The All About My 1980 Pontiac LeMans Station Wagon Thread...

[Top Speed]

That is gonna be a really nice car when you are done with it. 

[motorhead]

Got the car up in the air yesterday to start poking around... no major surprises at this time, other than having standard thread lug nuts (I think 80-81 was when they started switching over to the metric system) - time to swap to metric studs/lugs.  I started sizing it up for a mini-tub/frame notch which I will probably start this week.  Wagons look much easier than coupes/sedans because of the lack of trunk hinges to worry about.

Also started looking into coil-over shocks for the car so we can keep it low and still have good suspension travel/ride comfort.  It looks like it is going to cost about $800-1000 for the front and $600+ for the rear.  I think we'll be using AFCO when this comes to fruition with moderate spring rates and big swaybars.

[nocooler]

Looks good Mike.

[Jeff]

any reason not to use the qa1 system from spohn? free shipping over 500 

[motorhead]

QA1 is junk, or at least it was.  It is only popular because it came to market first.  The AFCO system uses a larger piston rod/shaft, and believe it or not because it is used in racing is easier to tune to a car via the spring selection.

RideTech claims you have to use their front LCAs or risk failure which is total bullshit as you just have to reinforce the stock arms.

[motorhead]

Looks good Mike.

Thanks!

 I've really gotten into this car and tearing it down to make some rust repairs and modifications - the interior is all out (less the dash). 

Rust-free cars rarely ever are - the floor pans are acceptable (mostly pinholes) and a portion of one body mount is smoked (before pics attached).  I picked up the steel for the frame notch/mini-tub as well.  I've also pulled out a significant amount of weight in the form of insulation padding, dried up seam sealer, and that large metal sheet used to cover up the "bed" area in the back (I think an aluminum sheet is a good replacement over top of the spare tire well, no?).

I am dying to get a chance to put an engine in this thing...

[motorhead]

Wheel fitment ideas...

305/30R19s would fit nicely on the Vette wheels, and those are 325/45R17s on the 17x9.5s.

[Top Speed]

You plan on painting it?

[motorhead]

You plan on painting it?

Black? No.  Not surprisingly I've been hearing that a lot lately... and really I don't care.  I saw this car in direct sunlight and it glows - literally glows.  I think this car represents me getting out of my rut, or signature (?), of always going black and doing something different.  I will admit when I had them all out in the driveway during the shuffle, the wagon did look very weird amongst the black cars; and should do the same on the highway passing the blacks, silvers and whites of other peoples's mobile appliances.
 
 Truth is this car looks to become the antithesis of everything I've built to date; the colour is just the biggest clue to the change.

Oh and here some pics from yesterday's work!

[Charlief1]

Put some wood paneling on the side for the ultimate sleeper look.

[Top Speed]

That's what I was thinking. ^^^

[daveismissing]

Put some wood paneling on the side for the ultimate sleeper look.

Yes, Now don't take this the wrong way but-
Make it a Woodie!
 

[motorhead]

Something like this?

[SuperSix]

G-Body Family Truckster - Awesome!

[motorhead]

Here is yesterday's metal work.  The bending jig/metal brake is two sections of 1" square tubing, a couple of flat washers, and some clamps - all stuck in a vice.  I used a hammer to help form the ridges.

I am glad to say that I have finally finished fixing the floors of my "rust free" Southern car.  Time to mini-tub it!