Plastic Fantastic 76 Corvette - Page 15 - Lateral-g Forums

SuperBuickGuy · #**141** 09-09-2022, 08:59 PM

Today's news, no pictures. I sent the wheels back to Apex. To trade them for a wider front and a 19" rear. I really wanted the 18s around it but they simply don't have the tire selection available now.... The fronts, I didn't like the offset so basically I'm using a rear "stock Corvette" dimension for the front - which will give me a 295 front tire and 325 rear. Will still need to modify the front flares but not as drastic - add 1/2" or so per side.

Next up, install the gears, port EFI and new sidepipes. along with everything else I'm doing. Will be a busy off-season but hopefully next year I'll meet my goal of being competitive....

and, I was 'competitive' this year and did pretty well for a wet-behind-the-ears-rookie. What I did do this year was make some really good acquaintances who are really helping behind the scenes....

SuperBuickGuy · #**142** 09-09-2022, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSSix

As for the rear flare, why not just flare down to the side pipe and no more? It's race car, who cares if the flare looks great going around the side pipe. Just make it functional is my thought.

Good luck with the ring and pinion setup. For me, it's a very time consuming affair. I'm not experienced enough to make large changes.

I'm taking it very slow. And who knows, I may tap out but like the time before - the experience of doing it makes paying someone else to do it far easier. I have a good friend who has fixed my past attempts and is my go-to for regular stuff... problem is he's now 230 miles away....

I'm only chopping on the front flare - the biggest problem is it rubs now, front and rear... with the new wheels, I gain 3 mm in the rear (clearance) but to get a 295 on the front.... it already rubs with the 275 - and even with the rear Corvette offset (55 mm v. 36 mm now), it's still too wide.

So that picture of the white car in the background. Just like my '40 evolved from a 'use what I have' to a linked 4x4, the Buick is as well.... originally, it was going to get some 33" slicks in the back and become a show car (chopped, sectioned, pancaked) - but someone I know has C6 parts.... I can't imagine it'd be competitive in Ax because she's a wide girl however, I think a 900 hp twin turbo Buick motor on a C6 chassis and leave the body alone is going to be just what the doctor ordered.... how does that relate? I'm nothing if not consistent in taking a solid plan then making it infinitely more complex.... but I'm going to try my best not to do that with that car.... wish me luck.

SuperBuickGuy · #**143** 09-15-2022, 10:14 PM

boxes

winning

basically, I'm using rears from a basic C6 on the front and a GS C6 on the rear

11" fronts, they 'just' clear on the inside on the upper control arm

I may have to do some work on the front flares to make it perfect but I can run it like this... we will see once I put the 295s on the front... I'm stoked. Next up is the headers and port efi....time to make this fast...
I'm so thankful that Apex worked with me to get the right wheels. These are 1" wider in the front then what I got the first time around... I'll have these powder coated to match the 'street' wheels.

**camcojb** · #**144** 09-15-2022, 10:21 PM

Nice!!

SuperBuickGuy · #**145** 09-17-2022, 08:26 AM

and new shoes (Contis)
new shoes have arrived

SuperBuickGuy · #**146** 09-22-2022, 08:54 PM

more updates, the much anticipated Global West suspension upgrades arrived.... why did I wait when I could have paid less for others? well, glad you asked

this changes how you adjust the front suspension - it also allows you to narrow the track by 1/2", a real benefit if you're already considering whether or not you will have to reflare the car to fit better front tires.
But I digress, these are the upper bushings, they're basically lubeable heims

also the way they go together makes it impossible for the upper control arm to move fore and aft (which they can in the stock setup)

they also allow you to adjust camber by simply flipping the bit that bolts to the frame (the flats are ground off center)

they also eliminate the lower control arm cams (and replace the bushings with a lubeable delrin bushing)

to remind, last time out, I pushed hard enough on the 340 tread wear tires to change the camber... and now I'm going 200 tread wear and 1" per side wider contact patch

first step,
picture for posterity

push out the upper bushings

then realize I don't have green threadlock

so take pictures of 7 month old, 87 lb bloodhound puppy and her sidekick, Luigi

SuperBuickGuy · #**147** 09-23-2022, 08:49 PM

got a pleasant surprise today

not quite the same, but don't care

SuperBuickGuy · #**148** 09-26-2022, 10:29 PM

easiest way to get the upper ball joint off

drill and tap for grease zerts

upper assembled

and installed

and then onto the lower control arms

so I remember where it was set (it doesn't set on the lower control arm when this is done but this helps me align it later

remove bushings

bushings removed

no more rubber, delrin

nicely machined so they get fully lubed

a 'while I'm there' shaving just a bit off the new sway bar gives me clearance I need

I really like the quality of the Global West parts. Yes, it took awhile (I ordered the day after PDX Optima - early July) but these are seriously nice parts.

SuperBuickGuy · #**149** 09-27-2022, 10:20 PM

Had to build a gate so got delayed on working on the car
hard to believe it's $1600 if someone else builds it for you

In other news... mounted the tires to the track wheels, I'll have to weight them, they're substantially lighter

the rears are the same size as what's already on there but the fronts

275/35zr18 v. 295/30zr18 - so shorter and wider.... but I think the same offset so, crossing fingers, no need to cut the flares and widen them

anyway, got onto the car - should have taken more pictures
and hit a slight snag.... I need it to go into the innermost 'spot' but something is preventing that from happening...

so I'll take it apart again and see what's up....
and the new rear end is ready to be picked up
to be continued....