Hi from Kentucky.

[mbouse]

well, the 1.8 is the engine of choice for the small bump cars... which the '74 is. are you trying to add F.I. to that engine? i gotta pass on a response to that.

be careful in the cleaners you put on your vinyl. anything containing bleach will eat the threads in the seams. so says my upholstery friend.

[Zmatt]

I wasn't intending to do anything to the 1.8l. It was to act as a hold over until I rebuild the 1.7. However if you think its a better idea to mess with the 1.8 then so be it.

[JDOliver]

I have seen several persons in Lexington and Louisville that own spiders. You should have any problem finding around there to give you little help if needed.

[azygoustoyou]

The product I specified to use on the seats don't have a bleach content in it and it works well.

[JDOliver]

A single weber carb set up is cake. All you have to do is follow some minor setup procedures. I would think that the FI from a 2.0 would bolt up to a 1.8 and fit under the hood. The 1.8 is shorter and the heads are the same other than some egr passages. I find the carb more reliable but performance with FI better.

[Zmatt]

what is the difference in mpg between fi and carb? And how easy is it to find the FI system from a 2.0 and retrofit it to a 1.8?
On an unrelated note, I have heard hear that the rubber thing on the driveshaft that is where a u-joint should be is only good for 140hp and can fail pretty easily. would it be worthwhile to have a u-joint fabbed to replace it?

[JDOliver]

Finding a complete intake is possible but they don't come around often. On occasion you find someone selling everything including the intake, harness, and ECU.

The trans an rear end are bigger failure points than the Guibo. I haven't heard of anyone tearing up a new one with too much HP but plent have killed transmission and rear ends.

To get the most out of fuel get an O2 sensor and gauge installed to keep from running rich. I have gotten 30mpg with an 1800 carb in good tune on a trip. Thats not typical. 24 is.

[Zmatt]

Sorry for bumping my own thread but I forgot that I never posted pics. These are a few months old, and by now I am well under way into the restore, but they will give you an idea of what it's like.








That is before we removed it form the barn. I have cleaned it up and have it on jacks. the wheels are currently off and we are rebuilding the brakes The rear calipers need replacing while the front just need TLC. I have the engine labeled and everything disconnected (the block takes sharpie well) and I am just about ready for the swap. All of the interior carpeting has been pulled up and I have been checking for rust. There was a bit in the truck around the battery, some near the tranny tunnel, all on the surface and nothing bad. I will post more pics as I take them.

[perthling]

Doesn't look like a '74, with the big bumpers and big bump bonnet. '74 was the last year with the blade type bumpers.

[bassman562]

Yes my dad had replaced the hood with a newer one. A jerk backed into it with a pickup trick with a large trailer hitch. It completely trashed the hood and it was cheaper to replace it. He said it looks cooler now too.

[perthling]

What's the ID number? Mine is 124CS100078XXX, I'm guessing that it is one of the last of the blade bumper models. Is yours in the 79XXX or greater range?

Regards

[pooldoctorstl]

You sure about the year? 1975 Was the first year for the tube style bumpers with shock absorbers to comply with the USA 5mph law. What is the build date on the data plate?

[Zmatt]

Yep you are right the build date is 11/75. Thought it was a 74. I guess I should have checked instead of taking someones word.

[Zmatt]

Transmission cleaned up and checked out. New clutch and pressure plate installed on new engine. Calipers rebuilt. Next task the fuel tank. I need to check it out and see if there is rust in it. Would you recommend taking the tank out of the car?

[Zmatt]

I am close to a running chassis. The brake rotors will arrive tomorrow. I went with the drilled rotors on the front and standard rotors on the back. Was that a good choice? I am excited to get the engine and tranny back in it and go for a spin. pics coming soon!