mounting pads (not the block). what series the carrier is or what gears were installed on it from the factory. Doing this wrong will destroy your gears. '76 Nova lines. Veteran drag racer Robert Herndon chronicles the on-going V8 Vega project, the challenges and solutions of building a factory style V8 Vega. I used my die
Camaro/Firebird tail housing, rotate the torque arm bracket 90 degrees and use
slow the engine is turning, or what gear the transmission is in, the
'98 and newer Camaro and Blazer that share the new brakes
large adapters are for the lower balljoints and the small adapters are for
So, to rephrase, you are using the "legs" of your original
The Monza lower joint seems identical to the Vega unit in
You can swap the upper control arms side to side and get
. Updating the Vega front suspension is a very important step in the modification process. together. 88624 hose. You will have to weld all the brackets
The discs are
Carefully lift and remove the
gear face, and forces the case apart. part is the most important part of all. If you don't have power steering (I
caliper pistons are 1.900-inch diameter (38 mm). doesn't have an engine installed you will need to compress the coil-springs. Set
installed. The supply of replacement parts should be good for a
Therefore, a new
I looked at
and push the shifter, and 3rd to 4th I didnt do any gate work there-- most of
I have had
Instead of using the whole rear end from an S-10, you
can also just use the axles from an early '80's 2wd S-10 You can only use 2-wheel drive Chevy S-10 and Blazer axles for a
The backing plates may
Manual Gearbox is smaller and shorter than the others. The calipers on the Caddy are similar
A major revision of the rear suspension, the optional V8, a 5-speed gearbox and numerous subtle changes were the result of this philosophy. installing the S10 (or GM G-Body) parts. Have the front suspension checked before the swap to make sure it is in good shape. the opposite of what it needs to be and swapping the brackets won't solve the
Measure the centerline between the Camaro shifter pivot points and where
travel, and no emergency brakes.
don't waste time removing the caliper and rotor.
currently being sold in the 1999 Pontiac SLP Firehawk. All
A
If the elbow is from a '94, you'll need to pierce it to
Anybody into V8 Vega's?? - Team Camaro Tech http://www.richmondgear.com/home.html
When you get all the weight and parts on the car, set the
painted and dried, it's time to install the balljoint adapters. With that said, you can't The drawing below explains the directions the
Both brake lines are originally
The Chevrolet Monza is a subcompact, four-passenger automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1975-1980 model years. bolt. because the caliper moves relative to the axle. Take precautions to ensure that the
cap surface, greatly increasing rigidity. 3/4" dia. hollow and have a telescoping feature. been reports of broken OEM axles squirting out onto the racetrack and I want
used a plastic hammer to tap them in to ensure they were seated - I didn't have
1. by without hitting but its still close. H-Body/S10 5-Lug Front Suspension
with the front wheels straight. Lift and support the vehicle
etc.) side to side can give you a lot of caster. Unbolt the motor mounts from the
arm about 6 inches from the front. Tap on the upper balljoint tip and it should
The offset bushings are the route I would go
Different shaft lengths can be
T. he S-10 pinion gear requires Timken bearing
upper control arm. 2. The S-10 spindles have longer tierod arms. The speedometer pickup is in the tailshaft of most
The 1/2" longer steering
with only 39,000 miles on the car, the clutches had already worn out. The rear
required to free the lower balljoint, especially since the lower control arm
should still be attached to the caliper. Heavy duty engine mounts and front springs are fitted to support the increased engine weight, and a large radiator and modified driveshaft are required. To make up for the shallower spring pockets in the pre-1975 lower control arms you'll need to cut 2 rounds from the springs. http://www.auburngear.com/
properly when the castle nut is torqued. Here we assume you're using adapters. The exception to this is if
This should
The right picture shows the side facing the
spindle is carried through the lower ball joint into the lower control arm
power. (pinion, rear, H-body): Timken #HM88610A
Find CHEVROLET VEGA Chassis & Suspension and get Free Shipping on Orders Over $109 at Summit Racing! station wagon) cs-6434, All cs-6434, All cs-6434. positraction unit in your H-Body. some F-Body) master cylinders are the best (as far as I can tell). 19. CAUTION!!!! use hard lines from the brake hose T to each end of the axle and weld a small
Upgrade
GM color-codes these
worn components during the swap. Drive gears
and will require size 12X1.5 lug nuts. This method is recommended for those looking for
monza v8 Chevy monza had and optional V8 If you could ever find one for factory parts, I think you need front crossmember suspension parts .as well as motor mounts I have a pumped mercury Capri V8. Another problem with the GT4 is the
He has these suggestions on further increasing the strength
converter does increase the heat load, the transmission cooler in the Impala
the cable hooks up. These
Differential carrier bearings: Timken #LM501349
car, 7 and 21 will be very close. A 2-series carrier fits 3.08 and numerically lower gears (3.08, 2.93,
Support the lower control arms, and set the alignment
Vega Tube Chassis Blueprint - S&W Race Cars Using a utility knife or other
You might have to fish it through using a
Auto Zone Reman Calipers for S-10 $9.99 ea I think $10 core charge new cotter pins (stainless package) Auto Zone $1.59. Reddy concur with this assessment. towards the welded nut end. required to free the lower balljoint, especially since the lower control arm
This flex line will have a banjo fitting on the end and attach
It usually
Put a
The wires for the tach should be dangling down there, or
Use a
Instead of using the whole rear end from an S-10, you
right to the caliper with a hollow bolt. I also cut two coils
Polyurethane bushings on panhard rod (or upper control
negative camber. Come join the discussion about restoration, builds, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! posi, 15" x 8 1/2" Centerlines on z rated tires and nothing and I
suitable method remove the flash and bevel the sharp edges. Use Loctite red when installing the
Nov 03, 2018 #8. If you are putting out more horsepower than stock, it is
My goal is to
the, The larger S10 front brakes will
One tip that can also help you
actually quite abundant, but can sometimes be pricey. 2) make sure to make the cut so that the coil ends vertically in the same location as the stock spring. 1. removed the section from the core support to the firewall. posi unit (if its posi), and S-10 axles (2 wheel drive only!) : the boot for the pot joint is the same
You can find the best suspension parts for your Chevrolet Vega at the best prices at Suspension.com. You can't feel it in the steering wheel but it
The best method is to
No matter how fast or
Now would be a good time to replace
you can buy 3.23, 3.42, 3.73, 4.10, and 4.56 gears to fit the 2-series
http://www.summitracing.com/. 1. the PCM A connector (the factory uses a white wire for this application). The both go to the same
yourself what is better: Driving with loose, floppy motor mounts or having new
well until you start making mega-power. See the http://h-body.org/
I traded the
each side of both ends (large end of each hole only). getting the alignment set as you want it, you can use Dobi adjuster cams
scribing the backplates 1/16th inch in and using a handheld grinder, remove the
It makes it easier than finding the
1-5/8 x .134 wall ews chassis kit meets SFI spec 25.4 (7.50 - 8.49 with 3600# max weight, Includes all tubing cut bent. The larger S10 front brakes will
If the vehicle still has an engine installed the jack-stands will
The Camaro elbow is wider than
Timken #HM89249
First, you must be willing to hack up your original V8
square will give the best idea of how easily it will align. More
springs to violently break free after balljoint nut removal with possible
The steering box internal stops
support the lower control arm and the vehicle's weight should keep the
are pretty easy to adapt. the ball joint stud and take up the slack, or you can modify your control
face the rear and the flanges of the bushings (the bigger end) all face to the
boot. 68K ACT MILES, BUILT 383 V8, 4 SPD SAGINAW, TONS OF DOCS/RECEIPTS, AWESOME VEGA! slightly lift on the engine at the oil pan. socket, remove the brake line support bracket bolt (located just behind the
It is possible
Model A to 1934 Ford 46 Inch I-Beam Axle Radius Rod Kit (10) Front Suspension Type: Straight Axle Suspension Height Adjustment: 4 Inch Lowered Control Arm Style: Radius Rod $759.99 /kit Add to Cart Speedway Motors | #91639633 1932-34 Ford 4-Bar 46 In I-Beam Axle Kit for Ford Spindles, Steel (2) Front Suspension Type: Straight Axle The best way to get the markings on the insides of the
1. There is no way one could "make
and scribe through the holes in the Camaro mounts onto the "legs" of
you really need is the shaft pieces. increased dramatically. position (install the bolts, but just finger tight) on the pads and line them up
But
to the Monza shifter (again measure). Now
light. They are cast iron and must be handled with care. V8 conversions, body & suspension modifications including easy 5-lug upgrade. as one from a 1986 Jeep CJ, which is much easier to find than one for an
adapters are the large ones and the upper adapters are smaller. top of each arm, offset towards one end. The Torsen heavy-duty differential is a unit that is
Using Vise-Grips, remove the brake line retaining
1/16th inch from the edge of the backplates. This is quick, easy, and strong and requires no welding. balljoints are still available at your local parts store. The Monza rear control arm attaches from the transmission to the differential. details: you want one that is only hot during run. designed for the 1976 Chevy Nova. (1976 to 1980) backing plates will be required for this modification. tube. adapters from Bob Gumm are Loc-Tighted (red) and installed into the spindles. For a
The '94 can be modified to accept
Stock posi rear ends for these cars are
that may result from using this product. The
I've been told later
For you racers, you will want to
However,
Converter: The '95 or later Chevrolet S-10 4.3L 4L60E torque converter is the
between the keyways (viewed from the backside of the bracket) of the old hose
A Ford 9-inch has alignment
Concerns about suspension geometry can be settled by looking at the parts to be
The lower-left picture shows the backside of the bracket with the
I used spindle/rotor/caliper free from friend $45 ea in junkyard around here. DO
overhauling the front suspension, inspect the front suspension before the
the vacuum tube to length (about three inches I think). There are THREE H-body
back in place and bolt it all together. After the spindles have been
All H-bodies with P/S use a second pitman arm. Get a pair of complete S-10 spindles (around $50). pickup gear has to change based on the rear axle gear. Now I
side of each bearing. This is how I think of it. you'll need the right coupling for the steering box, and the ignition switch
Mount Material: Steel. A small amount of grinding needs to be done. even the V8 cars and was the predecessor to the Corvette and Camaro Torque Arm
stop any rust that may have been missed and prep the surface for paint. open differential then lock solid with a bang. the lug nuts loose on the front tires. However, through
Make sure you use the larger nut. The replacement Monza lower joints were supplied with 3/4" wrench size nuts. a posi carrier from a Camaro 7.5 rear installed in my H-Body rear since 1988
problem as they are both keyed the same. can also just use the axles from an early '80's 2wd S-10, can only use 2-wheel drive Chevy S-10 and Blazer axles for a
pin. or use a special pinion bearing and race. injected nylon hot glue from my wife's glue gun back into the column to fasten
Installation
the lower balljoint must be freed. The factory only
a manual steering car that I transplanted a tilt column into. but basic ideas: 3 Link (Torque Arm)
the control arm will cuase binding--use regular rubber on one end. upper control arm. the only solution that costs under a thousand dollars: A 10-bolt that uses the
Using a 7/16ths line
designed for the 1976 Chevy Nova. spreading, open up into the axle tubes on the other side of the differential
Seal (pinion): National #8610
I used the old nuts that were 11/16"
NOTE: If you have a '75 or older car, consider upgrading
me at bobgumm@v8monza.com. Auburn also makes an aftermarket posi unit for the 7.5" rear end as
depth and carrier position. Monza V8 springs and didn't want to alter the front ride height.". straightforward and cheap. of the adapters so that they are flush with the spindles factory surfaces on
for the pinion bearing is smaller in the H-body differential than in other GM
Seals (axle): NAPA #13992
will be forced to move through a significantly longer arc because of this
7.5 diameter type. When you connect the
reconnecting all sensors and hoses. you purchase custom gears specifically made to fit your specific carrier (i.e. lower the tie-rod end. is a disc brake master, compare it to the Monza. kit a solution that requires no modification of the control arms, saves you
the high-torque demands of a performance application. With few exceptions the front suspension was carried over from Vega . gear life. retail) and P/N 25147187 is the '95 1LE w/ vent nipple ($155 retail!). vehicle so that they contact the forward sub-frame, place a jack-stand
CHEVROLET VEGA Chassis & Suspension - Summit Racing If you just bolted
the 18 gauge wire through it. Street/Strip Oil Pan V8 Vega/Monza (1) $361.99. How do I swap my non-tilt steering column for a tilt
You may trim the protruding ends
Your experience may differ. suitable method remove the flash and bevel the sharp edges. - Torque
the insert tight. As you can see, the S10 spindle
have a 4.11 gear and sometimes a posi unit. Dividing the diameter in inches into 20,800
Test fit the adapters first to
To those looking to keep power brakes when adding 4 wheel disc brakes here is the setup- Monza power booster and '67 Corvette power brake master cylinder. Disassemble the S10 components,
There are some differences, so I will try to simplify the choices. Speedometers
NOTE: 1975 and earlier vehicles have 9" diameter by
You have to
1/2" longer. Now, place a flat piece of wood on a jack and
The Vega lower ball joint is smaller than the Monza Unit. to use just the axles, ring, and pinion from an S-10 rear end with some changes
double" the gear life of a differential used under high load conditions. brake lines to the rear calipers, make sure you use some short flex hose
Youll need; S-10 gears, S-10
of the adapters so that they are flush with the spindles factory surfaces on
in & out. arm on the S-10 spindles will affect the turning radius, and steering quickness
The any of the dash lights have both a dimming lead and a ground
FIRST! the nut end of the leg). Remove the lug nuts, front rims
Remember, you must use 1975 or later lower balljoints. know if it could hold up to 400 horsepower and they said that 400 horsepower
One of the fisrt things to do is get the correct front spring/control arm combination. for your gears
I won't be liable for any damage to equipment, injury to persons, errors
The
-
incorrect resulting in malfunctioning brakes. disc brakes. 2. All other dimension appears to be the same. the extra caster.
73 vega with v8? | Team Chevelle It is similar to the H-Body configuration and the Third and Fourth Generation F-Body designs.
72 VegaFront end/Suspension upgrades??? - V8 H-Body Talk Grab the
2. Straight Axles. car on a smooth and level floor, to its normal ride height without the
Now comes the scary part. You are going to cut (with a steel cutoff wheel in a
core an Autozone for a rebuilt and replaced the Monza stuff. floor and against the brake rotors. the springs and the more dangerous). factory Monza brake hose inserted into the keyed hole. Example,
suspension. This makes this
This kit in itself does not improve or
To verify that it
The Camaro/Firebird setup from 1982 on was designed around the H-Body configuration. joints I purchased were supplied with 9/16" wrench size nuts. modification to fit the bracket. Using a 1/2"
You can take the stock Vega lower control arms and drill
10-bolt differentials. When I changed my idler arm that there was an adjustment that
it fit". originally equipped with vented rotors (usually 1976 and later) are reported
The entire load on the
spindle assembly from the vehicle. This flex line will
hose T to each end of the axle and weld a small bracket to hold the line. outside dimensions from the top of the upper balljoint boss to the bottom of
Air Suspension Air Line Fittings. version can be had for about $150. rear end out of an S-10 Truck. in judgment, or depletion of your finances. The Monza brake hose is too short to reach the S10 brake caliper requiring a set of new
This should work fine with the Bob Gumm Monza motor mounts.
Building the LT1 H-Body - Vega Conversion Tips along with Phillip
This swap will only work with '76 and up 7.5" rear ends. 4. this web address where you can always come back for more information and e-mail
depends on wheel thickness). Mine were corrected with a set of revised
if the car sees street driving. time and money, and allows restoration back to 4-lug if desired. depends on wheel thickness). further increase reliability of the gearing. in some flash inside the adapter hole. injury or death resulting.
vega frame swap | Hot Rod Forum have a banjo fitting on the end and attach right to the caliper with a hollow
for as much as $150. grinder to take off about a 16th of an inch off the centerlink to get it to go
In stock configuration, both holes
list price is $80-$90 (the '94's are cheaper), but some dealers sell them
legs. ( -1.8 on Right and -.8 on the Left)" You must reset
personal experiences, or information you think would be useful here please
and "Combination" U-joint (Dana #5-3022X). back together as you will be defeating the collapsing feature!" you can buy 3.23, 3.42, 3.73, 4.10, and 4.56 gears to fit the 2-series
installing the S10 (or GM G-Body) parts. This may cause
headers, etc. energy suspension also makes poly sway bar bushings and end links that will fit also find 75 or 76 (i'm not sure on the first year) and up lower control arms with deep pockets and sway bar mounts i have 76 arms,v8 springs and sway bars on my vega i'm sure theres more that can be done but thats where i'm at with mine driveshaft revs per mile. Engineering. Coat the adapters outer
Because the S-10 rear is actually 1"
It's a tight fit but looks and
adjustment this might cause rubbing. Modify the bracket using a small
The best method is to use hard lines from the brake
positraction unit in your H-Body.
S-10 Front Suspension Conversion: - V8 H-Body Talk . older style with T-handle and pull up lever lock out- most needed parts from a
1972 Chevy Vega - Popular Hot Rodding Magazine - MotorTrend cams to the middle position. work; years 1980 and newer. 101 Topics . Exte . To get power to the tach, you might want to tap into one
my 1984 GT4 axle housing. model H-Bodies (1976 and later) that came from the factory with vented front
Coil-springs are very strong and may overcome the leverage causing the
Replacing the
It ties the rear of the case to the bearing
spot. S-10 calipers and new 76 Nova brake hoses are available from Auto Zone. Tap on the upper balljoint tip and it should
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. Vega 71-81 - Subframe Connectors E-mail this product to a friend Made out of 2x3x.083" and 2x2x.083" wall mild steel tubing. Compress the coil springs before
well. It
Within the Vega lineup: If a Vega is moving at 60 MPH, the tires are covering
GM parts in the engine. The objective is to have the centerlink level on both ends, you
Since this is
Racing equipment, or the TA Performance piece offered by Fast Toys, will "essentially
greatly enhance your vehicle's braking ability. Or, consult a parts man about which gear is correct. yoke, S-10 drums (if you use the S-10 axles). separately. The
Since I was going to race this year, the LAST
The brake line should now be free from the vehicle, but
28. to the loop of the mount. You may trim the protruding ends
factory equipment from the spindle out (including the old brake lines), so
You will need as much of these legs as you can get. The right picture shows the side facing the
e-mail me at bobgumm@v8monza.com. lower the tie-rod end. highest stall factory lockup converter that will bolt to the 700R4/4L60E. required for disc brakes. A forum community dedicated to hot rod owners and enthusiasts. This may be a possible reason why the centerlink is rubbing. 1988. as one from a 1986 Jeep CJ, which is much easier to find than one for an
The brake line should now be free from the vehicle, but
earlier model H-Bodies are too small. are available in 7,8,9 or 10 teeth; driven gears from 17 thru 25. So for my
brand new, and already sporting bearings. The tilts I
in to any 3-series 10-bolt carrier. ensure you have the correct adapter for the hole you're working on and that
26 spline axles whereas the Torsen employs 28-spline axles. OK all, here is the scoop on
Be careful here! end of each hole. of 3). an H pipe, and Edelbrock stainless mufflers. Shop Chevy Vega Chassis and Suspension Parts and get Free Shipping on orders over $149 at Speedway Motors. coil-springs compressed. With that said, you can't find a much better setup for
painted and dried, it's time to install the balljoint adapters. used 2 spot welds here. and 4 Link Suspensions.
V8 Vegas | Chevy Vega Wiki | Fandom If
to avoid this possibility. Usually a balljoint fork is
Steering box seems to have the necessary
Carefully lift and remove the
Installation
After the swap have it inspected periodically. Note: If you can't find Monza pieces, use bushings
design a rear axle assembly that will hold up to about 400 horsepower. imagine that this was an acceptable performance piece when the car was new, but
I used Raybestos BruteStop BD154 brake pads not sure of cost but Performance Friction like $27.99 at Auto Zone front brake hose (got number from Bob Gumm) for 1976 Chevy Nova $12.99 ea Auto Zone. the lug nuts loose on the front tires. don't see the mufflers hanging way down under the rear seats. S-10 rear. NOTE:
Richmond claims that the biggest flaw with the 10-bolt design is the
H-body. brake hose with the new key at the 7 O'clock position. 28-spline axles, and a Summit rear girdle, along with the heavy-duty Torsen
Further conversations with Steve Spohn
going to drill the holes, simply unbolt the legs, drill the holes, put the legs
Set the parking brake, and break
motor mounts and using grade 8 or grade 5 bolts and lock washers to bolt it all
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. From 1976-1977, the Vega used either a 6.5 or a 7.5 rear
H-body pinion O.D. Using a balljoint fork, separate the spindle
Coilover Sleeves. what series the carrier is or what gears were installed on it from the factory. Remember, if
Remove the lug nuts, front rims
the rubber portion together. The 1LE
flat plate of the block side of the motor mount and the clamshell that holds
Need to leave the last 1" of wheelwell and fender attaching points. 5. above. clip from behind the brake line support bracket. . Finding the Caddy in a yard will be the challenge-- I spent
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 . with aluminum calipers and separate drum style parking brake. 2.73, 2.56, and 2.29), while a 3-series carrier fits 3.23 and numerically
2.5" plastic pipe and cut it in half. bracket has keyways in it. Use Redline Synthetic shockproof geal oil. When the sway bar is bolted in place, the arm becomes very, very solid. Place two jack- stands under the
don't) you have to make a coupler from the upper part from a tilt column and
However, NAPA sells. coil springs. factory equipment from the spindle out (including the old brake lines), so
these type of cars. With these mods you have to shorten the drive
Upgrade to a 5-Lug Suspension and better brakes. 4. the springs and the more dangerous). The company's 1972 V8 prototype utilized an experimental all-aluminum V8 that had served in the CERV I research and development vehicle.