Just wondering if tubular upper control arms help with the clearance for putting a 455 into a regal, and if anybody uses them how do you like the height, ride, handling etc.
I have them. i had to because I used 75 impalla spindles and reamed out the upper ball joint for moog 6024 ball joint. I wanted the bigger brakes and bigger ball joints It also changes your roll center. I tried to use stock a arms but they hit the headers even with grinding down the ears. Stock is 8" long but I ordered 7.5" from UB Machine. I ordered this lenght so I could get my Camber right. They were cheap about 130$ for the pair! (I hang out in the stock car crowd.) Ub Machine makes stock car parts. They will make anything you want! any style ball joint, lenght ,offsets etc... With headers I would say its a given. Hope this helps! Brad
Hey Brad you wouldn't have any pics of your set-up would you? If not any chance you will be in Columbus for the Buick event coming up if so maybe I could take a look at it then.
Sorry I won't be in Columbus. I have a digital camera but I can't figure out how to get them on this or any other site? Check out this web site I dealt with a dude named Tony. www.ubmachine.com Hope that helps! Brad
Try this link to see the UB arms and a short writeup: http://jeffd.50megs.com/Upper_arm_page.htm The Robert Adams link doesn't work but this one does: http://gparts.freeyellow.com/12brakekit.html Brad...the ones that you have, look like these...???
I don't think they help with any clearance issues, as I've never seen any clearance issues with dropping a 455 in there. Ride height, handling, etc.... all depend on which ones you buy. I have the stock tubular replacements on my Cutlass, and they were an exact replacement for OEM... just alot lighter and stronger. Mine handles alot better... but that's because my old bushings were non existant...lol. stock replacements for me were like $130 for the arms, and another $30 for the Ball Joints. From here: http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_i...d=134&osCsid=62734d741b0dd6561f0430ddda78cf4f Good Luck.
I didn't have a control arm issue with the 455 Regal install. I was looking at the TRZ arms for my 67 and they would provide more header clearance for Stage 2 headers. The bushing area is smaller and should clear the header better. The same may be true with the Regal arms too. Jim N.
Duh...did we go off on a tangent there!!! Yeah, once upon a time, I didn't have any control arm issues installing the 455 in the '81 Regal, but I will say that IMHO, all oem G-body brakes are marginal at best!!!
...hear hear on the brakes. Our crappy 10" brakes are found on the Cavlier! Robert Adams kit was about the best bang for the buck if you can find `em. turbobuick.com has a lot more info int he swap then we do here, but for the 455 the uppers make no difference on fitup. The tubular lowers currently available do aid the header fitup a ways, but the same effect is achieved by trimming 1/4-1/2" off the lowers.
yeah that's what I meant about the install is the header issue sorry for not being more clearer. thanks for all the feedback
...uppers will make no difference at all for fitment, but you can safely trim 3 threads worth from the rear upper mounting stud which can sometimes be an issue.
yes thats them except I have bolt in ball joints not screw in ( dodge ) like your picture shows. I'm pretty sure the g-body dude just buys them from UB-Machine and resells them. I used 1975 impalla spindles as I wanted the biggest brakes I could find . They are 1 1/4 thick and 12" in dia. It also uses bigger inner bearings as well . also the bolt pattern is 5X5 . It also increases the track width by about 1 1/2 " the 80's impalla spindle uses the same dia rotor but thinner ( 1" thick ) rotor. and if you order the right year you can get 4.75 bolt pattern. You cannot use stock length a -arms on both these setups as the spindle is taller and you cannot add enough shims to get your caster. The a-arms hit the headers! and you get too close ( in my opinion) to running out of threads on the bolts if you don't have headers . If you use the stock brakes it should be ok with the stock a-arms, but personally I wouldn't have a "good " engine in a car if I couldn't stop it! But thats just me....o No:
