Project Wheels and Stance gets a Motor and Trans!

[JayR]

Wheels and Stance Phase 2.0

Last year right about this same time, I started the original thread for the Rushforth Wheels company car shortly after I bought the bone stock cream puff and compiled the parts list that was to become my somewhat unlikely pro-touring machine. If you aren't familiar with the first phase of this project, I think it's worth a read for anyone who appreciates a cool car with a good story, especially a somewhat unusual car. Read all about it here: https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=57251

I cruised, showed, ran errands, and autocrossed that car right up until the weather was just too wet to drive a car like this on a regular basis. I don't treat it like a sugar cube but surviving 45 years in the NW is a feat in and of itself so I'm going to baby it a little more from here on out.



The car's only shortcoming was the 2 barrel, aluminum headed 300" V8 and Powerglide. Although the car ran like a top and you never had to shift out of first on even the biggest autocross course, the go did not match the whoa provided by the Baer brakes and the Powerglide didn't exactly have long legs when trying to get down the road in the fast lane. I knew from day one that I would be addressing this issue and it all came together this year.

My good friend Chris Holstrom, Username: YouthPastor here had a take out LS2 from an 05 GTO that he passed along to me for a song so I had it rebuilt and stuck a little bigger Comp Cam in it to help it breathe. Behind it is a complete Keisler Magnum kit and I do mean complete! They provide everything with the kit from the shifter ball, to new clutch and brake pedals and even a custom made driveshaft built to my car's specs.




A couple weeks ago, the car pulled into Chris' shop; Chris Holstrom Concepts where he is in the process of building a killer 68 Camaro for a client but the meat and potatoes of his business model is doing things exactly like my car where client's cars will only spend between 1 and 4 weeks or so doing things like LS swaps, brake and suspension upgrades and even general automotive repair for hot rods so a guy who might not have the time, skill, tools to do something like a brake job or a computer diagnosis to his hot rod but he doesn't want to leave it with an ex-convict at the local lube shop and have Ferris Bueller's Day off reenacted on his pride and joy, he can take it to Chris and have it treated right and repaired properly with peace of mind. Personally, I think it's a brilliant business model so if you live in the NW and don't want to tackle that complete LS swap install or Baer brake upgrade, etc, Chris is your man.

Out of the rain and into the shop

[JayR]

Good bye little 300 and Godspeed on your 2nd life in a rat rod thanks to craigslist!


Out with the old while the motor was still hot.


Awaiting it's new home an Night 1


Awesome Autokraft pan and motor mounts from Don Hardy Racecars


Dropping in!

[srh3trinity]

This car is going from cool to cool with the power to back it up. Nice choice on the engine.

[Mr. Anderson]

Say, if you need to get rid of that nailhead, I'll come pick it up for ya

[youthpastor]

[KeislerJeff]

Very sweet.

[John Wright]

Already a nice ride, just gets even better....nice choice for the running gear.

[srh3trinity]

Things are moving quickly. The motor looks great sitting in there.

[NOT A TA]

Nice drivetrain upgrade Jay! Should make the car a lot more fun!

[PhillipM]

Oh man. Sometimes we wish we had gone that route on our Olds... Okay, almost everytime we drive it we wish we would have gone that route! Ha!

Nice work Jay!



Will you do me a favor though and paint that master cylinder... Pretty please!?!

[Mingus]

Awesome car. My next big project on my car is LS power so I'm very interested in this thread. It's also nice to see the "other" A-bodies get PT'd.

[JayR]

Thanks everyone! As you can imagine, we're slamming to get that in there before next month's NW Good Guys show but we're way over the hump.

Phillip, I'll get it handled for you. A little embarrassed but there's just so much moisture in the air here all winter long that it just surfaced over. I know you guys in AZ have never seen that but it's something we have to contend with up here!

Awesome car. My next big project on my car is LS power so I'm very interested in this thread. It's also nice to see the "other" A-bodies get PT'd.

Thanks a ton, Mingus. I'll do my best to show what we do assuming I don't forget my camera like last night but if you want an incredible step by step and a complete shopping list, check out B-Man's brilliantly executed swap and associated build thread. https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=48361

[PhillipM]

Phillip, I'll get it handled for you. A little embarrassed but there's just so much moisture in the air here all winter long that it just surfaced over. I know you guys in AZ have never seen that but it's something we have to contend with up here!

I hear ya man. Mine finally did that after about 6 years here in AZ. I was too lazy to remove it so I put some Por 15 in a cup and hand brushed it on. Worked awesome, hopefully it stays looking good for another 6 years

Can't wait to see some more photos!

[JayR]

We ran into a little hiccup that was resolved by an awesome vendor. In the picture, you can see the killer CTS-V accessory drive system that keeps everything in close and mounts the alternator way down low on the driver's side..... Right on top of my Lee steering box. The car and the motor were never in the same room until the swap started and bonehead me immediately went for the cool looking drive never thinking about side effects so I called Pace Performance to see if just by chance they might have a relocation bracket to save me from having to replace a $500 drive and they simply said to pack it back up and we'll swap you straight across for a Corvette drive! I'm so grateful so that is why there's no drive in some of these pics but that will get fixed very shortly.




The Powerglide crossmember actually works with the new 6 speed with a couple slight modifications including cutting a tiny notch in the dead center and scooting it rearward a few inches.




Yes, I'm going to paint those framerails but getting running is first priority!

[Mingus]

My master cylinder looks just like yours. It's a NW thing.
Looking forward to seeing the car at the Puyallup Good Guys. Wheels and stance is the great name for the car. They're both perfect.
I went to Cool Desert Nights in Tri-Cities last weekend. Drove the car there and back (about 550 miles round trip) and autocrossed it for the first time Sunday. It did way better than I expected considering that I only have Kuhmo Ecsta ASX tires. My times were in the middle of the street tire cars, most of whom had way stickier rubber and less weight. It was the only PT car there and impressed a lot of people. They were amazed an "old Cutlass" could handle that good. I was a little hesitant about the maiden thrashing being 275 miles from home on a Sunday, but it did great. It was the first time I'd autocrossed in 10 years (drove a Beretta GT back then) and I'd forgotten how much damn fun it is. I think I'm officially sucked back in.

Mike

[John Wright]

Looks good, like it should have come from the factory that way...LOL

[JayR]

My master cylinder looks just like yours. It's a NW thing.
Looking forward to seeing the car at the Puyallup Good Guys. Wheels and stance is the great name for the car. They're both perfect.
I went to Cool Desert Nights in Tri-Cities last weekend. Drove the car there and back (about 550 miles round trip) and autocrossed it for the first time Sunday. It did way better than I expected considering that I only have Kuhmo Ecsta ASX tires. My times were in the middle of the street tire cars, most of whom had way stickier rubber and less weight. It was the only PT car there and impressed a lot of people. They were amazed an "old Cutlass" could handle that good. I was a little hesitant about the maiden thrashing being 275 miles from home on a Sunday, but it did great. It was the first time I'd autocrossed in 10 years (drove a Beretta GT back then) and I'd forgotten how much damn fun it is. I think I'm officially sucked back in.

Mike

Very cool, Mike! An autocross at Cool Desert Nights? That's a new one! That would make it worth driving to Tri-Cities. You should join me in Bremerton for the next event and we can represent with GM A-Bodies.

[Mingus]

That sounds like a great idea Jason. It'll be interesting to see what the Buick will do with the new drivetrain. When is the next Bremerton race?
The Tri-Cities autocross was actually put on by Sand & Sage Sports Car Club. They had a display at the car show and did a non-points fun run Sunday. Really short simple course (under 30 seconds) to let people come try autocross. 34 novices showed up so I guess it worked. Best part: $10 for 8 runs!
Packwood is next weekend. It is supposed to be really good, just a ways off the beaten path.
Mike

[Mingus]

Pic from the autox

[JayR]

Pic from the autox

Looks good, Mike!