23 Mar 00:Well I took a break for a while, can't drive the car here in the winter so I attended other hobbies. But I'll give you an update of my latest improvements. I ordered a group of parts from Classic Industries, I'll list them below: A. New rear view mirror, excellant quality, nice product. B. Shift tunnel, boot, console seat belt holder. C. Turn signal lever, nice looking but had to file down to get it to fit in the slot. D. New steering wheel kit, not a bad repro, steering wheel shroud was scratched so I sent it back, looks ok but not as good as original, it looks as if the woodgrain may be starting to peel off and I just put it together, it will problably go back eventually. Also it was missing the brass contact for the horn buttons to switch contact so I used the one off the old wires and soldered it. E. New Front bucket seat upolstery, I also ordered the budget pair of Hog ring pliers they lasted one seat and broke...they turned out pretty good, I don't recommend trying to get it done in a day, It took me a week to do one seat (after work), it's harder then it looks. I also had to order a new spring, new seat stops, and new chrome seat adjustment knobs. I don't recommend using the headrest seat covers if your originals look good, I almost put them on but when I slid them on they looked like cram. F. New door panels, the ones that are suppose to bolt right on...YEAH RIGHT. First of all they look ok but far from original, you have to take an xacto knife to all the clip holes and take the cardboard out for the clips without cutting thru the vinyl. Second you have to cut out the vinyl for the window crank. Then there are no holes drilled for the bottom screws so you have to clip the panel on and hold a screw between the screw hole and panel and make a mark for all the holes. Now you have to take the panel off, DO NOT DRILL the hole all the way thru, if you do the padding will ball up. Drill partly thru and push a sharp nail thru. Now put the panel back on and screw on, Now for the final gaggle, the Armrest holes didn't line up so I had to cut a bit at a time towards the holes until I could get the wholes to finallt line up. A lot of work for something I thought was going to take 30 minutes...Again Yeah Right. G. I also purchased a spoiler but haven't had time to figure it out, no instructions and this part was also baddly scratched and had to go back. H. MISC, When I took the steeing wheel off I noticed the turn-signal switch was broken, so that had to be replaced, also had to replace the ignition switch, the only place I could find a descent chrome switch was the dealer. I also repainted the steering column while I had it apart.

18 Sep 99:I finally got my car back, not only was the tranny bad, the clutch assembly had to be replaced, the shift fork was cracked, the bell housing bolts were way to short, the pilot bearing was missing, and the driveshaft had to be rebuilt..lucky to find this stuff out now before I trashed my car...so needless to say, the drivetrain has about all been rebuilt.

2 Sep 99:I took the tranny over to the transmission shop and they told me it would be a week or so until it was done...no problem...I can't wait to drive it again..

1 Sep 99:Well I started looking again for a new (Rebuilt) Muncie again this time in town...I called every tranny shop in town with no luck, some said they would ask around, then I drove over to one of the Hi-po shops in town he called a friend that knew a friend that might have a M-21, so I drove over to talked to him, yes he had one sitting in his garage, but it now belonged to his friend (he traded for something) so I had to wait for him to call his friend and he called me back later and I now I have a trans sitting in my garage....

31 Aug 99:Well I started looking for a new (Rebuilt) Muncie, found a few places that claim to have them one being Classic Industries for about $1,000 they claim they could get you a transmission in 3 weeks to long for me, I figured a big company like that would have them on the shelf...not (Special order)....so I then called Camaro Parts Network and talked to a guy named Ken and he told me he had a M-21, which he had removed froma 69 Vette and put an Auto in, so I was going to purchase it, he called me the next day and told me he couldn't sell it too me because 2nd gear was trashed, he was sorry but he didn't know it until he pulled the side cover, I applauded his honesty and thanked hin and asked for a catalog...I will order from this company in the future..

31 Aug 99:Well I took the car to the best transmission shop in Great Falls,MT. they pulled it out advised me I had a M-21, surprise one, then also told me that someone had tryed to rebuild the transmission and totally trashed it, they put the lower shaft in wrong and when they tightened it up cracked all the ears on the case, not to mention the front shaft, syncrorizers, reverse gear, and 2nd gears were also gone and that it was not worth rebuilding....was not what I wanted to hear, so I started to figure out my options...

8 Apr 99:The weather is starting to get nice again and I'm seeing other old cars out and am starting to get the itch. I called a local transmission shop that has been helpful in the past with some of my questions. I asked for a ballpark figure to repair my Muncie, the guy said he just did one 3 months ago and it ran almost $900...eeek He said Muncie parts are pricey and parts costs run up the tab...Well I'll think about it awhile and get back to him. So the Z will sit a while longer in it's cocooned stage under the car cover.

17 Mar 99:Well yesterday reverse went out in my M-22, 4 speed transmission. I guess that figures that's about the only thing that hasn't been repaired or replaced on my car everything else is new. I'm going to find a good rebuild book and go through it, it had a leak anyway, just didn't want to rebuild it so fast. I was hoping to get through to next winter before I pulled it. But you never know whats going to happen with a 30 year old car...oh well

14 Mar 99:Well today I put the rear-end in, first I cleaned and undercoated the rear undercarriage then put the rear-end in, it was a little difficult, the springs I put in had a one inch arch which ment the car sat higher so my exhaust was now hitting my driveshaft, so I had to move a couple exhaust pipes out of the way. Finally got that done, had to hook up my brake lines, then I put the car down on the tires and tightened all the new bushings I put in, you always want to put the weight on them before you tighten them up if you tighten them up then put the weight on them they could rip, I then greased all the new front-end parts and bled the brakes. Then I had to go for a drive although it need a front-end alignment it handled great very tight in the rear-end also not much spring to it. I highly recomend PST front-end kits, it turned out nice....

6 Mar 99: Got a little done today, installed the front brake pads. I also put the rear-end together, new leaf springs, pads, brackets. Ready to install, but first I have to clean and undercoat the rear undercarriage...What a messy job that will be!!

4 Mar 99: Everything went great tonight, I got the other spring in within 30 minutes, put the sway bar in, shocks, greased wheel bearings and put the rotors on. Then I tackled replacing the Front brake calipers, got both of them done in no time. Tommorrow I'll put the new brake pads on and go to the hardware store to get some new bolts for the installation of the rear-end.

3 Mar 99: Decided to put the front coil springs in after work, I've tryed once before withour success, I needed to rent a coil sping compressor. I rented one from a local rental store but It wouldn't work so I went to Checker and rented the right tool. I got one in, plan to do the other one tommorrow. Murphys Law prevails once again.

27 Feb 99:Well I got quite a bit done today, I put the new Chrome cover on the rear-end and filled it w/ 90w..looks good. Just waiting for my U-bolts to put my new springs on. I also replaced a frame bushing that was gone, down the road I will replace them all. I put in my new steering gearbox, luckily my 6 year old was home, I needed him to hold the steering wheel so I could get the shaft aligned.  I got both lower control arms in, and all the front-end parts, tie rod ends, pitman arm, idlearm, I,m waiting for some new upper control arm bolts before finishing, I messed up the old ones when I took the arms off, they have ribs in them like wheel lugs to keep the bolts from spinning when a front-end alignment is done.

28 Feb 99 ///Where I'm at presently:   Well I'll start with where I'm at and add updates from here.

Front suspension: It's presently all apart, I have had it all hot-tank, I bead blasted all the parts and painted semi-gloss black. I purchased a Super Poly graphite front-end kit from PST Technology's. I also bought a new close-ratio steering gearbox, pitman arm, gas shocks, and coil springs.

Rear suspension: (12 Bolt posi, 4:10) It's outta of the car also, I purchased new rear springs which I had arched an extra inch, gas shocks, new spring installation kit, and while I had it out replaced the axle bearings, seals and purchased a new chrome cover. I got the wrong size u-bolts so I'm presently on hold until I get them in...

Exhaust: It has a 2 1/2 inch exhaust system though Mr Gasket coated headers...I already replaced the mufflers with 3 chamber Flowmasters...It has a nice deep sound.

Cooling System:Just purchased a new radiator, it had the original one in it that had been repaired numerous times and was rusting out, it had to go...

Transmission M-22 4 spd: I adjusted the shifting linkage, I have had problems with it binding up between gears....would go into reverse and not into 1st..part of the problem was the adjustable nut threads were wore out and it was sliding on the linkage...not taking it out of reverse...I believe I fixed it, but the car hasn't moved since I made the adjustments/repairs. So I have not confirmed my theory. Also added a spring to the throw-out lever the throw-out bearing was riding the pressure plate.

Electrical: Replaced the coil, left the ignition switch on like a dummy one night and smoked it. I repaired a electrical problem, the wire to my coil would start smoking...the guy before me out in a firewall type starter solenoid and grounded it out through the coil via the ignition switch..nice huh..

Brakes: Bought new front calipers and brake hoses, still need the back brake hose that goes from the axle to the body. The back brakes were in great shape...amazing.

Body/Interior: Not much in this department, I believe in finishing all the Mechanical stuff before hitting the cosmetic stuff, but I did order a mirror from Classic Industries, pretty good quality, fair price. Also bought a new shifter boot, haven't installed yet.

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