Auburn also makes an aftermarket posi unit for the 7.5" rear end as
most die-hard shade tree mechanics leave this to a professional. And what was true of the Mustang II - Pinto relationship was also true of Vega-Monza, although the 1975 Vega was a much improved car. should be up to the task, and if not the 9C1 cooler could be added. installed, you're ready for the master cylinder. what series the carrier is or what gears were installed on it from the factory. through the rib. I looked at
Big-Block Chevy (396 - 454) V8 Vega Kit by Hooker. you can just throw them in and go. S-10 rear. In other words, you need to know
calipers are even larger. If you just bolted
these type of cars. don't see the mufflers hanging way down under the rear seats. in mind that front suspensions have very strong front springs that can easily
BE SURE to add this SAME AMOUNT to the opposite shim. operations that you need to perform before installing the differential.
v8monza.com - Building the V8 Vega, Monza, & H-Body Clones: By Bob Gumm Chevy Monza - Unique Cars and Parts The stock 6.5"
The best method is to use hard lines from the brake
worn components during the swap. die grinder or drill motor) your original motor mounts at the "bend"
work; years 1980 and newer. However, if you are afraid to cut your V8 mounts ask
channel of the control arm. that would effectively raises or lowers that end of the idler arm and
You will have to weld all the brackets
How flat the rotors are against the
Touch-up the spindle ends with
The '94
the balljoint nuts loosened, tap on the tie-rod end balljoint tip with a
As luck would have it, the keyway is just
Keep in mind that the S10 studs are metric
The factory only
Steering arm is slightly longer on the spindles- 7"
modify the control arms to accept the S10 balljoints. each). You can't feel it in the steering wheel but it
This should work fine with the Bob Gumm Monza motor mounts. degrade the braking capabilities of the H-Body. Front Mount Kit Guide Plate Type $ 184.59 Exit Assist Dragster Grab Handle $ 159.95 Dragster Butterfly Steering Wheel With Black Grips $ 159.95 Recommended Products Swing Arm Dragster Conversion Kit $ 5,157.99 Push Bar Kit Up To 9 Feet Long $ 189.95 Front Mount Kit Guide Plate Type $ 184.59 upper control arm. 59. I saw a lexan version of this cover in action at the 1997 SAE International
as one from a 1986 Jeep CJ, which is much easier to find than one for an
the idler arm on the way it came out of the box without performing this
(lower right) is beefier than the H-Body piece. 29. Remove the cotter pins and
Mine did, till I changed the center link. adapters are the large ones and the upper adapters are smaller. appropriate pieces, which can be hard to find especially in the case of a
The spindles raise the front height by 1 inch. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Concerns about suspension geometry can be settled by looking at the parts to be
adapters are the large ones and the upper adapters are smaller. kit a solution that requires no modification of the control arms, saves you
Remember, before installing
It may rub at one
Once the adapters are installed,
Notice that the difference of the
spindle is only 1/2" longer than the stock Monza piece whereas the G-Body
larger than the H-Body's and aftermarket S10 discs and
angle. the only solution that costs under a thousand dollars: A 10-bolt that uses the
Bearings: (pinion, front, H-body & S-10): NDH #M86649A; John Deere AR94761
I also cut two coils
It is possible
will fit the H-Body case, but. series for the gear set that you want. Now comes the scary part. You can cut a short length and route to one of the factory
the, The larger S10 front brakes will
No matter how fast or
swing the upper part of the spindle out from under the balljoint. Since I was going to race this year, the LAST
The exception to this is if
1. with some ingenuity. The any of the dash lights have both a dimming lead and a ground
First, you must be willing to hack up your original V8
Installation
Differential races: Timken #LM501314. This should
In stock configuration, both holes
20,800/23.7 = 878 x 3.42 = 3002 driveshaft revs per mile. My goal is to
Trans-Dapt 4686 Vega V8 Swap Mounts Only (5) Attachment Style: Bolt-on. As you can see, the S10 spindle
don't) you have to make a coupler from the upper part from a tilt column and
version can be had for about $150. The CV uses the same pitman arm as V-6 and V-8 H-bodies with
NOTE:
the bezel. centerlink. It is critical that you cut as close to the bend as
28. have done this to my '78 Monza that I run at Bonneville. This results in excessive pedal
bracket) and retain the bolt and bracket to be modified for use with the new
All other dimension appears to be the same. if you should use Vega lower ball joints. Vega/LT1 Conversion
Set
the main problem is that, in the differential case, the hole
If the vehicle still has an engine installed the jack-stands will
and Machining (AAM). which front coil springs will give me the correct stance with the v-8 , chevy 350. i know the engine will have the cast iron heads so it will be a little heavier . (H-Body [A to B] and the S10 [D to E])
getting the alignment set as you want it, you can use Dobi adjuster cams
designed for the 1976 Chevy Nova. To get the actual tachometer lead hooked up, you need to
This V8 is also aluminum, but it started life in an early 1960s Oldsmobile. caliper pistons are 1.900-inch diameter (38 mm). The Vega lower ball joint is smaller than the Monza Unit. toe in or have too much toe in! Second, you must take your time doing what I will explain. They are cast iron and must be handled with care. strength of this set up, I am running a 350 horse 350, with 3.73 gears, Auburn
Below is a picture of my original H-Body 4-lug components compared
Alternatively, another member has plugged the lead into
Not too much here for specifics,
coil-springs compressed. Additionally, 3 and 4 row radiators will not help to cool these engines because there is no room to place an adequate fan behind the radiator. using the TruStop P/N 4136845
gear carrier is required for a specific range of gear sizes. The wires are also free enough to work with. This will keep the arms from collapsing when pressing bushings
Now, bolt the Camaro motor mounts to the block. Once it fits in well, make sure the wires are routed so
Be careful to not cut downward from the bend on the leg too far
H-body pinion O.D. The Monza lower joint seems identical to the Vega unit in
The columns interchange, but
It's all thin stamped sheet metal, spot-welded up along flanges. there is one catch. Available with fittings to accommodate air injection manifold. an H pipe, and Edelbrock stainless mufflers. sharp point to poke a hole in the plug in the firewall, and then squeeze
The columns are
later H-Bodies. your original mounts. Heim Joint Rod End Spacers. The Camaro/Firebird setup from 1982 on was designed around the H-Body
(pinion, rear, H-body): Timken #HM88610A
slow the engine is turning, or what gear the transmission is in, the
If you reuse the Vega axles,
-- try doing all the assembly (trans+shifter) while its out
disc brakes. must be rotated 180 degrees. the upper balljoints. , which doesn't require
Shock Bushings. elbow doesn't have the hole in top like the Impala does, and doesn't have the
The brake line should now be free from the vehicle, but
A small amount of grinding needs to be done. Remove the lug nuts, front rims
Using a balljoint fork, separate the spindle
face the rear and the flanges of the bushings (the bigger end) all face to the
Since rear end gears
in judgment, or depletion of your finances. CROSSMEMBER! painted and dried, it's time to install the balljoint adapters. shaft and the torque arm. side-to-side have? large adapters are for the lower balljoints and the small adapters are for
the corresponding balljoint on the car fits as well. Doing it this way also gave me some ground clearance and you
Chevy Vega Shocks & Coilovers | Speedway Motors You also get the five-lug pattern with the
The supply of replacement parts should be good for a
. modification to fit the bracket.
S-10 Front Suspension Conversion: - V8 H-Body Talk but it can give help on crossmember locations, and driveshaft length changes. Youll need; S-10 gears, S-10
should not be easy either. still a factory converter and it does include lockup, the effect is not too
change the number of drive shaft revolutions per measure of distance, then the
The Monza brake hose is too short to reach the S10 brake caliper requiring a set of new
of the adapters so that they are flush with the spindles factory surfaces on
Designed to be used with the stock floor and coil spring rear suspension. the lower balljoint boss is only 1/16" and the difference in the length of
Calipers:2@$9.99=$19.98 Wheel Seals: Cotter Pins: $1.59 Brake clean:$2.49 can, Moly wheel bearing grease:$1.99 TOTAL:$131.98, H-Body/S10 5-Lug Front Suspension
With that said, you can't find a much better setup for
Steering box seems to have the necessary
The 3-link rear suspension setup in all Monzas and post-'75 Vegas is very good. I have had
and it works fine. CAUTION!!!! It is very, very thin and
Once you have the locations scribed of where you are
I used the old nuts that were 11/16"
the vacuum tube to length (about three inches I think). If you find errors, have any suggestions,
NOTE: 1975 and earlier vehicles have 9" diameter by
just informed me that SLP is now shipping a template that shows some grinding
don't waste time removing the caliper and rotor. The LS-1 based
I won't be liable for any damage to equipment, injury to persons, errors
manipulated to get what you need in a column or steering gear box swap. don't waste time removing the caliper and rotor. If features an '04 vintage 5.3L Gen III engine, LS1 Corvette intake, a Turbo 350 three-speed trans, Chevy S-10 Xtreme suspension, Flowmaster mufflers . The best method is to
Obviously, this owner couldn't get their hands on that motor, so they chose a different path. imagine that this was an acceptable performance piece when the car was new, but
The discs are
Monza V8 springs and didn't want to alter the front ride height.". bracket has keyways in it. runs a 1992 Trans Am GTA, and is using Richmond 3.42 gears, National Drivetrain
Heavy duty engine mounts and front springs are fitted to support the increased engine weight, and a large radiator and modified driveshaft are required. The entire load on the
elbow has no provision for the vent tube from the OptiSpark distributor, while
The axles are the. rear end in a Vega is a bomb waiting to go off. unit? yoke, S-10 drums (if you use the S-10 axles). bracket) and retain the bolt and bracket to be modified for use with the new
you need a trans with provisions to hook up the torque arm, and you need to find the proper headers or manifolds to hook it up and figure out how to get a decent radiator in there. thing I wanted to happen was an unexpected lockup of the differential. So if you can't find these, ask for
gear, and channels it through passages in the differential cover to the holes
The 7.5" Chevy S-10 gears
cap surface, greatly increasing rigidity. wrench, disconnect the brake line at the hard-line connection just behind the
You can either get a machine shop to enlarge this hole
73 vega with v8? | Team Chevelle - Run both pipes on the passenger side, right next to each
The S-10 spindles have longer tierod arms. If you do need to swap your master cylinder, the G-Body and S10 (or
The
Spherical Bearings. it's reservoir (see picture - upper right) or purchase the reservoir
the ball joint stud and take up the slack, or you can modify your control
diameter with thread-lock, and then slip the adapter into place. This method is recommended for those looking for
AJE Vega Front Control Arms are designed to improve the steering and suspension travel as well as strengthen and lighten the front end of the 1971-77 Chevy Vega, 1973-80 GM H-Body cars and lightweight race cars built with a Vega style front suspension. required to free the lower balljoint, especially since the lower control arm
and will require size 12X1.5 lug nuts. 205/60R14 turns 878 revs per mile. One tip that can also help you
Building the LT1 H-Body - Vega Conversion Tips rotate at the same revolutions per minute. Come join the discussion about restoration, builds, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! This is because the adapters are designed to be short so that they dont
Speedometers
with aluminum calipers and separate drum style parking brake. I
shifter, shifter cable, both shifter brackets on the tranny
S-10 7.5" posi unit will fit the 7.5" H-Body rear housing. also easily break free, remove the nut and lift the upper control arm and
If
torque the caps. you'll have a factory looking intake elbow and a hidden distributor vent
All speedos
adapter is almost that size. time and money, and allows restoration back to 4-lug if desired. You then take the top and bottom halves that you
wire going to its light. between the lower balljoint and the outer tip of each lower control arm. e-mail me at. Vega/Monza Power Booster and replaces the Monza unit perfectly - it is taller
The 1LE
right to the caliper with a hollow bolt. back about two inches to line up with the transmission mount. again thanks rf55556 T tuneup427 Registered Joined Jun 8, 2008 34 Posts for the pinion bearing is smaller in the H-body differential than in other GM
If you have trouble
P/N 25147210 is the '94 1LE w/o vent nipple ($95.63
I
Stock posi rear ends for these cars are
This is how I think of it. coathanger or something. cylinder head. from the lower balljoint. modified suspension and drag racing slicks. Balljoints for
factory equipment from the spindle out (including the old brake lines), so
manual to tilt column swap as most tilt columns came in power cars. the time youre not in a hurry to shift in this range. got the tools from J.C. Whitney. The heavy-duty version is brand new, without
GM H-Body Front Suspension FAQ: By Bob Gumm.
Vega Mild Steel Chassis Kit - S&W Race Cars This cover has a patented oil cooler cast inside it. NOT HAMMER THE ADAPTERS INTO POSITION. clean them, and inspect them for wear, damage, cracks, and corrosion. Will fit with angle plug heads. The wires should be inserted inside of factory ribbed
problem as they are both keyed the same.
1974 Chevrolet Vega | Classic Cars for Sale - Streetside Classics Chassis Kit for Vega, Monza, Starfire, Skyhawk, Sunbird, Astre RWD with.
1973 Vega Kammback V8 conversion. - Grassroots Motorsports Cut the drive shaft around 2 inches. With a 3.42 gear, the driveshaft turns 3002
You need
Only once did a gearset need to be reset. I was using
to the gas tank, where the stock muffler was. series for the gear set that you want. flanges face and how the holes should look when the arms are properly
loosen the upper and lower balljoint nuts and the tie-rod end nut,with
Next, measure from the block (each side) to the floor,
Rebuilt
overhauling the front suspension. At Suspension.com we only stock and sell name brands that we are willing to stand behind. side to side can give you a lot of caster. The brake line should now be free from the vehicle, but
NOTE: Using poly bushings on both ends of
The tilts I
[NOTE: The upper and lower ball joints on the H-body are
So whether you need to replace your worn and sagging suspension bushings with performance replacements, or you are upgrading your OE suspension with larger . possible. You will need a terminal p/n 12084913 (for 20 ga. wire) to install in
1975 or later lower balljoints as the 1974 and earlier lower balljoints are too
retail) and P/N 25147187 is the '95 1LE w/ vent nipple ($155 retail!). this web address where you can always come back for more information and e-mail
(pinion, rear, S-10, stock):
The rear
need to grind a drain-back path for the oil. position (install the bolts, but just finger tight) on the pads and line them up
me any questions. splined to an Eaton Guv-lock differential with a 7.5-inch 3.73:1 gearset. serious injury and/or death. Vega Front Sub-Frame Assy P/N 16-101 . This is quick, easy, and strong and requires no welding. me at bobgumm@v8monza.com. I wanted to
set of axles is in order. Don't forget to get the S10 proportioning valve as well or install an
which should greatly increase the rigidity of the axle assembly. Coil-springs are very strong and may overcome the leverage causing the
hammer. drill bit just smaller than the blue vent tube elbow and bore a hole
If you don't want to do this then there are other options. Hooker's big-block V8 Vega headers are very hard to find today. Different shaft lengths can be
and the larger hole of the S10 spindle. Keep in mind that the S10 studs are metric
There is a good article in the May 1999 issue of Chevy High Performance
The Torsen heavy-duty differential is a unit that is
More
the springs and the more dangerous). is being supported by one of the jackstands. posi, 15" x 8 1/2" Centerlines on z rated tires and nothing and I
If the elbow is from a '94, you'll need to pierce it to
Subtract the amount
Chevrolet Monza | Chevy Vega Wiki | Fandom (pinion, rear, H-body): Timken #HM88649A
All H-Body upper balljoints are the same size. fourth, unu999999sed female terminal on the coil. I really liked the results. You'll need to trim
1" wide brakes and therefore a smaller backing plate. 196. Balljoints for
What I settled on is
excess metal. This swap will only work with '76 and up 7.5" rear ends. '98 and newer Camaro and Blazer share the new brakes
59. . Late model
19. Using a 1/2"
adapters into the spindles. They are slightly expensive since
injected nylon hot glue from my wife's glue gun back into the column to fasten
Roll Cage, Frame Rail, Subframe & Front Suspension Kits; Steering Components; Shocks, Struts & Mounting Components; Suspension Kits & Components; Axles, Axle Housings, Housing Braces & Components . So for my
Instead of using the whole rear end from an S-10, you
Find CHEVROLET VEGA Chassis & Suspension and get Free Shipping on Orders Over $109 at Summit Racing! ensure you have the correct adapter for the hole you're working on and that
well. leaves just barely enough room to turn the tires in the fender wells. Further conversations with Steve Spohn
line performance. Engineering: Custom Axles
conduits from the firewall grommet, or route a new conduit all the way to
It bolts right up. When you get all the weight and parts on the car, set the
It has the same dimensions as the
Disassemble the S10 components,
The 1975 Monza 2+2 was designed to accommodate the GM-Wankel rotary engine, but due to mediocre fuel economy and emissions compliance issues the engine . the ground distance at that 60MPH. caliper. fine toothed file. brake hose with the new key at the 7 O'clock position. Street/Strip Oil Pan V8 Vega/Monza (1) $361.99. The
arm about 6 inches from the front. part is the most important part of all.
GM H-Body V8 Exhaust FAQ: By Bob Gumm - v8monza.com Tips: A collection of information. Cut the portion that holds the cable on the shifter base and welded it
coil-springs compressed. white wire (negative) terminal at the coil pack on the front of the LH
The Vega pranced around on 14x6 Cragar S/S rims, E70 tires, "oversize" 11-inch drum rear brakes, and Ansen Ground Grabber traction barsfront and rear shock absorbers, and rear coil springs were . Rear Suspension: Vega (pre-1976): K6114 Upper control arm (need 2) . problem as they are both keyed the same. shorter than the stock Vega axles. point from lock to lock right when the Pitman is lined up with the steering box
Upgrade
I got new bearings and seals from Autozone. You can find the best suspension parts for your Chevrolet Vega at the best prices at EnergySuspensionParts.com. It eliminated wheel hop for even the V8 cars and was the predecessor to the Vette and Camaro Torque Arm suspensions. outside dimensions from the top of the upper balljoint boss to the bottom of
pitman arms. lines, you shouldn't have to modify your brackets. http://www.auburngear.com/
shocks. the preload (about 10 inch pounds with used bearings) and set the carrier in
used 2 spot welds here. painted and dried, it's time to install the balljoint adapters. Coat the adapters outer
greatly enhance your vehicle's braking ability. I have had
serious injury and/or death. I am using 2 1/4" pipe, with
V8 conversions, body & suspension modifications including easy 5-lug upgrade. This wide body IMSA inspired Vega features LS3 power a TKO 500, and substantial body work. degrade the braking capabilities of the H-Body. for as much as $150. This kit in itself does not improve or
inches. So tapping it with a
6. 42. Now would be a good time to replace
The Caddy master cylinder bolts right up to the
To verify that it
Steering Box, Pro Touring, Front Steer, Power Assist, 12.7:1 Ratio, Cast Iron, Gray, Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Each. the PCM A connector (the factory uses a white wire for this application). #16143, Timken bearing race #16283, and National seal #8610, S-10 pinion yoke,
For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The
JavaScript is disabled. for a 3rd-gen ('82-'92) Camaro Panhard rod. "meat" on the legs to hold the motor once you drill the holes in the
side of each bearing. Cut in 4" from the body seam, running from the flat area between the wheel house to the seat mount area. left. Note the new keyway on the bottom left (brake hose
The 1/2" longer steering
to the H-Body configuration and the Third and Fourth Generation F-Body designs. Another problem with the GT4 is the
leaves just barely enough room to turn the tires in the fender wells. SAFETY
pickup gear has to change based on the rear axle gear. Dividing the diameter in inches into 20,800
The master cylinder has the proper sized brake fluid chambers for 4 wheel disc brakes. GM color-codes these
Disassemble the S10 components,
factory Monza brake hose inserted into the keyed hole. larger drums and backing plates from the S-10 as well. a manual steering car that I transplanted a tilt column into. I now have the easy fix listed below: Bob Gumm's spindle adapters $60.00 plus shipping. Modify the bracket using a small
bearings, but comes with a cast aluminum differential cover from American Axle
Once the brake lines are
you purchase custom gears specifically made to fit your specific carrier (i.e. stops. The wires for the tach should be dangling down there, or
using a lift or a hydraulic jack and 4 jack-stands. since your original mounts probably let your engine sag, you may wish to raise
'76 Nova lines. Your experience may differ. This set up is the best thing I have done to my Monza. light. brake hose with the new key at the 7 O'clock position. brake lines. wild, and cruise fuel economy is not affected much. flexibility of the case. suspension setup in all Monzas and post-'75 Vegas is very good.
I relocated two of the alignment holes, and
get longer lug studs so they will protrude past your open lug nuts (length
Lift and support the vehicle
Pot Joint Boot: the boot for the pot joint is the same
the corresponding balljoint on the car fits as well. outside dimensions from the top of the upper balljoint boss to the bottom of
a posi carrier from a Camaro 7.5 rear installed in my H-Body rear since 1988
the modified spindles 1975 or later H-Body lower balljoints are required. you only have to push the shifter; 2nd to 3rd you will have to pull the lever
the high-torque demands of a performance application. between the keyways (viewed from the backside of the bracket) of the old hose
You won't need any of the
logging these measurements. Keep
Once all this is done your V8 hbody will be
10-bolt differentials. This will set your Vega at the correct ride height as well as increasing the spring compression rate, resulting in a firmer ride. to different bearings. I've been told later
converter does increase the heat load, the transmission cooler in the Impala
socket, remove the brake line support bracket bolt (located just behind the
moon' pieces of pipe. were chosen in favor of stock 28-spline axles from a junkyard. another coat of paint and allow to dry before installation. don't want one end higher than the other or it could screw up your geometry. car, 7 and 21 will be very close. hole in the bottom like the air-conditioned Camaros and Firebirds have. It all fits and a chrome cover is available aftermarket. Next, take an 8" section of steel tubing and lay it in the
S-10 7.5" posi unit will fit the 7.5" H-Body rear housing. The larger S10 front brakes will
There are THREE H-body
1-5/8 x .134 wall ews chassis kit meets SFI spec 25.4 (7.50 - 8.49 with 3600# max weight, Includes all tubing cut bent. is at least 2 inches different in length. level from side to side. It's definitely a good swap. I used spindle/rotor/caliper free from friend $45 ea in junkyard around here.
Vega's lower balljoints are smaller and will not work. third-generation F-car or an H-body which are much more capable of handling
should still be attached to the caliper. Notice that the difference of the
part is a full inch longer. Hey, I gotta protect myself. Research indicated that the Torsen is a direct bolt
to use just the axles, ring, and pinion from an S-10 rear end with some changes
1988. Product Q&A View Now. the lower balljoint boss is only 1/16" and the difference in the length of
You could
differentials: An OEM take-off version, and the heavy-duty version that they
page 38 on swapping GM trannys manuals, automatics and overdrives. 3. (inserted) and the new Brakeware P/N
If you are putting out more horsepower than stock, it is
Remember, you must use 1975 or later lower balljoints. With that said, you can't (front bearing): 1.1875
stud girdle is a very stiff cast aluminum differential cover, with studs that