Well, after 4 years of not being able to play with the Buick I can finally start messing with it again.
Before I left SoCal I was able to get the tbs.com alternator that had been sitting around for a couple of years in. Lou Carzonota installed a new tbs.com mini-starter, engine bay braces, and the RJC aluminum pulleys that had been gathering dust. He also fixed a no start issue that popped up starting with a shorted out ignition module and a bent pin in the crank sensor (thanks to Dad).
Saturday I ordered Steve Monroe's TB and Plenum. Last night I ordered a set of Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Tires P275/50R15 off of ebay. After reading through allot of searches here and looking at countless pics, I still like the way 50s sit rather than the 60s.
Monday...I'll hopefully order the rest of this stuff, but since I've been gone for so long and I am really tired of searching between the different forums for what's hot and new so I decided to post to see what other folks opinions are.
Suspension:
8 years & 3.5K miles ago I had Midas do an alignment, replace the shocks, rear coil springs, rotors, brake pads, drums, and shoes. So that's all got to go, and after searching and scouring the forums I think I've settled on this:
Brakes:
Like I said before, the brakes are from Midas. I've replaced the accumulator ball (how the hell did I end up with so many of these things NIB I'll never know) and the switch. No issues with the Powermaster (I know allot of you hate it but I have two more in the box to use before I go vacuum).
I bought Cotton's Upgraded Rear Brake Kit, IIRC it's just the S10 upgrade.
Keep in mind, I want a stock "appearing" GN from the outside, so I'm keeping my stock GN wheels up front and I have a set of gbodyparts 15X10 GN wheels for the Mickey Thompsons. So, allot of the higher end brakes are out of the question for me because they won't work with the stock GN wheels (unless that's changed too).
Anyways, for the front I've decided to go with SSBC because I can't seem to find anything else other than stock that will fit.
Cooling:
I have a Ramcharger's dual fan sitting in the box that I've spliced the Racetronix harness into already. But, after reading about all the failures I decided to not use it and spend some money on piece of mind.
I flushed the radiator when I serviced it. But, it still runs hot. In fact, I had it out a couple of days ago (I live in AL now and it's hot and humid here) and the ATS was flashing hot! with the coolant temperature on the Scanmaster at 198, and the gauge saying 210. The radiator has never been changed or recored...so it's time for that to go and hopefully that alleviates that problem.
Transmission:
I should have bought a converter a long time ago...I still kick myself in the ass for not doing this when I had everything else done. From what I've read, I think I'll go with a 3,000 stall based off what I have already.
Motor:
Tires:
Do a search of tires on any of the Buick forums and you'll get drowned in Nitto, Hoosier, BFG, & MT drag radial debates...but rarely do people mention what they're using up front. I have BFG Radial TAs all around, and they've been on the car since '00. After reading the thread about tires more than 6 years old...I'm kinda freaking out now.
Anyways, I want to go with 235/60/15 up front (I like the way it looks) and it's a royal PITA to find tires in that size. I'm thinking either the Pirelli's or Coker Pro-Tracs.
Electrical:
Stainless Lines:
I want to go stainless with as much as I can, I'll call Classic Tube tomorrow and see if they can unscramble their catalog for me.
The only thing really left, is to find someone in South Eastern AL to put all this stuff on (I'll service a car, but I hate turning wrenches unless I'm with someone that knows what they're doing). Anyone here been to Turbo Buick Mods in Pelham, AL? South East Turbo seems like another option too. There used to be a guy locally here that worked on Turbo Regals...but he seems to have vacated the premises.
Opinions?
Ideas?
Any little nit noid pieces, parts, &/or hardware I should make sure to get that often gets overlooked when buying this stuff?
I need to go find someplace photogenic and post some pics and start logging stuff off the scan master, but from what I saw everything seemed copasetic (aside from the cooling issue).
Before I left SoCal I was able to get the tbs.com alternator that had been sitting around for a couple of years in. Lou Carzonota installed a new tbs.com mini-starter, engine bay braces, and the RJC aluminum pulleys that had been gathering dust. He also fixed a no start issue that popped up starting with a shorted out ignition module and a bent pin in the crank sensor (thanks to Dad).
Saturday I ordered Steve Monroe's TB and Plenum. Last night I ordered a set of Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Tires P275/50R15 off of ebay. After reading through allot of searches here and looking at countless pics, I still like the way 50s sit rather than the 60s.
Monday...I'll hopefully order the rest of this stuff, but since I've been gone for so long and I am really tired of searching between the different forums for what's hot and new so I decided to post to see what other folks opinions are.
Suspension:
8 years & 3.5K miles ago I had Midas do an alignment, replace the shocks, rear coil springs, rotors, brake pads, drums, and shoes. So that's all got to go, and after searching and scouring the forums I think I've settled on this:
- Blistein Gas Shocks (shox.com)
- Eibach Pro-Kit Rate Springs (shox.com)
- Energy Suspension Bushings (shox.com)
- Polygraphite® Performance Super Kit (p-s-t.com)
- Tubular Upper Control Arms (gbodyparts.com)
- Tubular Lower Control Arms (gbodyparts.com)
- Spohn Front Upper A-Arm Mounting Hardware Kit (gbodyparts.com)
- Spohn Lower A-Arm Mounting Hardware Kit (gbodyparts.com)
- Dual Air bag kit (Full Throttle)
Brakes:
Like I said before, the brakes are from Midas. I've replaced the accumulator ball (how the hell did I end up with so many of these things NIB I'll never know) and the switch. No issues with the Powermaster (I know allot of you hate it but I have two more in the box to use before I go vacuum).
I bought Cotton's Upgraded Rear Brake Kit, IIRC it's just the S10 upgrade.
Keep in mind, I want a stock "appearing" GN from the outside, so I'm keeping my stock GN wheels up front and I have a set of gbodyparts 15X10 GN wheels for the Mickey Thompsons. So, allot of the higher end brakes are out of the question for me because they won't work with the stock GN wheels (unless that's changed too).
Anyways, for the front I've decided to go with SSBC because I can't seem to find anything else other than stock that will fit.
- SSBC Quick Change Aluminum Caliper Upgrade Kit (SSBC)
- SSBC OE Replacement Rotors (SSBC)
Cooling:
I have a Ramcharger's dual fan sitting in the box that I've spliced the Racetronix harness into already. But, after reading about all the failures I decided to not use it and spend some money on piece of mind.
I flushed the radiator when I serviced it. But, it still runs hot. In fact, I had it out a couple of days ago (I live in AL now and it's hot and humid here) and the ATS was flashing hot! with the coolant temperature on the Scanmaster at 198, and the gauge saying 210. The radiator has never been changed or recored...so it's time for that to go and hopefully that alleviates that problem.
- Dual 11-inch (2780 cfm) SPAL Pull Fans w/ Shroud (Streetrodstuff.com)
- Aluminum High Flow 3 Row Radiator (*******************)
- High Flow Water Pump (Full Throttle)
- Fan Harness GN to SPAL Fan Casper’s
Transmission:
I should have bought a converter a long time ago...I still kick myself in the ass for not doing this when I had everything else done. From what I've read, I think I'll go with a 3,000 stall based off what I have already.
- Pat’s Performance 10” Lock-Up Stall Converter (Full Throttle)
- Hardened Stator (cottonsperformance.com)
Motor:
- HR Parts Motor Mounts (HRpartsnstuff)
- 60 lbs/hr High Impedance Fuel Injectors & Chip (Turbo Tweak)
Tires:
Do a search of tires on any of the Buick forums and you'll get drowned in Nitto, Hoosier, BFG, & MT drag radial debates...but rarely do people mention what they're using up front. I have BFG Radial TAs all around, and they've been on the car since '00. After reading the thread about tires more than 6 years old...I'm kinda freaking out now.
Anyways, I want to go with 235/60/15 up front (I like the way it looks) and it's a royal PITA to find tires in that size. I'm thinking either the Pirelli's or Coker Pro-Tracs.
- Pirelli 235/60R15 P600 Tires (onlinetires.com)
Electrical:
- Battery Positive Extender Heavy Duty 102043 (Casper’s)
- Positive Battery Cable (Casper’s)
- Negative Battery Cable (Casper’s)
- Headlight Brightener Harness (Casper’s)
Stainless Lines:
I want to go stainless with as much as I can, I'll call Classic Tube tomorrow and see if they can unscramble their catalog for me.
The only thing really left, is to find someone in South Eastern AL to put all this stuff on (I'll service a car, but I hate turning wrenches unless I'm with someone that knows what they're doing). Anyone here been to Turbo Buick Mods in Pelham, AL? South East Turbo seems like another option too. There used to be a guy locally here that worked on Turbo Regals...but he seems to have vacated the premises.
Opinions?
Ideas?
Any little nit noid pieces, parts, &/or hardware I should make sure to get that often gets overlooked when buying this stuff?
I need to go find someplace photogenic and post some pics and start logging stuff off the scan master, but from what I saw everything seemed copasetic (aside from the cooling issue).
