Learn me: G-bodies

Hey everyone. I just picked up an awesome 1984 Cutlass Supreme Brougham as my first car, and I am wondering if you guys have any tips, ideas, or junkyard OEM+ mods that I can use? Thanks!

Junkyard stuff: front springs from z28/iroc/trans am 3rd gens (82-92) or 4.3L S10, usually in the 700 lbs/in range. Not sure of any good rear spring choices to choose from.

There are actually quite a few parts for them. Look at circle track supplies for intermediate chassis parts. Plenty of good suspension stuff for fairly cheap prices.

In reply to 81cpcamaro: Thanks! I didn't know about front springs. I'll have to pick some up when the snow goes away.

http://www.maliburacing.com/coilspring.htm

Spring info. Good for front or rear springs.

Get some shorter upper front arms on that bitch. Get soem tall ball joints from Howe.

Get some bilstein shocks all the way around (CHEAP for G bodies). http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Bilstein-F4BE3E249MO-73-88-AG-Body-Front-Street-Shock-Comp-219-Reb-358,142.html

Get a HUGE rear swaybar. I think ADDCO makes a good one.

Don't worry abot upgrading the rear drums. They work fine. If you need more stopping power, get some better brake pads in teh front and contact porterfield for some better shoes in the rear.

If you do those things and put a good alignment on it, it will handle SWEET!

Also, get a quick steering box from a GTA firebird or an IROC Camaro or a SS malibu.

Hope that helps.

Rob R.

P.S. buy the springs brand new. They are like $80.00 for a pair. Not worth buying used in this case.

In reply to wvumtnbkr:

Thanks man! I didn't know that there were good, cheap handling mods for g-bodies.

What sort of upgrade budget are you on, and what engine does it have?

In reply to MadScientistMatt:

My budget is around 500 bucks for now. It's got a 305 Chevy in it.

In reply to wvumtnbkr:

Also, used springs would save me a lot of dough - new ones up here are just over 100 bucks each!

In reply to 81cpcamaro:

Circle track, you say? Be right back, grabbing my summit racing catalog

In reply to wvumtnbkr:

What about kyb gas-a-justs? Are those any better than stock?

G_Body_Man wrote: In reply to 81cpcamaro: Circle track, you say? Be right back, grabbing my summit racing catalog

Find a local circle track and find out when they have their swap-meet. Almost every track has one, or there is one large one for all the tracks in the area. Wheels777 hits his HARD and gets near new parts for pennies on the dollar.

In reply to Junkyard_Dog:

Well, next September I'm taking a trip to St. Thomas.

Here are some suppliers that mainly deal in circle track parts. I bought parts for my Camaro from these. They even have Bilsteins (and others) that will fit your car. Better choice than KYB IMHO.
www.lefthanderchassis.com/
www.colemanracing.com/
www.speedwaymotors.com/
www.smileysracing.com/

get a Monte SS as a suspension parts donor car- take the steering box, springs, sway bars, and frame braces off it and put them on your car... if it still has the rear end with the 3.73 gears in it, put that under your car, too.

get a set of poly body bushings for it.. these are not only stiffer than the stock rubber parts, but all the extra bushings that GM left out for a cushy ride will also be included in the kit..

put some good shocks and decent tires on it and this will give you a car that drives like a more modern car and will act as your baseline to make future upgrades from.

In reply to novaderrik:

Thanks! I'm running bfgoodrich tires right now. How hard is it to install the body bushing set? Also, would an FE3 steering box and QA1 sway bars work well? I don't want to sacrifice too much of the good ride that my car has, so I feel like this would be a good compromise.

G_Body_Man wrote: In reply to MadScientistMatt: My budget is around 500 bucks for now. It's got a 305 Chevy in it.

You can probably find a four barrel intake and Quadrajet for cheap, if you don't already have one. I sold an iron intake and Q-jet for $40 last year. A cam swap can also give the motor a bit more kick, along with some exhaust improvements. The 305 doesn't have as much potential as other small block Chevies due to its bore size, but hop up parts are still pretty cheap.

In reply to MadScientistMatt:

I've already got a Q-jet and an OEM 4-barrel intake on it. Thanks for the suggestion!

In reply to G_Body_Man:

The stock Monte SS stuff still gives a nice ride. I still have mine, it was my first car and held up to all the stupidity the comes with being a new driver. Good luck with it they are fun cars.

In reply to Wally:

Thanks! I now know what to be on the lookout for.

It was a nice balance of ride and handling, though it sits a bit higher than I liked. It would also carry more high school kids then is probably wise without bottoming out on speed bumps and driveways.

also, keep an eye out for an 8.5 rear end out of a 442 or turbocharged Regal... it's a long shot, but you might just find one under a car in the junkyard where they don't know that they are worth more than the 7.5 that was put under every other G body, and they will have either 3.42 (Regal) or 3.73 (442) gears and will probably even be a posi..

Your car will probably have a 2.56 final drive. A 3.42 (very common) from an S10 would make a big difference. There are 305 specific big valve heads (1.84? intake) that were available on the 4 barrel cop cars that make a difference. With headers, decent heads, small cam decent carb and gears, it will work pretty good. You have a half dozen circle tracks in your area running G bodies, so parts will be available.

The floor is stamped so you can hang a clutch pedal and shift your own gears.

I had an '87 Cutlass that originally had a 200r4 trans. We fit a Saginaw 3-spd under it with donor parts from a '78. Floor shifter and a bench seat,hell yeah!

wvumtnbkr wrote: Get a HUGE rear swaybar. I think ADDCO makes a good one.

Rear?