EMPI SPORTSTER BUILD

[pflaming]

I’ve been collecting the parts required to assemble am EMPI Sportster body I bought two years ago. I now have all parts required.  I paid $10 for the body and spent $70 fuel to get it home. I swapped boxes of engine parts and $300 for a good engine, This week I’m detailing the engine, next week the body comes into the shop for cleaning and painting. Research p, though still scanty, indicates this was built for only two years, very popular with the off road goys because of the metal body. 

 

The suburban is with a mechanic to get some hard for me things to do, so. .

 

The last couple of days been detailing engine parts. They go back on tomorrow.

[pflaming]

I installed the transaxle in the frame, today. Gasket kit arrived, tin is painted and placed, so engine is ready for reassembly.

 

Suburban comes home tomorrow, then back onto that. Doing some multitasking. 

 

Edited November 2, 2019 by pflaming

[casper50]

looking pretty good.

[RobertKB]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 9:30 PM, pflaming said:

I’ve been collecting the parts required to assemble am EMPI Sportster body I bought two years ago. I now have all parts required.  I paid $10 for the body and spent $70 fuel to get it home. I swapped boxes of engine parts and $300 for a good engine, This week I’m detailing the engine, next week the body comes into the shop for cleaning and painting.

 

Paint? What happened to patina?

[pflaming]

“Paint” is embrio  patina!  

[pflaming]

Rims/tires (rollers) put on today. To  my  shop tomorrow for basic to drive wiring, engine install, cosmetics, brakes, then seats and  running lights later.

Edited November 12, 2019 by pflaming

[pflaming]

All that remains is the wiring.  Needs color  spark plug wires and silver air ducts, muffler tips. Installing the tin and repainted items was a challenge. It is an interesting mechanical puzzle, parts are codependent so two or three parts sometimes go on loosely, then tightened down. I put all new lock washers everywhere. So now ready to install. 
 

My mechanic called, the Suburban is ready, but now it will have to wait.

[pflaming]

Update: will be a fun car. 
The Suburban is back in my shop. Will be in Henderson, NV this week, then back on the Suburban until it is legal abd drivable. Will tow the Sportster to CHP to title it also. Both are out of the system, so starting one. 
 

Safe Thanksgiving to all.

[DJ194950]

?Henderson,NV., is not where a famous?  ranch is/was located?

 

Used to have a exit sign for that  ranch on I-80 east of Reno.

 

They used to have a house that had some cats in it?

They called it a Cat house because of that? I don't see the attraction.

 

DJ

 

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

The "Ford Mustang Ranch"

I use to go to that during the Harrah's Reed HS swap meet??

[pflaming]

I believe the ignominious Mustang Ranch is near Reno. Word from the grapevine is that the owner Madam Curry got the title because she always had a full pot of cutthroat on rice for her clients , compliments of the house,  after a “pony” ride!  Bananas optional!  So it hasl been rumored! 

Edited November 25, 2019 by pflaming

[pflaming]

I should have sand blasted this body! 

[pflaming]

Difficult to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear, but maybe a duffle bag, no offense intended. I considered a number of colors then decided this color would be somewhat forgiving and a nice unpretentious result. Need to get this out of my shop. 

[pflaming]

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow beats this petty pace of life, signifying nothing,” Shakespeare.or if you prefer “Out damned spot”,!  
 

to be continued! 
 

Kit car, “some assembly required, finish per your skill or taste,”!

[casper50]

looking pretty good.  way better than it did.

[pflaming]

I’m not Casper50!  I’m pflaming81!  At 50’ will look so,so. But then who at the dunes or desert looks? 

[pflaming]

Going masculine. Tomorrow will fab roll bars, then paint the inside panels, roll bars and floor satin black. Black bucket seats next week.,  it isn’t a show car, just a  practical fun car. 

[John Rogers]

 Ive never seen one of these before,what a cool and fun project. Its looking really good. I have never owned a VW but I think they are cool cars. My cousin has a baja he is building little by little. I was a bodyman in a VW dealership in Tucson back in the early 80's. I didn't get to work on many Beetles mainly Golf, Jettas, vans etc ....  oh and Deloreans. It was also a Delorean dealership. I also always thought the "Thing" was a cool car.  If I ever get the chance to get a Thing it would be fun,that is as long as I could escape any possible wrath from my wife resulting from taking on another project.  

                    John

[pflaming]

John, I paid $10 for the frame, $70 fuel to haul it home. Then lucked into a person getting rid of a stash of VW parts,, I bought for $80. Stash included, all parts required for a 63 Bug, extra parts to build two engines, and an additional frame. 
 

I swapped the engine parts and $300 for a running engine, so I have a total of $460 plus some rattle can of paint and sand paper invested thus far.  I bought it to build with my grandson, but he isn’t interested, so will complete it and sell it.

 

will complete it similar to the top picture. 

[pflaming]

The basic painting is done. This won’t be a “show” car but will show ok just the same. Tomorrow some paint touch up, then the extras.. install engine this weekend. 

[pflaming]

I set the seats in today. These are Ghia seats, I paid $40.00 for the pair. 

[pflaming]

I got careless saturday with my hand grinder and cutting disc. One inch either way would have been very bad. As it is, only a deep flesh wound, all sewed up and healing.  Be careful guys, we can get careless.! 

[Dodgeed]

Ouch! I hate that when that happens ?

[Dodgeb4ya]

C-mon..

I want to see the damage not the cover up?!

[T120]

Sorry to hear of your mishap,Paul..You can truthfully say that blood, sweat and tools went into your Empi Sportster build...