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66gp
09-03-2004, 03:11 PM
I am new to the forum and just wanted to introduce myself. I posted once on the old forum, but never introduced myself. I am trying to build my first pro-touring car. I am leaning more toward the touring side than the pro side. My car is a 66 Pontiac Grand Prix ( really long, really wide, and weights approx 4000lbs without me!!). I recently rebuilt mild 455 for the car, but I am currently considering an LT-1 swap for many reasons. I know some people would flame me for putting a chevy motor in a pontiac, but until someone can point me to a junkyard that has fuel injected pontiac V-8 for under a grand$$, the LT-1 looks appealing.

The biggest problem I am having is finding aftermarket brake and suspension parts. Nobody makes them. I don't expect the car to handle like a vette, but I would like handle like or better than a 94-96 Impala SS. Brakes are a huge concern right now.

I do have a few other things I consider a must:
Better bucket seats
variable speed windshield wipers
air conditiong
disc brakes( preferabely 4-wheel)
faster ratio steering


Except for the brakes I think I have got most of it figured out. I want this car to be my daily driver again.

Thanks for listening. Sorry I don't have any pics right now

Salt Racer
09-03-2004, 05:36 PM
I love '66 GP (especially the tail lights)!

I'm currently tinkering with my '65 Riviera, so I know how you feel about lack of parts availability (I can't even get a replacement radiator).

I have decent fab skills, so stuff like suspension links aren't problem for me. But parts that I cannot make (like springs, shocks, etc) are tough. You'll have to do some research on these.

For example, my Riv had front coils of 5.5" O.D. I'd imagine your car's front springs have similar dimension. Typical stock car springs share the same diameter, so you can use those. I found out IROC Camaros used the same diameter coils, so I got those instead due to lack of money at that moment. Try looking for some of my past posts, and you'll find some pics and specs of what I've done to suspension. My car will never catch a Corvette, but it's possible to make these big cars handle well.

Do you have 8-lug rims and hubs? Then is it easy to find 5 on 5 front drums? I've never had chance to look at Pont drums in person, but if it's typical drum-riveted-to-hub configuration, you can just pop off the drums and slip over discs, and make caliper brackets. I'll be using 13" '88-'96 Corvette rotors (redrilled to 5 on 5) on my Riv.

Good luck, and welcome to the board.

KendallF
09-03-2004, 06:36 PM
Saltracer's got some good ideas. If you pick a 4 piston brake caliper that bolts on with 2 bolts, making caliper brackets shouldn't be too hard. Depending on what sort of hardware attached to the original spindle, you may be able to drill out old dust shield bolt holes bigger and use them to attach the caliper bracket, or just get someone to mill a flat spot on it and drill it.

If you're willing to do a spindle swap, I would hazard a guess that the late B-body spindle might be a good match for your car, with 12" brakes and a 5x5 pattern. You could probably re-use your lower control arm, and mock it up at ride height to determine the length and offset necessary for the upper control arm.

Stock Car Products (http://www.stockcarproducts.com/) and UB Machine (http://www.ubmachine.com/) offer inexpensive tubular arms in a variety of lengths and offsets. I'm not sure what the cross-shaft bolt spacing is on your car. :confused: You may have to get the spindle reamed, depending on the ball joint used. Most stock car shops can do this inexpensively.

67Sally
09-04-2004, 11:06 AM
Welcome to the Forum.

Steve N 69 69 69
09-04-2004, 11:49 AM
welcome,sounds like a cool project, first of all, no one here will flame you, ( unless you REALLY ask for it), and second, the LT1 came in 93-97 Firebirds/Trans ams, so there you go, Pontiac LT1 :) have fun,

66gp
09-04-2004, 12:21 PM
Thanks for the welcome! This seems to be a great forum to learn.

I have looked at several options for a spindle swap, the only problems are that on the lower ball joint stud faces the ground and it is rear steer( linkage behind crossmember). I hope that makes sense, both ball joints point the same direction. I was reading an article about a 62 Cadillac Rad rides built. They used a modified first gen camaro spindle on this carCadillac article (http://www.customrodderweb.com/features/0207cr_heavyweight/)

I wondered if the same thing might work on my car.

Salt racer, I do also like the idea of being able to adapt 12"-13" corvette brakes onto the front. The IROC front springs are an idea, might have to look into that one.

Ralph LoGrasso
09-04-2004, 02:02 PM
Welcome aboard!