FRANE SWAP

[80GRAND]

HEY IM NEW TO THE FORUMS AND NEED SOME HELP I NEED TO KNOW IF A 1978 GRAND PRIX FRAME WILL FIT UNDER A 1986 BUICK REGAL AND IF NOT WHY THANKS FOR ANY HELP...................

 

[80GRAND]

COME ON GUYS 26 VIEWS AND NO ONE CAN HELP ME WTF IS WITH THIS

 

[SBCregal]

thats certainly no way to get a response,... Im sure it'll work, but you'd think you could be a little more patient... 2 posts, second one giving us sh*t for not working on YOUR timetable...christ

 

[RedHotRegal]

Just tell him what he wants to know and nobody gets hurt 8)

 

[ryanwitski]

i believe it will work. we all share the same chassis thus the g body. I had one person tell me the el camino and wagons were different but i never belived him.

 

[joe_padavano]

I had one person tell me the el camino and wagons were different but i never belived him.

Believe him.

The Elco rear frame rails are different from the wagon rear frame rails are different from the sedan rear frame rails. The rear body mount locations are different and there are different tabs welded to the frame because of this. My 78 Factory Service Manual shows this in detail. Also, Conrad Lozier, who makes repro rear frame rails, has pictures of all three variations:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/conradlozier/

 

[ryanwitski]

really? my Gm factory shop manual for el camino, cutlass shows only one frame and mounting points. maybe it is just too general?

 

[Brandotheamazing]

I think there's one other difference

Hey, not positive but i think the later g-body frames, post 83had an extra section welded into the frame rail on the drivers side for the mounting of the trans cross member, about 14 inches behind the spot where the member for a th350 wold mount.... I think it was all of them, i know my 83 regal is like that, found that out searching for a dual exaust member for a th400.
other than that i know of no differenece

 

[85_SS]

Correct - the newer 84+ frames have the extra mounting point for the trans crossmember. There are difference in the rear rails of 2-doors/wagons/elkys. Also, I have read from the Malibu guys that that older A-bodies have shorter front frame rails than 81+ (when the body redesign took place). This is apparantly easily resolved by shortening or extending the bumper supports I believe. Ask of at maliburacing.com and they can give you the details on that.

 

[ONE EYE]

el camino frames are 117" (from memory, so dont quote me) either way, the frame on an elco is strictly el camino.