79 Cutlass Wagon G-machine build
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Well I've been outta the loop for a long time. Seems since I left GA 4.5 years ago and started working at Speedtech Performance things have been super busy. In a nut shell between then and now I now have 3 teenagers, a 9 year old and a 3 yr old, so family keeps me plenty occupied. Health wise I've had some real issues with Rheumatoid arthritis and lots of add on problems that go with it that have slowed me down. Last year I had 3 joints in my right hand replaced and my pinky finger fused because my fingers were becoming pretty distorted and useless.
For cars I converted the Pumkinator to all Speedtech suspension with coilovers all around, installed a GN 8.5 3.42 posi, did some SCCA autocrossing, attended a Hotchkis sponsored event in CA, got featured in an online magazine (Click Here), hit a best of 13.60 in the 1/4 (at sea level) which isn't bad for as mild as that engine was, grenaded that engine at the same drag race I hit that time, and bought another (yikes!) project, a '78 Monza station wagon that's planned to get a 5.3/4L60E. Not a G body but at least it's a wagon. 😉 I'm also trying to buy an '82 Malibu wagon which may push the resale of the Monza.
Moving Forward: As some of you know, my son's Coppertop got nailed by a driver with their brain turned off so we're rebuilding that car alongside mine. The two cars should be close enough in performance, so we have a fun little bench racing rivalry going on- LS vs. SBC, Manual trans vs. Automatic, 275 tires vs. 315s, Street cruiser interior vs. more race car like, Teenager vs. Old guy, etc. etc.
Lots of plans have developed for Pumkinator, which started with feeling like a visual update was in order along with the new more nasty engine. Here's a rendering I did after a lot of thought of what direction to take it. I know some folks will think it's over the top, but that's the direction of the rest of the car so I figured it should look the part. I'm going for a mix of Pro Touring and drifter vibe, and although I would like to try an amateur drift event once or twice I will stay more autocross focused. In the end it'll blur the lines a bit between street and race car but that's nothing new to me. The Monza or the Malibu will at some point become my daily driver and I'll likely just drive Pumkinator to work a couple times a week and to events.
More updates coming soon...
For cars I converted the Pumkinator to all Speedtech suspension with coilovers all around, installed a GN 8.5 3.42 posi, did some SCCA autocrossing, attended a Hotchkis sponsored event in CA, got featured in an online magazine (Click Here), hit a best of 13.60 in the 1/4 (at sea level) which isn't bad for as mild as that engine was, grenaded that engine at the same drag race I hit that time, and bought another (yikes!) project, a '78 Monza station wagon that's planned to get a 5.3/4L60E. Not a G body but at least it's a wagon. 😉 I'm also trying to buy an '82 Malibu wagon which may push the resale of the Monza.
Moving Forward: As some of you know, my son's Coppertop got nailed by a driver with their brain turned off so we're rebuilding that car alongside mine. The two cars should be close enough in performance, so we have a fun little bench racing rivalry going on- LS vs. SBC, Manual trans vs. Automatic, 275 tires vs. 315s, Street cruiser interior vs. more race car like, Teenager vs. Old guy, etc. etc.
Lots of plans have developed for Pumkinator, which started with feeling like a visual update was in order along with the new more nasty engine. Here's a rendering I did after a lot of thought of what direction to take it. I know some folks will think it's over the top, but that's the direction of the rest of the car so I figured it should look the part. I'm going for a mix of Pro Touring and drifter vibe, and although I would like to try an amateur drift event once or twice I will stay more autocross focused. In the end it'll blur the lines a bit between street and race car but that's nothing new to me. The Monza or the Malibu will at some point become my daily driver and I'll likely just drive Pumkinator to work a couple times a week and to events.
More updates coming soon...
love the way the look has evolved into what the rendering is now, and always enjoy the updates! looking forward to the new build. may just have to throw that monza on the non-g build thread, I used to have a 76 coupe a loong time ago, and actually liked the poor thing!
liquidh8
Comic Book Super Hero
Glad to see an update! I saw you son's car of FB, man I would be beyond pissed.
Sorry to hear some health issues had slowed you down, but at least they just slowed you down!
I dig the rendering too, looks killer.
Sorry to hear some health issues had slowed you down, but at least they just slowed you down!
I dig the rendering too, looks killer.
I finally had a few minutes over the weekend to try the new 315-30-18 sneakers on Pumkinator, man I'm stoked to have that much rubber on the ground. Pictured ride stance is a little high, I've been shooting to lighten it up 250 lbs and once I get the new frame in the car the tires should barely tuck at the fender lips. Traction for days! Yeah!
liquidh8
Comic Book Super Hero
Thanks! Surprisingly they fit pretty well. Using a 1" bolt-on spacer the offset and tire diameter is the same as the 275-40-17s I had on 9.5" wheels with 5.5 BS. Technically they're the same then, only 1" more on the outside. They scrub the lower arms on the firewall side, barely enough to polish the powder coat off, but that's only at full lock. I've watched race videos and with 12:1 steering box I rarely turned more than one steering wheel turn on the autocross which isn't quite full lock. I want to drop it about 1" lower than where it is in the pics, so some trimming on the front flares will be in order. The inner wheel wells are long gone so I can trim the lip down without affecting anything else. Out back looks like it'll clear just fine. The car has a minitub and frame notch so that helps it work.
I work at Speedtech so I'm going to try to get the production guys to make me a custom set of high clearance lowers so I can get more steering angle without contact.
I work at Speedtech so I'm going to try to get the production guys to make me a custom set of high clearance lowers so I can get more steering angle without contact.
I have no doubt that you will get it sorted out - and I look forward to the results. It is important to spell out all the work needed for the casual observer thinking this is a bolt-on.
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