V8 OR RWD W-BODY

[nixtux]

Make a AWD W-Body (using a Cutlass body.) using a Astro van or perhaps a old 6000 Pontiac frames.

Granted this is only a side hobby for me and I buy stuff as I have extra money. But in a couple years I'll have everything I need. Give or take. Probably less since Business gets better every year.

[LeftVentricle]

Make a AWD W-Body (using a Cutlass body.) using a Astro van

This is doomed to failure, since the AWD Astros are well known for eating front diffs.

[neo71665]

This is doomed to failure, since the AWD Astros are well known for eating front diffs.

A theme with all chevy AWD but the astros are the strongest.

[Hotlap]

I say Try it Nixtux. I had a lot of people telling me that what I'm doing can't be done either. I believe almost anything is possible with the right planning. I don't know much about the AWD Astros and Safari's other than I looked under a 2WD one to see if it had any kind of Frame like an S10. There's no Frame to Speak of on a 2WD, it's UniBody like my Lumina. I think the hardest part of what you want to build would be doing the frame.
Best of Luck with your Plan, mine took 15 Years before I could make it Happen!

[Hotlap]

Well I've been working Solo for the past Month, my Son's working more OT than he cares for. I have a lot of updates, so Thanks for checking my thread to see what I've been up to.

Here is the Drivers Front Wheel Well, lots of extra to grind off. I have to make a small panel to close off the front of it yet. The original Flanges were used, welds were done from the Top first, then the undersides done on all four Wheel Wells:



Here is the Passenger Side:



This is the Drivers Rear Wheel Well shown from inside the Car. Once again I have a small panel to fit in at the Bottom:


This picture is the Same Wheel Well showing the Top Side from inside the Car. I have a few Holes to Fill in Yet as well as grinding excess welds. Working in tight spot is harder than you think, getting the right angles to weld the panels is tough:



Here is the Passenger Rear Wheel Well from inside the car:



Top View of the Passenger Side Rear Wheel Well:


This is the Drivers Rear Wheel Well shot from behind the Car.The Bottom Floor of the Trunk needs to be made yet:



This is the Passenger Rear Frame. The Frames are Offset from Each other, both of the Lumina Sections were to the Right side of the Trans Am's so I made the new sections up one side at a time and made a new Box Frame section:



Here is the Drivers Rear Frame Mod:


Yesterday in a Local Ad magazine I found a set of C5 Wheels, I bought them cause I think they'll go with the Body:



Thanks for Taking the Time to see what I've been up to, comments and Criticism is always Welcome.
__________________

Joe Andrews

[Hotlap]

I rolled it out of the Garage Last Weekend! Didn't have a radiator in so I had to push it. There is so many little things that have to be done you'd never know it. Most will never be seen but never the less need to be done. I hope Saturday to Assemble the Car Complete with Doors. Once everything is proven to Fit, open, and close with no problems I'll be moving along to the Body Work. Here the Car looks as if to be sitting "High". It is, there is no weight on it yet. I stood on the rocker panel with a Buddy(About 480 lbs combined) and the Rear End settled down an Inch and a Half. Remember the Car has ground Effects that will give the Appearance of being even lower. Thought and Criticism's are always welcome.


Here is a Rear View, Sorry no Bumper Cover on.


joe

[pocket-rocket]

Personally I think that's a sweet project you have there. I too wanted to do RWD, but my idea was a lot different. One thing I HATE about RWD cars is that huge transmission tunnel. I always felt like I was sticking my legs in a pit of death if I had an accident. Anyways, my idea was going to be to do away with my spare tire well in my trunk, weld in a flat piece of steel, and go with a C5 Vette tranny mounted in the rear, and turn the engine the right way. Ideally the way to do mine would to be to get a wrecked C5 and retrofit the rear suspension and drive line. Mine would probably be really expensive though, and it would be hard to find a decent priced C5 in a yard to use for parts. Yours still gets props in my book though.

[jthueter]

Any progress on the car? Looks Bad ass.

[3100 MPFI]

He is on another board that I am on. He had taken it to his brother in law because of a trans lockup problem, and as his brother in law was testdriving it, he went to downshift from 80 mph with a trans that has 4.11 gears, and sent the engine to over 7200 RPM. Needless to say, the engine blew up.

Last I heard, he was going to build a new engine for it.

[jthueter]

Damn That blows, did he put any pics up on the other forum? If so could you put up a link, I would love to see how that car turned out.

[Hotlap]

Ground Zero Shots Videos Processing on You Tube.
Here she is, mostly weighed down.





__________________

Joe Andrews



Video Links:

Front View:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGLDfBLHtgU

Rear View
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB4DLdxUeJ4

And Motor Sound (kinda muffled):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDpYFQoqb1Q

[Hotlap]

3100 MPFI
Vehicle Information
Vehicle InformationYear: 1990Make: PontiacModel: Grand Prix STEEngine: 3.1L MPFI V6 LH0Knowledge Level: ROCKET SCIENTIST (Oldsmobile! Get it?)



Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: south texas
Posts: 1,314


He is on another board that I am on. He had taken it to his brother in law because of a trans lockup problem, and as his brother in law was testdriving it, he went to downshift from 80 mph with a trans that has 4.11 gears, and sent the engine to over 7200 RPM. Needless to say, the engine blew up.

Last I heard, he was going to build a new engine for it.

Not me, I have no Motor Issues.

[onefastV6]

Where are you at in Indiana?
Congrats, it looks awesome it would be nice to see it in person.

[Hotlap]

I'm near Fort Wayne.
In the first picture the 6.4 Inches removed from the Middle of the car is pretty noticeable.


See the Difference?

[3100 MPFI]

Maybe there is another guy that did the same thing. I will send you a link to the message in a PM.