Garage built Buick....GN

[GNon18s]

[GNon18s]

[AUTODYNAMICS]

Real sexy!!!!!

[Jon69RagTop]

Nice work going on there, I like to see daughters involved. ;). I have three of them.

[GNon18s]

I wanted to block off the rear trunk area and add some stiffness to the body so I made a rear firewall out of 18ga steel. I dont have a sheetmetal break so I did it ghetto style on my workbench.

[GNon18s]

Nice work going on there, I like to see daughters involved. ;). I have three of them.

Ha, my daughters five. Every other day she ask's "Whens your car going to be done?"

[silvermonte]

Is the trunk bracket still in the stock location? It looks like you just extended the base to mount to the wheel well for support. Do you have any idea what you will do for the arm that holds the trunk lid or will that just be something that you figure out when you get that far?

[carguykeith]

Love the direction this is headed, really should have pulled the body off of mine, it would have been easier in the end.

So what's the plan for the frame? I just hammered my inner fender in the inch and a half a notched the frame, but am probably limited to 315s definitely no 345s going back there...

[GNon18s]

SilverMonte, yes the trunk hinge brackets are still in the stock location. Just rebuilt them back into the new wheel tub. Im just going to modify the hinges/brackets to clear. I have them mocked up and they work great. The only downside is the deck lid just doesnt open as high. I like using the stock parts when I can, it usually gives it a cleaner look IMO.

[GNon18s]

Love the direction this is headed, really should have pulled the body off of mine, it would have been easier in the end.

So what's the plan for the frame? I just hammered my inner fender in the inch and a half a notched the frame, but am probably limited to 315s definitely no 345s going back there...

Im going to cut the frame and move the frame rails in, then box everything.

[Cutls67]

I wanted to block off the rear trunk area and add some stiffness to the body so I made a rear firewall out of 18ga steel. I dont have a sheetmetal break so I did it ghetto style on my workbench.

Does blocking this off really add stiffness? I was throwing the idea around to do in my Cutlass.

[howehot]

Nice Build. Very clean work. When I tubbed my Monte Carlo I recessed the hinge into the tub 1/2". This way I did not have to modify the hinge and there is zero tire interference with 335/30/18's. 345's would also clear.

[GNon18s]

Does blocking this off really add stiffness? I was throwing the idea around to do in my Cutlass.

Honestly im not sure how much it would help. Im guessing it will help a little but not a lot. I originally wanted to bead roll those panels but the first one i bead rolled warped like crazy. I probably didnt have the bead roller setup right for that. I said heck with it and left them flat. Also, i just wanted to cover that area with some type of "Dynamat" to keep noise (and smoke) out of the passenger compartment.

[GNon18s]

Nice Build. Very clean work. When I tubbed my Monte Carlo I recessed the hinge into the tub 1/2". This way I did not have to modify the hinge and there is zero tire interference with 335/30/18's. 345's would also clear.

I followed along with a lot of your build, very nice and already hit up some events i see!!

[SickSpeedMonte]

Very nice work. You make that look easy. I'm doing the exact same thing. I only moved mine in 3" though, figuring it would be plenty for 345's. Did you really need 4.5"? 275's fit in the stock wheel well and an extra 3 inches should allow a 350 mm tire, theoretically. I'm hoping to get the rear seat back in (modified of course) and useable, for two at least.

Oh, and how did you get the fuel tank braces off of the trunk floor without gouging up the floor?

[GNon18s]

Very nice work. You make that look easy. I'm doing the exact same thing. I only moved mine in 3" though, figuring it would be plenty for 345's. Did you really need 4.5"? 275's fit in the stock wheel well and an extra 3 inches should allow a 350 mm tire, theoretically. I'm hoping to get the rear seat back in (modified of course) and useable, for two at least.

Oh, and how did you get the fuel tank braces off of the trunk floor without gouging up the floor?

I guess it depends on if you want to tuck the tire in the fender or not. I had my 345 stuffed in the fender, then build the wheel well around it basically. Not sure how low I will have the back sit. I guess it depends on where the front ends up. ...the fuel tank mounts were removed with a spot weld cutter and a lot of patients.

[GNon18s]

I had to modify the stock fuel tank mounts to fit their new location on the trunk floor (moved them so they are centered). I basically had to swap one flange to the other.

[GNon18s]

[GNon18s]

Quick round of filler just to fill in some low spots and slight imperfections, then it will get epoxy primer. Looks worse than it is I think.

[GNon18s]

Seam sealed everything before primer.