The transformation has begun...

**BlownBigBlock** · 06-23-2009

About 2 months ago bought my GF's 98 GP GT, has 148K on it, except for hail damage on the hood, and the notorious rocker panel support rotting underneath it's in pretty good shape. Suspension has seen better days though. So decided to redo the whole thing...

Along with that, doing some visual changes... Just got these yesterday, had been searching for about a month... Altezza's with the gun metal finish, they came yesterday (used - bought on ebay), when I opened the packaging there were more scratches on the lens then I was hoping to see, so decided to try and restore, started with 1200 and wet sanded, after all the minor scratches were out, wet sanded again with 2000. Then applied a course polishing compound, then a final finishing compound, they amazingly came out looking almost like new... All the shots taken by cell phone, will take with a better camera in the future..

Hoping to order a F1 Hood and SD air dam from PFYC mid July if not sooner, already have the spoiler picked out, some will like it, some will hate it. It was by sure dumb luck I stumbled upon it when I did. I give to you one AED spoiler.

And finally - my stash. This is my stock pile of what is going on the car. Waiting for 2 more packages, and the rear struts from Summit. Should be able to get the front end rebuilt by the end of the week... Still need to order the 245/40-19's along with the rear lateral bars..

Will post more as I progress...

**Bio248** · 06-23-2009

PLEASE put those wheels on now. i want to see it.

**GPSims39** · 06-23-2009

what tips are those???? ME WANT!@

**carl06GT** · 06-23-2009

lookes like you got a full plate in front of you. cant wait to see pics.

**FoSHO99** · 06-23-2009

PLEASE don't put that spoiler on. You will regret it!

**boosting98** · 06-23-2009

i will be waiting................

**carl06GT** · 06-23-2009

Originally Posted by FoSHO99

PLEASE don't put that spoiler on. You will regret it!

ya im not realling diggin it either but to each his own.

**minichopper6hp** · 06-23-2009

not sure how it will look on the car, but from just sittin there it looks rice

**BlownBigBlock** · 06-23-2009

Originally Posted by FoSHO99

PLEASE don't put that spoiler on. You will regret it!

Well, I really don't like the other options... the SD version to me just looks like a giant whale tail. The one I do like is the one that has 3 legs to it (it's one of the special edition), kinda looks like a Grand Am spoiler, but they are few and far between. Haven't seen any for sale - at least yet.

Here's a picture of the only other spoiler I'd consider. This is on Rocco's car.

The one (AED spoiler) on Andy's site with the rest of the bodykit looks way over the top, hoping that it someone blends in - if that is possible...

Originally Posted by GPSims39

what tips are those???? ME WANT!

Those are Magnaflows (came with the system I bought). Slant tips, but are offset...

**blueguy** · 06-24-2009

A stock wing isn't nice enough? Just sell that thing and debadge the trunk...WAY nicer. Why not get a SLP wing?

SLP GTX Gen2 Spoiler: 3800 Performance

And...tint those tails.

**GPSims39** · 06-24-2009

im acutally curious to see how it would look, it doesnt look too bad, if it was one of those high bolt on aluminum wings then i woudl say dude no, lol but i think it will make the car look unique and i like the lines of it.

**BlownBigBlock** · 06-24-2009

Originally Posted by bluegtp91

A stock wing isn't nice enough?

And...tint those tails.

To answer about the stock wing, um no... Almost seems like an afterthought in design.. Let's see, we need a spoiler, let's have someone design the most plain piece they can design and put it on there.

Heck, the Grand Am's at least have some style about them.

I'll be going to the GM Nationals, I'll see what's there - maybe something might stand out that isn't over the top but at the same time isn't the same spoiler everyone else and their mom has.

The tails - at the moment they look fine the way they are... Might in the future decide to tint them (Middlesex Twp cops are real pricks - so a lil hesitant), but for right now, getting the suspension back together is my first priority.

The passenger side suspension is gone at this point, the 3 bolts holding the hub on were a total PITA, everything else wasn't too bad. Will take the driver side off tonight, took off tomorrow and Friday. Hoping to go down to a friends shop and glass bead a few parts, paint and start to reassemble...

**rocafella2032** · 06-24-2009

Hey, that's my car up there!

But I like what your doing so far, please update us with pics!!

**BlownBigBlock** · 06-25-2009

Except for the drivers side tie rod, everything is gone under the car front suspension wise. Glad a friend of mine owns a garage so I could borrow the tool to remove the inner tie rods.

Taking it apart except for removing the passenger side half shaft from the hub wasn't too bad, had to use a BFH to remove it, splines were rusted fast to hub.

What I found so far was one bad lower ball joint, a busted sway bar and the original problem - bad passenger side axle shaft.

Sandblasted all the parts today that I wanted to do. Tried to assemble the AGX's with new springs, but can compress them enough, not sure if another set of hands will help or will have to rent a compressor.

Only had to use the hacksaw

**BlownBigBlock** · 07-01-2009

Here some pictures of what I've been doing the past couple of days... Everything new, went AGX's and B&G springs.

One empty wheelwell... Tried to clean it up, reshoot in a satin black. While this far figured I'd replace the inner/outer tie rods along with the entire LCA.

Not buttoned up, but everything there. Glass beaded spindle, installed new hub, new GMPP sway bar and new half shafts.

Here's a passenger side shot, just put the rotor on for looks and the 19" Stern ST-1's... Picked up the shoes last night, going to try and mount tonight.

**sportz** · 07-01-2009

That's gonna look nice when you get done.

Wish I could afford to do all that stuff to my car. Only been able to paint the car and put new headlights and struts/springs on (last year). Put new brake shoes and rotors and wheels on this year. Oh and the tails (thanks again). Guess I'll have to stick with the small stuff until next year.

**speedemongtp** · 07-01-2009

Interested to see how this turns out. uve got quite a full plate there. im def diggin the wheels. where did u pick those up at?

**BlownBigBlock** · 07-01-2009

Originally Posted by speedemongtp

Interested to see how this turns out. uve got quite a full plate there. im def diggin the wheels. where did u pick those up at?

I hope that's in a good way.

LowLyf (Jason) had them on his, in the end it was either those or the Saleen's that Silverbullet has. Actually I picked them up off an ebay seller, although I wanted 18x8.5's (called the manufacturer and he couldn't tell me when they'd have a run and no one had them in stock). Seen Bio's pics on ClubGp in a post about 19's and thought they looked pretty good. So went with it.