My stock 87 442 build

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Minion1186

G-Body Guru
Apr 12, 2009
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I'm glad someone else is keeping these cars stock looking. I have an 85 442 and I'm looking to have a stock/original appearing engine/bay while also adding what I can to improve what should be without anyone noticing.

Maybe I missed it in one of your posts, but what was done to the engine? stock rebuild?
 

ERIC87442

G-Body Guru
Jul 18, 2009
615
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16
Monroe, Wisconsin
Yeah its a stock build. Motors bored .060 over and a little head work. I was replacing the rear seal on the trans and cracked the tail....put thenew seal in put some gray rtv down and jb weldedthe chunk of the houseing back on and its working so far
 

dogsht

Royal Smart Person
Nov 11, 2008
2,003
9
36
Dayton, OH
I always keep them stockish appearing but could never be satisfied with the 307 in a 442. If I did keep the vin9 in the car I would have to port the hell out of the heads cam it up and get headers. Getting left at the lights by a fwd 4 cylinder economy car would be too much to take for me. Not that you will just saying. Hey IF and its worth trying you can locate some reasonably, keep the r-12. It is more efficient and will cool better even if its one hundred millionth of a percent less environmentally friendly.
 

ERIC87442

G-Body Guru
Jul 18, 2009
615
0
16
Monroe, Wisconsin
its been a while since i posted anything on my thread here. the vin9 307 is pretty darn disappointing power wise haha but at least its original-ish. i did locate some r-12 two people in town i know of have some, but i havent asked them a price yet but im pretty sure its not too cheap. i fixed my exhaust leak, it was the manifolds leaking off the heads, i removed the gaskets and orange hi temp rtv gasketed it and put them back on and the leak was gone. i just fixed my multifunction stick so now my cruise works fully but i still have a few things to do, my rear trans seal is still leaking slightly (amazingly not from where it broke and was jb welded together) i think i may just get it rebuilt this winter thought. the power antenna broke so thats a new project... i ordered oem replica floor mats that are on the way here. it needs an alignment badly, i want to get the original tire size on it and i thought about getting some lowering springs to lower it about an inch, but then that kind of takes away from the stock theme i am going for... i want to do the original exhaust set up but i like the way it sounds now. a/c is still on the list. and now i have a blend door issue for the bi level. the vacuum is getting to the system and the lines look ok so i think a door is just stuck all i have is vent and heat to the floor. i thought about repainting the gold on the inside of the rear rims since they are kind of wearing off, has anyone done that before or know of where i can find paint that would match? also i have been thinking long and hard about finding another lightning rod set up... any opinions on that?

i clean the thing every time i take it out and i keep noticing blemishes in my paint and its bothering me :lol: maybe i got to stop cleaning it so much. well heres a few pictures as it sits, it looks great i think and it drives great but its going to go back into torn apart in my garage this winter though i think.
 

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DoubleV

Royal Smart Person
Feb 25, 2011
2,156
406
83
Medina Ohio
ERIC87442 said:
i want to get the original tire size on it and i thought about getting some lowering springs to lower it about an inch, but then that kind of takes away from the stock theme i am going for...

Don't have to be that much of a stickler as far as originality goes. These cars simply look WAY better lowered and a simple spring swap will easily accomplish while still being a tastefull mod without drawing attention from the 'originality police'.

235/60/15's are a tad wider than the stock 215/65/15's but still retain the same tire height for accurate speedo reading and are also a good, tastefull 'no one will know it's not original' mod.

i want to do the original exhaust set up but i like the way it sounds now.

What are you running for exhaust right now?

The crossover pipe style exhaust system on these cars are horrid for performance. If I were you, I would do what I did to remedy this; cap off the passenger side exhaust manifold crossover inlet. Custom bend pipes coming off the manifolds, route them under the single hump crossmember on the passenger side and dump them into a cat back dual exhaust system. Doing this will uncork plenty of power and appear 'stock'. If you want to keep your cat, then dump the pipes into a dual inlet ( or a large single inlet ) cat with single outlet.
 

ERIC87442

G-Body Guru
Jul 18, 2009
615
0
16
Monroe, Wisconsin
my tire size now is 235 60 15
i probably will lower it when i get some money saved up. i like the looks of lowered (just a bit) g bodys too. i was worried the 235 60 15s would rub when lowered, that was one of the reasons i thought of going to the original size tires too.
my exhaust has the crossover pipe blocked off on the passenger side and routed stainless duals down the passenger side with dual cats and then it runs out the stock spots. i have glass packs on it at the moment.
 

dogsht

Royal Smart Person
Nov 11, 2008
2,003
9
36
Dayton, OH
Years ago I lowered my GN with Eibach lowering springs ie 1.5" and use the 235/60/15s with no rub except when crossing a crowned road faster than I should. Although the Eibachs are very stiff (767lb) almost harsh and if you have cheap or factory shocks she will soon become a little springy bouncy. :( To do over I might look at in-expensive Moogs that are not quite as stiff such as the 5658 (579lb), 5660 (639lb), or even 5662 (706lb,)all of which are only like only a quarter to half in lower than the factory original and possibly slicing the isolator in half for the difference. For practical somewhat aggressive driving I prefer an inch drop over more as you don't scrape or bottom out on bad surfaces. If you do it get good shocks such as Eibach ISAs or Bilisteins and make sure you do new poly end links. Between them a pretty dramatic improvement in ride & handling.

You know an advance curve kit with a Crane adjustable vacuum advance will bring a few horsies out and make it much more crisp & responsive. Rode in a before and after in a fellas regular 307 Cutty and was amazed by the difference. It seemed like a difference engine. It may also go a long way in helping keep you satisfied with your factory original vin9 307.
 

ERIC87442

G-Body Guru
Jul 18, 2009
615
0
16
Monroe, Wisconsin
an update on my car:
the insides of my cats broke loose and were rattling around and plugged up one side and it died, luckily for me it was right next to my work so i pushed it into my work and pushed it on the lift and in the morning on my day off i pulled the cats off and hollowed them out. its the WORST sound i have ever heard now.... i hate it. so i ordered new cats, one is here the other is on its way still.
i replaced all the o-rings in my ac system and replaced the orifice tube, accumulator, and compressor. oiled it up for r12 and took it to a local garage and they filled me up with some r12 for just under $200, well worth it, it works amazing. (blend door needs to be fixed now)
my power antenna mast is in the mail as well.
my new cats have to be modified a bit i ordered two catco stock cats for the 442, the whole deal has to be taken from 21 inches to about 16 inches, the front flange is stock, but the pipe needs to be shortened, the rear bubble flange thing needs to be shortened and a different flange piece has to be put on. i suck at welding and have no access to a welder so the same shop that did my ac is going to modify my cats for me.
also i got my factory floor mats finally. ordered the acc floor mats off of rock auto for about $80 shipped they fit perfect but they are just a bit darker then what the interior is but ill live with that, i got them in "dove gray" since i thought it was what my interior is. guess their dove is darker than my dove.
i recently got it aligned, it wasnt too far off, the front right was a little off, i could see a bit of negative camber in it now i cant. my tires were used, the front right had so much positive camber wear it was pulling really hard so i dug through my garage and put on another used tire with no camber wear.
im going to hold off on lowering it for now and im going to keep the tire size i have on it since its only a bit wider than stock.
 
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