Project B Type: LeSabre w/ Bonneville front end

[Alibi]

I actually never did find what that code meant so I was thinking it was just a regular 2.84.... but it looks like its a 3.33 instead :D

Interesting... thanks for all those codes! I'm going to have to save them somewhere for future reference. Looks like I'll end up using the Bonnie transmission in the B Type and then save the T Type trans (2.97) and have it rebuilt for the '89 eventually.

As for tractor paint, I'm sure theres some farm stores around that I can look into. I may poke around and see what they may have then. I'm not planning on painting till everything is back in working order so that means sometime this summer so I've got plenty of time to source some paint.

Edit: Where did you get those trans ID tags? Do you happen to have a list of them for other years as well? The RPO tag in the trunk of the SE said it was F79 meaning it had a 2.97 from the factory... the catch is that I'm pretty sure the trans was swapped out at one point with a random trans from a junkyard. Another source had said that the BPH code was for a 2.84 trans so at this point I'm not sure what to think

[wjcollier07]

I'm working on finding out for sure.

Only way I think a database is going to be assembled is if we do something like the MAF list. It would probably help a bit.

[Alibi]

Yeah, a list would definitely help. I think I know of a list of 4t60e codes and a few other F79 codes in a thread over at LeSabreT. I'm going to pull together as many as I can into an article over there.

I have an '89 service manual so I can look in that when I get home to see if that has anything listed. I also have access to a mitchells repair guide that I could look up.

Edit: Heres what I've got so far: http://lesabret.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php ... 087#p50087

[Alibi]

FINALLY! An update! There has finally been some nice weather so I was at the Bonneville again today.

First up was pulling the seat. The front seats are going to be junked and the rears *might* get put into the LeSabre.





Next was the door panels and interior trim plastic that holds the carpet down. I didn't have a small hex key to remove the collar around the manual control for the DS mirror but I'll get that off tomorrow. I plan on pulling the locks, latches, handles, and hinges before junking the doors.



Next I gutted the trunk and pulled the tail lights. All the loose bits were tossed in the trunk to get them out of the way for now though.



And the RPO tag for future reference.



The plan for tomorrow is to remove the rear bumper, pull the carpet (I'm still on the fence as to whether or not to use it), and then start measuring for cutting off the rear clip. I'm not sure if I'm going to actually cut if off or not but we'll see. I need to get the motor/trans out too but I have to locate a cherry picker first

[crzydmnd72]

It was a nice day here also. That carpet might clean up with some elbow grease, I would save it unless its really matted down somewhere or worn thin.

If the headliner board is intact, might save it too. Never know, you might recover it and have an easy swap into another car. Visors are another good keeper, even if nothing to copy a pattern from

[Peterg22000]

can you get a few pics of the rear tail section of both cars from the same angles?..

[Alibi]

I can get pics of both the rears tomorrow. I dont think I'll be cutting tomorrow but I will be taking a sharpie and a measuring tape to start planning. I know that I'm going to have to modify the trunk lid of the LeSabre with the lower section of the Bonneville since they're different but otherwise I think I'll be OK.

As of now, I know both trunks are 27 inches wide so the sheetmetal is compatible... its just the overall shapes are going to be a bit... odd.

As for other things I'm saving... I'm not sure. The headliner is pretty messed up and its got a big honking hole in it for the sunroof so its of little use to me. The carpet has a big hole worn in it by the drivers left foot area so I probably won't be using it but I still need to pull it to get at some wiring and maybe use the padding if its not musty smelling. I'd like to save some of the suspension but I may not have time to yank all of it. At the very least I'm going to try to save the front sway bars. Springs and an aftermarket ADDCO rear sway bar can be had aftermarket so its not that much of a loss.

I'm going to pull the column and part it out, pull relays and fuses and whatever else off the dash, gut the doors, and then pull the motor. After that, the Bonnie is going to Pontiac Heaven.

[Alibi]

Ok, more work.

First I yanked off the bumper to reveal the substructure. I still don't know how I'm going to cut it but I wont decide till I get the bumper off the '88 so I can properly compare the structures first.







Then I worked on un-hooking all the extra stuff in the engine bay to prep it for yanking.







And then the struts to take out the axles. The electric impact wrench really made this an easy job. I'm keeping the F41 springs but junking the rest.





More later this week after I pull the bumper off the LeSabre. Then coppy choppy will commence. After that it'll be time to pull the engine and then junk the rest of the car after I gut the doors.

Edit: Oh, and just for fun... H Body lane!

[radomirthegreat]

Nice work so far! I'm a little confused, though. I thought the Bonneville in the middle of that last picture is the one that is the parts car. Do you now have two parts cars? Nice paint job on that last one.

[Alibi]

The Bonneville in the middle is actually the '88 LeSabre with the Bonnie nose on it

Ok, heres how it works:

The blue '89 Bonneville is the parts car (foregound). Its nose, rear, dash, and drive train are going in the '88 LeSabre. It was deemed dead by my friends after the fuel pump was dead, the fuel lines were rotted, the crank sensor was bad, the computer was bad, etc. etc. It was going to be junked last year but I asked them to wait for me to pull parts in lieu of them paying back some money they owed me.

The '88 LeSabre (middle) was originally bought as a parts car for the '89. Its nose, carpet, rims (I just wanted a factory pair for spares), and other small bits went to the '89. I didn't have the heart to crush it/part it out the rest of the way since the car is more or less solid minus some rot in the A pillar and above the windshield. Especially when I can make a complete car using the parts off the certainly dead Bonneville for free.

The black '89 LeSabre (background) is my baby. I saved it from a field and certain doom by buying it from a redneck and putting a new motor in it. It needed a lot of parts and the maroon '88 LeSabre had a lot of what I needed. The '89 was painted with a roller last summer but I only got 4 coats so I'm doing it again this summer (and because I need to replace the fenders...again...).

[Jrs3800]

What kind of shape is the 89's muffy in?

[Alibi]

It looks Ok... I think its solid as I was poking around it yesterday when I pulled the bumper. I haven't really examined it though... You want it, I assume? Its a dual-out. I can lop it off with my Sawzall and leave a few inches of pipe to weld it to something. It actually needs to be out of the way when I chop off the back too. Hmm... I should prolly pull the cat too for some extra recycling money.

BTW, I have the switches you wanted too! I still need to pull the wheel controls for you though. The EGR tube will have to come off the '88 LeSabre motor after I swap in the '89 motor though.

[Jrs3800]

Yeah if the muffy is in good shape I want it..

Maybe I will have to make a trip up there to collect..


Looks like you are making a lot of progress..

[Alibi]

If you want to come up here from Florida then go for it

[Merrillspontiac]

where is your 90 LeSabre?

[Alibi]

The '90 is kinda odd... it technically belongs to my sister in law who was going to give it me last summer since I did all the work on it and put a lot of my spare parts on it. Instead, it went to her grandparents after their car died but they aren't going to be driving much longer so I'll be getting the car back soon enough. In the mean time, I basically do all the work on it when it needs to be done. Once the weather warms up I'll be replacing the window motors and then the AC compressor.

Meh, when I do finally get it I'll just fix it up the rest of the way and probably sell it for repair money.