The engine reseal/partial rebuild is finally done!!! After 5 months of money and hard work, it leaks zero oil, starts every time, idles smoothly, and runs cool. Couldn't be happier with the result. Visually, the car still sucks, the hatch latches are broken, the front valance is beyond salvageable, its missing carpet in places and the dash is cracked to hell. The lower half of the car is covered in dents, the wheels are peeling and oxidized, and every exterior rubber seal has crumbled. But it runs better than any other '84 out there.
In keeping with the theme of making a good driving car before a good looking car, I recently bought Bilstein shocks and Powerflex poly bushings for the front and rear, and picked up a used A'pexi muffler. Forgive the cellphone pictures:
(woo torsion bars)
The rusted out KYBs I replaced these with were all either completely blown out or bent, so the car rode like a Cadillac until it hit a bump, at which point the entire suspension would creak and your spine would shatter. It handles much better now. I finally understand the praise this car got when new for being well so well balanced.
Hopefully in the next update the car won't be so ugly to look at!