SSEi build - '93

[Mattstrike]

It all started when my wife's '93 SE Bonneville engine blew for the second time. I picked up a '93 SSEi to use as a donor vehicle for it.

I had been rolling around in this:

Then this happened when somebody ran a stop sign without looking:

So I was out of a car, but I still had the SSEi:

So I got to work, using the L67 from the LeSabre.

Low oil pressure brought about a rebuild, with a cam:

20130303213739_zps6ab479eb.mp4 Video by mattstrike1 | Photobucket
Then came the 3.25" modular pulley for the SC. A lot of other random work happened too.

@ Lane Automotive cruise in auto show (Watervliet, MI)

Big brakes and rear disc conversion. Dual piston aluminum calipers up front, 12" rotors, 10" rotors rear (used to be the front rotor size). This also includes KYB AGXs in the front and a 3/4" drop, no change to rear height:

And F40 swap in progress because I make too much power for a 4t65e:

Also in the works:

I'm sure I'm missing a few details here and there. But I've been at it for almost a year now. The F40 swap is nearing completion, just waiting on the custom axle center shafts, and putting all the bits back together. The plan is to have it done for the Intense 3800 meet this year.

Click to read more...

 

[02BlueGT]

Looks good, quite the garage space you've got there. A little surprised that you didn't go 4t80e, but manual should be unique and add a little entertainment value.

 

[rz79]

I applaude anyone who puts that kind of time/money/love into a rather forgettable car from 20 years ago.
You are a true car guy. Or insane. It's a fine line.

 

[m_dogg]

I'd never guess this thing was supercharged - too bad it was totaled

 

[Mattstrike]

too bad it was totaled

It has a long list of kills to make up for that.. I knew exactly which cars to mess with. Personal best was 210wph and a 15.14 on a stock L67.

And then the one day I have the windows down enjoying the weather in no particular hurry....


I still have it, and will do something with it once I'm done with the Bonneville and T-type. But the Bonneville is shooting for a G8 GXP, so much more work to be done.

 

[1quick]

That lasabre is fucking awesome, I'd like to see one of those with the manual and a turbo 3800, would make a bad ass sleeper dd

 

[Bru]

Awesome! Too bad about the lesabre.

 

[SleeperLS]

I like all of this

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

what rear setup is that? any reason you didnt go with the second gen brake compatible conversion using the uplander parts?

sweet shit dude

 

[framos242]

Liking the build...:thumbup:

 

[BigGtp]

Love this and cannot wait to see the final product! Love things that are different!

 

[Euro]

Awesome restoration/build. And that LeSabre was so cool. I'm glad you kept it and will be putting life back into it at one point.


Any pics of the progress on the LTT?

 

[shaferz]

NEAT

 

[AjL227]

Looks like a very nice Bonneville restoration.

 

[10sec]

These new 3800 people are killing it.

 

[Mattstrike]

The BLT was going to be my winter project before I broke the 4t65 in the Bonneville. Still deciding between a 4t80 or another F40 swap. But it's going to be a LG3 twin turbo build. Though I've done little more than accumulate parts at this point.

As far as the rear disc conversion - Those Caddy brackets are the first compatible setup I've found in the u-pull. Also, what uplander parts?

 

[RICH17]

What are you using for a flywheel witht eh F40 trans?

 

[Mattstrike]

Flywheel is from the '99 generation Camaro with the 3.8. It had to be rebalanced for the L67. SPEC makes a conversion clutch kit for this.

 

[RICH17]

Okay thats what I found as well.

Did you get the trans side axle tulips too with the trans?

 

[Mike K]

These new 3800 people are killing it.

Seriously... Sometimes I wonder who the hell our customers are since the market for 3800's is still very much alive but you just don't see people posting their projects so you assume it's not happening.

It turns out people just didn't have a forum to show their projects. Can TCG please take over the 3800 community... ClubGP is dead and the community is spread out over a few different forums. I'd love to see everyone come here.

Death to Midwest3800's. Long live EntireUnitedStates3800s!

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

 

[Mattstrike]

C/V axles:

Cobalt SS jack shaft
Cobalt SS tulips
Bonneville C/Vs

Custom center shafts 4140 HT (version 1.0, yield strength is about 130KSI). I have drawings for them, not test fitted yet though. The difficulty with it is that the spline cutter is not very common so most tool and die shops will have to rent one, also the male splines cannot be used for measurement as it's a rolled spline, so you have to use the female spline and cut the shaft to fit. They need to be turned to match the boot as well.

If the 4140 doesn't hold up then the next step up is 300M (230KSI)

I couldn't find a tulip/tripot that fit the f40 and the standard 26mm spline that is on most of the bigger car axles.

 

[RICH17]

Ah gotcha

 

[RICH17]

I'm having trouble finding axles t fit a 284.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

The BLT was going to be my winter project before I broke the 4t65 in the Bonneville. Still deciding between a 4t80 or another F40 swap. But it's going to be a LG3 twin turbo build. Though I've done little more than accumulate parts at this point.

As far as the rear disc conversion - Those Caddy brackets are the first compatible setup I've found in the u-pull. Also, what uplander parts?

id ditch the lg3 for the LN3/SI if i was you. hell the later model SI stuff has roller fulcrum rockers that offer a bump in power just from friction reduction.

i have the early LG3 UIM (3800 cast into the top) on my 90 LN3 longblock...so you can accomplish the LG3 look aside from the center bolt VC'rs (pretty sure thats one sign of the LG3 iirc...)

there is a disc brake swap/upgrade for the bonnie guys that uses the modern caliper mount with the typical 4 bolt rear bearing hub (2nd gen W, ie Fbody, vette, gxp...the usual stuff...)

i was mentioning this to Ktraver for his Turbonnie recently but here it goes

it just involves the rear beam axle (and 11.9" aka "12inch" brakes) from an 05+ chevy uplander.

you grind the welds that hold the brackets to the rear beam axle assembly (a few tack welds durring production as the hub bearing mount bolts actually hold it on...the welds keep the bracket from flopping around during bearing service.

that gives you the modern caliper bracket

the fun part is that the 05 model year uplander is the only one with the 5x 115 lug pattern...all subsequent years went tot he 6 lug pattern...fear not. ALL parts aside from the 6 lug bearing and rotor are the same to the end of uplander production.

so all you need is the bracket and calipers and rotors.

your hub bearing should be the same exact bearing minus the minor part number differences/superseded old numbers.


i had found kevin a whole rear axle from an 05 uplander on ebay for 150$. thas not a bad price for a 12" rear brake upgrade.

if you snagged an axle chop from an 05 in the Jy youd have everything you need...dunno if your parking brake cables will work but iirc the later rearmost cables are a direct swap as cable layouts didnt change much (those penny pinching beancounters are good for somethings i guess)

iirc the uplander has the caliper mounted parking brake but i believe the parking brake in hat backing plates/mounts would probably be adaptable with some work.

i found this guys thread with some searching and it has pics!...evabody loves pics!
its for an A body but the rear bearings for all GM non rwd vehicles are the same 4 bolt pattern with no changes in the "stack height" by the various brackets/backing plates over the years.

Uplander rear disc brake upgrade write up

regards, James