Thread: a new rearend
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Old 09-21-2023, 06:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaleO View Post
Thanks b-man.

Without a doubt, it is embarrassing actually. At least I don't drive like an idiot : ) tailgating speeding around town and such and very cognizant of what is going on out front and to the sides. But I totally agree. In fact I have the A arms, spindles, tubing, prop valve, master cylinder and booster out of the 1969 GP I took the 428 out of. But then this brings up what HO did way back when with the 1964 GTO, Kern's I think, where they used I think A arms from a 73-77 or so A body with which the improved geometry made a handling improvement. For all these parts including a 8.5 I could part out my 1974 LeMans! Ugh, that would make me sick.

Did you happen to run your car for a short time with smaller front drums?
Never had drums in the front, when I got the car it had the H-O Racing tall spindle setup using 1975 Firebird spindles and 11” discs. I switched back to stock height spindles (GP) to drop a little weight but mainly because of the crazy toe-in when the car was launched off the starting line. That H-O tall spindle setup was known for bump steer, and after I saw a picture of the car with the wheels pointed in I made the change.

The only special item needed for the tall spindle conversion was a matching lower ball joint that had the diameter turned down so it would press into your lower A-arm and the correct outer tie rod ends that matched the spindles. The original setup used offset upper shafts and a pretty big stack of alignment shims, later the aftermarket came up with tubular upper arms that corrected this.

Do yourself a favor and get those GP spindles and discs installed.

Being able to stop for the idiots you will encounter out on the road is very important.

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