BUILD THREAD 81 Buick/Olds Turbo Wagon 02/15/2024 More Parts!

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware!! update 3/22/1

Just a few pics for the thread. Here are the rear tires

Here are the 4 fronts, 2 at about 80%, 2 at about 50%

All of them

Here are the rear mounted.

here are the rear spring height adjusters sitting on the 275 lb/in AFCO springs, single pigtail, like the F-bodies for those interested.

I don't mind the used front rubber, as I will be sorting out the suspension and ride height after the car is together. Right now I have 900 lb/in springs for the front, but the Buick 6 is lighter than the iron headed 350 in the Malibu, so I may got to a softer spring, may 750 lb/in per inch.

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware!! update 4/23/1

Small amount of progress. With all the rain we have been getting, I wasn't able to do my paying side jobs, so I worked on the rear and rear disc brakes. I got the 12" LS1 rear calipers and brackets. I bought BN rotors. I also bought 3/16" stainless brake line and fittings for the rear. I modified the backing plates so they would slide over the axle bearing. bought grade 8 and 10.5 hardware to mount it all together. I am almost done. I have to make a few more shims, and weld the tabs on the rear for the flexible brake lines coming from the caliper to the rear, and still have to bend and flare the SS line. But I am close.

So, here we have some progress.

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware!! update 5/22/1

It's been a while. No real progress. I got the front 2 tires mounted and balanced. I also have the shims made for the rear axle retainers/backing plates. I have the rear all together. I have to weld the tabs on the axle tubes for the flexible lines, and bend the SS line yet. With all the side jobs to make up for being laid off, and family/kids, I am at a crawl when i really need to be at warp speed. Oh well 😢

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware!! update 8/3/11

Well, with side jobs, family, kids and housework, I finally got something done. 8-[ Ipulled the Buick out, put it on the lift, and pulled the 7.5" posi out of it. The tossed the 9 inch in there. I still have to make adappters for the e-brake cable, finish welding and fitting the s-10 rear sway bar on it, ala pro-touring bar, adapter u-joint, then yank it all back out and repaint it.

Some pics

You can see the stainless brake lines here. I'll upgrade the rubber lines to the calipers when I get the money.

The final ride height will be lower, but I have to get all the weight back into before setting the spring height adjusters

 

[khan0165]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware! update 8/3/11

very cool, I love the stainless lines. How much did those run you? And good job on the bends, looks pro

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware! update 8/3/11

Thanks, I bought the line and fittings from summit, about 45.00 total for the coil or line, and a bag of fittings. I used an inexpensive tubing bender to make the bends.

 

[drogg1]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware! update 8/3/11

Those adjusters are very interesting. I have a question. Are the front ones like the rear ones where they can be adjusted to add essentially no greater height as pictured above?

If so, it seems that those 9.5" front springs adjusted to zero may produce a severely low ride height even with a v6.

I believe, if I remember correctly, the stock ride height of a Gbody spring is nominally ~11". Thus, if those 9.5" springs were adjusted to zero height gain would already lower the car 1.5" before compressed. Any amount of compression would lower then even further and would only seem particularly reasonable with a very large (at least for a street car, i.e. 1,000-1,500 in/lb or greater spring rate) which would seem undesirable in most conditions.

Perhaps there is a spacer you are using above the adjust er or maybe I'm missing something?

This is all in interest of knowledge gain. I in no way am trying to criticize.

 

[liquidh8]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware! update 8/3/11

Well, the cups are higher from the factory, I cut them down to get the ride height down. I went with 275 lb-in springs in the rear, and 900 lb-in in the front. I use stock spindles and I wanted a lower ride height, about 2 inches. The front springs are the 9.5 inch if I remember right, i have to measure them. (I had them in my v8 malibu wagon) I have these almost all the way closed, IOW, I can add 2 inches of ride height. Now, since I have the LC-2, it is lighter in the front then an iron headed SBC, so i will be getting ride of these front AFCO coils for something along the lines of 700 lb-in.


I haven't visited my Buick in some time. But, I did start filling the license plate pocket of a spare gate, and started pulled the quarter glass out for some rust repair. I have to finish fitting the rear swaybar too. I'll be uploading some pics tonight or tomorrow to update my cardomain and the threads here and at MR

 

[80ELCAMINOFLAKE]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware! update 8/3/11

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: WOW!!! IM IN SHOCK...SUPER CLEAN PROGRESS...KEEP IT COMING...

 

[86 maroon gp 2+2]

Re: 81 Century/GN Wagon build-up 56K beware! update 8/3/11

words can not even explain how well of a job you've done so far! 8)