Our 79 Monte Carlo- Pro Touring Project

[UMI Sales]

Is that before or after a frame notch? (up front)
I was actually thinking about calling you guys after last weekend to try and talk to someone about front wheel fitment on the Green Machine. With 255s on an 8 inch wheel w/ 4.5" backspace I rub the frame pretty noticeably. (And apparently also the lower A-arm at times.) I had a good suggestion to add my own steering bump-stops. Do you do anything similar with the Monte Carlo? Also, what backspacing do you use and do you use spacers at all?

We still need to try our new CCW wheels that are currently on the LeMans. We purchased 18x11 with 6.75BS. Our plan is to run spacers as the wheels are optimized for the LeMans.

I'm not an expert on 3rd and 4th Gen G body subtleties but it seems the 315's fit nicely with the inner fenders removed. They rub the sway bar at full lock but we expect that.

The 275's are on 18 x 9.5 with 5-1/8BS. We do use spacers as we have long ARP studs and use them to fine tune fits and track widths.

Our 3031 has a small steering stop welded on whereas the 3056 has an adjustable billet stop.

Wheel fitment is very tough as you know. Something always seems to be popping up.

 

[UMI Sales]

I wasn't thinking when I posted my comment, you do time trials so I should have known those were laps you were running so I retract my comments about the Corvette. As far as the Corvette goes that model was one the last great looking ones before they ruined the look of the Corvette.

At MWMC/Putnam it's pretty cool. Intermediate is point by at major passing zones but they are pretty relaxed about it. Plus we know most of the guys we run against. Advanced is pass anywhere with a courtesy point by. Once again we know each other and if someone is pressuring you, it's pretty easy to get let by. If I can get (or I should say when) another second out of the green car we'll be able to run in advanced pretty easily. Which is cool for a '79 Landau.

The C5 was Nathan Popp, Danny's son. He's 17 and has a good head on his shoulders. Fast kid yet has to work for his opportunities. He's going to be driving a full UMI equipped 4th Gen F body later this year. Should be pretty awesome.

ramey

 

[oldtinsmith]

UMI (or any one reading this post) know why ( or have an educated guess) GM only used the 1 1/8" front anti-sway bar on the F-41 option on the El Camino, and no rear bar? Also, can you give me your views on the optimum STREET front and rear suspension for spirited driving. I have a rust free (from a 1984 Choo Choo El Camino) frame sitting on jack stands in my home shop.My El Camino is a 1980 with factory manual transmission. ... What would YOU do if you were me (retired and 71 years young)? Thanks! Oh, I've been following your Monte Carlo build with great interest!

Doug

 

[Geo's66]

UMI Stage 11 kit- this thing is going to rock!!

 

[UMI Sales]

UMI (or any one reading this post) know why ( or have an educated guess) GM only used the 1 1/8" front anti-sway bar on the F-41 option on the El Camino, and no rear bar? Also, can you give me your views on the optimum STREET front and rear suspension for spirited driving. I have a rust free (from a 1984 Choo Choo El Camino) frame sitting on jack stands in my home shop.My El Camino is a 1980 with factory manual transmission. ... What would YOU do if you were me (retired and 71 years young)? Thanks! Oh, I've been following your Monte Carlo build with great interest!

Doug

Hi Doug. Thanks for following our build! We are having fun and improving our products with it.

My guess (and only a guess) would be GM wanted to ensure bias toward understeer in the chassis so the car (truck) didn't swap ends.

We want to free things up a bit so we tend to do 1.250Front/1.000Rear bars and 600/130 springs. This is available in our entry level, yet not entry performance, Stage 2 kit. Also comes in springs/bars/shocks Stage 1.

ramey

 

[UMI Sales]

The Jerico is here. We spec'd ratios of 2.6, 1.72 and 1.33 based on data collected over the past three years of racing. Stay tuned for more.

ramey

 

[pontiacgp]

You will never break that Jerico, they beat on them in 9 second cars.

 

[UMI Sales]

You will never break that Jerico, they beat on them in 9 second cars.

Challenge accepted! 🙂

 

[kalidromos13]

What was the deciding factor on replacing the TKO with the Jerico? I just got my UMI front lower A-Arms from UPS today, will be installing soon, this thread is exactly why i went with UMI products. And watching all of Ramey's videos haha

 

[Canon_Mutant]

But . . . but . . . oh, you mean I actually have to have all my UMI stuff "on the car" before it matters?

Damn . . . I thought I could just buy it and it could just sit there looking REALLY important in my garage for a freakin year . . .

Truthfully, I had the rear all together when I tried to put on the decorative diff cover and got a cup full of metal filings out of the fluid . . . ==> take all that purdy UMI stuff back loose, pull, and rebuild the rear end. Do it twice Garth, strikes again . . .

I am trying mightily to hold on to the feeling that "it is better to find out now than out in the middle of no where" plus looked at this as "an opportunity that I was supposed to blast and coat the rear instead of using that paint on crap that wasn't working well anyway!"

Some days that works. Others, like today, not so much . . .

Group hug? 🙁

Hey, Ramey, got those 335s on all 4 corners yet? When I get this 442 back together, I am going to come somewhere and at least see if I can stay on the same lap with my measly 275s?