Aluminum Parts On GN's

B

Blown&Injected

Active Member
Joined
May 31, 2001
I believe they all came with aluminum bumper supports, I have heard some T's had aluminum drums, and have seen aluminum radiator supports for G-Body cars but not sure if those last two parts were also found on GN's.

So what should be aluminum on an 86 GN?

TIA
 
Blown&Injected said:
I believe they all came with aluminum bumper supports, I have heard some T's had aluminum drums, and have seen aluminum radiator supports for G-Body cars but not sure if those last two parts were also found on GN's.

So what should be aluminum on an 86 GN?

TIA
Click to expand...

'86 GN's and T's all had AL bumper supports.

Only '87 GN's lack them.

AL drums came when you didn't get a G80 positraction, so GN's without Positraction, got them.

The AL radiator supports were on A-bodies (but will physically bolt on G-bodies)
 
UNGN said:
AL drums came when you didn't get a G80 positraction, so GN's without Positraction, got them.
Click to expand...


Only the TR's that came with alloy wheels got the aluminum drums when Posi wasn't ordered. In other words 86-87 GNs without Posi have steel drums. 84-85 GN's without posi got aluminum drums. There is a RPO code for the aluminum drums that I'll post later. The only exception I've seen is the GNX. I've seen some with them(i.e. #2) and some without them and none of them have the RPO code on the SPID label. And for some reason this didn't apply across the boards with the other models of G-Bodies. I've seen a lot of steel wheel cars with the aluminum drums.

gnxtc2 said:
And there is a rumor of an aluminum trunk lid floating around. Maybe early 80s.
Click to expand...
Aluminum hoods and trunk lids are mostly 78-80 vintage G-Body.
 
kirban 2 cents worth

In glancing over this thread.....

I had a 1978 Regal coupe it had a fiberglass trunk lid it was a Limited model if I recall correctly. Again going by memory.

Yes on the aluminum brake drums a certain code will exist on the trunk ID label I am sure Eric can chirp in with what that code is.

Keep in mind as far as aluminum bumper supports front and rear go you now have over 20 years past and when cars get hit in the front or back the bumper supports may not agree with the code on the trunk ID label VD6 and VD7 for the aluminum codes.

Again going by memory and seldom seen today is the short version front bumper brackets again Eric can give more details may have just been on Canadian cars? They were steel but did not run the entire length of the bumper and it was just the fronts. Very hard to find today.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com
 
Dennis Kirban said:
Again going by memory and seldom seen today is the short version front bumper brackets again Eric can give more details may have just been on Canadian cars? They were steel but did not run the entire length of the bumper and it was just the fronts. Very hard to find today.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com
Click to expand...

I've found the short Brackets in the Junkyard. They are 2.5 mph brackets vs. 5mph bumper brackets from 1984 and not Canadian.

They should be called "Reagan" bumper Brackets and not Canadian bumper brackets.

Here's Bumper Q&A's from NHTSA

"The most recent revisions to the bumper standard took place in May 14, 1982, effective for MY 1983 and subsequent model year passenger cars. This amendment reduced test impact speeds from 5 mph to 2.5 mph for longitudinal front and rear barrier and pendulum impacts and from 3 mph to 1.5 mph for corner pendulum impacts. In addition, Phase I damage resistance criteria were substituted for Phase II criteria and a bumper height requirements of 16 to 20 inches was established for passenger cars."

Public safety groups where testing cars at 5mph and going to the media with the result$ of what it would cost you if you hit something at 5mph with 2.5 mph bumpers, and we got 5mph bumpers back.

In this article, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gets on GM's @ss for Collision coverage claims going up 20% on 1984 Regals vs. 1983 models (though it was a whopping 2 cars out of 100)

Where was Obama to Demonize Insurance companies when we needed it?
 
kirban 2 cents worth

I knew someone would know the rite answer on the "shorty" style brackets....

Since only used on 1984 explains why they are hard to find today. I assume they would have appeared also on regular V6 Regals as well that year?

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com
 
I parted out a 85 N/A Regal that had the shorty bumper braces. In fact it was a one owner Mary K car (PINK) bought new and owned by a women.
 
kirban 2 cents worth

On aluminum drums now that so many years have past it is tough to find useable aluminum drums today. To my knowledge no aftermarket company has made them as of yet. So some Turbo Regals that may had aluminum drums where new have been replaced by steel ones making it confusing today.

If you want to add to the confusion on a related matter look at the lower body bushings. While its true GM does not list them in spots 3 and 4 they do list them in spot seven which is the one all the way back by the rear bumper. Yet, in my experience and I have been under many many turbo regals installing body bushings, about 2 out of every 5 did not have the lower #7 bushing mostly 1986 models. I can't vouch for 1984-1985 as until I started to dismantle them I never owned one.

The number #6 bushing is commonily referred to as the GNX bushing since only those cars received this bushing initially from Buick/ASC.

Did not mean to get off the topic but in a way its related.....

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com
 
kirban 2 cents worth

My goof...your rite #5 is commonily referred to as the GNX bushing and its a single one that sits on top of the frame rail not held in place by any grade 8 bolt whereas the others are...


kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com
 
my 87 gn has no posi but has aluminum drums with alloy wheels,but doesn't have aluminum bumper supports.My daughters 87 t ha aluminum supports and no aluminum drums but has posi.So some facts just are not facts here....i will have to look at rpo code on both cars and see what code it is for aluminum drums..
 
kirban 2 cents worth

According to my books the code for aluminum drums is J42. J41 is steel drums. G80 is a posi. If you have G80 you should have steel drums J41.

Any of this can have been easily changed since the car was built by previous owners. Drums wear out.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

Info was taken out of the GM PRODUCTION OPTIONS DATED MACH 2001.
 
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