CadVetteStang
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Changing front coil springs: I had to cut the front coils two more times to get the front ride height down far enough. I liked the look until I added the strut tower brace plates, because they picked the front back up a little. I could live with the look, but the ride was VERY, VERY firm. I could not cut the springs any more, because I already didn't have to use a spring compressor to install them and they were almost too short... Well, they settled just a bit and that was enough to allow slack up top when the suspension fully extended.... The result was trashed upper strut bearings. I ordered some DNA Motorsport racing springs for a Grand Prix. They are advertised at 450 lbs./inch but I measured them and they are actually 355 lbs./inch which is what I wanted to start with. I measured my current springs after I pulled them off. Wow! I did not realize how stiff the last two cuts had made them. They calculated at 890 lbs./inch! Here is a picture of them as removed along with the DNA springs. -
I put 2,000 miles on the car and after evaluating the suspension, I'm fixing a few bugs and making an improvement including: 1. Changing front springs 2. Changing front sway bar end links 3. Changing the front lower control arms's vertical bushings I'll cover each in its own post with more details.
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18X9 in the front would be an easy fix for fitment issues. And 245/45's would have the same rolling diameter as the 275/40's in the back. But this has never been about what's easy. -LOL. 18X9.5 wheels and 255MM wide tires have always been my minimums for this build. 18x10 wheels with 275-285MM wide tires have always been my goals.
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I had them take many pictures of the repair job. I want to document everything. But I'm waiting on the pictures. It's the same repair done by dealerships. They bought all of the tooling from one that went out of business 15 years ago. Course thread inserts and over-sized bolts. Also the improved gasket set to correct the factory defective ones. $2400 for the job and it includes a new water pump. I had some extra work done. More on that when I get pictures.
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Alignment: CASTER: I decided to go with the maximum amount of positive caster possible. CAMBER: I decided that one degree negative on all four wheels was the best starting point for testing and may be the best compromise on handling VS. tire wear. Toe: with these custom settings, I would take the recommendation of the alignmen specialist who has 25 years of experience and has aligned race cars. Knowing that I was going to have to drive 50 miles from the engine shop to the alignment shop, I spent many hours with a tape measure and a level to get the initial eyeball alignment as close as possible. As you can see from the picture, the front and rear toe was the only thing that the specialist recommended changing. He was impressed with my backyard alignment. ?
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The dual catalytic converters were installed today. I used one spark plug anti-fouler as a backspacing socket for the rear oxygen sensor to pull the stem out of the exhaust gas flow. That will reduce turbulence as well as reduce the chances that the high flow cats will cause a trouble code.
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Here is a before and after look at the exhaust system so far. I will be getting the dual cats and H-pipe installed shortly.
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This low point in the exhaust was my preference to make more room between the pipes and gas tank.
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The myth that you cannot put duals under a last generation Eldorado has officially been debunked!
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Another view.
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I had to leave my car with Pete and go to work. This had been an 8 hour installation so far. This picture was taken the next morning at the alignment shop.
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I provided my own mufflers, red polyurethane hangers, and angle cut resonator tips, but Discount Muffler also has a selection in stock.
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The left section of 3" pipe was created as one piece from the up-size point to where it would connect with the muffler. Note: my goal is to open up enough space between the mufflers that I can build an under-trunk battery relocation box to help with the front-to-rear weight ratio. I also wamt the mufflers visible under the bumper like they are in late Mustangs. We had to mount them at a slight angle, however, because of the plastic charcoal canister behind the left rear wheel well.
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Another view of the system so far.
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Then the left pipe was also bent as one piece and placed. Care was taken to keep the pipe away from the plastic gas tank.