C2's Alero Updates

[[ion] C2]

Fabricator says he intends to have everything wrapped up within 2 weeks.

[dbral]

Some serious under the radar reinforcement going on right there. Curious to see how this ends up.

[[ion] C2]

Ayyy it's done. Gonna pick it up later today.

Next up, interior work, paint, suspension.

[[ion] C2]

Figured out why my headlights would sometimes not all come on (3 out of 4 most of the time). The grounds were loose as hell (like 1/4 to 1/2 inch gap between screw head and metal. Ring terminals just flopping around.

Of course, noticed after I commissioned a set of LED headlights and was in the process of installing them. Hopefully my LED ones (only 2 projectors on at a time) are similar in performance. I hate to downgrade, as I thought he was making 4 on simultaneously again. But LED turn on more reliably and you can flicker/flash them on and off without worry, where HIDs shouldn't be turned off and on quickly.

[[ion] C2]

woo, $10k quote for paint, and that's not even including removing the windows

sigh. I should use the guy, because he's legit and super detailed. Just painful knowing I could probably pay Maaco $5k and get them to do a solid job lol. The paint job I had done in 2013 by the guy with his home-booth came out well, apart from the rust by the gas cap, it's held together great the last 11 years. I forgot what I paid for that, but I feel like it was between 3-4k, which is pretty low for the amount of prep work they did welding panels in, fixing a bunch of dents, etc.

I also found all the window trim for a 2-door except 22682290. Bought one on eBay for $100 and then they refunded it after realizing they don't actually have it. No dealers in the country have any old stock. Edit: The eBay seller's shipment came through and I received it. Neat.

22701122 front right (replaces 22615726, 22632170)
22701123 front left (replaces 22615727, 22632171)
22682289 front left bottom (replaces 22614297, 22633017)
22682290 front right bottom (replaces 22614296, 22633016)

22615167 left rear window with trim
22615166 right rear window with trim

The quarter windows Safelite apparently has - they'll install them, they won't sell them to me alone, so far. Maybe if I go in person on the day they're scheduled to install I can negotiate. I got a glass guy trying to find the source they have. So far he can only find the LH rear quarter window. Hopefully he can find the right side as well. If I can find the 22682290 I'll have all new fresh trim...

[[ion] C2]

new LED headlights not bad, only 2 projectors. High beams are wimpy though, and only the LH one turns on for high.

[dbral]

Things are moving along for you finally. What are your plans for finishing the interior with the new bracing installed now? Full race mode strip-out/custom dash or stock-ish with carpet? That cage looks ready for a harness tie in point or two. Really hoping for what i'm thinking you are up to lol.

[[ion] C2]

Just new carpet, starlight headliner, re-wrapped dash, door panels, rear quarter panels with alcantara-like material. Custom subwoofer panel/back seat area to retain functionality of some storage like wife's purse/bags etc. Sound deadening throughout.

Goal with this car was always to make it comfortable and high performance.

[[ion] C2]

Aaaand the turbo manifold cracked again. I don't even drive this that much lol.

It's time to build a bracket to hold the turbo to the engine, and then use slip joints on the runners. It's just too much weight hanging off the runners, paired with my jerky clutch.

They kept telling me a bracket would cause cracking, but ya know what, it's already cracking, so why not support the turbo weight and make the runners have a little flex/expansion in them. I saved this image from a long time ago, this is what I would do.

[[ion] C2]

Runner 2 cracked completely apart today before driving it to the fabricator. Sounds like an old tractor, and it definitely is affecting the rest of the engine's performance. Probably fouling out my plugs.

This fabricator (same one as my cage/fender bars) doesn't want to make a new turbo manifold (and if he did, I'm sure it cost a million dollars) so I'll have to tow it to the next place to have a thicker-wall manifold made. Then we should be good to daily it for once.

Still waiting to hear from the painter as to how the schedule looks. I hate waiting.

Plan is:

1. Paint cage and fender bracing.
2. Drop off car for interior work.
3. Paint exterior and replace trim/windows (pull the ones from my main Alero as they are in good condition and tinted already).
4. Swap everything over and install new RPS clutch, get A/C back operational, couple other tidying up items. Powder coat subframes and parts like the trailing arms/lateral links.
5. Get some custom coilovers made.

[[ion] C2]

[tw0123]

Do you still use the strut tower bars? It just hit me you might have a better chance at a nice brace for the turbo off of the strut tower bar if it'll still fit in there with what govee got going on...

[[ion] C2]

no front strut bar anymore, the fender bracing should do a good job keeping the front end from flexing too much. the engine isn't stationary so a strut bar wouldn't be a good support for the turbo, has to be mounted to the engine in some way

since runner 3 cracked after 600 miles of use, and then runner 2 cracked 1,000 miles later, this brace might allow a repair on runner 2 to last... or it might not. maybe it was made with sub par materials, or in a way that concentrates the stress at that flange.

a 321 stainless manifold with thick walls is probably the ideal solution, and could prevent the need for a brace, but who knows. the main shop I work with thinks it might be harmonics leading to failures over material/thickness. my intake runners kept cracking at the welds near the flange as well, but it's braced now and welded thoroughly well...

we'll see in a couple weeks when i'm able to get into the shop

[[ion] C2]

So word on the street was 02-07 WRX coilovers fit the Alero without much modification. I bought front and rear strut assemblies for both to examine them. While they are extremely similar, the width difference between the knuckles is the biggest problem. Curious how those who used WRX coilovers resolved it.

[dbral]

It's wild that those struts are so similar. Wondering if they had the Alero knuckles machined down to accept the WRX width? What are your plans for caster/camber adjustment if you go this route? Digging the top-hung brace for the turbo. Worth a try for sure.

[[ion] C2]

Not sure, still badgering them for answers on how they made them fit.

This route gives you more adjustments, top plate does camber instead of at the knuckle. Caster IDK

[[ion] C2]

Interior's gonna be all done up in a suede like material. Shift boot, e-brake boot, entire dash, door cards, all interior plastic pieces. Rear seat area will be reconfigured to house my subwoofer and have an area to throw stuff. Headliner will be starlight.

Supposed to come in under $10k. Kinda nuts lol.

[dbral]

A custom and mint interior will be worth every penny you spend on it. The car will probably kinda smell like a new car too. Had to look up startlight headliner. Pretty trippy but cool. Are you going to arrange the stars in an olds logo pattern?

Any more info on the Subaru struts?

[[ion] C2]

Ha, no, it'll just be a nice dimmable random star pattern. I've always thought about getting one, just seems like a nice little icing on the cake. Can turn it off if it's annoying.

Feal Suspension says they are open to making a set of coilovers specific to the Alero, but they are busy. Maybe in 3-6 months, but it'll take 10 sets MOQ, and they're usually $1500. So if I can't get 10 people to buy, I'll have to fork over the $15k and try to sell them myself.

Hoping to have the paint and interior done in December, and then transfer everything over with the new clutch and finally be at a point where it's just final polishing touches here and there.