future plans for my GP

[G_Body_Enthusiast]

so ive decided to ditch the engine and most like put in an OD transmission so...here's the plan

ENGINE
get a SBC and put it in, nothing wild, just something around 250 HP to be used as a daily driver. as many stock parts as possible will be used so replacement parts can be had easily and cheaply. most likely a new 350 with 249hp, 304 ft lbs of torque and a GM serpentine belt "conversion" which makes finishing the engine and getting it running that much easier and faster.

CHASSIS DRIVETRAIN & SUSPENSION
transmission will probably be a 2004r. its a bolt in, driveshaft doesnt need cutting, only a crossmember change is needed and they can be had with a dual pattern so it will bolt up to a 350 no problem.

new gears and a differential. since im looking at new gears i'll go ahead and get a new diff so i can have better traction over a open diff that spins one wheel. 3.42 will probably be the gear, an auburn diff and probably new axles whiles its all apart.

for the most part the front suspension in done but i want bigger brakes so i might use bbody spindles and 12" 1LE rotors. not sure about the rear brakes, i may go with a aftermarket disc brake conversion kit. replace the KYB's for bilsteins to match the bilsteins in the rear. KYBs are ok but not as good as the bilsteins. they're worth the extra money.

some trailing arms for the back but im not sure which ones to use. maybe some better springs.

WHEELS AND TIRES
wheels will probably be a set of cragar soft 8's, probably a 16x8 wheel all around so i can rotate tires, its a daily driver after all. not sure what tires i'll use yet. its a daily driver so they cant be some high performance type tire, just one that provides good traction.

BODY
i MAY change out the nose for a 2+2 nose conversion. maybe. depending if i can find the right parts to fix the minor problem i have with the nose now. a broken bumper cover is a PITA to replace since they dont make any and finding one is impossible.

i might replace the chrome part of the bumper with a fiberglass unit to help lighten the car and i can paint it to match the car. im not a chrome person at all. same goes with the back bumper. i might use the aluminum bumper supports, not sure yet.

i am thinking of going with a flat bolt on fiberglass hood with a trans am shaker "scoop" molded on to it from VFN. since the misses likes the trans am, im going to put some trans am styling cues onto the car. also the side vents on the fenders though im not sure if i want to use the 79 style or the 80's style. i do want them to be functional, not just cosmetic. and a spoiler from a 80's firebird.

INTERIOR and weather stripping
nothing much will change, maybe some bucket seats and a console, maybe not. new carpet for sure and a headliner. recover the seats if i dont use buckets and that's about it.

weather stripping will be replaced, all of it. window sweeps/belts, whatever people call them, those are needed.

this is a rough draft, i'll be adding more as i go through it all and add stuff i havent put in yet.

 

[Blake442]

Time to break out the check book! :lol:

I will suggest this... Don't bother with the rear disc brake conversion, for a driver, it's simply not worth it. If this were an all out race car, and I mean racing racing, not just drag racing, I'd say go for it. I can't count how many cars we've had to dick around with converting to rear disc, and everytime it's a pain in the *ss, when a drum would've been just fine. The bigger brakes up front is a good idea, but when the rear does only 20 to 15% of the stopping anyways, there's no point.

Everything else seems like a pretty good plan, although again, for a driver, I'd steer away from a fiberglass bumper with the solid aluminum supports. In the event of a collision, I'd want as much steel in front of me as possible...

 

[G_Body_Enthusiast]

the outside of the bumper is window dressing really and aluminum bumper supports im not sold on to bwgin with, the originals do absorb some of the impact but really its the sheet metal that's designed to crumple and take the majority of the energy. trust me, after my 86 parisienne got totalled, i learned how GM designed their front ends to work in a MVA.

i just know that fiberglass wont rust and will be easier to prep than a chromed bumper. it will cost more though and will probably be one of the last things i buy if at all.

 

[shotgun]

I will also suggest no glass bumper for the street.

I rear-ended a car with my 79 GP and it does help. Ever lift one(bumper) up, I know my 79 is a different design but that thing was almost 70#.

Anyway, don't discount a Pontiac motor they out torque a SBC all day long.

A mild P350 makes a great street motor.

 

[Munkey B]

i'm doing something very similar to you.
i want to build my car the way GM should have.
yes, i as well, am doing a 2+2 nose.
but i'm going to try and use the options from that period to make my car.

haven't decided on wheels yet. either i'm going aftermarket 16x8 rally II's or 15x8 snowflakes, turbo's or 75-80 corvette (since chevy used the 81 Z28 wheel on 86-88 SS's). the brakes i pick will decide this for me.
this year i will be focusing on interior and reliable motor. hopefully, the motor is strong enough but i'm budgeting for almost the same one you are just in case.

great minds think alike. :lol:

 

[G_Body_Enthusiast]

ok after some time working on the car i fixed a few issues and the car seems as it was when i parked it though with a tad more rust.

i have some fuel issue to deal with, a brake hose to replace and im ready to hit the streets.

after redoing the air cleaner which now makes the rest of the engine compartment look like the south end of a north bound horse...i'm waiting for the weather to warm up some so i can start giving the car a nice coat of flat black.

i need a full size spare so i need to make a trip to the local junkyard for a wheel. i do not like nor do i trust the compact spare. it has never been used AFAIK, it is 24 years old so im not very trusting of the rubber. i have a couple used but still decent tires i can use for a spare.

i need bucket seats till i can get the bench seats redone, its turned into crap, the foaming is turning into a yellow dust and just make the interior look worse than it really is.

and i'll be trying to get window sweeps soon as the doors need them so badly.

 

[andrewmp6]

only thing on the list i would change is maybe slap on the tpi off a 3rd gen f body.Have you been to pull a part its a dollar to get in but they have the cheapest parts i ever seen.Some one said the s10 spindles will fit a g body there is some big brakes aftermarket for them.And the 98 blazer up has better brakes unsure if the spindle will work tho.Here is pull a parts website http://www.pullapart.com/

 

[shotgun]

Put a Pontiac 350 in there.

I saw an ad over on Maliburacing for an P350 engine/trans combo for under $1000 ( I think).

This is not only because I am a Pontiac guy but the P350 make for a better driver (torque).

The BBody deal is supposed to have bumpsteer issues. Get spindles from SC&C and you can bolt up Vette stuff.

Get a "Dude" scoop. It is a TA scoop that has been raised for a larger intake opening. Making it functional (shakes) is not hard either.


Have fun and update with pics whatever you decide to do.

 

[G_Body_Enthusiast]

im actually thinking if i can find a pontiac motor locally for a decent price i might go for one. i'd like a SBC because of the wide variety of parts but like i said if i can find a good point engine at a decent price i may get one.

i'm leaning more towards a 400 but a 350 would be fine. i see more 400's and 455's than 350's. not sure if thats because the 350's dried up or people think noone would want one.

i did find a website selling all kinds of rebuilt engines and they have pontiacs at decent prices and might go with one of them.

my issue with using one is the header issue. what headers work in these cars? AFAIK they dont make headers for them and i dont exactly have a set of pontiac exhaust manifolds hanging around. the rest isnt much of a problem though since it would bolt up to my th-350. no adapter plate needed but i plan on upgrading to a 2004r anyway and plenty can be had with a BOP pattern.

right now im thinking short term and gett the car driving again. my biggest concern are the tires as they will eat my budget right up if they dont ride well. they look fine though, i see no signs of dry rot, no cracking, just a little low on air but not a big deal. im concerned they may have developed a flat spot from sitting though. guess we'll find out!

 

[Blake442]

A couple burnouts should take care of any potential flat spots on the tires!