New Pro-Touring build

[Doug1]

I am building a full bore Pro-Touring 2nd Gen Trans Am. My hope is to out peform the BRE YearOne cars. I could use advice on picking a front subframe and rear suspension setup. I have roughly $20K bugeted for that part of the build.

Currently considering the follwing three vendors but am open to suggestions.

Detroit Speed
Heidts
Jim Myer Racing

The powerplant is a 750HP IA2 block Pontiac from SD Peformance. The heads, intake, etc have all been polished and are being powder coated in clear as we speak. It will run an evac kit, Vintage Air and most likely will have a hydro boost brake setup if I can find one with no plastic parts. This will be as much show as go so it has to look the part as well as function.

I already have the motor ordered, have a lot of the BRE upgraded body parts such as the fiberglass front end and their custom door panels, custom dash insert, etc.

Still need to pick seats and have a roll bar of some sort in. I am considering the Ridetech since it bolts in, looks sharp and the car is a T-Top car. It is pretty expensive but really is a show stopper in looks with the advantage of stiffing the frame a bit.

The one part I will have to buy from DSE is their mini-tubs.

So what recommendations do you have for the suspension setup?

[MrQuick]

I would go full DSE treatment.

make sure you start a project thread.

Welcome to the site.
Vince

[formula]

hmmmm....if you're gonna spend 20k on the suspension...

i say hydroformed DSE front, and find a lateral-dynamics 3-link for the rear. if you can't...then either DSE or BMR rear.

really a hydroformed DSE front sub would be about the only subframe that offers enough of an advantage over a modified stocker for me to ever consider it. The other stuff may provide some small advantages, but is primarily eye candy.

not sure what parts you don't want to be plastic on the hydroboost...but this is the one i'm running with my wilwoods. http://www.hydratechbraking.com/Hydratech/products.html I can't think of anything plastic on it.

start a build thread!! do you have the car yet?

[Rod]

you doing all the work yourself to stay in that budget? :rolleyes: do you have a time frame?

[1971CHEVELLE]

Welcome to the site

[ProdigyCustoms]

Welcome aboard.

We sell 4 brands of subframes, and only one of those is on your list, DSE. We also sell Art Morrison, Chris Alston and SpeedTech. In fact no one sells more subframes combined then we do. And we use them in our shop.

As we speak there are DSE equipped, Art Morrison equipped and SpeedTech equipped projects in the shop, along with Air Ride and Modded front subframe projects. Also we have package deals with exponential discounts for combos.

So call me.

[CruizinKev]

welcome aboard!

[Doug1]

Well I have a quote from DSE for roughly 20K and have been ready to buy for them for 3 months. Long story but I came away feeling like they didn't give a hoot whether I bought anything and certainly didn't care about the delay.

I would often call and not get calls back for days or at all after being assured someone would call that day. I can tell you that a $20K order to them is small potatoes.

Anyway, I want the best out there but really don't want to give them my business if I can help it. I was pretty fired up about them for a while but may go another way if I am convinced they can compete with DSE.

Anyone use a full frame under a 2nd gen? I have seen several adverstised but don't see how it can be done without cutting it up pretty good.

[Doug1]

you doing all the work yourself to stay in that budget? :rolleyes: do you have a time frame?

Yes. I assume you are being sarcastic but the DSE stuff is not cheap though it is simple enough to install. I definitely have to use their mini tubs but was ready to sign up for the whole front and rear deal, along with a Vintage Air system from them. My quote was around $21K not including shipping. I am having to give some thought as to using them or not. Nothing major but I am a little miffed by how they handled an issue with me.

[rrstroker71]

Must have got the wrong person at DSE. We get great service from them from a set of Mini Tubs to suspension packages.

[ProdigyCustoms]

DSE will be the very best system your going to get in a front and rear package for a second gen. There are a couple great front subframes, but the Quadralink is the best rear suspension solution for 2nd gens right now.

As for a full frame install, your looking at major surgery, 300 to 400 hours of floor fabrication labor. Been there, done that. In the end I do not think the full frame holds any significant advantage over a properly connected subframe system.

As for not getting anyone on the phone or a callback, that sucks but I have to tell you that many companies are surprised by how busy it is and are caught a bit off guard. I accessible as I pride myself to be, it has been so busy lately I miss some calls too. It i down right freaky how busy it has been, but that is a great problem.

[Ron.in.SoCal]

I accessible as I pride myself to be, it has been so busy lately I miss some calls too. It i down right freaky how busy it has been, but that is a great problem.


Believe me, Frank misses some calls! Haha just kidding Frankie!

Ron

[MrQuick]

Well I have a quote from DSE for roughly 20K and have been ready to buy for them for 3 months. Long story but I came away feeling like they didn't give a hoot whether I bought anything and certainly didn't care about the delay.

I would often call and not get calls back for days or at all after being assured someone would call that day. I can tell you that a $20K order to them is small potatoes.

Anyway, I want the best out there but really don't want to give them my business if I can help it. I was pretty fired up about them for a while but may go another way if I am convinced they can compete with DSE.

Anyone use a full frame under a 2nd gen? I have seen several adverstised but don't see how it can be done without cutting it up pretty good.

I am surprised cause they have very good customer service.

Full frame would require the entire floor to be removed to do properly. Not a very hard task but time consuming.
If you want a full frame then i'd recommend AME for that task. Or find a local builder.

Where abouts are you?






Believe me, Frank misses some calls! Haha just kidding Frankie!

Ron no your not....LOL j/k

[tazzz25906112]

Not there would be any biases here Doug because everyone around here knows I don't like TA's to much at all ROFLMAO.... I'd use the
DSE front clip, 4-link, given the show & go desire Air Tech, and I'd look at a local chassis shop for frame connectors and roll cage.... Can't go wrong with Baer or Wilwood... Year one sells the 18" snowflake (a must for later 2nd gens LOL)...

Pending on your time frame for the build you may want to wait for the Anvil Auto/ Carbon Kustoms 78-81 Second gen fenders, hood, shaker nose and hood all being produced in Carbon Composites later this summer (right after the 70-73 being completed as we speak)... Not to mention the killer soon to be coming to the market,,, Carbon composite honeycomb rims with aluminum rim bands (feather light rims with attitude LOL)

All food for thought,,, sounds like a killer car and I'll look forward to following the build.
Albert

[Ron.in.SoCal]

:yum:...all that killer carbon stuff won't hurt his budget -

[formula]

Not there would be any biases here Doug because everyone around here knows I don't like TA's to much at all ROFLMAO.... I'd use the
DSE front clip, 4-link, given the show & go desire Air Tech, and I'd look at a local chassis shop for frame connectors and roll cage.... Can't go wrong with Baer or Wilwood... Year one sells the 18" snowflake (a must for later 2nd gens LOL)...

Pending on your time frame for the build you may want to wait for the Anvil Auto/ Carbon Kustoms 78-81 Second gen fenders, hood, shaker nose and hood all being produced in Carbon Composites later this summer (right after the 70-73 being completed as we speak)... Not to mention the killer soon to be coming to the market,,, Carbon composite honeycomb rims with aluminum rim bands (feather light rims with attitude LOL)

All food for thought,,, sounds like a killer car and I'll look forward to following the build.
Albert

except all the cool kids these days use forgeline TA3s instead of YO flakes.

Just sayin :)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif


https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26760&d=1225318652


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifhttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[tazzz25906112]

Flash911,,, Budget,,,, what budget, we're talking TA's builds and Carbon Composites here ;-) LOL....

Besides you good old American boys don't want to be one-upped by a crazy Canadian on a TA build do you ;-) ROFLMAO....

It's so cool hearing about these fabulous TA builds coming down the pipe for 2010,,,, I can't wait to see if we can get them together at an event and thrash on them..... Man that'd be a great photo opportunity!!!!

[CruizinKev]

https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26760&d=1225318652
wow awesome! any more pics of it?

[formula]

wow awesome! any more pics of it?

https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49236

[tazzz25906112]

except all the cool kids these days use forgeline TA3s instead of YO flakes.

Just sayin :)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif


https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26760&d=1225318652


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifhttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif


Now you do offer a good point there Wes,,,, and you know I love your Formula with that wicked stance buddy

[formula]

Now you do offer a good point there Wes,,,, and you know I love your Formula with that wicked stance buddy

haha thanks man, i'm enjoying the attention until your next build steals all the limelight! You're killin' me the way you keep leaking details about new parts right after I finished mine.

Looking forward to that all-firebird cruise. When are we gonna make it happen?

[tazzz25906112]

Lets work it out buddy,,,, I'd love to hook up and spend time with all the cool Bird projects that are posting here currently. Hell I'd love to line up the cars and put them through their paces bud,,,, it'd be a blast for all attending.

We should all try to pick one of the events here on the board ,,, or something like the "Trans Am Nationals" that is sort of mid America point and get the "pro-touring Bird gang" together.

Man would that put a bee in the Numbers boys bonnets at the Nat's ROFLMAO......

[formula]

ohhh man we have to raid the nats now. august 27-29, I'll have to see if I can make that.

alright we gotta stop hijacking this thread.

[Ron.in.SoCal]

Flash911,,, Budget,,,, what budget, we're talking TA's builds and Carbon Composites here ;-) LOL....

Besides you good old American boys don't want to be one-upped by a crazy Canadian on a TA build do you ;-) ROFLMAO....

It's so cool hearing about these fabulous TA builds coming down the pipe for 2010,,,, I can't wait to see if we can get them together at an event and thrash on them..... Man that'd be a great photo opportunity!!!!

Albert - you're preachin' to the choir! I'm with you on all that!

[Doug1]

I need to check that black TA out more closely. I want a roll bar setup like that so it fits closely to the body but at the back of the t-tops.

All I have left to choose are the tranny and wheels. I like the looks of the Mcleod tranny but hear they are having problems getting it to market. Big if on that so I need another 6 speed that can handle over 700 foot pounds of torque.

I also decided to give it the full DSE treatment. So this is pretty much how it will be...

Motor - 535 Pontiac 750hp - heads, valley pan, intake, sbc timing cover are all fully polished with clear powerder coating. (except heads on powder coating)

Tranny - 6 speed - manufacturer not decided (definitely will have scattersheild)

Suspension - Full DSE front and rear setups, with mini-tubs and sub frame connectors

Wheels - gunmetal - manufacturer and style not decided on 18x12s in back 18x10s up front

Smooth firewall

Brakes - Hyrdatech braking with Willwood at the wheels.

Paint - Nocturne Blue with gun metal and silver bird airbrushed on by Stach Luhn of Stacy's Designs in Summerville, SC

Door interiors - Year One BRE with metal inserts

AC - Vintage Air with all stainless braided hoses and a polished compressor

Stereo - to be decided but will mount using new YearOne console adapter

Gauges - Autometer (still up in the air on style) but will fit in the Year One BRE aluminum turned dash insert for aftermarket gauges





except all the cool kids these days use forgeline TA3s instead of YO flakes.

Just sayin :)




https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26760&d=1225318652

[68Formula]

That's going to be one wicked car!

[cdoggy81]

Doug, what year is your 2nd gen?
What all is Frank & the crew doing to it?

[Doug1]

Doug, what year is your 2nd gen?
What all is Frank & the crew doing to it?

Hopefully his crew is in the middle of sandblasting it with it being "nekid" (Frank's word) tomorrow. :-)

First off is the full DSE treatment. I wanted to go with an Art Morrison rear clip like his new project "Unfair". But it turns out you have to back half a second gen for that. Being a T-Top car, I don't plan on putting a full cage in it, so I'd only get one full speed run before getting kicked off the track...
:6gears: