While I am considering my options with the floor and clutch - I decided to install the strut tower brace I picked up in the yard off an 88 cavalier. Bad news - it is the right size, but none of the holes line up. I drilled and made it fit, but now I have to move a bunch of other stuff around - washer bottle, brake valve, some electrical thingy that hangs of the passenger side tower.
Not exactly as easy as I had hoped, but it is not like the aftermarket is gonna make one of these for my 84 now...
the strut bolt pattern is the same from 82-91, so it should have fit. i have one from an 89 on my 86, and it bolts on without moving anything (well, except for the wiring harness on the pass side around the blower fan). its nowere near the washer fluid bottle or master cyl.
dumb question, are you sure its on the right way??? here is a pic of mine on the car
sharkey-
love to see a pic - it did not come through. Is you washer bottle firewall mount? The ones on the turbos seem to be specific. There is only one way it can go on - slightly behind the tower. If I were to try to put it in front - it runs into the engine.
maybe email me a pic to plsteepe123@comcast.net?
oops, here is the pic
i thought all 1st gens had the washer fluid bottle infront of the driver side strut tower.
Sharkey-
Your brace will fit my car
Mine has the washer bottle on the firewall. The one I have is of the same design, but does not line up. It is off what I thought was an 88 Cavalier wagon.
Regards,
Paul
did the car you took it off have 2 studs and one bolt on the top of the strut tower??? if so, that a 92-94.
Yep-
That explains it then. I got it off the wrong car. It was only $5 so no biggie.
Thanks for the assistance.
BTW - where did you end up mounting the thing that hangs on the passenger tower?
Got the right one of a 91 cavalier. It bolted right on. I did have to adjust the brake lines and the washer bottle will have to be customized a bit. The thing on the passenger side strut tower is no longer an issue. I must have had one off a 94 the first time around.
There are an awful lot of second gen z24s at parts galore in Detroit MI if anyone is looking. I saw two nice cowl hoods...
Nice looking setup Protonus.
I hope to get back to mine soon.
Know anywhere I can buy shome sheet steel to fix my floor?
protnus, your pics are a bit missleading. the first pic is indead a 2nd gen, but its a 92+ only. 91 and earlier use the style on the right.
protonus, who made your tower bar?
sharkey wrote:protnus, your pics are a bit missleading. the first pic is indead a 2nd gen, but its a 92+ only. 91 and earlier use the style on the right.
ya I gotta remake the explanation pic with the correct years.. I actualy made that pic originally to ask a question haha. Before I got a bar, and was looking for one.
LA wrote:protonus, who made your tower bar?
GM did lol.. that's the factory style bar. I didn't have one but added it and painted it. I got it off an 85 cavy wagon... mostly wagons and then convertibles had em. Any car you can find prior to 91 should work if it has a bar.
protonus for being the guy i was supposed to look up to for nice turbo verts your engine bay is miiiighty dirty
1st 1st gen on air.....
Abby87Z24 (Now bagged) wrote:protonus for being the guy i was supposed to look up to for nice turbo verts your engine bay is miiiighty dirty
There's nothing wrong with having more GO that show
Daryl Scott wrote:Abby87Z24 (Now bagged) wrote:protonus for being the guy i was supposed to look up to for nice turbo verts your engine bay is miiiighty dirty
There's nothing wrong with having more GO that show
oh i'm wellllll aware i just pride myself on a clean engine bay!
1st 1st gen on air.....
Abby87Z24 (Now bagged) wrote:protonus for being the guy i was supposed to look up to for nice turbo verts your engine bay is miiiighty dirty
What in gods name are you talking about? In the second pic, which mind you was before the car was on the road this year, the only dirty thing is the coolant and windshield bottles which are stained that color. I plan on painting them black anyways.
Thinking about looking for a tower brace and was researching compatibility. Found this post with good info as some guys are on the lookout for parts. why did the wagons get the brace?
John Masson (84conv) wrote:Thinking about looking for a tower brace and was researching compatibility. Found this post with good info as some guys are on the lookout for parts. why did the wagons get the brace?
I dunno about that one - My '85 wagon doesn't have a brace....
~ Mike ~
I know the later v6 convertibles to the brace also. Not sure of the logic that went into that decision or the wagon part - that is just where they showed up in the yard
i never knew the strut hoses where different on the first gen cars, does that mean you cant use the second gen struts on them ?
Look here in my pic the strut bar in the MIDDLE is for like the 82-90 model js,now compared to the other two bars the design is different as you should be able to see and fit 91-94 I am pretty sure on this bc the smaller (middle strut bar) came off of a 1990 that I know.The problem I saw with it on my car was the parts in the firewall area rubbed against it,with a test fit(laying in place) and btw sold said bar to spike J.So hope this shows some info,insight on subject at hand.
Yep, I had to move my p/s hose setup a bit and relocate my washer bottle. You can see that fun in another post.
Just found one of these, along with perfect window sweeps (TY to Ron for that video so I knew how they came out).
I can't seem to figure out how to make it fit on my 1.8 car though. On the passenger side there is something for the AC system with a fat wire loom in the way and on the driver's side, it appears either brake or power steering lines are in the way. Once on, it looks like it will also block me from the dipstick for my automatic trans.
I didn't really spend any real time on this, was too busy, but wondering if anyone else knows of any issues.
Hopefully in the next week or two, I will finally get the doors on my car, I tested a new took at the junkyard this weekend and I think I can replace a door in about 1/2 an hour (yeah, replace, remove and put on). I'll be sure to give an update on that project when the time comes.
Wayne-
If I remember correctly, that fat wiring thing will push behind the strut tower freeing up the passenger side. I had to turn my power steering couple bracket around (for lack of a better term) to make it fit. My big conflict on my 84 was the washer bottle. I just switched the the fan relay and turbo timer with the washer bottle and got it to work.
Mine is a manual so no auto tans dipstick...
