Now for the updates.

First, 56k beware.
Second, I finally got the rear trailing arms in from Level Zero Motorsports and can say they're a thing of beauty.
Here's the bushing in a two part configuration. This should make installation much easier with stainless steel insert and grooved bushing to better hold grease.




Next, I bought a carbon fiber brake reservoir cover to make the underhood a bit prettier and coincide with all of the other carbon fiber all over the car. :lol: Billet cap from MRZ Performance.



Since there's not much information on the Sunfire tail swap, I thought I'd throw in a bit of a how to in the installation of it.
In the pic, you'll see where all of the studs (in white circles) are cut off so that they don't interfere with installation on hoods without provisions for these studs.
Simple cutters will do fine when cutting them but make sure they're cut flush.



Another thing that I've been doing with all of the corners, tails, and center piece for the trunk is to take the stupid metal caps that GM so loves to use and replace them with real nuts. Using those caps does nothing more than stress the studs and they eventually break. I'm sure that most of you know about this breakage so here's the way to eliminate that from happening and it's been real successful with the 'blu so far.
First, you'll need a tap and die set. I use the 5/16 size as it fits the studs perfectly.
Here's a before pic of the stud with what the metal cap does for retention.


Here's the stud that's being tapped.


The finished product and this is now so much easier to keep tail lights mounted, bumper lenses, and most anything that uses the metal caps.


Well, without further ado, it was time for the DarkStars carbon fiber trunk to be installed.
A note to all. With the carbon fiber trunk, the springs that keep the trunk up will warp the trunk lid because of all the pressure when the trunk is closed.
I spent over 2 hours working with several different modifications to make the springs work but to no avail. I tried everything. I won't post them because the effort is futile so like most everyone with a carbon fiber trunk, I'll be using some kind of device to keep the trunk lid up when I need to.
I removed the bars/ springs since I didn't need them anymore.

Here's some of the first pics of the trunk through it's initial installation.




See part two below.

Part two.

Here is the trunk finally set and looking good.
I test fit the Sunfire tails to see how they look and I love it.



The GTC lives on in the 'blu.
DarkStars, I hope you see this as this is my commemoration of your meticulous work on your Cavies.


I also tried to fit both the Sunfire spoiler onto the hood along with the one that I had on the car before the install. Both looked ridiculous. I even tried to fit the little rubber lip onto the trunk to see how that looked and again, fail.
So this is how the 'blu is going to look from now on. Spoilerless.



I've still got some minor fitment issues to do on the trunk and to get some 5/16 nuts to bolt up the Sunfire center. I'll have that done tomorrow and am going to cruise it some tomorrow.
Here's some random pics for all to enjoy.
Comments welcome and criticism as well.









Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

WOW!!!

definitely in love with that trunk. the sunfire panel looks so sexy with CF behind it. damn good job on being one of a kind there, man.

LZM traling arm bushings!! yay LOL mine should be coming soon. did you get them in yet? if so how hard was the install?

definitely looking forward to seeing what this car can do, always have, always will.



Fall 08 Omaha/western Iowa area meet...CLICK ME!

The pictures of the trailing bushings are what I took at home.
I got them in Friday.
They won't be going on until November or so.
I'll be installing the exhaust next week and after that, hitting the track to break some personal bests.
I'm hoping to break the 15.5 barrier when I do if not better. If so, I'll be the happiest man in the world, especially with an automatic LD9 powered, n/a engine with 196,000 miles on the odometer.
If not, the rebuild starts in 2009 so 2010 will witness 13's with ease.
Thanks Brad.
Oh, I haven't forgotten about you with the subframe brace. That'll be soon.


Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

Not a fan of that trunk at all...just doesn't look right to me...

I love the car though and everything else being done to it...but that looks out of place on the trunk to me.


Eh...old man with a Corvette now...it was bound to happen sooner rather than later right?

Blue, I never have liked the look of the standard Cavy inner tails. They just looked to bugeyed to me like the car was staring at you when looking at it from behind.
The Sunfire tails seemed to take away that look while giving it a bit more aggressive look to me.
I'm taking the car out today and will get some daylight pictures of it. I've got some final adjusting to do on the trunk and have to get the nuts to install the Sunfire assembly to the trunk.
Thanks for the comments and critiques.



Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

yuck. ruined the cf trunk. doesn't look level either. so you have no reverse lights either?


____________________________________________________________________________
my carDomain updated 8/2/08 Boosted at B-day!

As much as I want that trunk to work for me it doesn't. Love the rest of the car though.



JBOK.org / J-Bodies of Kentucky

Looks terrible and you ruined a nice cf trunk

welcome to the cf trunklid club james!!

let me know how those bushings do for ya when you get them in... i need to get a set ordered.

wow gotta love this site

____________________________________
Primer Counts as Custom Paint Right?
BTW: This is my Sig.

props for the original idea but i do not like the sunfire tails on there, i mean the outters look great but the inners and panel on the c/f trunk i do not... overall nice car though and gl with the track times...


------

http://corpsemangler.fortunecity.com

I wouldn't of left that gtc thing on there, other than that stuff looks good.









~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ

Lol, a lot of mixed reviews.
I actually like it though. Just the Cavy inners are ok but I like to be different.
On the backup lights, I'm working on that but the car isn't driven enough to really worry about it right now.
Driving the car with the lighter lid is a subtle change in handling and acceleration. It seems to roll on a bit better with less throttle to make the car go. But you know how the butt dyno can fool you.
I'm happy with the setup and can't complain at all.
Exhaust next week and if there's time, I'll be installing the K-brace to finally upgrade the subframe brace I presently have.
November starts the rear bushings project and neon rear disc conversion. By then I hope to have enough money for the Atomic equal length turbo header and start on the turbo build and tranny swap.
Things are finally coming together.


Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

Damn cool idea, not too into the final result..I think the CF trunk is badass enough, you dont need to stick anything on it, or cover it up.

Nice idea....very unique....but Im still 50,50 bout if it looks good or just pure carbon fiber looks better. GET REAR DISK BRAKES!


GMR has got nothing on this

ewwwwwwwww please like some toyos on that trunk.

The trunk is OK. If I were to do a CF trunk lid it would not have any inner tails. I don't think it looks bad the way you have done it more or less just personal preference. As said before I would have taken of the GTC emblem. In general I am not feeling alot of the mods you have done mainly the red accents as I think it clashes bad with the exterior but I have alot of respect for the attention to detail and how you methodically go through your car looking for ways to make it better. Also much respect for you doing your own thing instead of building a cookie cutter car.



FORGET GIRLS GONE WILD WE HAVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING GONE WILD!

NOT a big fan of it myself but it is deff. one ok a kind. i like how its different from anybody else but just dosent look right to me but hey its not my car as long as you like it who cares lol

not much for the sunfire tails but it's a nice concept



www.driftnamiperformance.com

if your car was black i think the tails would work. as is, im not a fan either.

am i the only one that thinks the lights on the trunk look higher than the outers?



87 Firebird
All stock...........lol.

Last update until next week I hope. Just some random pics at a friends house where we watched a little bit of football.










DOHC_tuner, I've got the Neon rear disc conversion kit sitting in he garage just waiting to be installed. They're here but I can only do one thing at a time.

04 ECO SPORT, the 'yota tails are so common that I've gotten tired of looking at them. They're pretty much the norm now with the J-body community and I'm not one to follow the norm. I've always tried to be innovative and someone that does things just a bit different than most.

Wade Jarvis, thanks for the compliments and the criticism too. I'm sure in time that some of the accents will be deleted but for now, it's what I like. The red drums will be gone soon and disc to replace them. Btw, I'm painting the rear disc caliper red.

I dp appreciate the comments from my peers and all of your honesty.
I do take it all with thought and base certain decisions on what feedback I hear.
For now, the Sunfire tails will stay for quite some time in spite of some clashing with the c/f trunk.
Maybe the pictures of the finished product will alleviate alot of the dislike but again, I can see too that most here have a certain concept of what a Cavalier should look like.

I just removed the old subframe brace from the car and will start measuring for the K-brace install in a few days.
I've got some further chassis improvement concepts that I'll be working with while I'm under the car along with redoing the exhaust.
Thanks again all and continue making our J-bodies what they are.



Misnblu.com
Newbie member since 1999
Thank you Dave and JBO!

nice idea but the trunk looks funny

omfg your front black lip looks completely retarded.

better get it painted.

pfffft. looks awesome.

It works and it doesn't work but I give you props for doing something different and sticking behind it. Seems like you and I have the same plans for suspension. Cant wait to get my neon conversion and going to order axle bushings tonight.


The proper way of using the word seen. It is not I seen it that would be I saw it. He has seen the car is the right way to use the word. English class is Cool. By the way thats my sig