IML: Please Welcome sjak brak
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IML: Please Welcome sjak brak



New Subscriber(s): sjak brak
Email Address is: imperial1973@xxxxxxxxx
Member Location: Netherlands

Car(s) owned: 73 4 door
73 2 door parts car

Self-Introduction: I am Sjak (short for Jacques, phonetically identic in my own language), 33 years old, and I live in The Netherlands (Europe). I work as a claims&liability expert within a leading logistic company. I also assist at the local speedshop in Belgium for computerwork and sales.

My car is a 1973 Imperial LeBaron 4 door hardtop. Its supposed to be a (more or less) rolling project. The engine was rebuilt some 20.000miles ago (the car was not mine at that time) and is running smooth. I bought it in June 2005.

Its a lot of fun to drive this huge luxusaurus in Holland (where I live), its scaring for other traffic

So far, I did the following to the car, the very short version (some stuff caused a lot of headache, like the brakes, non-AC conversion, and making the carby fit):
- rebuilt PS pump + new hoses
- rebuilt the propane convertor
- new high performance probane carb (it was a lot of work to find all parts to make it fit under the hood)
- Edelbrock Performer intake
- MSD Probillet distributor + MSD 6AL box + MSD Blaster SS coil + MSD adjustable timing control
- new aircleaner casing (dual snorkel, adapted to fit the propane carb)
- removed all emissions-stuff (propane runs much cleaner than gasoline, so no need for it) - removed AC stuff and other non-funtional underhood components (a.o. some aftermarket alarm) - finding & mounting new pulleys and brackets for crank/PS/waterpump/alternator for a non-AC-configuration - removed almost all gasoline parts (the tanks still there, will be dropped soon)
- hi-torque starter
- rewired part of the engine bay
- blocked of heatriser crossover in the intake and removed heatriser valve from the exhaust
- rebuilt front disc calipers
- new master brake cilinder and new power brake booster
- new stuff in rear brakes

A big help is that I got a 1973 Imperial parts car, which has proved invaluable, not only for the parts I already used, but the dismantling of a similar car is very ineresting to learn how stuff works on the Brakmobile.

I am now facing a tranny rebuild (more on that will follow), and I purchased a set of 915 heads with NEW 1.81 exhaust and 2.14 intake stainless steel Manley valves for only 300 euros (US$ 420!!). The car still has the very sad 8.2 compression ratio combined with a broomstick-camshaft. With a thinner headgasket and the 915's, it will get to approx. 9:1. I still can go a lot higher, but the crankcase/rods/etc are in such a good (almost new) condition that its a waste to tear it apart again. The heads still need to be reworked, it will need larger valve seats and hardened exhaust valve seats (the combustion temperature of propane is a lot higher than on gasoline).

Performance is acceptable, my maximum speed so far was 132-135mph, and while playing at the track, it did the 8th mile in some 9-10 seconds. My cruise speed is usually 100 on the highways, the car seems to like that speed.

BUT I am facing a huge problem now, I have a bent brake rotor and somehow these things seem to be made of unobtanium.... big issue since this would mean that the car will be stuck sooner or later because of no brakes....

Sjak

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