I apologise in advance if anyone reading this has viewed my Instagram account recently (@3ofdiamonds_GTO) as some of the pics have already been posted on there, they will just have a touch more explanation now! As mentioned in my first entry the 2 months or so from getting the car until the new year is a time I wanted to set aside to learn about the car, the way it handles, the way it feels and drives before I start making changes so I can be sure I am making changes I want to be making.
So I'll start with exterior aesthetics.
Have you ever seen the episode of 'How I Met Your Mother' where they are trying to take a bad picture of Barney? No matter how bad he looks when the picture is taken, the picture always turns out great... The GTO is a bit like that. The picture below shows some slight damage to the rear quarter. No... it really does...
The paint on the corner just above the exhaust is cracked and will probably need a touch of filler before a re-spray. There is also a touch up needed just below the active aero wing for a scratch... They just don't seem to show up on pics unless you are really zoomed in... hence Barney... In truth the car could probably use a full re-spray anyway purely because the paint is a little tired through being almost 25 years old. I know how it feels there, it is probably in better condition than I am at 28.
With the paint, I like black so will probably go for that again. I had briefly toyed with the idea of white with black accents, but quickly went off the idea when I saw an example online done badly, thought keeping it black was a safer bet. Still deciding on whether to go for gloss again and keep it original or whether to change it up with a satin/flat black... That will probably be decided later. There are more important things to consider first like POWER! and handling.... and brakes... and safety..... but POWER!?!?!!
The car could also use some new shoes. I am pretty sure these are the original ones, only I'm pretty sure they didn't come black as standard.
They don't fill the wells enough for my liking, and changing them out for a good suspension/big brake kit combo should make a big difference to the way the car handles. Along with a potentially more striking colour could really help the car stand out looks wise.... I can already envisage a black and red colour theme for the car?....
The exhaust was already aftermarket. When I first saw the car, I couldn't stand the way the exhaust looked, and then I heard it and I was converted. Its gone from being the first thing I wanted shot of, to being one of the things I love showing off most on the car...
Speaking of exhausts (and moving to the interior of the car) it comes equipped with this:
When I first found the exhaust silencer I though "this aint gonna get used much at all" however after driving the car for a while and playing with the buttons, I have come to realise that this button works about as well as a chocolate fireguard, or in car terms as well as a BMW on racing slicks in snow.... basically it doesn't. Obviously (well... I'm assuming...) when the exhaust was changed the silencer must have been deleted. The cruise control has also been deleted at some point. I've read about the cruise control on 90s Mitsubishis, they used the throttle cable to set the cruise control rather than a computer, and as such would sometimes make the throttle lag harder than Windows Vista, so from what I've read I'm not disappointed that this system is gone.
The interior is showing its age. The aftermarket Ripspeed steering wheel and Momo gear knob, along with worn seats and a Sony mini disc player (mini disc? wtf?) means the interior needs a bit of work, and I'm not actually sure where to start yet on this.... (although I know I kinda want a ninja gearstick)
Still also not quite sure how far to take the weight reduction either... These cars were known for being heavy... watch this space. The car going on a diet may be first change, weight reduction bro!
As with the majority of project cars, I would like to squeeze some more power from under the bonnet. The first thing on the list for the 3.0l lump under the hood will be a good cleaning so I can see whats what. The car pulls well, especially given its age and that current mods from buying the car are minimal. I think I cant make any other decisions about this area until that is done, and it will probably be quite painstaking as I doubt the 25 year old electrics will take a dousing from a hose......
Still going to stick with the plan to not start making changes till the new year, however because of this I think December will be a very long month indeed.... At least today we get to open the first window on our advent calendars. (how cool is mine below?? how much of a geek do I look now??.....)
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