Complete Suspension Upgrade Project
- Thread starter jevans
- Start date
Thanks...
I'll be back in the shop over the weekend. I'll snap a few pics and post...
John
The set-up on my GN is a little out of the ordinary. I had the axles drilled for a dual bolt patterns, Ford and GM. I wanted to be able to switch the wheels back and forth from my Mustang and GN. The front disc brakes are Wilwood, so they come with both bolt patterns. I have 4 set of wheels that I move from car to car as I decide to.
When we built the frame rails for the GN, we moved them in for a larger set of wheels down the road. I build rearend width based on the backspace I had with the wheels on my Mustang. With the new wheels, I had to increase the backspace to get a larger tire under it.
The new street wheels are Weld Alumastar's. The are 15x 14's with an 8" backspace. The tires are Mickey Thompson Sportsman SR's, the are 29.0x 18.5's. I really wanted to go with an 30.0" tall tire, but they only came in 29.0" or 31.0" tall. I think the 31.0's would have been cutting it close with the wheelwell openings.
Here's a few pics of the tires off the car and next to the 315/60 drag radials I run at the track...
315/60's w/ 2.0 Alumastar fronts...
Thanks...
The Radiator, Shroud and Spal Fans were purchased as a package from Griffin. It came complete with wiring harness and sending unit. It is a replacement item for a Regal.
My underhood light didn't work when I purchased the car. After the AC Delete and rewiring, it starting working. It's nice to have the light when you pop the hood in the staging lanes at night...
John
I cut the most of the wheel well lips off, probably all but 3/16", just enough to weld the brake line to. I bent the brake line to follow the shape of the wheel well opening and tacked it with a mig welder.
The wheel well openings on the rear have a recessed area around the perimeter, you can't see it until the wheel well moldings are removed. I filled this recessed area in so it matched the front wheel well openings, as I deleted the moldings on the car all together.
On the inside of the wheel well opening, I filled this area from the welded brake line to the inner quarter panel, with dura glass. Once it was finished, I sprayed the inner wheel tub with a splatter paint.
Here's a few pics of the new wheel well openings, finished and painted. Hope you can see the detail of how they're finished.
John
kingots2004
Member
car looks really great!
Here's something you rarely see on turbo buicks, a wastegate that dumps into the atmosphere!! I love it and once I get a new turbo definitly going to have to make one
V6UnderPressure
The Artist FKA Scott4DMny
What radiator/fan combo is that?
Griffin Radiator...It came as a kit with aluminum shroud, Spal Fans and wiring harness.
V6UnderPressure
The Artist FKA Scott4DMny
Hows the fit, everything looks like it fits perfectly! Do you have a part number?
Fit is good, I did have to make a few modifications. I had to widen the lower radiator tray, I ordered a thicker core. Griffin has three different cores for the Regal. I believe they make a direct bolt in that is the same thickness as the stock radiator, no modifications required. The other two are thicker and require a little modification.
Part # 6-585EA-BXX...This was the part number I was given, it's was rated for around 600hp. The one below(direct bolt in) was rated for 400hp, the one above mine(1/2" thicker) was rated for 800hp. I also deleted the trans. and oil coolers provisions on the radiator, as I have aftermarket coolers.
V6UnderPressure
The Artist FKA Scott4DMny
Nice. How about the aluminum fan shroud etc?
The aluminum shroud, fans and wiring kit came as a complete unit from Griffin. The part # I post above was the reference number given to me. I believe these radiators are listed under Griffin's Universal Radiator's on their website.
V6UnderPressure
The Artist FKA Scott4DMny
Ah ok. Sorry for the million questions, that shroud just looks nice. So I am assuming that if you went with the smaller radiator, everything would fit with no mods?
No problem with the questions. They do offer a direct replacement (stock size) and also has provisions for the oil and transmission cooling built in. It comes with the aluminum shroud, Spal fans and wiring harness. The wiring harness kit is nice it includes new relays.
ttypewhite
Well-Known Member
I don't know how I missed this thread, but WOW!!!! Your attention to detail is breath taking. What an awesome, awesome job. Great workmanship!!!
