Squishing the Marshmallow...

So with some prompting, I have decided to start a build thread for the old girl. She has like 180K and change right now and a spun bearing. Ball joints are making noise. Tires are bald... She's been neglected the last few years, but I've been collecting parts during that time and this winter she is getting the attention she deserves!

So here's the list:
Rear quarters rust repair, gate jamb rust repair, and all new paint
Impala's old "big" 400FWHP motor swapped in (Comp 306 cam, big ported Al heads, Comp 1.6 RR's, etc...)
52mm TB
CIA Tri-Y headers with cat delete hookup pipes
Pypes 2.5" mandrel bent cat back
New Motor mounts
Pat's Converters 2600 stall 12" converter with anti-baloon plates
Tranny refresh with shift kit
Impala Disc rear with 3.42's, Tru-trac, Moser axles and ARP 1/2" studs, Aluminum cover with carrier bearing preload
UMI Performance U&L fixed rear control arms
Marauder ADDCO rear bar
F-body front bar
Complete front end rebuild kit
C5 Vette 13" front brakes
Stainless steel braided brake lines
Stealth bolt and proportioning valve mods
Thunder Racing Walbro 255 fuel pump with hotwire kit
Thunder Racing OTC plug wires
Scanmaster
Various stealth mounted gauges
Subaru Legacy GT front seats
Dynomat entire inside of car, including doors and roof
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 Wide Oval tires, 295/35/18 rear and 275/40/18 front
Clean/SEM frame, underside, and suspension components

I'm sure I've left some out. But I have all those parts on hand except the motor mounts, front tires, and shift kit.

Here's a picture of her ready and waiting, because I know a thread is useless without pics...


And here's my latest delivery:

Wow they're huge!

So anyways, there it is. I will update as time progresses.

Cool!

Going to satin bomb it or keep it white?

Real paint. Still undecided on scheme though...

OK!
I'll keep an eye on this build.
I'm feeling strangely motivated....hopefully THAT will pass.

We all know that rear end won't fit right



If you ever need a hand, you got my number!

toomanytoyz wrote:

Real paint. Still undecided on scheme though...

Two tone white and pewter.

96Brougham wrote:

We all know that rear end won't fit right

Right.

IMPALADAKID wrote:

toomanytoyz wrote:

Real paint. Still undecided on scheme though...

Two tone white and pewter.

Two tone is not out of the question. But I'm not thinking pewter. I'm think more of a metallic caramel or bronze-ish color on top... Something that has some red in it to grab the interior. Sliver/pewter pinstripe that matches the wheels to split the colors.

295's

Sweet. Whatever you do try to keep it white.

Supah.

Those tires are the "other" Indy 500s right? The non-old school ones? They almost look like Nittos.

About time! Glad this beast is getting the treatment before the bird. I agree with everything except the re-purposing of MORE subie parts! Are you trying to kill all of your cars!?

Why no T56 by the way? Not busting balls just curious? I think a wagon with a T56 would be killer! Or is it impossible to do the swap on a wagon?

No T56 because this was originally going to be a turbo build. So I sold off all my t56 swap stuff. Then I changed my mind and decided no turbo because I just wanted to get it together and moving. Kinda shot myself in the foot there. But with the 3.42's I put in the rear end, I decided to stay automatic. It is the cheaper way out, for sure. It'll still be a fun street car. It won't own at the dragstrip, but that's ok by me. It'll have enough snot to take out 95% of the yo-yo's on the street.

And besides, the bird will have a t56.

1984twodoor wrote:

About time! Glad this beast is getting the treatment before the bird. I agree with everything except the re-purposing of MORE subie parts! Are you trying to kill all of your cars!?

I can say from experience that the Legacy GT seats he has going in there are WAY comfortable and have great support. The only more comfortable, supporting seat I have ever sat in is the 2002 WRX seats. I have a set in my loft waiting for my next project, or maybe for the Impala if I recover them when I decide I can't stand the racing seats I have in it now.

Legacy GT seats are pimp, plus they have butt warmers in them!

toomanytoyz wrote:

No T56 because this was originally going to be a turbo build. So I sold off all my t56 swap stuff. Then I changed my mind and decided no turbo because I just wanted to get it together and moving. Kinda shot myself in the foot there. But with the 3.42's I put in the rear end, I decided to stay automatic. It is the cheaper way out, for sure. It'll still be a fun street car. It won't own at the dragstrip, but that's ok by me. It'll have enough snot to take out 95% of the yo-yo's on the street.

And besides, the bird will have a t56.

well as long as the bird has it then thats ok! your build will be sweet but I have to admit a turbo T56 buick wagon sounds awesome! You guys are making me jealous with your spring finish times for your projects

Pooge wrote:

1984twodoor wrote:

About time! Glad this beast is getting the treatment before the bird. I agree with everything except the re-purposing of MORE subie parts! Are you trying to kill all of your cars!?

I can say from experience that the Legacy GT seats he has going in there are WAY comfortable and have great support. The only more comfortable, supporting seat I have ever sat in is the 2002 WRX seats. I have a set in my loft waiting for my next project, or maybe for the Impala if I recover them when I decide I can't stand the racing seats I have in it now.

Legacy GT seats are pimp, plus they have butt warmers in them!

I was just making a stab at the subie parts, I'm sure that those seats are way better than a roadie bench (or my box caprice bench for that matter) with what crovo will use the car for. But I have never seen the seats in well...any Subaru lol

The butt warmers are definitely a plus in this area of the world!

1984twodoor wrote:

I think a wagon with a T56 would be killer! Or is it impossible to do the swap on a wagon?

It,s possible,..



Nick

phantom 309 wrote:

1984twodoor wrote:

I think a wagon with a T56 would be killer! Or is it impossible to do the swap on a wagon?

It,s possible,..



Nick

I guess that would mean it's possible in a boxy caprice too....hmm

All bbodies wagons sedans 77-96 have the same floor pans. Anything is possable. With enough time and money you can put a t56 in anything. I'm sure you've seen jayss' t56 wagon at the round up last year.

GasTT wrote:

All bbodies wagons sedans 77-96 have the same floor pans. Anything is possable. With enough time and money you can put a t56 in anything. I'm sure you've seen jayss' t56 wagon at the round up last year.

T56 will snug up perfectly in a MN12 cougar too.... I should focus on one thing at a time though!

I thought about doing this in the two door but I'm not sure...

As much fun as it would be I have enough to spend money on already! Who knows, if I come across the right deal I will.

-
This post is based on my lack of any first-hand knowledge of a properly set-up "Boxy" Caprice manual transmission conversion, specifically the clutch actuating linkages.

I HAVE seen some forgettable (regrettable) "butcher-jobs" on all manner of vehicles in my past, and I suspect some of you guys have seen one or two of them as well.

Putting a T56 or any other manual transmission, it seems, would be a bit more of a challenge on a "boxy" B-body.

The brake pedal channel brace that wraps around and over the steering column is different than the one on the 91-96's.

Therefore the F2B option is FUBARed. - Result? - We would have to figure it out on our own. Perhaps we could do a "conversion" based on the F2B bubble-car conversion kit!

If you look at the boxy B-body's placement of it's nicely oversized front left inner wheel housing in proximity to the driver's foot-well and floorboards,
- you will observe that they are actually bolted together very near to where the clutch push rod would travel on it's way to an "equalizer" bell-crank, or "Z-bar".

A "factory geometry" mechanical clutch linkage would be operating in the path of the front left tire! Note: G-bodies, F-bodies & A-bodies (all years) have sufficient room in there.

Such an actuating system would NECESSARILY be hydraulically operated. The clutch pedal over-center (toggle effect) geometry will have to be solved within the existing space.

The fact that your clutch pedal gets easier to push (against increasing pressure plate force) as it approaches the floor is intentional, accomplished with carefully worked out geometry!

The thing is, I have not given up on doing a three pedal conversion to my 88 LS hot-rod Brougham, I just do NOT want to do a compromised "hatchet" job.

Every other manual transmission conversion that I've done so far has come out arguably better than the factory set-ups,
- primarily due to my use of superior materials like premium needle bearings, thick, oil hardening tool steel rods and really nice (expensive) spherical rod-ends.

I don't have to worry about the cost on just one car, but the OEMs DO, and they have to calculate parts costs in fractions of a penny per unit times several hundred thousand cars.

I have not "home engineered" a clutch linkage set-up for a boxy, , , yet, - but eventually I do hope to make it happen. If and when I do so, it will surely be revealed here first.
-

Machine-De-Zine wrote:

-
This post is based on my lack of any first-hand knowledge of a properly set-up "Boxy" Caprice manual transmission conversion, specifically the clutch actuating linkages.

I HAVE seen some forgettable (regrettable) "butcher-jobs" on all manner of vehicles in my past, and I suspect some of you guys have seen one or two of them as well.

Putting a T56 or any other manual transmission, it seems, would be a bit more of a challenge on a "boxy" B-body.

The brake pedal channel brace that wraps around and over the steering column is different than the one on the 91-96's.

Therefore the F2B option is FUBARed. - Result? - We would have to figure it out on our own. Perhaps we could do a "conversion" based on the F2B bubble-car conversion kit!

If you look at the boxy B-body's placement of it's nicely oversized front left inner wheel housing in proximity to the driver's foot-well and floorboards,
- you will observe that they are actually bolted together very near to where the clutch push rod would travel on it's way to an "equalizer" bell-crank, or "Z-bar".

A "factory geometry" mechanical clutch linkage would be operating in the path of the front left tire! Note: G-bodies, F-bodies & A-bodies (all years) have sufficient room in there.

Such an actuating system would NECESSARILY be hydraulically operated. The clutch pedal over-center (toggle effect) geometry will have to be solved within the existing space.

The fact that your clutch pedal gets easier to push (against increasing pressure plate force) as it approaches the floor is intentional, accomplished with carefully worked out geometry!

The thing is, I have not given up on doing a three pedal conversion to my 88 LS hot-rod Brougham, I just do NOT want to do a compromised "hatchet" job.

Every other manual transmission conversion that I've done so far has come out arguably better than the factory set-ups,
- primarily due to my use of superior materials like premium needle bearings, thick, oil hardening tool steel rods and really nice (expensive) spherical rod-ends.

I don't have to worry about the cost on just one car, but the OEMs DO, and they have to calculate parts costs in fractions of a penny per unit times several hundred thousand cars.

I have not "home engineered" a clutch linkage set-up for a boxy, , , yet, - but eventually I do hope to make it happen. If and when I do so, it will surely be revealed here first.
-

Dont forget to tell me!

It is impossible to do a mechanical clutch linkage on an MN12 Cougar/Thunderbird too. You have to use a hydraulic set up, so I wouldn't be too scared of trying that in a Caprice. I would love to someday do a swap like this but obviously I will continue to use one of the two 700-R4s I have from both of the cars for now to keep costs low. I would gladly use an adapted F2B kit if there was more information available and I had the proper guidance.

I obviously never attempted a body off before, and with some guidance (MDZ and sdstick) I felt comfortable enough to try. So I will look at this with the same school of thought.


Sorry for the thread jack! *Glen if you have more info PM me