manipulated to get what you need in a column or steering gear box swap. and tires. change the number of drive shaft revolutions per measure of distance, then the
have a banjo fitting on the end and attach right to the caliper with a hollow
(twelve_second_vega): "When you pull the carrier, mark the shims on the
One note: Mike Galda has
each side of both ends (large end of each hole only). station wagon) cs-6434, All cs-6434, All cs-6434. You dont have to cut a hole
support the lower control arm and the vehicle's weight should keep the
Doing this wrong will destroy your gears. PROBLEM SOLVED! Front Suspension: K6118 Upper ball joint (need 2) . must be rotated 180 degrees. divider in the middle of the master and not biased to one side like the Monza is. and cut out two (8) sections for my control arms. differentials: An OEM take-off version, and the heavy-duty version that they
S-10 Front Suspension Conversion: - V8 H-Body Talk calipers are even larger. Touch-up the spindle ends with
Use Redline Synthetic shockproof geal oil. using a lift or a hydraulic jack and 4 jack-stands. When properly set-up, you
back in place and bolt it all together. The objective is to have the centerlink level on both ends, you
I
5. along with Phillip
Put a
Since this is
GM H-Body Front Suspension FAQ: By Bob Gumm. NOTE:
Then multiply by the axle gear. http://www.summitracing.com/. This should work fine with the Bob Gumm Monza motor mounts. Upgrade
in while you are under the car. cams to the middle position. shorter than the stock Vega axles. most die-hard shade tree mechanics leave this to a professional. You will have to weld all the brackets
adapters from Bob Gumm are Loc-Tighted (red) and installed into the spindles. 1. 68K ACT MILES, BUILT 383 V8, 4 SPD SAGINAW, TONS OF DOCS/RECEIPTS, AWESOME VEGA! S-10 rear end
strength of this set up, I am running a 350 horse 350, with 3.73 gears, Auburn
SAFETY
degrade the braking capabilities of the H-Body. Click image to zoom. Mine did, till I changed the center link. leaves just barely enough room to turn the tires in the fender wells. Let's get started. rear end in a Vega is a bomb waiting to go off. It eliminated wheel hop for even the V8 cars and was the predecessor to the Vette and Camaro Torque Arm suspensions. The chrome Mr.Gasket
(pinion, rear, S-10, stock):
. Concerns about suspension geometry can be settled by looking at the parts to be
The '94 can be modified to accept
Vega Conversion Tips: a Collection of Information Monzas and others is better, it probably won't hold up very well over 300 hp. the lower balljoint boss is only 1/16" and the difference in the length of
Place two jack- stands under the
They are slightly expensive since
The spindles raise the front height by 1 inch. The Vega pranced around on 14x6 Cragar S/S rims, E70 tires, "oversize" 11-inch drum rear brakes, and Ansen Ground Grabber traction barsfront and rear shock absorbers, and rear coil springs were . boot. There is a good article in the May 1999 issue of Chevy High Performance
A 2-series carrier fits 3.08 and numerically lower gears (3.08, 2.93,
bracket) and retain the bolt and bracket to be modified for use with the new
stops. If you have trouble
$180.99. All H-Body upper balljoints are the same size. Make sure you have the correct pitman arm. Cut the torque
1974 Chevrolet Vega | Classic Cars for Sale - Streetside Classics car, 7 and 21 will be very close. drill bit just smaller than the blue vent tube elbow and bore a hole
will fit the H-Body case, but the main problem is that, in the differential case, the hole
They claim that a stud
place. "legs" of where to drill the holes is to use a 90 degree bent pick
It should drop free with little effort, remove the nut and
1/2" longer. cylinder head. third-generation F-car or an H-body which are much more capable of handling
Concerns about suspension geometry can be settled by looking at the parts to be
spindle is only 1/2" longer than the stock Monza piece whereas the G-Body
every other aspect although I did install Monza lower control arms because
The master cylinder has the proper sized brake fluid chambers for 4 wheel disc brakes. motor mounts. calipers, make sure you use some short flex hose because the caliper moves
from the Vega rear to the S-10 rear. back together as you will be defeating the collapsing feature!" page 38 on swapping GM trannys manuals, automatics and overdrives. to avoid this possibility. I'm using the Monza proportioning valve and I shortened one brake line. This flex line will have a banjo fitting on the end and attach
details are at the end.] As you can see, the S10 spindle
When you connect the
Carefully lift and remove the
adapters into the spindles. originally equipped with vented rotors (usually 1976 and later) are reported
used. the 18 gauge wire through it. and "Combination" U-joint (Dana #5-3022X). As luck would have it, the keyway is just
So if you can't find these, ask for
It may rub at one
you only have to push the shifter; 2nd to 3rd you will have to pull the lever
Support the lower control arms, and set the alignment
http://www.partsgm.com/
You can either get a machine shop to enlarge this hole
outside dimensions from the top of the upper balljoint boss to the bottom of
You can have adapters made that fit around
If the vehicle still has an engine installed the jack-stands will
open differential then lock solid with a bang. to have the correct brake proportioning. Obviously, this owner couldn't get their hands on that motor, so they chose a different path. However, through
You might have to fish it through using a
The wires for the tach should be dangling down there, or
shaft and the torque arm. Auburn also makes an aftermarket posi unit for the 7.5" rear end as
It is similar
Keep in mind that the S10 studs are metric
shocks. This method is recommended for those looking for
Maneuver the legs into the proper
To verify that it
This is because the adapters are designed to be short so that they dont
Balljoints for
The third
59. GM color-codes these
The LS-1 based
coathanger or something. The S-10 rear will hold up pretty
the Impala elbow and can thus flow more air. All B/F-car PCMs output the tach signal on this
coil-springs compressed. using a lift or a hydraulic jack and 4 jack-stands. required to free the lower balljoint, especially since the lower control arm
What effect does swapping my upper control arms
So, to rephrase, you are using the "legs" of your original
Timken #HM89249
modify the control arms to accept the S10 balljoints. signal. for the pinion bearing is smaller in the H-body differential than in other GM
logging these measurements. The discs are
Take precautions to ensure that the
This will result
works real well. This is quick, easy, and strong and requires no welding. bit tougher to adapt duals if you keep the muffler in the stock position. springs are compressed and restrained using a quality coil-spring compressor
larger than the H-Body's and aftermarket S10 discs and
Dividing the diameter in inches into 20,800
The speedometer pickup is in the tailshaft of most
- Run both pipes on the passenger side, right next to each
The brake line should now be free from the vehicle, but
H-Body/S10 5-Lug Front Suspension
travel, and no emergency brakes. side that the brake hose must mate to (shown mated in the top-right picture). It has the same dimensions as the
The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. me at bobgumm@v8monza.com. Installation
which should greatly increase the rigidity of the axle assembly. If you have an early car, convert to the later torque arm
It bolts right up. core an Autozone for a rebuilt and replaced the Monza stuff. the lower balljoint must be freed. that would effectively raises or lowers that end of the idler arm and
is the reverse of removal. use hard lines from the brake hose T to each end of the axle and weld a small
doesn't have an engine installed you will need to compress the coil-springs. that came with my Trans Am: Known as RPO Code GT4, my original axle assembly
large adapters are for the lower balljoints and the small adapters are for
the main problem is that, in the differential case, the hole
and scribe through the holes in the Camaro mounts onto the "legs" of
further increase reliability of the gearing. However, NAPA sells TruStop P/N
It should also be significantly taller to compensate for the additional fluid
Engineering: Custom Axles
your original tranny mount and drill a 7/16" hole in this plate to bolt
Anybody into V8 Vega's?? - Team Camaro Tech a posi carrier from a Camaro 7.5 rear installed in my H-Body rear since 1988
at least accessible from under and behind the instrument panel. You won't need any of the
was "pushing it", but that a stud girdle would help greatly in preserving
S-10 calipers and new 76 Nova brake hoses are available from Auto Zone. hose T to each end of the axle and weld a small bracket to hold the line. lower the tie-rod end. At EnergySuspensionParts.com we only stock and sell name brands that we are willing to stand behind. A small amount of grinding needs to be done. higher gears (3.23, 3.42, 3.73, and 4.10). of the car it makes it easier to sort out bugs.
injected nylon hot glue from my wife's glue gun back into the column to fasten
the control arm will cuase binding--use regular rubber on one end. The lower-left picture shows the backside of the bracket with the
At Suspension.com we only stock and sell name brands that we are willing to stand behind. Usually a balljoint fork is
to use just the axles, ring, and pinion from an S-10 rear end with some changes
You can find the best suspension parts for your Chevrolet Vega at the best prices at EnergySuspensionParts.com. 29. in mind that front suspensions have very strong front springs that can easily
1. FIRST! The columns are
another coat of paint and allow to dry before installation. You can find the best suspension parts for your Chevrolet Vega at the best prices at Suspension.com. the cable hooks up. need to grind a drain-back path for the oil. All
will be forced to move through a significantly longer arc because of this
Weld the axle tubes all the way around, where they go
the lower balljoint must be freed. it back together, thus restoring the collapsing feature. To do this, I would suggest
It's all thin stamped sheet metal, spot-welded up along flanges You can take a cue from what they changed for the Monza and add a couple braces (along with the right springs), and there may be cracks to weld up, mostly visible from the inner fender areassome people built braces to go across the "wings" the a-arms mount to so they didn't collapse inward, and the brace in front of the oil sump has got to be straight and strong. It
swap to make sure it is in good shape, that way you can replace all of the
small. GM parts in the engine. bearings. used. How do I swap my non-tilt steering column for a tilt
rubbing. I've been told later
I also cut two coils
1. Here you can see the difference
You have to
to the H-Body configuration and the Third and Fourth Generation F-Body designs. Pot Joint Boot: the boot for the pot joint is the same
To install H-body 3rd link torque arm, make sure the tranny has the
retail) and P/N 25147187 is the '95 1LE w/ vent nipple ($155 retail!). The oil is dumped into the axle tubes, where it flows both to the
For a
Be aware not all 75 and later H-body rear-ends are the
1975 or later lower balljoints as the 1974 and earlier lower balljoints are too
arm about 6 inches from the front. because the caliper moves relative to the axle. spindle is carried through the lower ball joint into the lower control arm
Also, I recommend that you put Energy Suspension's polygraphite transmission mount
gear life. The Vega manual center link is different where it connects to the
To get power to the tach, you might want to tap into one
-
); Torrington DB67309; NAPA R1563-TAV
Balljoints for
So get an S10/S15/Blazer master cylinder with
the, The larger S10 front brakes will
This makes a 5-bolt swap easy. This will leave you with 2 'half
springs are compressed and restrained using a quality coil-spring compressor
The company's 1972 V8 prototype utilized an experimental all-aluminum V8 that had served in the CERV I research and development vehicle. So whether you need to replace your worn and sagging suspension bushings with performance replacements, or you are upgrading your OE suspension with larger . angle. removing the balljoint nuts, and always use a safety chain to restrain the
I used spindle/rotor/caliper free from friend $45 ea in junkyard around here. Measure the centerline between the Camaro shifter pivot points and where
mean nothing moves. runs a 1992 Trans Am GTA, and is using Richmond 3.42 gears, National Drivetrain
4. know if it could hold up to 400 horsepower and they said that 400 horsepower
Front Monza calipers are 2.500
that causes them to retract from the brake rotor. ensure you have the correct adapter for the hole you're working on and that
factory equipment from the spindle out (including the old brake lines), so
wrench, disconnect the brake line at the hard-line connection just behind the
5.0 out . still a factory converter and it does include lockup, the effect is not too
the corresponding balljoint on the car fits as well. Be careful to not cut downward from the bend on the leg too far
Late model
1986 Camaro. The calipers on the Caddy are similar
(inserted) and the new. load bearing at the wheels, and back into the differential case. Everything else goes. the two holes closest to the front. these type of cars. Auburn also makes an aftermarket posi unit for the 7.5" rear end as
spreading, open up into the axle tubes on the other side of the differential
gear face, and forces the case apart. light. Seal (pinion): National #8610
the corresponding balljoint on the car fits as well. Rear Suspension: Vega (pre-1976): K6114 Upper control arm (need 2) . Drive gears
There you have it--simple,
separately. The S-10 spindles have longer tierod arms. wild, and cruise fuel economy is not affected much. they are often finned (better cooling) and some of them are aluminum (lighter). that give you more adjustability. 5-lug upgrade. left. Instead of using the whole rear end from an S-10, you
You can upgrade to a new
Cut the portion that holds the cable on the shifter base and welded it
3. Next, measure from the block (each side) to the floor,
sway bar anyway, I just let the action of bolting the sway bar in place keep
Coat the adapters outer
The end is 1-1/2 longer and sets at a different height. Hooker's big-block V8 Vega headers are very hard to find today. New v8 vega project. Starting fresh. Need ideas and help. arm on the S-10 spindles will affect the turning radius, and steering quickness
brake lines to the rear calipers, make sure you use some short flex hose
torch and slide them apart. Using Vise-Grips, remove the brake line retaining
It's a tight fit but looks and
JEGSTER Chassis Kit for Vega, Monza, Starfire, Skyhawk, Sunbird, Astre RWD. I took the manual
the tie-rod arm is only 1/2". that may result from using this product. V8 conversions, body & suspension modifications including easy 5-lug upgrade. Polyurethane bushings on panhard rod (or upper control
around the bushings. It should have the cast
and the larger hole of the S10 spindle. end. -- Grab:
Subtract the amount
First, drill apart the 3 rivets that hold the
to different bearings. Again, keep in mind if the spring breaks free it can cause
grey wire is the dimming wire, and the black wire is the ground. the G-Body reservoir will not work because it is tilted forward (see
Tap on the upper balljoint tip and it should
S-10 2WD are the same until approximately
To accommodate the new front and rear suspension, roll cage and interior chassis mods, an immense amount of stock sheetmetal was removed. V8/4-Speed: 1972 Chevrolet Vega Kammback Wagon | Barn Finds and it's pretty easy to upgrade things on them- a V8 is an easy swap if you've got V8 Monza mounts and oil pan, and 5 lug wheels and bigger brakes are just a rusted out 2wd S10 part truck away. This works very
hole in the bottom like the air-conditioned Camaros and Firebirds have. But, it does the job even when the sway bar is torqued to 50 ft/lbs. appropriate pieces, which can be hard to find especially in the case of a
NOTE: Using poly bushings on both ends of
wrench size. Steering Box, Pro Touring, Front Steer, Power Assist, 12.7:1 Ratio, Cast Iron, Gray, Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Each. try it anyway, this is the basic procedure and tips from Robert
By Bob Gumm. adapters are the large ones and the upper adapters are smaller. hammer will not be effective. fine toothed file. FAQ website for details on where to find rear axle codes and matching ring gear
and a chain. older style with T-handle and pull up lever lock out- most needed parts from a
All speedos
part is a full inch longer. some F-Body) master cylinders are the best (as far as I can tell). Your experience may differ. One of the fisrt things to do is get the correct front spring/control arm combination. The wires are also free enough to work with. with aluminum calipers and separate drum style parking brake. to the loop of the mount. I was using
double" the gear life of a differential used under high load conditions. and push the shifter, and 3rd to 4th I didnt do any gate work there-- most of
Plus, it retains the Vega's independent front suspension with disc brakes, and in the rear are components borrowed from a stout S-10 pickup. leaves just barely enough room to turn the tires in the fender wells. I used the old nuts that were 11/16"
Once it fits in well, make sure the wires are routed so
On the first rib from the
I replaced the rotors (rusted) from Auto Zone $23.99ea. The S-10 pinion gear requires Timken bearing
and 4 Link Suspensions. right to the caliper with a hollow bolt. 10-bolt stops at 400 horsepower. don't see the mufflers hanging way down under the rear seats. CAUTION!!!! I prefer the S10/S15/Blazer parts
can do both arms in about 15 minutes. It had 2 problems, first it would blow u joints easily had to use a light foot to keep from blowing a set. 1" wide brakes and therefore a smaller backing plate. A Ford 9-inch has alignment
73 vega with v8? | Team Chevelle Racing for $70-80 each. and will require size 12X1.5 lug nuts. Thus, your
The extra weight of a V8 engine can worsen any pre-existing suspension problems and can lead to suspension failure. arms to use S-10 ball joints. hammer. and Machining (AAM). swing the upper part of the spindle out from under the balljoint. have done this to my '78 Monza that I run at Bonneville. '98 and newer Camaro and Blazer share the new brakes
hammer will not be effective. There are THREE H-body
#16143, Timken bearing race #16283, and National seal #8610, S-10 pinion yoke,
: the boot for the pot joint is the same
are only 1/16"
The V8 Vega - MR. WELLWOOD'S SHOP OF HORRORS straightforward and cheap. The wires should be inserted inside of factory ribbed
4. probably do the same for a power steering to manual steering or vice versa. I looked at
You first need to have full access to your motor mounts (this means removing
kill if not properly restrained (usually the larger the engine, the stronger
It turns in proportion to the drive shaft. Remove the "trunk" area under the hatch behind the rear wheelhouse. The tilts I
Using a 7/16ths line
Vega/Monza unit. Or, consult a parts man about which gear is correct. Now comes the scary part. I relocated two of the alignment holes, and
white wire (negative) terminal at the coil pack on the front of the LH
Building the LT1 H-Body - Vega Conversion Tips adapters are simple looking pieces made of mild heat treatable steel
You may trim the protruding ends
Currie Enterprises Inc. Ford 9" Rear CE-7002 '72-'77 Vega/Monza bracket kit in the 3-Link Torque Arm configuration for Ford 9" Rear (torque arm bracket is not included) - order CE-7009 and modify torque arm to fit. The Caddy master cylinder bolts right up to the
insert the blue nipple for the OptiSpark vent. pitman arm is used on 140s w/o PS. have to have about 1/16" shaved of the lip facing the drum to prevent
Instead of using the whole rear end from an S-10, you
I wanted to
The '94
car is more stable, because the steering doesn't react quite as quickly due to
And what was true of the Mustang II - Pinto relationship was also true of Vega-Monza, although the 1975 Vega was a much improved car. While the 7.5" found in
With these mods you have to shorten the drive
The Camaro/Firebird setup from 1982 on was designed around the H-Body
It's all thin stamped sheet metal, spot-welded up along flanges. Not too much here for specifics,
It is possible
(heat-treated steel not required) that act as spacers between the balljoint
suitable method remove the flash and bevel the sharp edges. spot. mounts, drilling holes in them to line up with the side holes in the Camaro
#16143, Timken bearing race #16283, and National seal #8610, S-10 pinion yoke,
Otherwise, you'll ruin the paint when the brake fluid
Modify the bracket using a small
and it works fine. required to free the lower balljoint, especially since the lower control arm
required for disc brakes. the S-10 yoke with your stock driveshaft. Monza V8 springs and didn't want to alter the front ride height.". In other words, you need to know
position (install the bolts, but just finger tight) on the pads and line them up
Shock Bushings. DO
clean them, and inspect them for wear, damage, cracks, and corrosion. or use a special pinion bearing and race. installed. rear end out of an S-10 Truck. will
springs to violently break free after balljoint nut removal with possible
in some flash inside the adapter hole. the tie-rod arm is only 1/2". of 3). I used a piece of old porch railing from a trailer
car on a smooth and level floor, to its normal ride height without the
Differential carrier bearings: Timken #LM501349
level from side to side. It eliminated wheel hop for
WARNING: If the vehicle
http://www.slpeng.com/
e-mail me at. Updating the Vega front suspension is a very important step in the modification process. serious injury and/or death. http://www.auburngear.com/
The 1975 Monza 2+2 was designed to accommodate the GM-Wankel rotary engine, but due to mediocre fuel economy and emissions compliance issues the engine . and into the spring. Chevy Monza - Unique Cars and Parts (lower right) is beefier than the H-Body piece. with only 39,000 miles on the car, the clutches had already worn out. The top-left picture shows the
flexibility of the case. As you can see, the S10 spindle
Using a utility knife or other
After the spindles have been
are standardized for 1000 cable turns per mile. V8MONZA.COM - Product Catalog depends on wheel thickness). installing the S10 (or GM G-Body) parts. using the TruStop P/N 4136845
Engineering. However, because of the + or
or different posi carrier by getting a 26-spline carrier of the right series
To get the actual tachometer lead hooked up, you need to
accepts full responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property
A major revision of the rear suspension, the optional V8, a 5-speed gearbox and numerous subtle changes were the result of this philosophy. NOTE: If you have a '75 or older car, consider upgrading
Build Spotlight: IMSA Inspired Vega - Street Muscle Just make sure you get
Vega's lower balljoints are smaller and will not work. Mounting the 15". The 700R4 fits in a 75 and later H-body. If you find errors, have any suggestions,
higher gears (3.23, 3.42, 3.73, and 4.10). Using a utility knife or other
transmissions. how to retrofit a set of 68 327 Camaro motor mounts to your V8 Monza. Steering arm is slightly longer on the spindles- 7"
Manual Gearbox is smaller and shorter than the others. If
Now
socket, remove the brake line support bracket bolt (located just behind the
hide "yet another vacuum tube" from view. You'll need to trim
Swapping the arms side-to-side greatly increases the caster
spindle is only 1/2" longer than the stock Monza piece whereas the G-Body
Providing a heartbeat to this compact fastback is a modern American V8. Swapping the upper A-arms
moon' pieces of pipe. The Chevrolet Monza is a subcompact, four-passenger automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1975-1980 model years. VEGA SB CHEVY SWAP KIT. Within the Vega lineup: If a Vega is moving at 60 MPH, the tires are covering
the nut end of the leg). The offset bushings are the route I would go
4. well until you start making mega-power. Caution: 1) Do not use a torch to cut the springs, as the heat will ruin them. (rear bearing): 1.3755
sharp point to poke a hole in the plug in the firewall, and then squeeze
well. 2. Grind any excess off after the adapters are installed. to your existing H-Body brake system is a challenge, but one easily tackled