I know about being on a budget. Since the article, I saved up and bought parts over a period of more than a year then did my whole suspension at once to save on alignment and labor costs. I do not have the space or tools to do much work at home.

My car has changed a whole lot since the Excellence article. I am sure you will enjoy your suspension upgrades and lightening.:)

Hi there, Dueller;

Did you consider getting rid of the front foglamps? And the headlight washers? How about replacing those large flagstyle-mirrors with the smaller non-remote earlier versions? Ditch the rear wiper assembly yet? RS-style doorboards? Removed the console? Fibreglass enginelid perhaps? Or a ducktail? A switch to 15" Fuchs wheels (if you can locate a set, that is) may also save a few pounds. Oh, and those rings around the headlights are only cosmetic, you know. Drilled brakediscs. RS-style aluminum flywheel.

i like this set up with the Sebring mirrors. They cost $80 each (from me :D) in black and you can get flat or convex. You retain the bases from the flag mirrors, then mod them to fit. Several other Pelicans did this and its a real world alternative. The kremer /935 mirrors look even better, but useless to see out of by comparison

And you don't have to block off holes in the doors/ repaint too

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This thread is timely for me as I'm putting the original bumpers back on. All in all, there is some weight to the impact setup but to me it isn't that much. I just picked up and installed the whole rear ass'y yesterday. A 3.6 would offset not pulling weight out of the car with power to spare.

Looks are one thing, actually going faster is another. Now that I know what happens when the car gets rear ended with a fiberglass bumper, I won't be doing that again. If I had the money, I'd be putting it into the motor and tranny instead of trying to "look' light a lightweight.

A 7:31 limited slip short ratio would make anyone think they had an "R." With the HP of a 3.6, and the suspension upgrades, I'd think you'd be all over most RGruppe style cars unless they have the same goods in a real <'74 long hood.

3.6 with a 7:31 ? It would not last long in this world . Its too short a ratio for street and track , anyway. Ideally shorter ratios on the spread between 2-5th would be much better choice. Problem is cost of those gears

A rear-ending and damage to the ducktail was what led to my 12 year ongoing project. Quite a slippery slope! :eek: :D :rolleyes: :)

Actually I wasn't sure what G50 final drives are available. However. I get your point. And yes, the close ratio gears would really do the job for me. I've been in Jack Olsen's car with the gears you provided. That's a great set up.

Still, you got to remember I came from the early 60's era of hot rodding where a 327 SBC hooked to a close ratio Muncey with 4:56 out back was de rigueur. I think of 7:31 as the 4:11 of the Chevy world. Not a 4:56 or even a 5:12, but a nice low ratio that will get you down the strip or run some big numbers flat out on the highway.

I won't go to the charts right now, but I'd guess 7:31 with some decent size rear tires on 17's would run 140 MPH. Need more? OK, where? Not my game.