Masking Party
How do your wheels look after a season of driving? On any Pontiac that sees its share of road time, the wheels will need a repaint sooner rather than later. While you probably don't need someone to tell you how to paint your wheels, how about a timesaving tip on how to mask them? For painting the diamond-shaped as-cast areas of Snowflake wheels, while leaving the machined area natural, mask the whole wheel with the widest masking tape you can get and press it down so that the impression of the diamonds can be seen in its surface. Then use an X-Acto knife to cut the tape, following the edges of the machined areas.
There are wheel masks available for Rally II wheels, but this method is just as easy. After painting the entire wheel face with Argent Silver and letting it thoroughly dry, simply apply 2-inch wide masking tape to all of the spokes; then trim the tape along the edges of the spokes with the X-Acto knife. Tinfoil can be used with the tape to quickly mask and conform to the remainder of the rim so the Charcoal Gray can be sprayed without worry of overspray getting onto the silver.
Pointless Made Easy
Another simple upgrade is to a Pertronix Ignitor breakerless ignition, which eliminates points and the maintenance that they require. The Ignitor features rotating cobalt magnets that trigger a Hall Effect integrated circuit. The company states that it "delivers twice the voltage to the spark plugs, increasing horsepower, fuel economy, and spark plug life." This concealed under-the-cap unit requires no adjustment once correctly installed, and no maintenance. Current fall time is twice as long, resulting in increased coil output, and the unit will trigger most multispark CD ignitions.
Here's the basic install procedure: Remove the distributor, the cap, the rotor, and the points assembly, and install the Ignitor components. Measure the air gap between the magnet ring and the module with the distributor shaft fully seated in its housing (should be no more than 0.010 inch) and again with it pulled up (should be no more than 0.060). Shimming the magnet ring or the distributor gear may be required to set the proper gap. Reinstall the distributor in the same position from which it was removed; attach the wires to the coil; and reinstall the rotor, cap, and wires. Specific installation details come with the unit and a mechanically inclined hobbyist can compete the job in about an hour or two. The Ignitor II, an upgraded unit offering increased performance, can be had from Pertronix as well.
Spark Up
The Ignitor puts the Flame-Thrower coil's 40,000 volts to good use, as spark-plug gaps can be increased to 0.045 from 0.035 for more efficient combustion, resulting in more potential power and economy and improved driveability.
Custom-fit, stock-appearance, 500-ohm-per-foot resistance Flame-Thrower wires complete the enhanced ignition system. They feature a carbon-impregnated fiberglass center core and spiral-wound stainless steel alloy to provide two current paths, all wrapped up in 7mm silicone jackets that resist contaminants and high temps, yet fit in stock wire looms.
Elbow Grease
Stainless body trim or aluminum wheels dull? All you need is a soft cloth and light pressure to remove oxidation and light scratches with Autosol Metal Polish. It's also safe for plastic lenses like taillights and modern headlights as well.
Steering Clear Of Cracks
Got a cracked vintage, plastic Pontiac steering wheel? You can fix it with Eastwood's Complete Steering Wheel Restoration Kit featuring PC-7 epoxy and instructions. The Master Steering Wheel Restoration Kit (shown) comes with the Steering Wheel Restoration Handbook and Plastic Adhesion Promoter.
This method is 10 times faster...
This method is 10 times faster than using fine-line tape-unfortunately, I speak from experience.
The Ignitor replaces the points....
The Ignitor replaces the points. Here, the air gap between the magnet ring and the module is checked.
The damaged area was "V"ed...
The damaged area was "V"ed using a Dremel with a reinforced cutoff wheel as it's quicker than a file. A small wire brush removed the rust from the steel core.
Powdercoating at home is ...
Powdercoating at home is possible.
Autosol treats aluminum, stainless...
Autosol treats aluminum, stainless steel, and even brass, leaving a protective coating behind.
The epoxy was easily smoothed...
The epoxy was easily smoothed out and shaped by putting a few drops of water on my finger and rubbing it on. It was left a bit high so it can be sanded smooth without fear of a low spot that would require more epoxy.