HELLO, has anyone out here tried the kirban frame braces ? The connecting front brace that goes across just under the radiator support and the front frame braces that go from the left and right frame rails to the front cross ? the catolog says they will stiffen up a t top car a good bit. also the missing body bushing kit ? just curious if anyone has tried them and would like some input. im thinking of getting them for my 87 gn with t tops. Thanks much, Michael check out pics on my webpage. http://massrocks.homestead.com/grandnational.html
Yes, they help substantially as do the body bushings. He also sells some fender braces that go from the top of the radiator support to the inner fenders which should tighten things up a bit...
YES, they do work!! I've have them on my WE-4 now & it's the tightest one i've ever had(out of 5). Course i also have the rear seat braces & all body bushings. HTH. Jay.
I have the front end braces on my '87 GN also. It makes the car feel much stiffer. I didn't buy them from Kirban's, though. I got them from the Bone Yard for $5 off of a Pontiac Grand Prix. You can find them on any other G-body car (Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, Cutlass Supreme). You can get the Body bushings from one of the dealerships listed on the web site for less than Kirban sells his for, also.
Bill
Question about the frame braces.... How do the lower braces clear the intercooler scoop? I can grab them for free from a junk monte that my friend is getting rid of. Thanks
The factory braces clear everything just fine. Yes, you can take them from another G-body and they'll install just fine. Take the mounting hardware too, if its in good shape.
I have a few more questions about stiffening up my Regal. How do the rear seat braces attach? I hear about an extra body bushing. Where does the bushing go? Besides going to the junk yard and getting the frame bracs, what else should i do to my car? THanks
Anthony,
Take a look at:
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/techpage.html
for a HOST of topics. You can use the pull downs at the top of the page (Resources -> Technical Articles)
http://www.gnttype.org/techarea/bodygauges/interiorpage.html
Has two articles and diagrams for the body bushings.
http://www.gnttype.org/archives/search.html
(Member Services -> Archive Search) will allow you to search 10 years of discussion and LOTS of info on the rear seat braces.
Hope that helps!
Hi folks, if I recall, they were only about 10 bucks each new from the dealer, only problem is they don't come with any bolts. Also, pontiacs had a brace that runs from the front two mouting holes, parallel to the front sway-bar, I've got one on my '85, along with the cross-braces. Unfortunatley, I havent had a chance to try it yet, as my cars still apart. (No time to fix) If I remember correctly, someone on the G-body site did this and said it helps immensely.
I bought my braces new from the dealer, and also bought all the required bolts from the dealer after looking up the numbers in the parts book. They weren't very expensive, and I was sure that I had exactly what I needed.
I'm not certain, but those part numbers may be on the site or in the archives.