68 Firebird LS6/T56 GTO irs pro-touring

[dmac1974]

Ok so here goes. I have a 1968 Firebird and I'm doing a LS conversion pro-touring build. I have an Art Morrison subframe with the C6 front suspension, and I decided to try something different and fab in an irs from an 05 GTO. I was able to pick one up for $500 and I just thought I'd give it a shot. I had found a few threads about trying to use the gto rear suspension in a 1st gen, but they always seemed to just end. So after a lot of trial and error and plenty of head scratching I've finally got it stuffed in there.

Here is what it looked like when I first brought her home:

[dmac1974]

Working on it in my spare time for about 2 years now, here's what has been done so far:

The entire car was stripped down to the bare shell. I built a rotisserie and went to work with the welder, plasma cutter, and the angle grinder. I've replaced most of the floor, the dash, rear quarter skins, and the rear passenger upper control mount. I designed and built some adjustable mounts for the front two mounts of the gto rear subframe. Fabricated mounts for the rear coilovers and welded in a crossmember to tie the rear frame rails together and to hang the rear mount. Media blasting was done one the entire underneath of the car, the trunk, rear panel, and firewall. I recently coated the underneath, trunk, and interior floors with Rust Bullet, and for the first time in two years the car is off of the rotisserie. I still have a laundry list of parts and a ton of work ahead, but I'm looking forward to it. I have plenty of pics to post as soon as get time.

Here's how she sits now:

[Steve N 69 69 69]

Looks like a fun project. I'm looking forward to seeing the pics and the details on how the IRS works out.

[hotrodneb]

YA....nice work....It's too late for me but get up some pics of that IRS...

I am doing a '68 too....check my thread

[dmac1974]

Here is a shot of the crossmember I added. You can also see the "windows" I cut into the floor because I wasn't exactly sure where I need more clearance.

[dmac1974]

Upper coilover mounts and rear mount started.

[dmac1974]

Adjustable lower mounts fabricated. (I'll make them prettier later)

[dmac1974]

Rear mount finished and windows closed up

[dmac1974]

Shot of the front adjustable mounts. Turn the bolt on the end...moves vertical bolt forward and back

[dmac1974]

Coilover mocked up

[dmac1974]

Getting ready to tack in the last mounting bracket

[dmac1974]

All cleaned up and covered with Rust Bullet.

[dmac1974]

Here it is all bolted in place.

[dmac1974]

My rear tires haven't come in yet so I had to put the old rims and tires on the rear for now. I should have plenty of adjustabilty to set the ride height by either change holes in my lower mounts and then fine tuning on the coil overs themselves.

[Buryingthesun]

Maybe im looking at this wrong, but where the hell are the control arms????

[dmac1974]

Got the floors done too.

[dmac1974]

I'll need to lift the car up a bit to get a better shot of it in the car, but here is a shot of the gto rear where you can see the control arms better. You can also see the 3 main mounts on the subframe.

[dmac1974]

YA....nice work....It's too late for me but get up some pics of that IRS...

I am doing a '68 too....check my thread

Thanks...I had just went through your thread the other day . Love that green and the mods to the front and rear bumbers.

[Buryingthesun]

I'll need to lift the car up a bit to get a better shot of it in the car, but here is a shot of the gto rear where you can see the control arms better. You can also see the 3 main mounts on the subframe.

I see them now im on my computer ;)

These damn phones are so pesky sometimes

[CamaroJesse]

Subscribed to this one. Lookin good dude. What kind of wheels are on the front? They look nice.