IML: Please Welcome sjak brak

["Steve B." <Imperial59@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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