I'm currently searching for a compatible front disc brake kit and if possible front suspension upgrade. I've heard that the same year Impala has many compatible as they are both B-Bodies. Does anyone know if the control arm kits are compatible? I know that would most likely mean if have to swap more parts like the knuckles and so on but parts are much more available for Impala than the LeSabre. Any information would be much appreciated thanks.
The Buick is mostly on it's own as far as front suspension components. Stay away from Jamco for the disc conversion. I would use ScareBird. I supply some suspension parts as well as front & rear sway bars, shocks like KYB or Bilstein, poly bushings in the right places & a fast ratio power steering box that's 2.5 turns lock-lock & is a DIRECT bolt-in for the stock box & can supply you with the corrected alignment specs. Tom T.
What are your thoughts on the performanceonline front disc kit 66-89. Also do you know of a compatible master cylinder booster kit that would work? Have youTyou heard of anyonefanyone swapping theirttheir spindles with a Buick skylarks of the same year? Although the Skylark is an A-Body the chassis service manual doesn't specify a difference between the spindles. Thanks for the reply and appreciate the input.
Spindles are diff. between A & B body's. !967 full size cars is basically a bolt-in swap. As far as I'm concerned go with the ScareBird brackets & they will list parts from comparable vehicles that can be used, new rebuilt, salvage yard.
Do you think I could use the spindles from a 67 Skylark on my car to get a better brake kit with a less mismatch of parts? Thanks for scarebird I haven't run across them in my searches.
Pardon my inexperience. Do you know why it wouldn't work? I've seen other posts doing the opposite b-body spindles to A-Body car. My original intension was to find compatible spindles from a car that Wilwood offers front disc kits for because it would ensure that the parts would be from one source and easy to sour e in the future though overkill. You said 1967 full-size car would be a bolt in swap, could you provide model examples and I assume you mean Buick models only. Sorry to both the LeSabre has been a harder car to modernize than others.
All I can tell you is what I know for fact as I've done a lot of mods on my '64 Riv. (& MANY OTHERS) I've had since new. I've designed mini-starters for ALL "NailHeads" & even some straight eights, variable ratio roller tip rocker arms, front & rear sway bars, know what shocks to use & poly bushings, some with mods to make them work & custom forged pistons, & now for the last 3-4 years fast ratio P/S boxes that are a bolt-on. The P/S boxes start at '59 on some up to about 1976. These are for basically GM FULL SIZE cars & some Ford & Mopar stuff. They are for the BIG cars with the BIGGER "808" boxes which the B-Body's have. I've also been a mechanic for 60+ years so I know where I'm coming from because more than likely I've been there & done that, BUT no one died & left me GOD. If you want to pursue the direction your headed be my guest. You may come up with something I DON'T know about. They are NOT that hard to modify IF you know what to do & where to look. I've given you a caution & one supplier. What you do with the info of course is up to you. MAYBE I can save you some of the time, hassle & cost of things to the point you MAY want to buy some parts from me. Good luck. Tom T.
Hey Terminal Commander, send me a PM as I couldn't find any suitable brake upgrades for my '65 so spent months researching with many possible options and have settled on Wilwood Radial mounted 6 pot calipers with 13" rotors retaining the 5X5 stud pattern. 12" rotors on the rear. Suspension is on orig. arms with ridetech Air-ride bags/fox shocks.
Tom, do you know of any company that makes poly bushings for the front upper control arms? I have a 69 wildcat and I'm basically in the same boat as TerminalCommander.
Your 66 is a rear steer car while the A body is a front steer. You're thinking of a late model B body spindle making the tall spindle conversion, totally different. Your 66 buick chassis is unique to buick, other full size makes had their own chassis. You'll need to source parts for buick only. Forget the chevy stuff.
im pretty sure you can make some other work if you know the diameter and length of the stockers. may have to run larger or smaller bolts with washers however. you can also have a aluminum sleeve made by a machine shop for one thats smaller if need be. similar to del a lum units.
only way to make an impala control arms work is to graft the front sub frame area off the front of the impala onto the buick frame. they a bit different. 71 is the first year iirc they all used a standard frame across b bodies.
another option is the spc adjustable race arms you may be able to make those work or they could possibly build a set for you that can work. just an idea. https://www.spcalignment.com/race you just measure what you have and what you need. some math in it but its possible. rear someone could take dom tubing and johnny joints and build rears. lower fronts i dont see a way unless it was an all custom job and i dont think you would see much advantage. now the sways bars from an impala if they are the right width there is a good possibility those will work. if im not mistaken the rears bolted on the same way on all gm cars back then and the fronts had end links and two frame links so i think those may work. just something you would have to compare.
