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    1. #1
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Greenville, IL
      Posts
      262
      Country Flag: United States

      86 Monte Carlo SS with truck arms (LOTS of pics added)

      Alright guys, I have been a member here for sometime now, but haven't actually posted any pics of my car yet. I have posted a few pics of the rear suspension in the rolling chassis section. The parts guy where I work took some of my pics and put them on his website. For anybody to look at. Here is a link directly to the page for my car.

      Here is a list of what I have done to it so far:

      Body:
      mini-tubbed 3"
      spare tire well delete
      rear floor board mod to clear suspension
      stripped car to bare steel and epoxy primed
      cut tunnel for t56 shifter clearance

      Frame:
      2x4 rect tubing from firewall to rear horns
      truck arm rear suspension
      screw jack rear spring perches
      custom fabbed full floating 9in
      truck arm x-member bracing
      adjustable phb

      Additional Plans:
      SC&C AFX stage 2 kit
      Bonspeed Delta wheels (18x9f, 18x10r)
      315 rear 275 front tires
      Approx. 550hp 383sbc or 600hp 434sbc
      Viper t56 (already have)
      Glass cowl hood (already have)
      Complete original pattern leather interior w/ modified front seat foam (bigger bolsters)

      I know this is a big list but I am doing ALL the work myself so it is taking quite a while. Here is a link to a photochop I had Bernie (SickSpeedMonte) do on his car to give me a more visual picture of what my car will look like, rather than a mental image.

      Sorry for the long post, but let me know what you guys think,
      Joe



    2. #2
      Join Date
      Dec 2004
      Location
      HILLBILLY HOLLYWOOD, TENNESSEE!!!
      Posts
      2,041
      Now THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE COOL G BODY!!!!
      Mike

      Remember, "Drive Fast, Turn Heads, Break Hearts!"

      www.musclecardeals.com

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Dec 2004
      Location
      charleston, SC
      Posts
      853
      Country Flag: United States
      Do you have any more pics of the finished floor pan(rear footwells). I'm interested to see how you made room for the travel of the truck-arms. I don't like the way my own floorpan was cut, so I might be inclined to change it if I can find another way. Car looks good. Keep it up.
      Robert's 1969 Camaro - 2002 LS1/T56, 10pt cage, Global West Stage III front suspension, HTH truck arm rear suspension, Sprint Cup 9" full-floating rear end, Fikse Mach V 17" up front 18" in the back and still working on it...

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Greenville, IL
      Posts
      262
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by scogin918
      Do you have any more pics of the finished floor pan(rear footwells). I'm interested to see how you made room for the travel of the truck-arms. I don't like the way my own floorpan was cut, so I might be inclined to change it if I can find another way. Car looks good. Keep it up.
      Thanks for the complements. I will have to look through my pics when I get home tonight. If I have any good pics of the floor pan I will post them. Actually I will takes some more pics of the floor pan regardless if I already have some. I will try to post them tonight, but I may not get time.

      Thanks again,
      Joe

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Dec 2004
      Location
      North Jersey
      Posts
      983
      Looks evil, I like it!
      Steve Ragusa - North Jersey
      2006 Infiniti G35x
      Former Build - 1988 Monte Carlo SS - ZZ4-cammed TPI 355, F-body serpentine conversion, World-Class 5-speed, Eibachs/Bilsteins, Howe tall LBJs, 34mm hollow front swaybar, 3/4" straight rear bar, 17" Coys C55s, 12" front discs, and more. Sold on 2/28/11.

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Greenville, IL
      Posts
      262
      Country Flag: United States

      floor board pics

      Here are some pics of the rear floor board. I have a minimum of 1/4 clearance from the floor to any suspension part w/ the suspension completely bottom out against the frame. I know this isn't much clearance but unless one of the arms break or a grade 8 bolt breaks I shouldn't have any problems. I don't remember if I did the floor mods w/ the body bushings installed or not. If not then that will give my even more clearance. I am pretty sure I had them install, and they are brand new urethane ones from Energy Suspension. I figured if I could get clearance w/ the suspension bottomed out against the frame, then once I installed some sort of bump stops I shouldn't have any problems.

      Here are the pics, as you can tell they are still in bare metal and need primed. The welds also havn't been finished on the bottom.
      Attached Images Attached Images          

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Aug 2006
      Location
      South Dakota
      Posts
      102
      Country Flag: United States
      Killer setup...

      I am currently building a '71 Nova, with a truck arm system. It looks like you are running "off the shelf" parts.... ?????

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Nov 2005
      Location
      Farmington Hills, MI
      Posts
      1,038
      Wow man thats awsome. Now my car doesnt seem so radical. Hope you get her done soon.
      Jeff
      JEFF SHORTT
      -IDEAL STEEL


    9. #9
      Join Date
      Aug 2006
      Location
      South Dakota
      Posts
      102
      Country Flag: United States
      Answered my own question with a little more research..

      https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sh...ight=truck+arm

      https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7840

      Nice thread keep it going to ed-u-macate the rest of us.

      My big question right now is coilover spring rate. They will be mounted in front of the ford 9 at a nominal angle. What is a good rate to start at... final weight isn't known yet... ????

      '71 Nova
      BB 408
      700r4
      Ford 9
      Custom Truckarm

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Posts
      467
      Some GNX flares could easily be adapted for the Monte, and would look great. Cool project!

      Jim
      Don't take a knife to a gunfight.

      Half-Assed = Half-Fast

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Greenville, IL
      Posts
      262
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by DeltaT
      Some GNX flares could easily be adapted for the Monte, and would look great. Cool project!

      Jim
      I didn't even really think about using flares. I have already done a 1.5" tub to both sides, so I should hopefully be able to run 315's w/o using flares. I think all I should have to do is trim the 1/4 lip a little. I am trying to keep it looking stock on the outside w/ the exception of hood, wheels and paint. Thanks for the idea though.

      It looks like you are running "off the shelf" parts.... ?????
      Correct. I bought the truck arms, phb brackets, and crossmember from Stock Car Products.

      My big question right now is coilover spring rate. They will be mounted in front of the ford 9 at a nominal angle. What is a good rate to start at... final weight isn't known yet... ????
      I am planning of running around a #250 rear spring, non coilover. My springs are still in the same general location as stock. I don't know my exact spring rates yet. Once I have the car fully assembled I will scale it and then probably ask on here and other boards as to what spring rate to use.

      Wow man thats awsome. Now my car doesnt seem so radical. Hope you get her done soon.
      Jeff
      Yeah, it's a huge project, and I hope I get it done soon also. Funds are extremely tight right now. I sign papers on my new house tomorrow and am getting married in a month , so funds go elsewhere first.

      Thanks for all the complements. Protournova, if you have anymore ?'s just ask. I sent you a pm.
      Joe

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Aug 2006
      Location
      South Dakota
      Posts
      102
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote:
      Yeah, it's a huge project, and I hope I get it done soon also. Funds are extremely tight right now. I sign papers on my new house tomorrow and am getting married in a month , so funds go elsewhere first.


      Congrat’s on both accounts... add two kids to the equation… money is always tight. ;-)

      Future state I plan on adding either light weight I-beam or tube arms. Current state is factory arms. One idea I had was to light them was by drilling 1” holes down the length of the center. Does anyone have an opinion on this????

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Aug 2006
      Location
      South Dakota
      Posts
      102
      Country Flag: United States
      Yeah, it's a huge project, and I hope I get it done soon also. Funds are extremely tight right now. I sign papers on my new house tomorrow and am getting married in a month , so funds go elsewhere first.

      Congrat’s on both accounts... add two kids to the equation… money is always tight. ;-)

      Future state I plan on adding either light weight I-beam or tube arms. Current state is factory arms. One idea I had was to light them was by drilling 1” holes down the length of the center. Does anyone have an opinion on this????

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Greenville, IL
      Posts
      262
      Country Flag: United States
      Future state I plan on adding either light weight I-beam or tube arms. Current state is factory arms. One idea I had was to light them was by drilling 1” holes down the length of the center. Does anyone have an opinion on this????
      I don't know how well the i beam or tubr arms would work. The truckarms are built the way they are because they have to flex. I think if you use an I-beam or tube setup, it would cause some serious binding issues. I have seen somebody (think it was on this website) that used a set of tubular arms. Though the way they had them built, I don't think it necessarily saved much weight. From the research I have done, you can't run a truck-arm setup w/ arms that are torsionally rigid. Here is a link to a very good discussion on a tubular truck arm setup. There is a ton of info in this post. http://https://www.pro-touring.com/f...lar+truck+arms

      As far as drillin holes to lighten the arms, you might be able to do that. I would just me concerned about the strength afterwards.

      Just my thoughts,
      Joe

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Mar 2005
      Location
      Woodbine, MD
      Posts
      2,770
      Country Flag: United States
      all I have to say is wow........just wow. What a project!!! I have a 88 monte carlo SS....that just got a frame notch and soe other stuff....and you have really inspired me just now. What an awesome car.

      Are you on the montecarloss.com board? I know Bernie really well..and I hang out with him all the time. His car is really nice. Good luck with your car and let me know if you need anything!!

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Aug 2006
      Location
      South Dakota
      Posts
      102
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by jmarti81
      I don't know how well the i beam or tubr arms would work. The truckarms are built the way they are because they have to flex. I think if you use an I-beam or tube setup, it would cause some serious binding issues. I have seen somebody (think it was on this website) that used a set of tubular arms. Though the way they had them built, I don't think it necessarily saved much weight. From the research I have done, you can't run a truck-arm setup w/ arms that are torsionally rigid. Here is a link to a very good discussion on a tubular truck arm setup. There is a ton of info in this post. http://https://www.pro-touring.com/f...lar+truck+arms

      As far as drillin holes to lighten the arms, you might be able to do that. I would just me concerned about the strength afterwards.

      Just my thoughts,
      Joe
      Thanks for the link.. and yur right, lots of good stuff. I have also talked to MetalWorks on the phone and they where very willing and helpful to talk with. It would be really nice to see a group of the hotest suspension builders get together and run a heads up competition.

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Greenville, IL
      Posts
      262
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by SicMonte
      all I have to say is wow........just wow. What a project!!! I have a 88 monte carlo SS....that just got a frame notch and soe other stuff....and you have really inspired me just now. What an awesome car.

      Are you on the montecarloss.com board? I know Bernie really well..and I hang out with him all the time. His car is really nice. Good luck with your car and let me know if you need anything!!
      Yeah, I am a member on montecarloss.com. My screen name on there is redss86. I wish I could change my id on here to the same, but I can't do that w/o creating a completely new profile. Oh well.

      I will try and keep updates posted.

      Joe

    18. #18
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Greenville, IL
      Posts
      262
      Country Flag: United States

      10 Year Update!!!!!!!!! LOTS of pictures.

      Well 10 years later, and unfortunately not a whole lot of progress. But since the website that I had linked in my first post isn't there anymore, I figured I could actually add some pics to this thread and update it while I was at it.

      Why 10 years and not much progress? "LIFE" happened!!!! As I had posted, I bought a house, got married, was unemployed for 5 months, then had to save money to build a shed to be able to work on it. That took almost 4 years to complete because I did not pay somebody to build it for me. I built it myself with the help of some family and friends. So then in that time frame we ended up having two kids ( thanks for the tip "Protournova") 19 months apart. Now that they are a little older, I am trying to get out and actually work on this. So when you throw two kids, a wife, home ownership, and doing some side work at home, you don't have much time to work on what you really want to.

      Now I have over 250 pictures I could share, but that is entirely too many to post all of them. Plus a lot are basically the same pic, just a little different angle. So if you have any questions for some different angles it is no problem. This will take several posts and probably several days to fully update, and the posts will probably be pretty long. So be patient on my update progress.

      Tear Down, these were taken February '05

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      I even got the "girlfriend" (wife now) to help!

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      Did a mini-tub on it. I cut the entire panel between the wheel wells out, and cut a 3" section out of the center. I did this because I wanted to keep the body bushing support there. It isn't actually a "body mount", but there is a bushing there. So I drilled out the spot welds as needed and cut around the center package tray brace. I cut the section out and welded the two pieces back together, then trim the floor as needed around the wheel wells for now narrower piece. Once it was all spot welded back in place, I cut filler pieces to fill in the gap in the wheel wells. Looking back on it now, I almost wish I would have went a little bit more, but I will fit as wide of a tire as I can in there now.

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      I also did some rust patch work on the trunk weatherstrip flange, and remove the spare tire well.

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      Then, it was off to work, where I put it on the rotisserie and sand blasted and epoxied the entire body (inside and out).

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      While I had the body at work, I started on the frame. I had to build some sort of "flat surface" to build the frame on. I didn't have access to a frame bench, and hadn't really thought about building one at the time. So I had my Uncle bring his laser level over and we shimmed up some 4x4's, and screwed down some plywood. Seriously kind of redneck engineering, but it was all I had.

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      Then the "fun" began!!!
      I started by re-welding the factory seams on the frame.

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      Had to build jigs to hold the rear frame horns in place.

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      Then it was time to start cutting it apart.

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      I put the "old lady" to work cutting out backing plates with the plasma torch for the new frame rails. I wish I actually owned a plasma torch, it sure was nice to be able to bring the one home from work at the time.

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      New frame rails. I did "butt with backing" welds on all joints between the axles. As you can tell, I also plug welded the backing plates on either side of the joint.

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      Used more 1/8" plate to make the transition joint between the new rails, and the original ones. I think they turned out really good. Also put a sleeve in the outer rail for the #3 body mount under the door opening.

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      I will have to get some pictures of the actual finished transitions.

      Then to locate the truck arm cross-member. I had to reinstall the body to make sure I got the rear end positioned correctly. I had to cut the rear floor board out for clearance for the arms.

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      My help "hard at work"

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      She's going to "LOVE" me for posting that. Oh, well. I will continue to post as I can. The newest picture in this post is from December '05 so I still have a loooooonnng ways to go. I am actually curious what the "LIFE" gap will be on it.
      Joe Marti
      86 Monte Carlo SS build thread
      65 Mustang Coupe
      00 WS6 Trans Am (wife's car)
      15 Silverado LTZ 4x4

    19. #19
      Join Date
      Mar 2012
      Posts
      87
      Country Flag: Canada
      Nice work. Keep the updates coming.

    20. #20
      Join Date
      Sep 2015
      Location
      SW KS
      Posts
      162
      Country Flag: United States
      Man, that was genius cutting out the center to make your mini-tubs. Good work. Can't wait to see more.

      Chris

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