Maybe just finish the Regal build and find another frame for the GA.
Marriage: 1980 Grand Am and 2005 GTO Build Thread.
- Thread starter smed7880
- Start date
That thought has crossed my mind lol
Wiped out and the heat is relentless. Im out of gas after only a couple of hours in the garage.
I did do some tire/wheel swapping though. The 15" rally IIs fit over the QP emergency brake and rear caliper set up. Thats a big deal. The 2456015s clear the front suspension but not the vette brakes, nor will they clear the GTO caliper.
Im going to step down to the S10 10.79 inch dual piston. Ill still have improved braking.
Sherry wants her Rally IIs. With the notch 275 60 15s will easily fit on the rear. The 245 60 15s move to the front. Thats as much contact patch as i can get.
Wiped out and the heat is relentless. Im out of gas after only a couple of hours in the garage.
I did do some tire/wheel swapping though. The 15" rally IIs fit over the QP emergency brake and rear caliper set up. Thats a big deal. The 2456015s clear the front suspension but not the vette brakes, nor will they clear the GTO caliper.
Im going to step down to the S10 10.79 inch dual piston. Ill still have improved braking.
Sherry wants her Rally IIs. With the notch 275 60 15s will easily fit on the rear. The 245 60 15s move to the front. Thats as much contact patch as i can get.
Good?? Dude you made out like an old school bandito!! The frame horn issue does not seem insurmountable
As for the heat, I hear you. The Met says the temps up here at the lake are only around the high 70's/low 80's but, with the humidity, the humidex reading gets around 90 or closer to 100. Only benefit to it is that paint and POR15 dry fairly quickly but a couple of hours behind a welding mask out in the driveway and you are done. Worked a full shift yesterday, managed to actually consume some solid foot and hit the shop to do that welding, dress the welds, do the touchups, redress them, and lay down the POR.
Left me with just enough energy to mow the lawn,and today I am flat. Woke up, had lunch, and went back to sleep.
Glad your banzai run went off so successfully.
Nick
As for the heat, I hear you. The Met says the temps up here at the lake are only around the high 70's/low 80's but, with the humidity, the humidex reading gets around 90 or closer to 100. Only benefit to it is that paint and POR15 dry fairly quickly but a couple of hours behind a welding mask out in the driveway and you are done. Worked a full shift yesterday, managed to actually consume some solid foot and hit the shop to do that welding, dress the welds, do the touchups, redress them, and lay down the POR.
Left me with just enough energy to mow the lawn,and today I am flat. Woke up, had lunch, and went back to sleep.
Glad your banzai run went off so successfully.
Nick
With houston humidity and 100+ temps its unbearable in my garage. 100s as far as the eye can see. No rain. Just relentless heat and humidity. Everything from okla to and through texas is cooked...the corn fields are disasters.
Glad you got some stuff done!
I knew when i found that deal i had to get it. I blew up the budget and the reserve to say the least. Itll come back in the end but my wife is giving me that look...i said no more cars...and i just added to the herd.
Im going to have to time all of this perfectly.
That Regal is as good as a GBody gets rust wise. I was going to cut out what i need for the Grand Am, but no way that happens after seeing the condition its in.
Glad you got some stuff done!
I knew when i found that deal i had to get it. I blew up the budget and the reserve to say the least. Itll come back in the end but my wife is giving me that look...i said no more cars...and i just added to the herd.
Im going to have to time all of this perfectly.
That Regal is as good as a GBody gets rust wise. I was going to cut out what i need for the Grand Am, but no way that happens after seeing the condition its in.
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Geezer i saw your build thread a few months back and loved reading the progression of your daily. Exactly what im probably going to do. A decent used 350 and some paint.
Scored at the lowes discount rack. $65 for a bunch of wood to build the body cart and lift off framing, plenty left so ill go get more. Plan is to pull 1, get it up and secure, pull the other, swap and drop. Then put the regal in storage and build the body cart for the GAm so i can tackle its rust issues. Im going to leave the gto alone until the GAm is ready.
Ordered the s10 vented/slotteds with painted calipers and brackets and ceramic pads...should be here Wednesday. Goal is to get the brakes and wheels sorted on the buick frame then do the body swap. Ill do the horns later, or may crush a bumper shock to see if 2 inches of crush leaves any absorber after the collapse...not sure yet, but will weld if need be.
Got some sleep, feel better, but its getting to garage quitting time with the heat....
Scored at the lowes discount rack. $65 for a bunch of wood to build the body cart and lift off framing, plenty left so ill go get more. Plan is to pull 1, get it up and secure, pull the other, swap and drop. Then put the regal in storage and build the body cart for the GAm so i can tackle its rust issues. Im going to leave the gto alone until the GAm is ready.
Ordered the s10 vented/slotteds with painted calipers and brackets and ceramic pads...should be here Wednesday. Goal is to get the brakes and wheels sorted on the buick frame then do the body swap. Ill do the horns later, or may crush a bumper shock to see if 2 inches of crush leaves any absorber after the collapse...not sure yet, but will weld if need be.
Got some sleep, feel better, but its getting to garage quitting time with the heat....
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Don't know if I have the measurements anymore but I used wood to build a cart then built a tip-tissorie with much of the same wood working on my Malibu floors and some heavy angle iron pieces to mount to front and second set to rear body mounts. Some of the links in my thread to pics are bad but all photos stored here if you need any ideas.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/111416324@N04/albums/72157642356255484
https://www.flickr.com/photos/111416324@N04/albums/72157642356255484
Heat ran me out. Today was another prep day but stuff that needed to get done. Took most of the loose Buick parts to storage, re-orgd storage making room for the Regal once ready to take it, scored the wood I need for the body off.
The final design of the lift system will use the back wall of my garage and 4 vertical 4x4x10 posts as the contacts,...the wall placed 4x4x8s will be notched so it makes contact with the roof sheathing to allow full contact with the plate....the vertical 4x4x10s will take most of the load directly to the foundation...so basically a wall attachment running horizontal (2), a middle post (2), and a corner post(2). Then I will run additional 4x4x8s on each side horizontally that will be attached to the garage rafters for stability not weight bearing...basically im framing in my bay (10 ft wide/16 ft long) and using some of the garage framing as stability. Across the top of the framing (perpendicular) I will place another 4x4x10 and that will hold the wench I bought. My plan is to lift the bodies off with the winch. I will also use this system to pull the LS2 from the GTO.
I have to update the costs before I forget them. Ouch. But, it'll come back in the end.
$6000 in the Grand Am over the last 15 years
$8700 GTO (41700 miles LS2/auto/no body damage)
Fuel tank. Holley Sniper 19-144. = $710
transmission crossmember 12644HKR-1. = $320
transmission crossmember add bracket 12647HKR. = $71
4l60 transmission attachment plate 11655HKR. = $37
transmission mount 71223029HKR. = $56
Engine mount. 12643HKR. = $208
Clamshells. 71221014HKR (2) for $32 each. = $64
Clamshell inserts, 71221004HKR (2) for $22 each. =$44
LS2 Gbody oil pan. Holley 302.2. = $527
Complete set of nice HW 15x7 Rally IIs with SS trim rings and caps. $596
2 245/60/15 BFG Radial TAs $410
Hellwig G Body frame box kit 11104. = $748
$5150 84 Buick Regal/Frame with all the goodies
Framing for lift $65
XBull 3000lbs Winch $126
S10 Front disc brake kit (vented/slotted rotors, painted calipers, painted caliper brackets, ceramic pads, hardware). Power Stop KC2004 Z23 Evolution $415
Total: $24247....there will be returns and sales of parts but the budget is blown badly.
Once I part out the GTO (or find another yellow with a lightly wrecked body) a nice chunk will come back.
Selling the Buick will also bring a chunk. But Id like to put a traditional warmed up 350 in it and paint it using the Grand Am stuff and a donor frame. Another car??? Will see.
Still to purchase: The turbine paint system is 1750, paint etc another 1500ish, body repair panels 500ish, rear diff 1000ish, sniper $1700, AC?
When done her Grand Am will be a new car with lots of life in it that will be driven...its waaay cheaper than buying a newish new car and that is the ultimate math. In the end it will be well worth it. Using the car on the Hot Rod Power Tour and other vacations will make it even better at 24mpgish.
The final design of the lift system will use the back wall of my garage and 4 vertical 4x4x10 posts as the contacts,...the wall placed 4x4x8s will be notched so it makes contact with the roof sheathing to allow full contact with the plate....the vertical 4x4x10s will take most of the load directly to the foundation...so basically a wall attachment running horizontal (2), a middle post (2), and a corner post(2). Then I will run additional 4x4x8s on each side horizontally that will be attached to the garage rafters for stability not weight bearing...basically im framing in my bay (10 ft wide/16 ft long) and using some of the garage framing as stability. Across the top of the framing (perpendicular) I will place another 4x4x10 and that will hold the wench I bought. My plan is to lift the bodies off with the winch. I will also use this system to pull the LS2 from the GTO.
I have to update the costs before I forget them. Ouch. But, it'll come back in the end.
$6000 in the Grand Am over the last 15 years
$8700 GTO (41700 miles LS2/auto/no body damage)
Fuel tank. Holley Sniper 19-144. = $710
transmission crossmember 12644HKR-1. = $320
transmission crossmember add bracket 12647HKR. = $71
4l60 transmission attachment plate 11655HKR. = $37
transmission mount 71223029HKR. = $56
Engine mount. 12643HKR. = $208
Clamshells. 71221014HKR (2) for $32 each. = $64
Clamshell inserts, 71221004HKR (2) for $22 each. =$44
LS2 Gbody oil pan. Holley 302.2. = $527
Complete set of nice HW 15x7 Rally IIs with SS trim rings and caps. $596
2 245/60/15 BFG Radial TAs $410
Hellwig G Body frame box kit 11104. = $748
$5150 84 Buick Regal/Frame with all the goodies
Framing for lift $65
XBull 3000lbs Winch $126
S10 Front disc brake kit (vented/slotted rotors, painted calipers, painted caliper brackets, ceramic pads, hardware). Power Stop KC2004 Z23 Evolution $415
Total: $24247....there will be returns and sales of parts but the budget is blown badly.
Once I part out the GTO (or find another yellow with a lightly wrecked body) a nice chunk will come back.
Selling the Buick will also bring a chunk. But Id like to put a traditional warmed up 350 in it and paint it using the Grand Am stuff and a donor frame. Another car??? Will see.
Still to purchase: The turbine paint system is 1750, paint etc another 1500ish, body repair panels 500ish, rear diff 1000ish, sniper $1700, AC?
When done her Grand Am will be a new car with lots of life in it that will be driven...its waaay cheaper than buying a newish new car and that is the ultimate math. In the end it will be well worth it. Using the car on the Hot Rod Power Tour and other vacations will make it even better at 24mpgish.
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So today it was Michigan that got the rain. Started around 3.30 or so, quit, and then came back around 6. for good. They red flagged the Nascar Michigan race and want to restart it tomorrow at noon but the forecast for tomorrow is more rain! Here on the lake it has been low 70's but the humidity is high; you can feel the moisture in the air, but you can't smell it, meaning no rain. The national weatherheads are prognosticating a low prob for rain this month. Not good for the farmers unless they are growing hay or low moisture crops. Will need a heavy snow pack this winter to cover the loss and not sure at this point if that will come.
Nick
Nick
Giving up the vette brakes is sad...but the s10 brakes are better than the gbody stockers.
Home from work to find the brakes. Verified they will fit. Cant do car tonight. Its 105 outside and 120+ in my garage. Im going to have to get out there around 2am sat morning to take advantage of the high 80s.
Home from work to find the brakes. Verified they will fit. Cant do car tonight. Its 105 outside and 120+ in my garage. Im going to have to get out there around 2am sat morning to take advantage of the high 80s.
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