Bought a lemans want to rid it of the transaxle rear suspension, Anybody have or know were to get info on this. THANKS JOHN
You just about have to cut out the whole tunnel and raise it to do it. I think you would have to raise the floor above the rear end too. I'd look at a narrowed rear end with a 4 link. Maybe even one of the rear subframe kits that are floating around for Camaros and Novas. I worked on one that someone had done years ago and it was a mess. they had hung a big (Olds or Pontiac) rear end under it on leaf springs and it sat higher than a Toyota 4x4. If the flexible drive shaft is still good, don't tear it up as they are probably pretty spendy. Same for the trans and diff. Your junk just might be someone else's prize find.
Try here... there are several how tos and alot of helpful people http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=427
First thing I'd do is look under an F85 or Skylark, 61-63, they're the same body but conventional drive. Even if you have to cut stuff off and weld it in, it should fit pretty easy.
I've got a 62 lemans. The plan is to cut out the swing axle junk and weld in a ladder bar set-up from Art Morrison. The rear end will be an 8 3/4 mopar that I have in stock!!
The turbo 215 aluminum V8 @ 210 hp is all that driveline is capable of handling. If your gonna do it, do it right with a 9".
I built a 62 LeMans about 8 years ago. Used a 2X3 rear frame similar to what is used to "back half" any car, except my frame rails ran all the way to the front cross member mounts. As said in another of the replies, you have to cut out part of the floor and build in a transmission hump and a drive shaft tunnel. Mine was a pro street deal with a very narrow Ford 9" on ladder bars with coil overs. Obviously you have to build wheel tubs in it. I had a 455 Pontiac with a TH400 transmission. I used the stock 4 cyl front cross member, but you need to raise the engine which I did with custom motor mounts. If you can find one, a front cross member out of a 63 326 car already has higher mounts from the factory. This car is really tight everywhere. As you know these cars are unibody and the front wheel wells are structural. I modified the front cross member to add a power Mustang rack and I also replaced the stock strut rods with hiem jointed links. Used Dodge screw in ball joints on the Tempest lower A arms to mount Mustang II spindles. They allow you to mount 11" rotors and using an adapter, mid 70's GM calipers. I modified some dirt track tubular upper A arms to mount to the Tempest cross member. These cars are tough to build. Almost no one makes parts, or at least they didn't when I built mine. Good luck with your project. They are fun when you finish them and about one person in a hundred has some idea what they are!
Ive thought about the rear clip deal, But pontiac did the 421 super duty version of this car and they had to have used off the shelf parts? Keep the ideas oming . And pics if you have them.THANKS JOHN
The 421 version has a rope drive and a beefed powerglide transaxle. But it only had to last what, 4 or 5 quarter mile rounds in a day?
The 10 transaxle SuperDuty cars had four speed transmissions made up with Corvair PowerGlide two speed automatic parts. I believe the one picture I've seen (or diagram, I can't remember), showed one gearset ahead of the differential, one gearset behind the differential, and utilized a special case. I also think I read once "back in the day" some or all of these cars were originally intended for oval track racing, but that could have been some writer's wishful thinking, or just my memory being faulty. All the other FX drag cars had big car drivetrains grafted in place of the flex driveshaft/swing axle rear end setup, so maybe there is something to it.
Not enough information here. For instance, what motor and trans? What year? What are trying to do (end goal)? Why do you feel compelled to do this as opposed to just selling it and buying one of the sister cars (F 85 Olds or a Buick Special) that already have a solid axle?
The forum that zbuick linked is the best one I have found. 4 link or ladder bars, take your pick. I was looking for one for a while but ended up getting my Merc first.
I have a 63 Buick Skylark that you could rob the drive shaft tunnel and rear pan out of. Everything's there but the engine and transmission. It's sitting on my Dad's farm in Arkansas. I also have new old stock brake pads for your Pontiac. Oh ya, and 4 Tempest hubcaps and a cardboard box of miscellaneous Tempest parts.
There were 12 Transaxle SuperDuty cars. 6 Coupes, and 6 Wagons. Only one coupe and two wagons are known to still exist. Hayden Profitt's, and Mickey Thompson's would break the "rope" on a regular basis. Arnie " The Farmer" Beswick got a wagon from the factory and then bought Mickey's car. Later when the coupe was transformer into the "Tamless Tiger" it received the "Big Car" rearend.
Cause I dont like the looks of them, And it will be poncho powered with a glide. Ill put a nine inch rear in it. It will be a strip/street car.
Let me make sure I can still find them in the garage. My parts filing and cataloguing system will not be accessible until Sunday. (I throw stuff in the garage, then cleverly hide it by covering it under mounds and mounds of old clothes, the kid's old toys, and worn out household items that we "might" use someday.) Here's an actual picture of what I wish my garage looked like.
I had to take my wife to the hospital. She's ok now but it'll be a while before I will be able to look for it. Sorry.
I am doing the front swap right now-could use some help with the upper A arms-why not use modified Pontiac arms with Dodge ball joints? Is the offset wrong?
If you hate the IRS get rid of the car and get a Buick Special or Olds F85. They were practically identical and had the same V8 engine but with conventional rear axle. To me the unique powertrain would be about the only reason to own one of those cars. They represent a radical new idea ahead of the times, but other than the powertrain were pretty blahh.
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