So I was looking around the shop...

So I was looking around my shop today and I noticed aside from a few bits I could build a challenge G Body with my spares minus a few parts.

Basically would start with the '79 body and yank the Olds smog 350 and th350 trans. Rebuild the Chevy 350 (already bored .030" over), and top it off with either the Corvette TPI I picked up here with a reprogrammed chip I have or get a carb to go on the Edlebrock RPM manifold I have hanging out there. I would have to get an exhaust for it though finding headers for a 350 is not exactly hard. Then get the lower arms to let me use the GTO 12 bolt rear axle. I have a set of racing springs from a guy that raced here local but would need shocks at least but would like some other stuff if budget allowed. Move the aluminum hood over from the parts car. I could even paint it with leftover Blitz Black.

All in all of all the parts I have including the car I maybe only have $500 in on it. That gives me a good chunk of change for the parts I need plus some money to toss at brakes and suspension.

Maybe once the street car is done I will pull this car into my second bay and start in on it.

I approve.

I just need to figure how to make it handle the autocross course. Most of the info for these cars is straight line or turning one way.

not as bad as looking into the corner and seeing a 454, then lookin over at the 318. the extra weight might help lower it some

I was trying to figure out if there was a way to do the 350D gas conversion on a challenge budget. Maybe go turbo on it. Just way to much machine work would be involved even if I could find the crank I would need.

aluminum hood?

Sounds like a contender for the 'under $1000' trophy.

I just want to know how you got all that stuff for under $500. I must hang out with the wrong crowd of generous idiots.

Arent G bodies used a lot on circle tracks? Couldnt you use alot of the roundy car bits, just not offset the suspension, i.e. - do the same thing to both sides, rather than modify it for only turning one way? I hart me some late 70s Cutlass Gbody. Would LOVE to see a challenge Cutlass...

Duke wrote: I just want to know how you got all that stuff for under $500. I must hang out with the wrong crowd of generous idiots.

Yeah, me too- my El Camino (that is almost certainly going to have to be a $2014 Challenger) is running pretty close to the Challenge limit including pretty much the maximum in sell-offs...

G-bodies can be made to handle quite well, plenty have done it over at pro-touring.com. Circle track parts work and are fairly cheap.

http://scandc.com/new/ <- knows quite a bit about making the G-body handle. Just depends on how much you want to spend. I used their Stage II kit on my 67 Elky with a 3-link and panhard in the rear, man it made a huge difference in the handling.

In reply to Duke:

Hell got my Cutlass for $150. The guy was moving said if I wanted it to haul it off. When I got there he asked if I wanted any other stuff and took me in his shop and I went . There was a G body stock car in full race trim in there. It was a Monte if I remember correctly. Anyway I scored the 355, Saginaw 4 spd, RPM intake, 2 wheels with tires and racing springs for $150 ( all the cash I had on me at the time). Basically guy was moving and didn't want to take his old racing stuff with him. Had just met him at the bar got talking about cars and racing and he made the offer. So with that and $50 to rent a trailer that is $350.

The GTO rear I got off craigslist here local for $100 he even delivered to my house. The TPI I got from one of the guys here for $150 I think it was. Still needs a harness though. More than likely I would run a carb for keeping under budget. The aluminum hood was off a freebie parts car with dead poncho 301. It also has the wheels I would more than likely use. So $450 for the stuff I would use plus whatever I end up getting. Just a matter of being at the right place and talking to the right drunk.

But then I only paid $300 I think it was cohort my "good" Cutlass that is getting the diesel swapped for the 403.

Yea, its all about being in the right place at the right time. I picked up a cargo van load of SAAB c900 parts for free, from a guy on one of the SAAB forums classified section.

I came to his place for a free hood, and he said said he was getting out of 900s, and I could have whatever else I wanted. I would have taken everything in the garage if I had place to put it.

I now I just need to find the time to assemble this stupid challenge car, I've only been working on it since '08

Isn't the Buick GN on the G body? Ask member Ascott how he made his grand national handle well enough to win more than 1 autox events....

In reply to yamaha:

Yes, it is. 78-88 Malibus, Monte Carlos, Cutlass, Regals, and Grand Prix's are G-bodies.

In reply to Ranger50:

He might need to check with what Ascott did to his, he beat some reasonably modded cars around the autox pad......

In reply to yamaha:

I sure hope some solid body mounts are part of the package...

In reply to Ranger50:

Well right out of the box the GN has more chassis stiffening from the factory then my lowly lil Cutlass. However I have collected most of the factory bracing for my street car and it will all be easy enough to duplicate for a challenge car. There are also body bushings that only the GN cars got and a big brace behind the back seat.

Speaking of g-bodies...

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/3909789898.html

This is tempting to me for some reason. I could prob even get it cheaper that what he's asking. I need another car to work on like I need another hole in my head, though. I dont have time for the ones I have.

rebelgtp wrote: In reply to Duke: Hell got my Cutlass for $150. The guy was moving said if I wanted it to haul it off.

Around here, a wadded-up rustbucket with mismatched wheels and virtually NO USABLE PARTS will have "$500 firm" on it.

Ranger50 wrote: In reply to yamaha: Yes, it is. 78-88 Malibus, Monte Carlos, Cutlass, Regals, and Grand Prix's are G-bodies.

And the El Camino too- though it's probably the least ideal platform for racing of the lot...

In reply to mrwillie:

You should get it. I havn't seen a GP in YEARS. Would love to see one setup by a GRMer. Drop the 5.0 and find something more suitable to put under the hood.

Duke Oh there are plenty of people like that here. I was looking at a Duster that was rather rough but I could have fixed it and they wanted $3k for it . For some reason around these parts I seem to be able to find early G body Cutlasses for cheap. I have 3 of them now and have not paid more than $300 for a single one of them.

In reply to rebelgtp:

We just got the last of my triplets home from the hospital. I gotta buy a minivan first, and even then wife would kill me for doing it.

In reply to mrwillie:

Congrats on getting the little ones home. Bummer about needing a mini van. Hey I know you can always do like the guy in Off Topic that won the Sprite on Ebay and blamed it on the baby. Just tell your wife the kids made the deal

Ashyukun wrote:

Ranger50 wrote: In reply to yamaha: Yes, it is. 78-88 Malibus, Monte Carlos, Cutlass, Regals, and Grand Prix's are G-bodies.

And the El Camino too- though it's probably the least ideal platform for racing of the lot...

I knew I was forgetting one....

i have a soft spot for the G bodies that i just cant explain. now that theyre all 25+ years old, how have they aged as far as making one a DD? is it a total rebuild proposition?

i'd love to see that thing at the challenge this year if you can make it happen.