Another Newb with questions

[s55mercury66]

Hello all, I've been gathering a lot of info from here for the past couple of months for my '85 GP, and thought it was about time to join up. My car is basically stock, with a 305 and metric 3-speed and 2.29 rear. I will admit to installing the front sway bar and steering box from a WS6 T/A, and the rear bar from an F41 GP. I really like these cars, to me they are a throwback to a great time, are easy to work on (and modify), and am really looking forward to gathering more info. Thanks for letting me in.

 

[ssn696]

You let yourself in. Good snag on the upgrades. You are fortunate that your GP is already Chevy-powered. This simplifies future upgrades. Consider an exhaust upgrade, and figure out what shape your suspension bushings, ball joints, and tie-rod ends, etc. If your brake fluid looks brown or black, get it flushed. Please post some pictures, and keep us informed of further progress.

 

[oldtinsmith]

55mercury66, welcome to a great site. It sounds like you've got a nice project GP.

Doug

 

[s55mercury66]

Thanks, Gents. My buddies and I have labeled this one "Project Cheap-Tee-Oh". It has 170,000 miles on it, and has 160-175 psi cranking compression. Steering linkage and ball joints are in good shape, and the bushings all look good (but are still suspect). It had one burnt plug wire, and one cracked plug insulator, so it got a new set of each. The transmission fluid had been changed before I got it, and looks great. I installed brakes and shocks, and did a gravity flush on the brake system (thanks to forum). The power seat was stuck in the down and rearward position, thanks to a stripped coupler (now drilled and pinned). I have scrounged up a set of 15x7 steelies, waiting for the budget to allow a set of tires (I am cheap, I scored the sway bars, ws6 box and T/A wing for $60). Long term goals include F-body springs, a 350/TH350 and an early A-body 10 bolt.

 

[Garrett1982]

Why the early A-body 10 bolt?

 

[stony7933]

I also have a grand prix... had her for 3 yrs now. Make your firs upgrade some gears man...big heavy cars will rock with 4.11 or 3.73s . I have a ford 9" in mine but if you want cheap and like researching a cheap easy rearend conversion is actually a ford 8.8 out of a fox body mustang... you sound like you like donor conversions. Lol

 

[s55mercury66]

Research tells me it is narrower than 68-72's. I have one from a 66 or 67 Skylark on hand. It will either be that, or narrow a 9 inch I have here from a '64 Galaxie.

 

[pontiacgp]

Research tells me it is narrower than 68-72's. I have one from a 66 or 67 Skylark on hand. It will either be that, or narrow a 9 inch I have here from a '64 Galaxie.

A body rears - 64 to 67 is 2.5" wider than a Gody rear, 68 to 72 is 4.5" wider than a G body rear. I have a 67 8.2 in my GP and JBrue has the 12 bolt 68-72 rear in his Monte.

 

[s55mercury66]

I also have a grand prix... had her for 3 yrs now. Make your firs upgrade some gears man...big heavy cars will rock with 4.11 or 3.73s . I have a ford 9" in mine but if you want cheap and like researching a cheap easy rearend conversion is actually a ford 8.8 out of a fox body mustang... you sound like you like donor conversions. Lol

I thought about some stiffer gears, and would if I still lived in Columbus, Ohio, but here in the-middle-of-nowhere, Wyoming, it is wide open space. For miles.

 

[stony7933]

Perfect then... run with some 3.55 gears. Perfect running gear yet will still wake it up. Especially when you get that 350 in it. My setup is a 388stroker fully forged and balanced th350 trans and a ford 9" with 4.10 gears but I like to race