old balljoints out was the worst part of it all. I had to drill out the heads of all 6 rivets, because an air chisel with a fresh bit couldn't get them off. It did eventually manage to get the rivets out... After almost 2 hours of full body lean into those damn things.
The last time I drilled out rivets it took less than half an hour to get all 6.
New balljoint by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
But now they're bolted in, so replacement will be much easier next time.
And after 3 weeks, I finally have a working car.
Shiny! by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Still have things to fix, but that's just how it is when your daily driver is a 15 year old parts bin car. And I'm still never getting rid of it.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#589
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
10-30-2018
It finally happened on my way home from work yesterday...
I missed it by 1/10th of 1%... by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
And I couldn't get my phone out to take a picture when it happened, because there was a state trooper directly beside me on the highway...
I only missed it by a tenth of a percent, if you want to get statistical.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#590
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
SE Level Member
10-30-2018
How hard was it to replace the dash cover? Mine's broken in 3 places.
'97 Grand Prix GT Coupe
'05 Grand Prix GTP Sport Red Metalic SOLD
'05 Grand Prix GTP Silver
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#591
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
10-30-2018
It's actually pretty easy, you have to remove the A pillar trim pieces, but there's "handles" on either side that you start with, pulling the trim panel up from the sides and working your way to the middle.
Be careful once you get to the center, because both the alarm LED and the ambient light sensor have pretty short harnesses. I had to twist in all sorts of weird ways to get them out of the old panel and into the new panel. The light sensor is the biggest pain, because if you aren't extremely careful you'll break the plastic bracket that the sensor locks into. It's only held on by two tiny little spot welds, and even just snapping it back down into place can break those sonic welds and it'll fall down under the panel.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#592
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
SE Level Member
10-30-2018
Thanks. I'll have to go to the junk yard. There's a couple in there i can practice on and then buy the one that's not broken.
'97 Grand Prix GT Coupe
'05 Grand Prix GTP Sport Red Metalic SOLD
'05 Grand Prix GTP Silver
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#593
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
11-03-2018
Bottomed out on the access road I take to work every day... It's a single lane road up the side of a mountain, and it hasn't been fixed in at least 15 years. There's a few patch jobs here and there, but most of the patches pop out during the cold months so the potholes are pretty nasty.
Being low is hard... by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
This is why I'm seriously considering putting a skid plate under the front subframe, because the oil and trans pan are maybe 1/2" above the bottom edge of the subframe, and I really don't want this car to hemorrhage to death on my way to work one day just because someone else is leaving the site.
I don't need 3/8" plate armor for the underside, but something that could take a few low-speed hits until I bag this bish and just max the ride height when I head up this particular road. I've thought about going back to stock height... and that lasted 5 seconds.
Air ride or bust!
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#594
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
SE Level Member
11-03-2018
Congrats on the 100k! I took my '97 GTP to 210k before I sold it and that was with a whole bunch of east coast rust so I'm sure yous will last even longer. The 3800 is !
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#595
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
GTX Level Member
11-03-2018
* random red wire with eye *
For the record : I am NOT a naked meth-head who shoves rocks up my butt.
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#596
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
11-03-2018
Originally Posted by
cheatah faheatah
* random red wire with eye *
things that make you say hmmmmm?
98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails
L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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#597
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
11-05-2018
Trickle charger for the battery that I disconnected when I ripped out the rest of the Arctic winterization BS...
Three heating pads went bye bye, but I'm leaving the RTV mess that held them on for three years. The block heater and battery charger will be just fine for any cold I may encounter in the future.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#598
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
11-06-2018
The damage:
Front fender damage by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Driver's side mirror damage. by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Driver's side door damage by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Driver's side rear quarter panel damage by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Dangly bits hanging out. by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
What's left of the driver's side mirror. by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
How it happened:
Close call... by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Today is not my day. by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Little too close for comfort. by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
It's just a little stuck. by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Damn box is in my way. by Ben Stryker, on Flickr
Tomorrow morning I'm taking it in to the shop to get an estimate, then I'm planning on going by the junkyard and shamelessly plundering the 05 Galaxy Silver GP in there for the entire driver's side... and possibly other stuff. We shall see.
I'm still trying to figure out how I hydroplaned at 35mph around a very tame-looking corner.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.
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#599
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
11-06-2018
maybe you get lucky and they total it for ya.
98 Buick Regal GS, F body brakes, Caddy STS wheels, tinted tails
L36 bottom end, lightly ported heads, 1.95 roller rockers, headers, gen 5 N* 3.0 pulley, FSIC, 42 lb injectors, a BrandonHall rebuilt trans, DHP tuned and AEM water/Meth injection https://goo.gl/gpV5kW
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#600
Re: 04 gp gt: low, slow and a dirty sloot.
I break things.
11-06-2018
And yes, once the tow truck winched it back over the berm, I drove it home. It pulls ever so slightly to the left now, but otherwise it drives like nothing happened.
04 GP GT2: Handling upgrades, go-slow parts, and an attitude. Totaled.
87 Dodge Ram 50: Junkyard rescue, resurrection in progress.