Re: a nascar inspired laguna

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:30 am

a nascar inspired laguna - Page 2 29905910

My dad's Guna

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:35 am

a nascar inspired laguna - Page 2 Dsc02810

As I mentioned before and is probably apparent, I've done all the work myself over the past 8 years or so on a pretty low budget. I guess to put it into perspective I saved up for just over 12 months to get my comp cams roller cam setup for it. ($950.00) That's where I have my wife to thank for some financial assistance on birthdays and Christmas. lol

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:38 am

a nascar inspired laguna - Page 2 Rod_0110

Swapping the 200 lb front end on at 10:00pm in my mom's backyard after getting off work from Walgreens, my 1st job ever. lol This was my daily driver for over 2 years.

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:43 am

a nascar inspired laguna - Page 2 Chevel10

When I first picked it up in Minnesota. All original, 76,000 miles. Had lots of rust hiding beneath that vinyl top and chrome molding.

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:44 am

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:47 am

by Limey SE Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:50 am

Woweee would love to have them shiny bumpers if you saved them. That whole front also. Woowawwww

by Limey SE Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:52 am

And can you show how you modded inner fenderwells please curious how it looks

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:26 am

The rear bumper is the same one I have now just cut and narrowed. The front is long gone by now. And I never took pics when I was making the wheel wells unfortunately. That's just sheet metal bent and bolted to the fenders where the stock wheel wells bolted, and to the flat firewall. Nothing too special really. Those are actually just temporary to keep rocks and stuff out of engine bay until I can make some nicer one piece ones someday.

by Limey SE Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:57 am

Very cool idea to make them fit the bigger tires though well thought out.

by 77mali Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:51 am

Great story & pics. Welcome aboard, this forum is the best one out there, glad you found us.

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:51 am

Being that they were made with stock car racing in mind you really don't have to do much to make them fit. The rears will fit 13 inch tires comfortably with the right backspacing and the fronts as well. My nascar slicks are 12" on all 4 corners and the wheels are 15x10 with 5" backspacing. only mod made was to shave about an 1/8 in off the front upper control arm lip so those fat tires don't rub when you turn it. Other than that they just bolt right on. And thank you so much. They're always a never ending work in progress. It's a fun learning experience. lol I'm glad I found this place too.

by driveit Wed Jul 23, 2014 9:29 am

I have loved that car ever since I first saw it. Do you have any more pics of the engine bay at different angles? Pics of the trunk? Also did you change the fuel filler?

by Wallyuph Wed Jul 23, 2014 9:50 am

Welcome to the forum Nice car. Great job

by thatfnthing Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:46 am

Welcome aboard -- that car is great, and it's very interesting to see the pics and the progression from plain-jane to street brawler. The first video or pic I saw didn't have any inner fender wells, so that must have been taken during a transition point for you -- I really like the sheet metal ones you have in there now.

And tell your dad his looks great too!

by thatfnthing Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:47 am

And while I'm thinking of it, those are exactly the rear discs I'm after for mine -- if you should run across another set, PM me!

by driveit Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:32 am

thatfnthing wrote:And while I'm thinking of it, those are exactly the rear discs I'm after for mine -- if you should run across another set, PM me!

What all do you need to make that swap work?

by thatfnthing Wed Jul 23, 2014 11:51 am

driveit wrote:
thatfnthing wrote:And while I'm thinking of it, those are exactly the rear discs I'm after for mine -- if you should run across another set, PM me!

What all do you need to make that swap work?

www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_1204_budget_gm_rear_disc_brakes_swap_junkyard_builder/

by driveit Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:02 pm

Thanks. I will read over that.

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:18 pm

I responded with a whole page long response but I guess it got deleted or something. lol Yes I completely forgot about car craft doing the same conversion. Though I never heard how well it worked or anything. But yes it's basically the same thing. All you really need are the huge 1 inch thick monster brackets that bolt to the axle housing with 4 bolts. You can see the bracket in the close up pic I posted. I'm not sure but I think any 3rd gen camaro with rear discs has the same bracket. After that, everything else you can get new. Rotors, calipers with mounting brackets, pads. It is a good idea to get the calipers if you can just so you don't have to pay a core charge. The aluminum ones like I have weren't too cheap, even with my parts store discount. Only other thing you need is to replace the stock proportioning valve with an aftermarket adjustable one. And that just mounts somewhere in the brake line before it gets to the rear brakes. I put mine where the stock one was under driver's seat. It all bolts right up without having to fabricate or weld or anything. And as far as the results, well this was my 1st rear disc conversion and everything worked out fine. I can actually feel the rear end pulling when I press the brake half way. 100% better than my new drum brakes I had on there. Looks better too. lol So just scour your local junkyards or craigslist for any 3rd gen camaros with rear discs. They're out there. But make sure you get the ones with aluminum calipers, not the steel opposite mounted ones. yuck...lol And thanks, I'm actually working on my dad's car right now too. I'll put up more pics as i go. Hope that helped some.

by driveit Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:22 pm

So, to make sure I understand then it is just the bracket, rotor and the caliper. You don't have to change anything else? If I ever get my hands on a set I am gonna have a template made and start selling brackets!

by dynchel Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:28 pm

You have to change the prop valve, & probably fabricate a way to hook up the e_brakes.

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:33 pm

Just the bracket. yes, although like I said, that thing is like an inch thick steel. And there is a small offset to where it mounts I believe. I don't know anyone with any fancy machinery that could fab something like that in mass production except an actual machine shop. lol There are some other small details I didn't have include too such as I did have to put 1/8 inch thick washers behind one of the rotors just to center rotor in caliper so it wouldn't drag. And I bent up new brake lines from master cyl down to where proportioning valve is. Nothing out of the norm though.

by thatfnthing Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:50 pm

Oldschool454 wrote:All you really need are the huge 1 inch thick monster brackets that bolt to the axle housing with 4 bolts....So just scour your local junkyards or craigslist for any 3rd gen camaros with rear discs. They're out there.

Not in the yards around here they aren't. All that stuff's long gone to the crusher, and I'm not looking to buy a whole third gen Camaro just for the rear brake brackets. So if you run across another set, PM me, seriously! There are probably a few other guys on here that would like a set, too, so if you can turn up a source, you may have a cottage industry on your hands. Smile

by Oldschool454 Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:56 pm

Sure no problem. I kept an eye out for awhile actually. Probably a year or so. I didn't make any special attempts going to the junk yard every other week or anything. I actually found mine on craigslist after just checking every once in a while. Someone had already pulled it all off for me. Brackets, calipers, rotors, brake lines. All for $100. And of course I wouldn't buy a whole car for brakes either. lol I meant like a "u pull it" kind of junkyard though.

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