set up ?'s

A few of you have already given me some advice. I would like to know what some of you with regals are going with for suspension. My car should run high 10's low 11's next year.(hopefully) I want to avoid tubing the car. I know some of you out there have went with the after market control arms, springs, etc... I would like to know what you think of them before i waste money on parts that don't work for you guys. I haven't been steered wrong yet :grin:

Thanks
Dustin

 

I have a 84 Buick Regal and I have just put a ladder bar setup under the car and it seems to be working fine for me. No tubs on a 10.5 tire.

 

what are you running for times? How much fab work and $$ did the ladder bar setup set you back?

Last but not least is the ladder bar setup better than the stock type suspension with all the aftermarket parts?

Thanks for all you info
Dustin

 

I have run adjustable uppers and tubular lowers with an airbag setup in the past and been very happy. Ran a 1" rear swaybar as well. Car was mid 13's (dying engine), but would barely squeak the tires on the launch, with measly little stock 225/50/15's.

I'll be going back to that setup shortly.

 

I have an 86 regal limited that out of the box with no engine or suspension tuning ran 11:40's at 119. It has adjustable uppers and boxed lowers running a 275-60-15 tire. The frame has no knotching and the fender lips have not been touched. This by the way was on drag radials. With slicks alone it should run 11:20's. I also have an 87 regal limited with the same suspension setup that 4years ago ran high 8's with a v6 and 10.5 inch tire. It can be done with pretty much a stock setup.

 

Tim,

Were you able to get that tire on the stock 7" rims or did you use an 8?

 

Clint; 8 inch with 3 3/4 inch backspacing. This tucks it in very nice.

 

what company did you guys go to for your adjustable upper and aftermarket lower control arms?

I have been looking at Metco and HR parts n stuff
Thanks
Dustin

 

BMR. Pretty reasonable prices. There's a group purchase over at turbobuick.com though if you really want a deal...

 

i will have to check that out. How do they compare to the metco parts?

Thanks
Dustin

 

...a tube is a tube IMHO. The bushing is what will make more difference than the actual arms. The defelctiont here is much greater then the actual tube. On the whole, I'd say they're all about equal on paper. The GlobalWest stuff uses a spherical aircraft bushing that is FAR superior to the graphite ones, but expect to pay a bit more.

 

Thanks for all your help guys. i appreciate all the info that i can get.

Thanks
Dustin

 

The ladder bar setup set me back about 2500 dollars but that is with me buying the koni double adjustables, moser axels, full spool, 4.10 gears, springs for the coilovers, and the builder fabricating all of the parts. Laddebars, tracking bar, crossbraces and much more stuff but the car can handle any kind of power that can be put into one. the best time with a slipping trans has been a 6.92 in the 1/8th of the mile. The car should run some 6.80's or high 6.70's on its own.

 

One last item Dustin... the frame ties!

78-87 Grand Prix's had a set of bars that tied the crossmember to the front frame rail ends. You can find `em for $5 in any wrecker. Best/cheapest mod on the car, straightens out the launch and helps the cornering.

 

i actually welded a set of bars to the crossmemeber and then tied those to the frame rails with a the tubing i welded in to hold the radiator. I will try to get pics tonight since i pulled the motor yesterday. The season is over and i am going to check things over.

Thanks
Dustin