Marriage: 1980 Grand Am and 2005 GTO Build Thread.
- Thread starter smed7880
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Maybe? Ive exhausted all options to undeclare the cert of destruction, but its impossible. Plus even if there is some loophole it will never get plates without insurance and the cert of destruction makes it uninsurable.
My plan for this thresd is to document the marriage of the two. Every part number, unexpected need/fix, what worked, what didnt. My biggest questions right now are oil pan and ex system clearances. If i clear those hurdles ill be happy, thats why i hunted a gto donor for so long. My thought after www measurement comparisons is its going to be close.
Lots of project pics starting tomorrow. Hopefully by Tuesday the eng/trns are in her GAm. If not im going to be delayed due to work and may miss my mid aug timeline.
Ill need to start selling gto parts and the 301 stuff asap for room and project cash. Sooner that starts the better.
My plan for this thresd is to document the marriage of the two. Every part number, unexpected need/fix, what worked, what didnt. My biggest questions right now are oil pan and ex system clearances. If i clear those hurdles ill be happy, thats why i hunted a gto donor for so long. My thought after www measurement comparisons is its going to be close.
Lots of project pics starting tomorrow. Hopefully by Tuesday the eng/trns are in her GAm. If not im going to be delayed due to work and may miss my mid aug timeline.
Ill need to start selling gto parts and the 301 stuff asap for room and project cash. Sooner that starts the better.
Got a late start and the garage may as well be an oven, have to take too many breaks in this heat. Hopefully will be able to edit this with a pic of the front clip off tonight. Front Enduro bumper assy is off, drivers inner/outer fender off, rad is out, working on passenger then core suppprt/condenser. Going waaay slower than i planned.
First lesson: plastic inner fenders do not like fender clip mounts that rip out of your hand when rusted together. Took a small chunk out of the drivers at the lower joint dang it.
Documenting all shim placements, bagging bolts etc...lots of pics for what goes where later moments. I know every bolt and clip on my Torino. Her Grand Am is unknown to me so im being super careful and reassembling the pieces once off the car.
I love the steering box placement. No fighting in the frame rail by the cowl like my Torino.
Interesting speedo and cruise control setup thats for sure.
First lesson: plastic inner fenders do not like fender clip mounts that rip out of your hand when rusted together. Took a small chunk out of the drivers at the lower joint dang it.
Documenting all shim placements, bagging bolts etc...lots of pics for what goes where later moments. I know every bolt and clip on my Torino. Her Grand Am is unknown to me so im being super careful and reassembling the pieces once off the car.
I love the steering box placement. No fighting in the frame rail by the cowl like my Torino.
Interesting speedo and cruise control setup thats for sure.
Didnt get any more garage time in. The heat was just too much. Cleaned up and showered. Sat down and caught a little of Stroker Ace. As bad as that movie was/is i plan to watch it soon to play i spy Grand Ams. They ran Grand National and Cup back then. I did catch one of the movie cars on pit road tho. Back out to the garage this morning to beat the 100+ garage temps.
Also did a little research. The Grand Am weight is 3388. GTO 4491. 1103 pounds lighter. GTO is 13.3/4.8/170. Figure 300 pounds of add to her GAm with the swap, net weight loss for the drivetrain is 800 pounds ish. On paper her GAm should run 12.5s all day.
Her body tag is faded. Can someone with an 80 GAm post a pic of your body info tag showing weight? Im skeptical of the 3388 number but i know her GAm is the lightest of the G bodies.
She is going to smoke my Torino lol. Im trying for hi 12s....4500lbs ish...so low 13s prolly.
Also did a little research. The Grand Am weight is 3388. GTO 4491. 1103 pounds lighter. GTO is 13.3/4.8/170. Figure 300 pounds of add to her GAm with the swap, net weight loss for the drivetrain is 800 pounds ish. On paper her GAm should run 12.5s all day.
Her body tag is faded. Can someone with an 80 GAm post a pic of your body info tag showing weight? Im skeptical of the 3388 number but i know her GAm is the lightest of the G bodies.
She is going to smoke my Torino lol. Im trying for hi 12s....4500lbs ish...so low 13s prolly.
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I might have missed it, but the LS2 oil pan will not fit in a G body. GTO pans are front sump and it will land right in the crossmember of the frame. CtsV or the Holley 302-2 pans are the only ones that really fit. Pickup or H3 pans fit also but they hang below the frame a lot.
The dash swap also is difficult. GTO dash needs data from the factory ECU. If you plan to go with a termX it won't control the gauges or cruise or AC as everything goes through CANbus/data.
The dash swap also is difficult. GTO dash needs data from the factory ECU. If you plan to go with a termX it won't control the gauges or cruise or AC as everything goes through CANbus/data.
Thanks for the oil pan info 81Cutlass. Bummer. That puts a kink in my weekend plan. Didnt order a pan. Im reading about power steering pump clearance too, so that will probably also delay me.
Hot. Second break already.
Almost ready to hoist out the 301. I thought my 460 ford brackets are a pita, wow is that 301 setup with air pump plumbing etc complicated. Im keeping everything connected as much as possible to the car until the LS2 is in it so i can see what accessory redo stuff i will have to do. Until then its all laying on the tires and cowl.
GTO dash and all computer go into grand am or no dash swap at all and do the sniper.
Sherry has pretty much decided against the dash swap. I keep asking about it tho. Id really like to do the dash swap but its her call and i totally get the nostalgic stuff. She wants all the changes to be limited to under the hood. So, most likely ordering the 550-919 term x.
The ac is a must have and it has to be right. I know her R12 system works. Breaking it open sucked. I may just try to use the GTO compressor/condenser 134a system with the R12 evap. I think to go 134a i need new lines tho, something about 134a leaking in r12 lines...i will have to research that further. Her hi speed fan doesnt work, just like her first. Ill research it further to see what i can do to avoid the vintage air.
My main concern for her nostalgia feel is the shifter and console. Ill have to figure that out too. Hopefully harvesting the GTO linkage solves that.
Hot. Second break already.
Almost ready to hoist out the 301. I thought my 460 ford brackets are a pita, wow is that 301 setup with air pump plumbing etc complicated. Im keeping everything connected as much as possible to the car until the LS2 is in it so i can see what accessory redo stuff i will have to do. Until then its all laying on the tires and cowl.
GTO dash and all computer go into grand am or no dash swap at all and do the sniper.
Sherry has pretty much decided against the dash swap. I keep asking about it tho. Id really like to do the dash swap but its her call and i totally get the nostalgic stuff. She wants all the changes to be limited to under the hood. So, most likely ordering the 550-919 term x.
The ac is a must have and it has to be right. I know her R12 system works. Breaking it open sucked. I may just try to use the GTO compressor/condenser 134a system with the R12 evap. I think to go 134a i need new lines tho, something about 134a leaking in r12 lines...i will have to research that further. Her hi speed fan doesnt work, just like her first. Ill research it further to see what i can do to avoid the vintage air.
My main concern for her nostalgia feel is the shifter and console. Ill have to figure that out too. Hopefully harvesting the GTO linkage solves that.
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Everything is ready for an early morning 301 pull. transmission and eng mounts are the only things still connected. Fluuds are drained as much as possible.
Heat is killing my progress but the end of day short seabreeze shower should make tomorrow morning ideal.
81Cutlass i went ahead and ordered the holley pan kit. $527 after tax. Here 7/6. Thanks for pointing out the sump issue.
Tomorrow ill pull the 301, get the car outside, spray it with gunk, fix my pressure washer and clean up the bay. It can dry in the heat.
If time allows ill get the mounts and fuel tank in it.
Pulling the GTO apart will have to wait.
Heat is killing my progress but the end of day short seabreeze shower should make tomorrow morning ideal.
81Cutlass i went ahead and ordered the holley pan kit. $527 after tax. Here 7/6. Thanks for pointing out the sump issue.
Tomorrow ill pull the 301, get the car outside, spray it with gunk, fix my pressure washer and clean up the bay. It can dry in the heat.
If time allows ill get the mounts and fuel tank in it.
Pulling the GTO apart will have to wait.
Also possible the adjuster was just lazy, they are pretty quick total the GTO's. My buddy has one as well and when we were out on a cruise he made a joke about totaling 2 of them at once cause we had an unexpected quick stop. They aren't quite the XLR but some of the parts are starting to be hard to replace apparently and the majority of accidents they are in total the car
Heat/humidity slowed me waaay down but 301 eng/trans are out and are safely balaned on moving dollies out of the way.
Fixed pressure washer, gunked eng bay, came out nice. Did what i could to avoid soaking the car. Its currently drying in my oven aka my garage.
Heat or no heat its a late garage night. Gotta get the blackheart stuff on the car. Gotta work tomorrow dang it. Vacation is over tomorrow morning.
Fixed pressure washer, gunked eng bay, came out nice. Did what i could to avoid soaking the car. Its currently drying in my oven aka my garage.
Heat or no heat its a late garage night. Gotta get the blackheart stuff on the car. Gotta work tomorrow dang it. Vacation is over tomorrow morning.
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