Here, ladies and gentlemen, is the story of 697 GNG - my UC... Lets start from the beginning though, way back in the dreamtime!
Originally purchased in September of 1980, 697 GNG (The "Soul Train" - as it is more commonly referred to) was purchased by my dear mother for the measely price of $6324 new, from a keen young car sales person in Sydney's north. It began life as a Starfire 4cyl, with the 4speed and the most beautiful colour you could imagine - Atlantis Blue Metallic (a giant leap in paint technology at the time!!). With only 8kms on the odometer, my mother saw The Soul Train through until the year 1998, with three toe biters growing up and two long hauls from sydney to melb, and melb to townsville in QLD. Although not the best car for the highway at the time, she made it without even an oil top up!
With 211 000kms on the clock when i acquired her in July of 1998, she was in need of some tlc - new gaskets, engine oil and a bit of elbow grease in polishing! Nonetheless, i persisted to "fix-er-up" whilst still a whipper-snapper in those days, until one fateful day in 2001 when i decided to purchase a "battery". From that day on my friends, this was not just a Starfire motor, it was a work of art!
I registered her in April of 2002 after not much work for the Roadworthy certificate! Continuous tlc, washing, waxing, washing, waxing and many many klms as a Pizza Hut delivery car proved to take its toll on the "Virgin" starfire motor - smoke began pouring out of the rear and let me tell you, it was not the tyres! Now with 250 000kms on the original engine, this starfire was at the end of its life... Not before the first modification to 697 GNG... A set of extremely shiny 14" Globe bathurst wheels with 225/60 tyres!
In March of 2003, Welcome Red 202!! Although not rebuilt, but in well running condition, this red 202 (as above - dubbed the "soul train") was certainly the life that 697 GNG needed to push her through the next millenium! Extremely impressed with the "pep" of the 202, i then decided that 3.9:1 diff ratio was "too short" as 18l/100kms proved to take its toll on my poor wallet! So in went a set of 3.08:1 gears! Much better! But with any engine conversion, you do run into problems... Mine seemed more than anyone's however... With a 1month warranty on peripherals (water pump, starter motor, alternator and radiator), and 3months on the rest of the old girl, and the 1month fast approaching - she ran beautiful! Then 1month and 3days after the conversion, trouble struck... Radiator was cracked! "Out of warranty mate..."! Bugger i did say! New radiator purchased - problem solved! One week later, leak from water pump bearings... "Out of warranty mate..." Oh golly gosh! New water pump purchased - problem solved! Two weeks later (at the same time mind you...), Starter motor AND alternator... "Out of warranty mate"... Shucks... New starter motor and alternator purchased - problems solved! Trouble free motoring it was from then until, click click click... "what's that"?? Your lifters are gone mate! Meanwhile i was short of cash as i had spent my life savings fixing every other problem with 697 GNG! Hence, now - the nickname "soul train"!
Nevertheless, i drove her around as the soul train for 12months (about 1yr and a half after the conversion), until i decided enough was enough... I'll get new lifters and fit the buggers myself! With a bit of persistance and two days (yes two(2) days), the new lifters were in and oiled up and worn in the correct way! However, an inspection of the rest of the valve-train proved that the valve stems were starting to wear and the pushrods were very close to not existing! Its ok... It still runs smooth, (burnt valve and all) and brings back good fuel economy considering the 350 holley atop her!
We come to now... 697 GNG now runs brand new shocks/lowered springs/bushes and steering rack! A brand new mandrel 2 1/4 system behind the blue coated pacemakers! The original 4speed (designed for the starfire motor)! A few interior mods (ill leave them out until the pics of her fully finished are posted!)!
In the following pictures you will see how she evolved over the years - somewhat like man!
Enjoy
Keith
Sunbird 3a - how it looked when i got her!
Engine2 -Starfire - the old starfire motor!
Sunbird 2 - mag wheels
Engine3 - the newly installed 202!
Pre-respray2 - The last day of her being Atlantis blue metallic. Note the tinted windows, woodgrain sports wheel, new suspension products also installed!! Dont mind the ding in the door - a carpark incident whilst shopping is reason behind that!
Don't bag the UC, it might just be the car that kicks ur ass!!
