1988 Monte Carlo LS Street Car Build Thread

[Firetruck1]

I got my frame drilled out for the larger 1/2 inch bushings and my lower arms hung in the frame today. I also mounted my new center link and the inner/outer tie rod with WA1 adjusters in place.

At this point, I am awaiting my parts from powder coating. This included front/rear springs and sway bars, the rear lower arms, front spindles and front and rear frame braces. Once all that is back, I will have a rolling chassis in a matter of hours.

Tomorrow, I will be removing my intake manifold, valve covers and accessory brackets to take to power coating.

 

[Firetruck1]

I have drilled out all the frame arm holes for 1/2 inch fasteners. My factory pieces are in very good condition but i wanted to do this for strength. I also started playing around with wheel studs front and rear. I will go from stock length front and 2 inch rear to 2.5 inch front, and 3 inch rear. Lastly, I slid new Energy Suspension motor mounts into my mounts this evening.

 

[Streetbu]

View attachment 133587

That right rear frame rail is SEVERELY twisted. Most likely from cutting and welding the notch kit and not being braced while it was done. You're going to have fun getting the body back on and the bushings & bolts back in and tightened down.

 

[TURNA]

View attachment 133587

 

[Firetruck1]

That right rear frame rail is SEVERELY twisted. Most likely from cutting and welding the notch kit and not being braced while it was done. You're going to have fun getting the body back on and the bushings & bolts back in and tightened down.

I think that may be an optical illusion. When I put a level on the mount, it is within 2 degree of one another.

 

[PBGBodyFan]

That right rear frame rail is SEVERELY twisted. Most likely from cutting and welding the notch kit and not being braced while it was done. You're going to have fun getting the body back on and the bushings & bolts back in and tightened down.

The stock frame has so much flex I wouldn’t be surprised if the body/bumpers bolts up to it just fine.

 

[DSPbuilt]

nice build! Are you in south fla as well? would nice to find someone to cruise with.... if I ever get my car running again...

 

[Firetruck1]

nice build! Are you in south fla as well? would nice to find someone to cruise with.... if I ever get my car running again...

From South Florida, now live in North Florida.

 

[Firetruck1]

I spent a couple hours working on the chassis today while I am still waiting on the parts back from powder coating. That shop got a little backed up as a local Fire Truck and Apparatus manufacturer E-One takes priority in the shop. I did manage to get the brake lines transferred to the new chassis as well as the gas tank vent line. I even snuck these two lines inside the boxed area and used all the factory clamp locations (though I did add one) just like the factory routing. With this, I also started mounting the fuel system filter and lines to the new chassis. Of course, I forgot the clamps at the shop so I will need to grab those when I drill my bushing sleeves for the larger 1/2 inch hardware I converted to. I also swapped the rear wheel studs from 2 inch to 3 inch and pressed new longer studs into the front hubs. Literally there are zero bolted on parts left on the old chassis.

 

[DSPbuilt]

From South Florida, now live in North Florida.

Nice! We have been trying to make the move upstate. I really want to move to Ocala. I'm just waiting for the Company to open up a position so I can transfer. We're so tired of SFL.