genEus Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 .. on a new topic.... :oops: Say, I wanted to throw $500 into my 99 Lumina and improve power, handling, or whatever else... (since I've decided I'm too poor to buy new rims and tires)... what should I do and should I do anything at all? Should I just wait and spend this money on new brakes and drums when the time comes soon? Please explain as if you were talking to an idiot. :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 STB front and rear will improve handling... Really not much you can do for $500 to make a Lumina sedan too sporty unfortunatly.. For power you can swap on the 3400 top end, although I'm not sure if that will benefit your 3100 since it's newer (2001?) not sure if they are 160hp (like mine) or 175hp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Make the car handle better. Larger sway bars, lowering springs, and stiffer shocks/struts will do wonders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Fury Z Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 or you can do a drum to disc swap. i'd say go w/c-bad on the 3400 top end swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genEus Posted July 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 or you can do a drum to disc swap. i'd say go w/c-bad on the 3400 top end swap. Please explain as if you were talking to an idiot. :? What is a "3400 top end swap?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Rims and tires will help handling more than anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turby Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Rims and tires will help handling more than anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 or you can do a drum to disc swap. i'd say go w/c-bad on the 3400 top end swap. Please explain as if you were talking to an idiot. :? What is a "3400 top end swap?" The late 99 to present 3100's share the same intake manifold as the 3400's (except for the badging, they're identical.) The late 93 to early 99 3100's were equipped with an intake manifold that had smaller runners than the 3400's. If you have one of the early 99 3100's (the upper intake says "3100 SFI V6" in small letters, with 2 "lines" above and below the writing) you can swap in the larger 3400/late 99-present 3100 intake manifold and gain between 10 and 15 horsepower. If you have the newer style intake (it says "3100 SFI" in large letters and no "lines") then obviously you don't need to do the swap . You're probably going to end up spending more than 5 bills on upgrading the suspension, unless you can find some decent stuff cheap on eBay. As far as buying new goes, hit up http://www.rksport.com and search for suspension parts for 95-99 Monte Carlos. IIRC, they sell "sport" springs for the Monte that'll fit the Lumina. You could also try looking at either Summit or Jegs for "Intrax" lowering springs for the Monte. I've heard that Intrax springs are "progressive" (they're the best of both worlds - sporty, but not too stiff) and there are some members here that have them installed on their cars. Take a look at http://www.tirerack.com for KYB GR2 struts (they have the best prices around.) With as little miles as your car has, you probably don't need to buy new strut mounts, so that should keep the price low. IMHO, if you upgrade your springs and struts, you can hold off on getting a new set of wheels/tires. Take a look at how cop cars are set up - they run 70 series tires and handle like a mofo! It's all in the shocks/springs, although adding lower profile tires later will push you further towards the "ultimate handling" goal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 If you only plan to keep the car 3yrs or less... in your shoes I would do nothing at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genEus Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 If you only plan to keep the car 3yrs or less... in your shoes I would do nothing at all. really? I mean, 3 years is a damn long time ... I remember 2002 and so much has happened since then, so many thousands of miles have been driven... is it really that insignificant of a time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 It is for me, but then I've had my Cutlass 11-1/2 yrs and just upgraded the suspension and wheels last year! I sneeze and 3yrs goes by. I've had my truck 3-1/2 yrs, and had I planned to only keep it 3yrs, I definitely would not have bothered doing anything to it except drive it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genEus Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 It is for me, but then I've had my Cutlass 11-1/2 yrs and just upgraded the suspension and wheels last year! I'm only 22 :oops: 11 years ago I was still riding in the backseat :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 yeah a good choice for wheels that arent too expensive at all(what im doing) is try to find a set of Lumina LTZ/Monte Carlo Z34 wheels...they're cheap and look sharp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genEus Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 yeah a good choice for wheels that arent too expensive at all(what im doing) is try to find a set of Lumina LTZ/Monte Carlo Z34 wheels...they're cheap and look sharp The cheapest USED set I could find locally was $200. Now, add crappy used tires to that and you're looking at $150 mounted and balanced (at least!)... so for $350 I get used STOCK wheels and crappy tires.. Instead I can get brand new Rage Vigor alum wheels and brand new Kumho touring tires, all for $520 @ discounttiredirect. If I could convince myself to buy new wheels and tires that $170 wouldn't play a large role in favor of the stock LTZ wheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Regal Limited Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Rims and tires will help handling more than anything else. They will. Not the rims but the tires. Larger rims have a shorter sidewall, therefore lessening the sidewall's tendency to flex. And new tires will do wonders. I prefer dayton "daytona SR" tires, they grip like nobody's buisness. My friend with a 76 trans am 50th anniversery 455 (that will rev to 7200rpms) 4speed has koini (spelling?) shocks, struts, bigger sway bars etc and only uses them. He will outhandle any production vehicle shy of a new vette. (Check my cardomain, have a pic or 3 of his car) PS: He did all work on car around 1977 (he is origional owner) and it still is technologically advanced. (went to flashlight drags 2 months ago) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOHC_WBody Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Larger rims have a shorter sidewall, therefore lessening the sidewall's tendency to flex. No, lower profile tires flex less than taller tires. Rims don't have a sidewall, much less are they supposed to flex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Regal Limited Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Larger rims have a shorter sidewall, therefore lessening the sidewall's tendency to flex. No, lower profile tires flex less than taller tires. Rims don't have a sidewall, much less are they supposed to flex. Let me "Re" explain. Taller rims have lower profile tires. Lower profile tires have less sidewall. The less sidewall, the less sidewall flex. The less sidewall flex, the better cornering stability at speed. Better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihela816 Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 Yeah, I said tires AND rims because the picture in his sig has 15 inch rims, and there ain't much you can get in really good tires at that size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted July 14, 2005 Report Share Posted July 14, 2005 just buy the 17s and call it a day They car will look 1,000,000x better with aftermarket rims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Regal Limited Posted July 16, 2005 Report Share Posted July 16, 2005 picture in his sig has 15 inch rims, and there ain't much you can get in really good tires at that size. Read my earlier post about tjhe dayton daytona SR tires. Try them, i'll bet they will corner better than any 17in will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOHC_WBody Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 Larger rims have a shorter sidewall, therefore lessening the sidewall's tendency to flex. No, lower profile tires flex less than taller tires. Rims don't have a sidewall, much less are they supposed to flex. Let me "Re" explain. Taller rims have lower profile tires. Lower profile tires have less sidewall. The less sidewall, the less sidewall flex. The less sidewall flex, the better cornering stability at speed. Better? Close enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donutboy97 Posted July 20, 2005 Report Share Posted July 20, 2005 http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/ part # 12498648 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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