Help!!, G-body handles like a canoe
 

Hi guys, havent posted much on this site but i recently got compelled to buy a 79 malibu. dont ask why but ive always liked the g-body and i just couldnt pass this one up..

its a plain jane 305/th350 malibu, and th ehandling and power leaves room for improvement to say the least.. sp here is the outline of what id like to change and the question of weather its a good route to follow...

(there is a sister thread in the engine section)

disassembly of the front and rear suspension, mediablasting everything. boxing the front and rear controll arms, add paint ro powdercoat, installing del-alum or polyurethane bushings (i cant run aftermarket controllarms or the car wont pass the annual DOT inspection)

does anyone have any dimesions om global west uppers, so i could modify my existing uppers (to cheat the DOT guys) and allow me to run an impala spindle..

should i box the center section of the frame to get some rigidity??

am i missing somthing important or just way off??

You can't run aftermarket controll arms? Are you sure?? Maybe you would have to have them checked by the local stat boys or something?? I have Global West uppers and lowers on my '72, and I think you could destroy the frame and the arms would still be good!

Anyway, not sure about the Imapala spindles, tall ball joint seems to be the better way. Or, if you really want to do it right, the AFX spindle is the cats butt!

If you are looking for bigger brakes, the stock spindle can be modified, or there is an S-10 spindle that works well. Do a bit of searching on this forum and you should come up with a few good ways to skin the cat.

Boxing the frame, and installing all of the body mounts is a good idea. Look around on the Grand National sites and you will find some good ideas on this front. Also, check out www.kirbanperformance.com

Rear suspension should use johnny joints or stock rubber. No urethane! Again, search the forums here and you'll see why.

Looks like a great start to a very nice ride!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
http://www.fquick.com/ProTouring442

Dot
 

i just heard of some people not passing the inspection when the inspectors noticed they were running Hotchkiss suspension arms, somthing about the arms not having a TÜV aproval number (european standard cra*) so i am a little hessitant to buy them and getting stuck with 8 useless but goodlooking paperweights

Wow! I can understand that! I just wonder... there must be a way you can get them OKed. I'd have to investigate this a bunch if I were you!

As for modifying the uppers, I looked into this, and it didn't seem possible. Closest I came was to get a set of uppers for a Caprice and use them. Only problem here is that the mounts to the frame are very different. Still, I think it could be done if you have access to a good parts-car Caprice, 2nd gen F-body, or other B-body. This way you can measure, measure, measure, and weld in the upper mounts from the doner frame. Once done, it would look factory, and give many of the advantages of the doner suspension.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
http://www.fquick.com/ProTouring442

that sounds like it is a viable option... ill have to talk to somone with a front suspension analyzer program to get it right first time, but it definately sounds like the ticket for me...

with regards to the rear arms.. would it be possible to fit a spherical bearing in the body end of the oem arm and run a del-alum in the other??

i know i wont get a 1-g car using oem components... but i intend in getting as close as possible

There are a few companies that make the Johnny Joint stuff, plus I think there are some you can use in the stick arms. I'd definitely box the lowers if I ran stock arms though.

As for the del-alum... I think I'd stay away from them in the back. The whole damned system is made to bind, relying on the stretchability of the stock rubber to alow the arms to grow, shrink, or twist. Anything that stops this action causes bind, but the Johnny Joints seem to be OK per the testing of a few on this board.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
http://www.fquick.com/ProTouring442

problem solved
 

ok, i decided to hit the problem with a bigger hammer.. ive just ordered the LAST set of ATS g-body spindles, global west upper and lower controll arms, del-alum bushings, 13 inch brakes, currie rear upper and lower controll arms, global west springs, and eibach springs... oh did i mention the swaybars...

now if that doesnt work dont think anything will

(with regards to the DOT guys, ive decided that if i dont ask they wont tell me no)