frame/ backseat bracing

[3XBrownCutty]

I just have a couple of questions about bracing the frame.

1) I checked out an F41 Suspension Package auction on ebay, and there was a bar for the front of the frame that bolts on to each side of the frame where the two bars come off from under the motor cross member end. Is that standard equip. on a GP, or is it strictly F41. just thinking because the guy on ebay said it was for the GP as it had the heavier fender braces. Also, the same question with the radiator braces, (the ones that cross in front of the radiator) just wanting to know because if it is standars GP equip. I could get them cheap fropm the junkyard.

2) I was looking at the rear seat braces, and thought it wouldn't be too hard to make those myself. if i were to make them myself, which type of metal should i use? my dad has access to scrap metal where he works, so he could probably get anything. we have some aluminum at home here, but it is only like 3/4" wide and 1/8" thick. what do you guys think as far as thickness and stuff? any help is appreciated.

 

[GP403]

1) I checked out an F41 Suspension Package auction on ebay, and there was a bar for the front of the frame that bolts on to each side of the frame where the two bars come off from under the motor cross member end. Is that standard equip. on a GP, or is it strictly F41. just thinking because the guy on ebay said it was for the GP as it had the heavier fender braces. Also, the same question with the radiator braces, (the ones that cross in front of the radiator) just wanting to know because if it is standars GP equip. I could get them cheap fropm the junkyard.

Err, if I understand correctly, then I think yeah, if you're talking about the one underneath the radiator, tying the two front corners of the frame together, I think it was standard GP, mine has it, and it was definitely not an F41 car. My old '79 Cutlass (RIP) had the radiator braces, and the diagonal braces, and I don't think it was F41 either. I think each car had its own particular set, some of the monte's have firewall-fender braces, the GPs had fender-header braces under the hood, etc. etc.

 

[jatguit]

Post the ebay site for the suspension package you are talking about.

I think underneath you are talking about what I have heard called the Jounce bars. And from what I understand, not all cars had them, especially the v-6 cars.

Under the hood bars vary in style from different models (suprisingly) I would have thought they where all the same. The cutlass has a thin style and the other cars like the GP have a thicker style and curved and many people like to adapt those thicker styles as they are probably more sturdy and frankly look better.

On my 87 v-6 cutlass which had no handling package. It had a smaller front sway and no rear sway. (but does have the jounce bars)
What i did was put slightly stiffer front springs v-8 style, in and added the thicker sway bars from a v-8 car with F-41 suspension. Now the V-8 F-41 cars have a thicker rear sway bar as opposed to the v-6 handling package (Fe4?) that is a thinner rear bar, so I decided to put the thicker one in. The car handles very well now. I pulled it all from the junkyard out of a nice cutlass that was there.
My information above may not be 100% correct. but in general, that is what I have found.

 

[jatguit]

2) I was looking at the rear seat braces, and thought it wouldn't be too hard to make those myself. if i were to make them myself, which type of metal should i use? my dad has access to scrap metal where he works, so he could probably get anything. we have some aluminum at home here, but it is only like 3/4" wide and 1/8" thick. what do you guys think as far as thickness and stuff? any help is appreciated.

As far as the backseat braces, why don't you get them from a junk yard? All you have to do is drill out the welds or sawsall around them clean them up and weld them into your car.

A few weeks ago at a JY I frequent, there were 2 guys sawsalling the WHOLE floorpan out of a nice 87 regal 2dr while it was on top of another car no less. The pan was perfect, and I was so suprised they were doing it and it took them a few hours as they seemed to be real careful. Of course this was during this JY's $50.00 all you can carry day, so they made out very well, like everyone else we had armfulls and bags full of stuff.

 

[3XBrownCutty]

my car does have the jounce bars, and the standard v6 1" front sway bar. I added the rear 7/8" sway bar, and modified the grand prix fender braces to fit my cutlass.

I'm probably going to go to the junkyard then, and look at the gp's for the bar that ties the front frame rails together.

as far as the back seat bracing, i was referring to thishttp://www.gbodyparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=713&osCsid=0cb9fa18767a2b0e589ac0cd591049bd
I was thinking that i could make something similar out of something else, but i don't know what would work. i was just looking for suggestrions on what type/kind of metal to use. any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[3XBrownCutty]

http://www.geocities.com/jfon101231/braceGP.html

That is the brace that i am talking about. as i said i was wondering if it was standard on the gp, as GP403 said, it was. did a little cruising around just now and found that the x brace for the radiator itself was standard on the GP aswell, am i right insaying that? i know the yard like 3 minutes away has at least 3 GPs, so i will take one last look around before winter rolls around.

 

[3XBrownCutty]

i went to the junkyard today and picked up the core suppourt braces.

unfortunately i couldnt remove the radiator brace. i just couldn't get a good hold on the bolts that go down through the frame rails. all I had was a crescent wrench, box end wrench, and the ratchet with the deep well 19mm socket. i'm going to go back with two ratchets with the shorter 19mm sockets.

nobody has any ideas as far as what metal I should use to make my own rear seat braces then?

 

[shotgun]

I got a set of the seat braces, if interested.

Send a P.M.

 

[3XBrownCutty]

I picked up the frame to frame brace the other day. And as I was removing it, I realized that I would have a problem installing it on my car.

If the front bumper wasn't off the GP that I took it from, I wouldnt've been able to get the brace off. I had to put the ratchet through the rail in order to get a solid hold on the bolt. There is one of those descent sized holes right in front of the bolt. You can see it there but you wouldn't possibly be able to get a wrench on it. And the bolts are the ones that the last two threads are tighter than the rest, so....... i don't really know what I can do to get it on the car...