March 17, 2025, 04:33:15 PM

Author Topic: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap  (Read 30055 times)

Offline wickedrx7

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #75 on: January 24, 2019, 12:01:14 PM »
I think i am seeing mud tires in your future....

1993 Touring, 2012 L99, T-56, Ronnin 8.8, Ohlins, Speedhut, Samberg and lots of custom parts
Build Thread - http://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=19354.0
Pictures - www.flikr.com/wickedrx7

Offline etizz

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #76 on: January 28, 2019, 01:58:48 PM »
quick update. worked whatever time I could over the weekend to make body mounts. have about half of them done so far. things definitely gonna be riding high but maybe with the right wheels/tires it wont look so out of place but oh well who cares ill finally be driving this car, and hopefully a lot.  hoping to get the mounts done this week and maybe I can try to under coat the body while its off then I can get it out of the shop and back to my house where I can make more frequent progress on it in small intervals at a time and get it on the road.
2005 RX8 4.8 TR6060 8.8 SINGLE TURBO

Offline wickedrx7

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #77 on: January 28, 2019, 02:47:19 PM »
Have you looked into dropped suspension for the Escalade?

1993 Touring, 2012 L99, T-56, Ronnin 8.8, Ohlins, Speedhut, Samberg and lots of custom parts
Build Thread - http://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=19354.0
Pictures - www.flikr.com/wickedrx7

Offline freeskier7791

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #78 on: January 28, 2019, 02:54:00 PM »
Have you looked into dropped suspension for the Escalade?

This^^  You can get drop spindles and lowering springs for them.
https://www.youtube.com/thedriftingdad
1985 Mazda RX7 GSL Drift Car

CCVT

Offline etizz

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #79 on: January 28, 2019, 04:34:36 PM »
I may see what a drop option may do but Itll never look close normal, I fully expected that when I started. plus the escalade has like a factory air ride option that I don't really wanna lose right away so we'll see what I'm working with first. I forgot to mention my wheel adapters I bought aren't going to work, the factory wheel studs are too long to fit adapters on so ill just be running an oem 6 lug wheel to get it rolling for the moment.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2019, 04:54:40 PM by etizz »
2005 RX8 4.8 TR6060 8.8 SINGLE TURBO

Offline freeskier7791

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #80 on: January 29, 2019, 05:53:20 PM »
I may see what a drop option may do but Itll never look close normal, I fully expected that when I started. plus the escalade has like a factory air ride option that I don't really wanna lose right away so we'll see what I'm working with first. I forgot to mention my wheel adapters I bought aren't going to work, the factory wheel studs are too long to fit adapters on so ill just be running an oem 6 lug wheel to get it rolling for the moment.
Cut them studs!  You could also do a baja style build like this

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

https://www.youtube.com/thedriftingdad
1985 Mazda RX7 GSL Drift Car

CCVT

Offline MPbdy

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #81 on: January 29, 2019, 07:36:33 PM »
Turbo it and put hoosiers on all four corners


Offline etizz

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #82 on: January 29, 2019, 10:17:41 PM »
Baja builds looks have been considered . Also so has boost lol. Will get it roadworthy first .
2005 RX8 4.8 TR6060 8.8 SINGLE TURBO

Offline kinger

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #83 on: January 30, 2019, 01:24:20 PM »
Kind of looks balln if you kept the escalade 22" rims LOL   This is a crazy project! 
93 Touring, 6.3L, T56 Magnum, Mamo RPS BC2 clutch, FAST 90, NW 90TB TB, 8.8, samberg everything, AC, PS, TC, Cruise, LED Tails, HID head lights

Offline etizz

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #84 on: February 06, 2019, 02:40:36 PM »
quick update, again just chipping away at things eating up more time than expected. all body mounts are made that I need to make while having lift time! are they ugly? some, yes. are they functional? lots of hard smacks with 2x4 box tube to test seems to say they're not moving so yes. So I painted the underside of the body what I could so far, I still have to make a few patch panels and remake the trunk floor, once that's done ill be able to paint/undercoat, and then I have to finish the welding up the exhaust and then the body can stay on for good. shooting to get out of the shop by this weekend.
2005 RX8 4.8 TR6060 8.8 SINGLE TURBO

Offline etizz

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #85 on: February 07, 2019, 11:52:56 AM »
made it to the shop last night, made a beginning of a trunk floor, nothing to ride home about lol. also decided to see how my rear bumper is going to fit. so I measured a few things, cut the "step" part of the escalade rear bumper off the top, cut off the mounting points and all off the original frame, then welded those to the escalade bumper. went to test fit the buick bumper and the tow hitch was in the way on the bottom not letting me bolt it up just yet. trimmed the bottom of the bumper to clear the tow hitch and was able to get the bumper in place, haven't bolted it up for good yet, just checking everything. I may need to relocate the tow plug which I have an idea for.  so far so good.  I painted all my body mounts, and I decided I'm just going to patch the interior floor once I get it back to the house. I also welded up the flanges for the remainder of the exhaust that would be a pain to get to once the body was on so now I finish the rest of that at home too (or go turbo, not sure yet lol). I may end up redoing the whole exhaust later because I want to use the exhaust cut outs in the rear bumper after seeing where they ended up it looks doable.  so my next thing really is hopefully saturday my friend is bringing me some oem wheels/tires from a Silverado to bolt up so he can have his 22's back, then I may have to trim for clearance on those, then I can load it up and take it home and keep going.
2005 RX8 4.8 TR6060 8.8 SINGLE TURBO

Offline etizz

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #86 on: February 12, 2019, 12:52:49 PM »
well I made it to the shop last weekend but the wheels my friend brought me were 16's and they don't clear the brakes. so I went ahead and hunted around for some wheels and tires for myself so I can just be done. they'll be here this week, then this upcoming weekend I should actually be towing it back home some way or another lol. Ill get some pictures once its getting ready to load up so I can see it outside of a rack and narrow shop. wish me luck haha.
2005 RX8 4.8 TR6060 8.8 SINGLE TURBO

Offline digitalsolo

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #87 on: February 12, 2019, 01:18:53 PM »
LOL, I'm interested in seeing what you come up with, this is a pretty interesting build.
Blake MF'ing McBride
1988 Mazda RX7 - Turbo LS1/T56/ProEFI/8.8/Not Slow...   sold.
1965 Mustang Coupe - TT Coyote, TR6060, modern brakes/suspension...
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Gen V LT4/TR6060, upper/lower pullies, headers, tune.
2021 Tesla Model 3 Performance - Stock...ish.

Offline etizz

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #88 on: February 15, 2019, 01:38:53 PM »
so heres whats getting mounted up after work tonight. then I'm towing it home. yay!
2005 RX8 4.8 TR6060 8.8 SINGLE TURBO

Offline wickedrx7

Re: 57 Buick Special GMT900 AWD Frame swap
« Reply #89 on: February 15, 2019, 02:15:47 PM »
I think i am seeing mud tires in your future....

I was right!!!

1993 Touring, 2012 L99, T-56, Ronnin 8.8, Ohlins, Speedhut, Samberg and lots of custom parts
Build Thread - http://www.norotors.com/index.php?topic=19354.0
Pictures - www.flikr.com/wickedrx7