1987 Olds Pro-touring project build - Now with paint

[FE3X CLONE]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

You do your own powder coating?

Yeah. I just have the Eastwood Hot Coat powder coating gun and my old kitchen oven in the barn. Intakes and valve covers are about as big as I can do. Anything bigger and I have a guy in town throw them in his commercial powder coating oven.

 

[redboy504]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Thats cool. I thought about picking up a powder coating set up from Harbor Freight just to try it out for myself. I feel like I should try to do everything myself before I pay somebody to do it beacuse usually I can get it done. I may need some help with the adapter plates though.

 

[melman109]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

I claim that this build is the most fantastic one on this site, the looks better than new thus far

x2 I love pro-touring cars and this is by far my favorite pro-touring g-body! Keep up the good work

 

[Nasty gn]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Amazing build! How did you have the frame positioned when you welded in the bar in-between the rear horns? I have my frame stripped down and about to get painted and I want to box the center and weld in the cross bar you added but don't know how to have the frame to weld on it. The motor/trans is in with the front suspension, the rear is stripped with the horns resting on jack stands.

Not sure I posted much on the watts link.

I did build it myself. Well, at least to a point. I actually bought a weld together kit from SC&C. They sell a bolt-in kit but with my frame notch, that wouldn't have worked.

Here's a picture of all the pieces after I pulled them out of the box:

After I had it mocked up in place:

And a couple after I painted the chassis and had the watts link, rearend, etc. all powder coated:

 

[Nasty gn]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Any info?

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

I had the frame sitting just like you see it in those pictures with the rear suspension in place. But having it on jackstands shouldn't hurt. I would just make sure it's level before cutting and welding.

It also wouldn't be a bad idea to either tack weld a brace to the rear frame horns or make a brace that bolts the bumper shock mounts just to keep the frame from moving any when you do cut it.

 

[Burnhard]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

FX do you have any pics with the rear anti rollbar mounted? Have you fixed the idler arm contact with the 36mm hollow sway bar? I'm buying a 36mm bar just want to know if the factory idler arm gave you the clearance to make it work with out contact

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

FX do you have any pics with the rear anti rollbar mounted? Have you fixed the idler arm contact with the 36mm hollow sway bar? I'm buying a 36mm bar just want to know if the factory idler arm gave you the clearance to make it work with out contact

I don't think I have any pics of the rear bar. Kind of hard now that I have most of it back together. I'll need to get it on a lift for decent pictures.

The front bar was fine once I tightened everything up and adjusted the bar slightly forward.

 

[Burnhard]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Thanks for the reply Andrew. How close to paint are you? Are you happy with the ride height of the moog springs that you used in the front and back or did you have to cut them? Would you still use the same springs today or would you go with a other spring rate?

 

[FE3X CLONE]

Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Thanks for the reply Andrew. How close to paint are you? Are you happy with the ride height of the moog springs that you used in the front and back or did you have to cut them? Would you still use the same springs today or would you go with a other spring rate?

I don't have the moog springs in the car any longer. Well, I do have them in the back still and they are fine but on the front I swapped to the QA1 coil overs with 550lb/in springs. Wanted to have the adjustability of the coil overs in this case otherwise I would have kept the moogs.

No where near paint at the moment. Just have too many things to finish up before I get to that point and I've been working so many hours along with taking care of a new puppy which means I get very little time to work on anything. 😢