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    Results 1 to 4 of 4
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Oct 2009
      Location
      Long Island, New York
      Posts
      22

      1985 Monte Carlo SS Suspension

      Hi guys. First post on this website. Seems like a really nice place. I hope I can become a fixture here through some time. But for now, I am a newb and have some basic questions that can turn into some complex issues.

      First off, here is what I have:
      1985 Monte Carlo SS
      Completely stock suspension but power train is changed.
      The tires and rim combo is as such (For Now) 205/70/15 front, 235/75/15 out back on STOCK Monte Carlo SS rims. I eventually would like to put 255/60 or 70/15s up front and 275/60/15s out back. I here there might be some issues with these combos but I would like a fat tire up front and out back while keeping the stock style SS wheels.
      It originally had a 305ci and a 200r4 trans. The rear I am unsure of. 8.5? I dont know. But I do know I changed the motor over to a sbc 406ci big heads and cam and the trans is a slightly built 700R4 with a very small 3000 stall (eventually I will switch over to a 4 thousand). The rear is still in the car but I have a 12 bolt that came out of another 85 Monte I had before I recked it. I dont know where it came from, but it fit the 85 monte so thats all I know. The gearing is 4.56's. Yes I know biiiig gears and I will eventually drop them down to 3.73 or 3.90's.

      Now, the level of my knowledge:
      I am in NO way a mechanic. I have owned a fair amount of muscle cars that include 69 Camaro Z28, 77 Camaro, 2001 Camaro SS completely built with a LME 408, suspension work, trans work, brakes ect ect, and an 85 Monte Carlo with just the power train changed, and a 2007 Trailblazer SS 3SS package but completely stock. I dont know much about suspension. I usually have to pay out the nose for work done and I would really like to learn about these G-Bodies and would like to build somethat that can take the twisties nice but not competition, and brake on a dime. As well as look nice ;)

      Here are my beginner questions:

      1)- I would like to lower the car some and just purchased Eibach Pro-Kit lowering springs. They claim 1 inch drop in front and .8 inch drop in rear. What should I do besides this to let the car accept the lowered stance. As far as suspension is involved. What would you recommend I do to get this car to handle well. I dont have an unlimited budget, but at the same time I dont want to make this a junkyard build. I would like to show the car off some, so when people look at the suspension, I would like it to look nice as WELL as handle well.

      2)- Brakes. Ahhh, brakes. I just totalled an 85 Monte because someone cut me off and I locked the brakes up and slammed into a pole drivers side door first at around 40 mph! Totalled. Ok, so I dont want that to happen again and I am willing to spend to get it to brake correctly and effortlessly. I would LOVE to have ABS but I dont want to swap my motor out to get it computerized, so I guess thats out. I was looking at Wilwood Engineering 4 piston front calipers on cross drilled and slotted rotors for the front. It comes in a kit and is about 8xx.xx bucks. As for rear, I would like to upgrade the drums to disks, but I am unsure if it is neccessary and if it is, which kit to go with. Baer seems to be verrry expensive, but Wilwood's seem to be generously priced. What do you guys suggest as far as brakes are concerned.

      3)- Shocks. Ok, Hot topic here it seems. Everywhere I turn it seems people are arguing to death this subject. I figured maybe some Bilstein HD shocks all around. How does that sound? Different opinions? Better options out there?

      I know this post is long and especially for a first post. But I want to do this once, and do it right. The G-bodies ALways appealed to me and I really want a safe car first and a fun car second. I have a new born baby girl to think of so days of flying a million miles an hour around a turn maybe over. But I still want to build a car that COULD do that! LOL.

      All help and opinions are GREATLY appreciated. I am located in Suffolk County, New York. Do you guys have any idea's as to where to order products from?

      I kind of need someone that I can trust, grab me by the hand and walk me through this like I am a 2 year old with mommies wallet in hand. lol.

      Have a great day and I really look forward to becoming an active member here.

      I know there are a few sponsors on this site and I MEAN NO disrespect to any of them as far as when I asked where to order from. I just dont know any of the sponsors and maybe someone can tell me one that stands out over another.



      Ok for the questions



    2. #2
      Join Date
      Aug 2006
      Location
      Cibolo, TX
      Posts
      189
      I recommend you talk to Mark at SC&C. He is the G-Body suspension guru. My sig lists my suspension mods - all done after talking with (and ordering from) Mark.

      www.scandc.com

      Rob
      87 Turbo T: Precision 5857 Billet Wheel turbo, PTE Turbosaver, Razor's Progressive Alky, Red's XP fuel pump hotwired, Accufab AFPR, TurboTweak 93/94 chip, Scanmaster 2.1, 9 inch K&N filter, aluminum driveshaft, 160 thermostat, 3 inch Terry Houston downpipe with dump, DMH electric exhaust cut-out, TH 2.5 inch exhaust with Magnaflows, RJC powerplate, torque strap, Dutt neck stock intercooler, LT1 MAF, Translator Plus, Digi-Tails LED sequential tail lights, Eaton posi, TA Performance rear end girdle

      Simmons wheels: 17x8.5 front (4.32" backspacing) with 235/45/17s Vredestein Sessentas, 17x9 rear (4.75 backspacing) with 275/40/17s, SC&C Street Comp Stage 2 kit (adjustable upper control arms, Howe tall upper and lower ball joints, S10 Xtreme lower control arm bump stops), 13 inch Baer front brakes, S10 rear wheel cylinders

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Oct 2009
      Location
      Long Island, New York
      Posts
      22
      Thank you very much. I emailed the company the same post that I made.

      I look forward to chatting with them about these issues. I just went into the car before (sitting in the garage still with the rod knocking 305 in it and the 406 taking up room in my garage until I get this car to the mechanic) and was daydreaming what it would be like to have this thing cornering like one of the cars on this site. There are some absolutely BEAUTIFUL cars on this site. My jaw still hurts from when it slammed on the floor looking at some of the pictures on here!

      I see you have simmons wheels. I remember a f-body (fourth gen) in GM High Tech Performance Mag a few years back with an absolutely stunning set of simmons wheels. I inquired about them on the net from a local car site (www.fastlsx.com) and was told they were very expensive so I went a different route.

      Do you think it is possible if you send me a few pictures of your car? It sounds really nice and I would love to check it out. Especially some of the wheels.

      If you dont mind (this may be out of line and if it is, you can just tell me to take a flying hike) could you possibly tell me how much you spent on the wheels? And if you are not totally comfortable saying, could you give me maybe a ballpark price? Also, where did you order them from? Straight from factory, or from a vendor?

      Thank you for your help and patience with my beginner mentality and questions.

      My email address is:

      [email protected]

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Aug 2006
      Location
      Cibolo, TX
      Posts
      189
      Quote Originally Posted by gotmonte View Post
      Thank you very much. I emailed the company the same post that I made.

      I look forward to chatting with them about these issues. I just went into the car before (sitting in the garage still with the rod knocking 305 in it and the 406 taking up room in my garage until I get this car to the mechanic) and was daydreaming what it would be like to have this thing cornering like one of the cars on this site. There are some absolutely BEAUTIFUL cars on this site. My jaw still hurts from when it slammed on the floor looking at some of the pictures on here!

      I see you have simmons wheels. I remember a f-body (fourth gen) in GM High Tech Performance Mag a few years back with an absolutely stunning set of simmons wheels. I inquired about them on the net from a local car site (www.fastlsx.com) and was told they were very expensive so I went a different route.

      Do you think it is possible if you send me a few pictures of your car? It sounds really nice and I would love to check it out. Especially some of the wheels.

      If you dont mind (this may be out of line and if it is, you can just tell me to take a flying hike) could you possibly tell me how much you spent on the wheels? And if you are not totally comfortable saying, could you give me maybe a ballpark price? Also, where did you order them from? Straight from factory, or from a vendor?

      Thank you for your help and patience with my beginner mentality and questions.

      My email address is:

      [email protected]
      No problem. I think they were about 2100 dollars (I got them from Group A wheels out of Phoenix).

      However, they are no longer made as the owner of the company retired and shut the factory down. There is another company trying to buy the rights to the wheels so stay tuned to this website for updates:

      http://www.magwheelcentre.com.au/

      I think the Simmons wheels are very nice for a G-Body. If I ever have to replace them, I think I will go with this wheel as it is pretty similar - DPE R-05. You can find them on the DPE website - http://www.dpe-wheels.com/index2.htm

      I have not looked into pricing on them yet.

      I will shoot you some pics of the car later.

      Rob
      87 Turbo T: Precision 5857 Billet Wheel turbo, PTE Turbosaver, Razor's Progressive Alky, Red's XP fuel pump hotwired, Accufab AFPR, TurboTweak 93/94 chip, Scanmaster 2.1, 9 inch K&N filter, aluminum driveshaft, 160 thermostat, 3 inch Terry Houston downpipe with dump, DMH electric exhaust cut-out, TH 2.5 inch exhaust with Magnaflows, RJC powerplate, torque strap, Dutt neck stock intercooler, LT1 MAF, Translator Plus, Digi-Tails LED sequential tail lights, Eaton posi, TA Performance rear end girdle

      Simmons wheels: 17x8.5 front (4.32" backspacing) with 235/45/17s Vredestein Sessentas, 17x9 rear (4.75 backspacing) with 275/40/17s, SC&C Street Comp Stage 2 kit (adjustable upper control arms, Howe tall upper and lower ball joints, S10 Xtreme lower control arm bump stops), 13 inch Baer front brakes, S10 rear wheel cylinders





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