What have you done to your car to make it more enjoyable?

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jcolman

jcolman

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Aside from the obligatory "add more horsepower", what have you done to your vehicle that made it more fun/less obnoxious/creature comfort/etc. to drive? For example, I was able to fix a rattling trunk lid by a suggestion I found on this forum (spraying liquid rubber compound into the spaces between the outer skin and the ribs) which was a godsend. I also replaced the noisy electric vacuum pump in the trunk with a quieter one. My car came with Wilwood brakes, flowmasters, cermanic headers, bucket seats and a center console shift. I'm repalcing the stock instrument guage cluster (because most of the guages don't work anyway) with Autometer gauges.
I'm also converting from carburator to EFI as soon as the parts come in. Other things I'm thinking that I want to do to mine in the coming months are adding sound damping in the door panels and adding A/C.


I'm also curious about things you've done that were a waste of time/money.
 
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Swapped bench for buckets and arm rest, decent stereo with USB, working AC.
 
Stereo. My car is actually backwards from how I usually do it in that I went for Vintage equipment for a specific theme. Otherwise it would crank! All good...

JW
 
Suspension/tires/brakes were a big one for me. Just made if feel more modern to drive.

Recently though, I dropped the dash harness to chase an electrical gremlin (which I'm not sure I found) and while I had it out I rewired the harness to remove the seat belt interlock, wired in a chime from a ZJ Grand Cherokee and changed out the headlight switch. Now the chime (instead of the old buzzer) runs when the key is in the ignition or the headlights are on and the driver's door is open, but only when the ignition is off. Used to bug the heck out of me that it would buzz when the car was running and I had the door open. Changed the headlight switch so it completed a circuit for the chime when it was on. Only reason to dump the seatbelt interlock was so I could use some of the wires for the chime and to make sure it didn't cause a no-start issue someday down the road.

Now I need to figure out how to build a headlight pull that doesn't look like a huge wart on the IP. The new switch is deeper than the old one and while the old pull worked you had to use your fingernails to get behind it and pull it. But the honkin' huge one works for now.
 
The mini starter and the overdrive automatic are the 2 best convenience/comfort mods I have added. Resurrecting the factory AC with 89 Ram underhood components are a close 3rd!

Cley
 
89on35s said:
The mini starter and the overdrive automatic are the 2 best convenience/comfort mods I have added. Resurrecting the factory AC with 89 Ram underhood components are a close 3rd!

Cley
Click to expand...
I'm curious what the mini starter did for your car to make it more enjoyable? I would love to add an overdrive to my torque master 727 put it's a bit pricey at the moment considering all the other things I've already planned/ordered.
 
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Since I’m building my 2 door panel wagon from scratch, I decided from the beginning I wanted AC so am adding factory AC including swapping out the firewall! I decided to add some creature comforts in addition to AC, so it’s getting power windows, power door locks, a power driver’s seat, power lumbar and heated seats. Stopping is important so 4 wheel disc brakes are on the menu. Brighter geadlights are important so relays and upgraded wiring is a must. Better mikeage and lower cruising RPMs mean an Overdrive. Hopefully it turns out as I envision.
 
I forgot about cruise control! Haven't driven the car yet this year so it kind of slipped my mind.

First "newer" car I got was a '79 Volare with a 318, AC and cruise. Was based in Portland, OR (Navy, ship in drydock) and the drive from Spokane to Portland and back was just so nice with cruise I swore I would have it on every car I ever owned. Hasn't happened, but I did get it retrofitted on my Duster. Even added a switch so that if I kick the clutch pedal it kills the cruise circuit.
 
jcolman said:
I'm curious what the mini starter did for your car to make it more enjoyable? I would love to add an overdrive to my torque master 727 put it's a bit pricey at the monment considering all the other things I've already planned/ordered.
Click to expand...

It just starts south quicker and easier with the modern mini starter than it did with hhe big old original starter. Maybe doesn't male sense to some but it's a big deal to me!

Cley
 
Better tunes, always - even in the beater truck. Better suspension and brakes, and the rest of the combo sorted out so I can hit the starter, go for a drive, and have no issues.
 
Wont go into unnecessary details..
Simply put. ..
Bigger motor, trans, rear, seats, stereo, suspension, wheels and tires.
 
I added AC, disk brakes and a Hotchkis front sway bar. Oh, I converted it from an automatic to a four speed too.
Those four things make it way more fun to drive.
 
Going from 3.55's to 3.91's. Made car much more responsive and more pleasurable to drive!! That's just my take. Also bench to bucket seats is more comfy.
 
jcolman said:
Aside from the obligatory "add more horsepower", what have you done to your vehicle that made it more fun/less obnoxious/creature comfort/etc. to drive? For example, I was able to fix a rattling trunk lid by a suggestion I found on this forum (spraying liquid rubber compound into the spaces between the outer skin and the ribs) which was a godsend. I also replaced the noisy electric vacuum pump in the trunk with a quieter one. My car came with Wilwood brakes, flowmasters, cermanic headers, bucket seats and a center console shift. I'm repalcing the stock instrument guage cluster (because most of the guages don't work anyway) with Autometer gauges.
I'm also converting from carburator to EFI as soon as the parts come in. Other things I'm thinking that I want to do to mine in the coming months are adding sound damping in the door panels and adding A/C.


I'm also curious about things you've done that were a waste of time/money.
Click to expand...

Read the build thread.

1964 Valiant "Get Runnin & Drivin"
 
Actually driving it often this year and enjoy it with my boys.

What few times I drove it prior I realizes the slow ratio manual steering had to go, and it did to a Firm Feel stage III power box. The TKO600 is so easy to shift too, I love it. The GT Performance leather steering wheel is comfortable.
 
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