Last Indian

You need to pull the whole assembly out. Strut, knuckle, Aarm, brakes all of it, which means you need to take the knuckle off the half shaft. without seeing it I would guess you bent or damaged something. That is a tremendous load to exerted instantly on that assembly! If you were running stock type struts, not good. Knuckles are aluminum, again that’s a big load & the Aarm bushings, especially the front one is an abortion.

Great news! There are a lot of different keensert, thin wall, heavy wall, metric, American std. etc. JustA, you know what a center drill is right? You might find a center drill that has a O.D. That won’t make the hole to big, but is big enough to straighten out the oblong hole. You will need to remove the small starter tip drill of the center drill though. Are you confused yet.

Keensert come in a lot of different sizes. Here’s a small example. https://www.mfsupply.com/keenserts-metric-keylocking-inserts-s/2050.htm

LOVE the FLAG! I know what a pain a well can be & I only have one to water my lawn. Ok, it’s the bottom pivot bolt that treads into the cylinder head, right? If so look at keensert. They will work better than a helicoil for your issue. Do you now have the broken bolt out of the head now. Let me know if this is right. If it is I’ll explain further.

Yup! I know! Part of that list belongs to the daughter & some is mine! Trying to get shit done before I’m to old & slow to do it. I been MIA, so I’m not up on everything, what’s up with the GTO? & what’s the issue with the well?

AND as the enthusiasm builds! ! & I’m still workin my ass of on the honeydew list! Just starting to see a little glint of light!

At this point I’m sure you don’t want to touch your face, but! You shouldn’t need to pull the engine. I would believe, like any of the GM V8s, if you drain the coolant & oil, remove the hose connections to the radiator & remove the motor mount bolts, plus clear anything that would restrict moving the engine upwards about 6”. Than make a wood cradle to go between the floor jack & the front portion of the tranny, you can raise the engine enough to remove the pan & install a new one. Of course you also need to get the whole car of the ground enough to get under it comfortably.

Even awhile!🙄

Those are still available through GM, that’s where I would go. But that’s just me!

Those type of parts are vacuum deposition plated! Redoing them would not be easy or cheap, if you could even find it. Best bet is either what JustA said or find a good 3M dealer who knows their stuff. 3M sells all kinds of pinstripe (contact) tape & they sell it in all kinds of colors including chrome, silver & many variation of those. They come in all kinds of widths! Anywhere from a 1/32 wide to 2 feet, depending on the color. If you know how to use an exacto knife, you should be good to go.

I have to agree with Kiwi! # 1 how many miles on the car! # 2 the cars been wrecked so most likely it’s been recorded on car fax so no matter what you do for restoration you can forget about $30-$35 k for resale. Being a GXP is both good & bad most of the parts are gone as far as new. The hood, front bumper cover, lights etc. & even if you could get them the hood is over a $1000, front cover over $500, headlights are over $400 each. It appears the core support is bent! If you can find new parts to put on & half ass fix the structural components what’s the point. If you love the car & you want it just for you to hold on to long into the future; well that’s a different story than! Make the sacrifice & go for it!

And your point!

I’ll tell ya Kiwi, what a job , not that I haven’t done it before! But man pulling all the crap out, cleaning everything up! Paint, panting & oh did I mention painting. Then carefully installing it all in. Laying on my back to torque bolts to 133 ft pounds that you can barely get to! Wow.

Hey! Martin was amazing! 54 years old 500 mile of a grueling race @ 200 mph. Yeah baby!

Entering into the home stretch, another couple of weeks, I hope!

# 6! So can we call you Mark Martin?

Yeah I didn’t get the first one, won’t get the second one either, everybody’s got to choose for themselves. If you delve into what that chemistry really is & how it works ya no thanks. I like my heath to much & my nuts!

Ahh, you better be carful with that! You know those fit pretty snug & snow compresses and doesn’t come back out! You could go from Frosty to pencil head real quick!

Yeah, sorry Frosty, once again later to the party. There is a easier way & you don’t need to use the threads, but I guess it doesn’t matter now. At least you’re good to go now!

Two Lane, my heart breaks for you, so sad! You are in my prayers, as is all your family! Take solace in knowing you will see her again my friend.

I could tell more, but fortunately for me I try not to photographically record my stupidity! 😁

Fitzy, you hit into the head! There are times I look back & say to myself, what was I thinking?! I did two complete builds of my Z on a stone driveway & one of my wife’s “74”! The original Z I rebuilt there once, then it was totaled in very late “77” bought a beat up one in early “78”, they were had to find even in “78”. Took both cars & made one, while building a full frame, putting in a stainless floor & designing brakes at the same time. Then rebuilt my wife’s northeast Ohio winter ravaged Z at the house we live in now. With a garage & concrete floor & drive. Then 2000 Grand Prix! And Now at 70 two not one, but two Lacrosses! I am officially insane ! rocks big rocks! ouch!

No doubt, after all your goat was built before my Z! I was JustA holden on to that wheel till I found ya! Couldn’t have found a better home for it. JustA to clarify, the right one is the wheel you now have, different horn button.

Hey JustA! I JustA found my original picture of something I think you recognize! recognize the one on the right? This was the original picture I had taken to send to a notable wheel mfg. in 1979 to see if they had an interest. They said it would cost to much to build.

Not really an epic parts failure, more like a momentary lapse of brain function! This is what happens when you forget to completely tighten down the distributor. You wipe out 4 pistons, I.E. break every piston ring in at least 3 places!