• The site migration is complete! Hopefully everything transferred properly from the multiple decades old software we were using before. If you notice any issues please let me know, thanks! Also, I'm still working on things like chatbox, etc so hopefully those will be working in the next week or two.

The transformation has begun...



Well, she's back down on the ground, still have some stuff to take care of. Ordered fittings and brake line from Russell, do not like at all the amount of tension on the brake hoses, so seeing what I can come up with. No clue once it moves if it will drop any further, it's kinda nice the way it is...

Tire width is huge compared to the stockers, not sure if I expected such a difference.

The inner well was already sprayed heavy with undercoating, I just used Krylon satin black to just give it some color. Attempted to take some pictures but the lighting and such played havoc with the point and shoot. Here's the only one that really came out. The 19's don't look too bad in person, better than the pic IMO.
PICT0636.jpg

PICT0637.jpg
 
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:th_dancingpepper:Well, I can do my happy dance now, going to order some G2 caliper paint (black or silver, would go red, but not sure I want to draw attention to the rear caliper or lack there of - but it does stop the car) but the front end is pretty much done. Camber is still off a bit, but the tires did tuck under the fender well after rolling car back and forth a few times.

Much happier with the brake line (not dot approved though). Used a 10mm-1.0 female x #3 reverse flare up at the hard line, then a 10mm x #3 banjo with a 35 degree bend down at the caliper. Connected the two with a 18" x #3 line. It's not nearly as taunt as the stocker, didn't have to bend any brackets and has a slight cool factor to boot.

Monday night I'll start tearing into the rear suspension, and dissasemble the rear hub assemblies, haven't decided which route to go on the lateral rods yet. The stock 2004+ adustable ones, the ones by Wbody or there's always BMR if I want to drop an arm and leg with the price. UMI was at the GM Nationals offering 20% off on all their products, of course they don't make the lateral bars yet for our cars.. :(
 


thats gonna look good, shave that 3800 emblem off, would look better imo. I have a pic of my car with painted red calipers (G2 paint) if u wanna get a look for reference, check the lounge for my post
 
what did you end up doing to fix the rocker rust/disaster. My GP has rockers taht dont exist anymore and its driving me insane, i just got the car a few weeks ago and i want to start doing some upgrades but not before fixing the hideous cancer eating my sides lol
 
Mad Monkey said:
what did you end up doing to fix the rocker rust/disaster. My GP has rockers taht dont exist anymore and its driving me insane, i just got the car a few weeks ago and i want to start doing some upgrades but not before fixing the hideous cancer eating my sides lol
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Actually I'm doing the opposite, doing everything else before that is tackled. My driver side is about perfect, but most of the passenger side is gone - although it doesn't seem to have effected the molding. So until it heads down to the bodyshop for some bodywork, I can't answer that question. Sorry.
 
i dunno why everyone likes to debadge. i'm fairly against debading personally. but wheels are looking great. lemme know when u get the suspension tweaked out and tell us how the ride is :D ... also great job with the altezza tails, i like those...looks good IMO
 
offroadfury6 said:
i dunno why everyone likes to debadge. i'm fairly against debading personally. but wheels are looking great. lemme know when u get the suspension tweaked out and tell us how the ride is :D ... also great job with the altezza tails, i like those...looks good IMO
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I might consider not putting the "3800V6" badge back on after the new bumper goes on, but like you I kinda like the "Grand Prix" emblems/badges, gives it a little bit of identity.

Thanks about the the tails. :) And I will let the group know how the ride is, hopefully not too bad... Not expecting a cadillac ride, but hoping it's not a bucking bronco either...
 


Wheels are looking great!! I miss mine soooooo much! Now no turbo and no wheels...

Let me know if you get tired of them and wanna sell them or trade for parts. ;)
 
Just a lil update, started tearing the rear suspension apart, the trailing arm seems to the piece that is going to be a pita, that and possible the upper support to get the lateral bars off. Rear spindles and backing plates have been blasted and painted, so I can start putting that back together with the new hub, etc..

Ordered more parts, after much searching found another source for the lateral bars, HT Motorsports in Michigan. Guys name is Erik and very nice to work with - the bars can be powder coated but I ordered them bare, will paint when I get them. Both bars will be adjustable, initially I'll just make them the same length as the stock ones. Price is a lil more then the ones WBody store offer, but less then BMR's. Will be ordering the trailing arms from him next week. I'll post up pics when I get them.

After seeing how wimpy the rear brake calipers are on the GP's, searched for a rear 12" GXP setup from a 2005-2008. Found a used setup for a reasonable price yesterday, that should be coming sometime next week. Comparing prices, I didn't spend too much more then I did for the stock reman calipers and new drilled rotors.

That's about it, will post pics when I get them... :D
 
my work has ALL pictures blocked all the time. i cant wait to get the internet so i can check this out. i want to see those rims NOW.
 
Bio248 said:
my work has ALL pictures blocked all the time. i cant wait to get the internet so i can check this out. i want to see those rims NOW.
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My company has the same thing, it's a real PITA too when someone posts something that says "here's a picture". I'd really like to see it but have to wait, or browse the forum using my cell phone...

Or I click on a post and it's blocked because some word in the post has something to do with a weapon... LOL
 


BlownBigBlock, if u decide to sell the spoiler..... if anyone should get it....You know it should b me :)......aside from that.....lovin the build, can't wait to see it finished:)
 
More parts arrived... Woo Hoo...

Good news and bad news today..

First the good. :th_biggrin2:

Picked up the GXP rotors this morning from a local dealership, they matched what GMPartsDirect would charge with shipping. No pics of them yet, but alot bigger then our stock ones, the calipers should be here late next week (I hope).

In the meantime though, I found another source for trailing arms and the lateral rods, ordered a set from HT Motorsports, ordered on Tuesday and they arrived today. I just went with a bare finish, but he does over powdercoating, I'll just end up painting them Hammered Silver. Here are pics of the rods, come with poly bushings and grease fittings to boot.

arms1.jpg


arms2.jpg


Now for the bad :(, I knew the rear suspension would be a biotch compared to the front. Looked at the bolts for the trailing arm (where it bolts into the cup/bracket), all the bolts well rusted, after hitting them heavy with penetrating oil and letting it soak, decided to take them out. All came loose easy enough, but of course my luck would run out and one bolt broke flush, so now have to drill and retap one, not terribly difficult, but still a pita... I guess if that's all that goes wrong I should consider myself lucky..

Let's see, need to know what size bolts hold the trailing arm to the spindle... May still be able to get it off, but seems seized to spindle assembly... Dayum, I need some air tools...
 
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