Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

[STINEY]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

I'd be in there with my cheapy port-o-power carefully giving that bump, well, a bump!

All the while watching the outside panel to make sure I wasn't causing more damage than good. Some heat with a blue wrench will help too.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

do what the minitruckers did back in themid to late 80s, take a baseball bat or small diamter pipe and place it between the tire and the fender and with it gear and not applying the gas roll back and forth rolling the inside lip of the fender in, pretty easy to do, just takes 2 people to do it

That works well when the lip of the wheel well is what is rubbing the tire. It doesnt help in my situation where a ridge on the inner fender three inches above wheel opening is what is rubbing.

I also have a bulge on the frame rail by the spring pocket rubbing a little bit on the inside of the tire.

a BFH and an appropriate length of 2x4 will fix the inner problem. If possible, have a holder for the 2x4 - as it really bites to have to fix a dent from when you missed the end of the 2x4. (also, don't use too short of 2x4). ;)

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

My bet is that inner fenderwell steel doesn't give at all with a block of wood and hammer. I'd use an air hammer, and if that doesn't work (that steel is real springy and poorly supported behind it), then good luck! I cut mine because it wouldn't deform.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

The inner fenders have been fixed by Carl. He didnt want me at the shop while he was working. The arteeest didnt want distractions. haha. I will get pics when I my flipping back. Farging Nikon cant fix their own cameras.

[JOES66FURY]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

whats next on the to-do list.

[squirrel]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

old nikons are good, modern ones not so good. I get a new little $200 canon every couple years.

Whatever it takes to make the tires fit...as long as you can't see the mayhem from the outside, don't worry about it.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

the artist didn't want you seeing him hammering your car with a BFH and a block of wood ;D

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

The inner fender and frame rail around the spring pocket have been getting close to the tire entering and exiting driveways. So, out came the big freakin hammer again. It seems the driver's side is the only side getting cozy with the tire. I think Taz is right and the body is not sitting on the frame even. Not surprising after forty years.




After hammering away. Then using a blowtorch to get it hot and hammering some I parked the car with the rear wheels at an angle on the driveway. No rub. BUT, when I pulled the car in forward and the right front was on the driveway incline there was a big rub going on. Looks like more smash time.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

The trouble with ginormous tires :P

[Blazerteam]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

Well..forty years old or not..im a strong belever that the frame and body could have neen like this since day one,and that the GM quality inspection inspectors didnt have these tires and wheels in mind when they produced this car.How about makin a watts linkage,or a panhard rod?.

Then you could adjust the rear end to where it need to be..

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

big, cushy grandma car. Before I spent the day pounding, I'd box those lower arms. I couldn't believe how much they move - you could feel it in the car when you did a sudden sharp corner (you'd feel the front initiate the turn, then the rear would move sideways, rub, then it'd start the turn) I also observed it.... I know, I sound like a broken record

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

Yannick is telling to put a rear sway bar on it to help with the tire rub entering driveways. It will help the rear diff from articulating so much. Beats major mods to the frame. In any case, the only time it rubs is entering a driveway in a right turn which means I am not moving that fast.

I also put the pass. side rocker trim back on. I had to drill two holes for the two clips that were around the rust that repaired back when I was doing the engine.

I also pulled the flywheel cover off to try to find the oil leak. (Nothing like lying under a 4000 car with the engine running at 2500 rpm with the flywheel spinning 6 inches from your face.) It doesn't leak unless I am under load and moving at speed. I'm guessing the rear main isn't holding up to it's part of the bargain. I'm wondering if I can get the pan off with the engine in the car. I see I have more than 2 inches of space between the firewall and the trans. Maybe I can get it up high enough to pull it out.

I was beginning to wonder if the secondaries were opening. So, I changed to a lighter spring. It's interesting to note that those old ass, rock hard 275's go up in smoke easier than the skinny's did. I'm still not sure.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

Yannick is right, it will help. To put the sway bar on you'll either have to box, or weld spacers between the bolt holes on the lower arm :

It will also handle a bit different with the rear sway bar - understeer - (especially if you do it prior to the front end work).

Best bet is box the arms, triangulate the upper rear control arms, then put an anti-roll bar on - but that gets pretty spendy in a hurry (kits are in the $1900 neighborhood from DSE)

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

I've decided not to run the vacuum advance. It adds too much advance, in the neighborhood of 25*. I had to back off the initial timing to 10* in order to keep it from knocking on the freeway.

I disconnected it. Then advanced it to 18*. With the 18* mechanical advance, I got a total of 36*. The car seems to like this much better with its current set up. If I can find an adjustable advance for the stock style distributor, I might get one. I have one in the Impala's HEI.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Rebeldryver's '70 Caprice Granny's Luxo-Muscle-Barge

The 65-70 Impalas had a three link, three trailing arms,two lower and the right upper, with a panhard bar. Cars with heavy duty suspension got the fourth trailing arm.

I tried out the beefy adjustable panhard that is on my Impala. It helped, but didnt cure the issue. There is a problem else where.