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1980 Stardust Blue

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Old 05-31-17, 02:33 PM
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Damn, it did start!

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1980 Stardust Blue

So I'm going to try a build thread. Some of the pictures you may have seen before. This has been a slow start as i picked up the car last April I believe. By goal is to bring it back to the original Stardust Blue with possible mesh wheels.

This is the foundation

I will be doing short posts that focus on a idea or topic.
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0210.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0212.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0213.jpg  

Last edited by Richard Miller; 05-31-17 at 03:14 PM.
Old 05-31-17, 02:41 PM
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Damn, it did start!

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My God what have I done

So I bought a car with a wiring harness that was ravaged no engine or transmission. well, here are some picture:
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0227.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0109.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0112.jpg  
Old 05-31-17, 02:57 PM
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Damn, it did start!

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wheels wells look mostly OK

The bin sheetmetal was toast, I will have to find new tin for that. Seats will need to be recovered. New carpet.
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0310.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0313.jpg  
Old 05-31-17, 03:13 PM
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Damn, it did start!

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GSL-SE 13b! and suspension too!

Score an '85 13b with crossmember, transmission no driveshaft. I am still missing that. I have intents to convert the 6port to a 4 port and add turbo using an IDA throttle body. Time will tell if I go with this or not. I also snagged a GSLSE rear end from one guy and found the front suspension parts from Boriquaguerrero, who really saved this project in ways he will never understand. I left with the suspension parts, e-brake lines a complete wiring harness (out of an 83, but i see that as a benefit) and a set of seats. Pure awesomeness.
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0176.jpg  
Old 05-31-17, 03:23 PM
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Damn, it did start!

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Electrical

I am leaving no stone unturned.I have gone through the instrument cluster and chemically cleaned the copper to remove oxidation. (vinegar and salt mix). I am also going through the wiring harness and bench testing and cleaning and getting it ready. I am thinking of trimming off parts I will not need, such as the carb controls as I plan on running an ECU.

Here is a before and after:
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0038.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0040-1-.jpg  
Old 05-31-17, 03:28 PM
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Wiring harness in process

Just cleaning and and stuff. I thing I'm going to try the Retr0Brite to see if I can get just a bit more white out of the plastics. My garage wall looks like a cheap Sci-fi tv serial.
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0218.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0219.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0221-1-.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0220.jpg  
Old 06-02-17, 12:17 PM
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Damn, it did start!

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I cleaned up the under dash and cave it a quick spritz with a clearcoat.
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0027.jpg  
Old 06-02-17, 02:27 PM
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Clear coating the under dash, cleaning the instrument cluster circuit board, this is going to be intense isn't it? I like your life size schematic you made on your wall using your wiring harness. Should be fun to witness.

Last edited by Banzai; 06-02-17 at 02:29 PM.
Old 06-03-17, 12:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Banzai
I like your life size schematic you made on your wall using your wiring harness. s.
It's a bit messier than I would like. I think it will be transfered over to a ping pong table latter this summer. I just want to clean up any unneeded bits and test it out before install. It really is easier to work on it out of the car. I will probably leave the main harness in tact but trim down the engine harness to accompany what ever EFI I choose to go with.
Old 06-13-17, 12:49 AM
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no pictures but transported the car home.
Old 06-18-17, 12:35 AM
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Stardust is in the Lab

Which was a challenge since my home is on a hill. a short steep hill. Anyways my son Kristopher helped out. Also included is Kris's first car. a '79 with the hood prop on the right. real good shape outside of the faded paint.

not sure why the photo is upside down, too tired to give a damn.
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0250.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0242.jpg  

Last edited by Richard Miller; 06-18-17 at 12:37 AM.
Old 07-06-17, 12:55 AM
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pulling stuff off for paint...

but incase anyone did not know this. You can Allegedly get keys made from the code off the cylinder from the lock on the passenger door. Waiting to try this out.
Old 07-07-17, 07:47 PM
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HeyHeyHey..Its the Goose

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I cut my keys using a file from the drivers door tumblers. The keys I made from that work everything. I guess the GS trim didn't have a "valet key".


Good move going back to blue... hell of a better color than red IMO.
Old 07-07-17, 09:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Qingdao
I cut my keys using a file from the drivers door tumblers. The keys I made from that work everything. I guess the GS trim didn't have a "valet key".


Good move going back to blue... hell of a better color than red IMO.
yes... the blue is a wonderful color. Red works on the FB's I guess.
Old 07-07-17, 09:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Richard Miller
yes... the blue is a wonderful color. Red works on the FB's I guess.

I can't bring my self to attempt a color change. I would if I could, but there will always be part of me that knows underneath the paint or inside of some panel in a nook or cranny I didn't get to is the OE color. And it would haunt the living daylights out of me.
Old 07-13-17, 12:29 AM
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E-Brake cables.

piddled around today, removed the drivers fender, cleaning up some surface rust. Detailed the e-brake cables
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0269.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0271.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0272.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0273.jpg  

Last edited by Richard Miller; 09-18-17 at 08:58 AM.
Old 07-23-17, 11:19 AM
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Dropped the tank today

Some rust, but not as bad as I was expecting.
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0314.jpg  
Old 07-23-17, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Richard Miller
but incase anyone did not know this. You can Allegedly get keys made from the code off the cylinder from the lock on the passenger door. Waiting to try this out.
it will be a 4 digit number
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Old 07-23-17, 02:50 PM
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Turns out that I do not have the ignition lock or the electrical switch that goes with it. I am not sure if the tumblers can be reset for a replacement one. Good thing I am a long ways from working about locks.
Old 08-13-17, 05:07 PM
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got some things done

detailed the transmission and removed the steering box
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0356.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0355.jpg  
Old 08-13-17, 05:41 PM
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Whats the deal with the vent on the side of the bell housing? I've never seen that before.
Old 08-13-17, 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Qingdao
Whats the deal with the vent on the side of the bell housing? I've never seen that before.
GSL-SE Transmission
Old 09-03-17, 09:56 PM
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prepping for SE suspension and paint

Just posting as it has been a while. Just a lot of little detail work working out rust removal that has been hiding under paint. Let me tell you that my car was pretty clean but the crap that hides under the paint.
Attached Thumbnails 1980 Stardust Blue-img_0379.jpg   1980 Stardust Blue-img_0380.jpg  
Old 09-03-17, 10:13 PM
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Damn, it did start!

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sorry about the weird picture orientation I have no idea what the **** is happening.
Old 09-09-17, 08:06 AM
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Rust sucks, that's for sure. I found that if I saw a spec of rust and started to sand it away that it would turn into a dime or larger sized 'spider' of rust. I found LOTS of those on my project which forced me to sandblast the entire front half of the car. I used the metal prep after I got to bare metal, then used the POR-15 paint as a base to start from.


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