meenag01
12-31-2009, 03:53 PM
Well first post on this site. Here goes.
Early December
Well,
Since going FI the traction has been a serious issue. I have broke the rear loose going into 4th at 95+ mph several times and didn't like it much. So here are some pics of the new setup. Stock 18s, Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3s, 295/35/18s rear, and 235/40/18s front. The rear rims were widened to 10" at Wheels America in Dallas. FYI, they will not widen them to 11" any longer. Only 2" over stock. To my knowledge Weldcraft is the only company talked about on the board who will still go to 11". I almost begged them to go to at least 10.5" but no dice, not even a consideration. So, 315's are out of consideration. The modification to the wheel wells will take place around Christmas. Honestly I'm really pumped about this mod. Take a look.
Update: 12-30-09
Well, Christmas is finished and so is the Mini Tub!! Dad and I started at 8 am on the 19th and finished the fabrication part at 11pm that night with 20 minutes off for lunch. Full day. Came in the next morning and did all of the seam sealing, undercoating, fender skirt trimming, and reinstallation of the interior. I left it in Kerrville over the next week and then worked out one small rub and an alignment this last week. At the beginning I could break it loose going into 4th at 100. After, the car sits down real nice 1/4 to 1/2 way through 2nd with no wheel hop. I have never felt the car pull like it does now in 2nd gear. The stance is very nice. The rims and tires don't hang out in the body line of the car looking from front to rear. I hate that look. I did not touch the quarter panel lips, completely stock. Tires are 295/35/18 Goodyear GS-D3's and now know they run really large, like a BFG. I bet the Nitto 305s are narrower than these tires. Just drove it 250 miles home and thoroughly enjoyed it. Above it all, I had a great time with my Dad doing the work and that has more value to me than any of this. Looking in the wheel wells, you cannot tell this is not OEM. Looks like Holden made it this way. Notching the trailing arm was not as big a deal as I thought it would be. I put some nice thick steel in the cut out for the notch. Enjoy the pics. I didn't take any through the mini tub work. Although our process was a little different from the process of a well known vendor, we did basically the same thing so he can post more pics of the actual work if he wants to. We did it for fun, our vendors do it for a living!!
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubWheels002.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubWheels001.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubWheels003.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete011.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete010.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete009.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete007.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete006.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete005.jpg
I think this pic is sweet looking down towards the pond.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete003.jpg
Early December
Well,
Since going FI the traction has been a serious issue. I have broke the rear loose going into 4th at 95+ mph several times and didn't like it much. So here are some pics of the new setup. Stock 18s, Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3s, 295/35/18s rear, and 235/40/18s front. The rear rims were widened to 10" at Wheels America in Dallas. FYI, they will not widen them to 11" any longer. Only 2" over stock. To my knowledge Weldcraft is the only company talked about on the board who will still go to 11". I almost begged them to go to at least 10.5" but no dice, not even a consideration. So, 315's are out of consideration. The modification to the wheel wells will take place around Christmas. Honestly I'm really pumped about this mod. Take a look.
Update: 12-30-09
Well, Christmas is finished and so is the Mini Tub!! Dad and I started at 8 am on the 19th and finished the fabrication part at 11pm that night with 20 minutes off for lunch. Full day. Came in the next morning and did all of the seam sealing, undercoating, fender skirt trimming, and reinstallation of the interior. I left it in Kerrville over the next week and then worked out one small rub and an alignment this last week. At the beginning I could break it loose going into 4th at 100. After, the car sits down real nice 1/4 to 1/2 way through 2nd with no wheel hop. I have never felt the car pull like it does now in 2nd gear. The stance is very nice. The rims and tires don't hang out in the body line of the car looking from front to rear. I hate that look. I did not touch the quarter panel lips, completely stock. Tires are 295/35/18 Goodyear GS-D3's and now know they run really large, like a BFG. I bet the Nitto 305s are narrower than these tires. Just drove it 250 miles home and thoroughly enjoyed it. Above it all, I had a great time with my Dad doing the work and that has more value to me than any of this. Looking in the wheel wells, you cannot tell this is not OEM. Looks like Holden made it this way. Notching the trailing arm was not as big a deal as I thought it would be. I put some nice thick steel in the cut out for the notch. Enjoy the pics. I didn't take any through the mini tub work. Although our process was a little different from the process of a well known vendor, we did basically the same thing so he can post more pics of the actual work if he wants to. We did it for fun, our vendors do it for a living!!
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubWheels002.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubWheels001.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubWheels003.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete011.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete010.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete009.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete007.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete006.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete005.jpg
I think this pic is sweet looking down towards the pond.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/meenag01/MiniTubComplete003.jpg