2 Attachment(s)
1972 Buick Turbo LS Pro Touring - Garage Made
***Posted this in the "New Member" section too but thought I would put it here to incase it can help anyone else looking to do similar things!***
I just joined the forum. Truth be told it was just to check out some shocks that someone was selling but i see there is a ton of useful info on here! I'm up in Canada land and the snow is flying right now so not a bad time to make some progress on my project! Just a financial advisor with a car hobby...
Picked it up in Calgary, AB about 4 years ago. Got it from stinky Roger. Literally the guy was gag worthy. Paid 2000$ for the car. just a standard 350/350 car. Drove it for 2 weeks then it sat for about a year on my garage pad. Built the garage and then started to tear it down. For the most part the body is in decent shape from what I can see except the roof skin has holes in it. The car originally had a 1/4 vinyl top that stopped working and rust ate its way through the spots it was attached to the roof skin. Some patches to be done (drivers door, passenger fender, quarter panel patches, small spot on the trunk floor) the hoods in good shape though!
Nothing to special about the car to start with but I completely tore it down to the frame. Didn't really do a tone to it for about 3 years until this year i have made a ton of progress.
I always wanted it to go fast, stop and handle well. Got the body off the frame a, had the frame sand blasted and then installed a Hellwig Frame FX kit. Essentially turns the coupe frame into a convertible frame with an extra body mount. Wasn't terribly hard to install this, just some grinding, cutting and welding. Welding is slow with this. Had to do about an inch at a time in 4 different spots then wait for the frame to cool to the touch and repeat. I think it took me about a 5 days of off and on to full weld in the kit. If you put to much heat through the frame when you weld it it will bow out the middle frame rail sections and then you have to go get it straightened. Mine bowed out a little bit but nothing that wasn't manageable, everything still lined up. Went this route cause it made clear space under the car for exhaust and anything else. (see pics of the old frame (just oily and had a coating on it really, then sand blasted, then with the kit installed).
Once the frame was welded i just finished it up with poly body bushings from energy suspension and put the body back on. obviously i haven't driven it with the frame kit yet, but just moving the car around with a jack there is a noticeable difference in the stiffness of it.
https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...2&d=1605052011https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...1&d=1605052011https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...0&d=1605052011https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...9&d=1605052011
I have always wanted to do an ls swap. Super tough and reliable and cheap to buy. I got my engine for 250$. 5.3l lm7. Doesn't get more generic than that. Supposedly it has 170,000kms (105,000miles) on it and ran fine when pulled. Guess we will see! Needed some sensors, a coil and what not but nothing major so far. I used UMI lsx mounts for the install. Put on an f-body oil pan so the oil pan wasn't hanging 3" below the k-member. Also got a 4l60 trans built that a mated to the 5.3l. think i might be the only person in the world that had to cut their trans tunnel to make this fit (my car seems to be different when it comes to the measurement and fitting of things, same thing with the steering box) going to end up running a turbo. Not sure how to fix the picture orientation.
https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...3&d=1605052594https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...4&d=1605053368
Added a JGC steering box too, had to beat the frame a little to get it to fit which is odd cause i haven't heard of anyone else having to do that ()you will notice a trend here). Car stayed like that for a real long time. like 2-2.5 years. Then I made a ton of progress this year.
Put together the whole fuel system. Tank, pump, filter, fittings, lines you name it. used PTFE fittings and hose. Fixed the core support cause one side was totally rotted out. Installed a Buick big block radiator along with some ford windstar fans, plumped the steering box (fittings too) with a cooler and the water pump hoses.
https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...6&d=1605053563https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...5&d=1605053523https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...7&d=1605053880https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...8&d=1605053901https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...9&d=1605053933
Then i fabbed up a log manifold, sch 40 pipe that is all 2.5" with 1.5" runners. got a flange that is a 2.5" pipe to t4 that made this easy to install the turbo. This is a 78mm i used for mock. Will end up using a 72mm most likely. going the vs racing route with this!
https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...0&d=1605054183https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...1&d=1605054199https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...2&d=1605054217
Also got some front suspension goodness installed. Had to drill new upper shock mount holes, which i don't think anyone else has ever had to do. 1" back on the drivers side and 3/4" back on the pass. side. Like I said trend with my car that its tolerances must have been after some afternoon scotch on the assembly floor. Got the suspension and brake parts from a friend. 6 piston wilwoods with 12.19" rotors too! Adjustable upper control arms, tubular lower arms, 2"drop spindles, and the brakes.
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https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...3&d=1605054375https://www.pro-touring.com/attachme...4&d=1605054473
Picked up a 12 bolt about a month ago. Its a 373 posi unit. Running poly bushings in the axle. Got rear suspension control arms coming from a buddy (rod ends in all the joints except the upper arms that bolt to the axle, 2" lowering springs in the mail (125#-200# progressive springs). Just need some single or double adjustable shocks to complete the package (anyone got some for sale?). Also picking up some wilwood brakes from a guy that couldn't use them for his project. 4 piston with 11" low profile rotors and calipers. 500$! Steal of a deal, they are new in the box.
Pretty sure i am going to be running these wheels (Below). Either 18 or 19 inch x 10.5 wide and the 295's on all four corners. they would be about 10 lbs lighter than the corvette reproduction rims i was looking to buy and i can source them in Alberta and avoid paying the conversion, shipping and duty across the border (such a killer these days).
Attachment 181073
Also just picked up some Cobalt ss seats that I will swap into the car. Going to have to make brackets to get them to fit but nothing crazy. (Paid 300$ for them). will post pics when they are set in place and what the brackets look like.
Attachment 181074
Really trying to do this car with as many decent components as possible but without spending a ton of cash. Getting lots of stuff used from other people that is making a huge difference. Saved about $3000 on suspension, $1750 on brakes and $800 on seats doing it that way compared to buying the new stuff i was looking at.