1991 Grand Prix Gt

[Markchristel80]

So I bought another Grand Prix. I've loved these cars since my aunt bought her white 90 Se brand new when I was 10. I've owned an 88 Se, 90 Se, 97 Gt, 95 Se, 05 Gt, and now this 91 Gt. I was going to sell it because it has a lot if underbody rust but I've changed my mind. It's not going to be used as a daily driver so I can fix a little at a time. The main thing I have to get fixed is the drivers side trailing arm. The mount has rusted off and it's just sitting there. Taking it to the body shop who welded my shock mount on my fiero and hoping they can do something about this. While it's there I'm gonna have them check the front cradle. It's been replaced but not sitting right as the dog ones aren't straight and the motor looks to be sitting down more on the drivers side. Wish me luck with this huge project I'm undertaking. I can't see this car going to a junkyard!

[GOT2B GM]

Glad to see you are fixing it. Too bad the car was misrepresented to you in the first place.

 

I did a trailing arm mount replacements on a 95 Grand Prix SE using donor sections out of a cleaner donor car, which might be the easiest course of action for you to take.

 

Any 88-96 donor car will work (up to 94 for the Lumina)

 

Best of luck and welcome to the community.

[l67ss]

Ive used gen 2 w trailling arm mounts. They unbolt. You just weld them in.

[Markchristel80]

That would work out great but the problem I think I might have is there really isn't anything left to weld the new sheet metal too.

[Markchristel80]

Yeah it's a nice car. Can't help living in Michigan with all the salt. This car was obviously driven year round by the rust underneath it. The cradle has me puzzled. When both wheels are straight the drivers side tire sticks out a little more than the passenger side one? Doesn't look like an alignment issue. That's second on the list.

[l67ss]

Its that bad?

That would work out great but the problem I think I might have is there really isn't anything left to weld the new sheet metal too.

[Psych0matt]

Yeah it's a nice car. Can't help living in Michigan with all the salt. This car was obviously driven year round by the rust underneath it. The cradle has me puzzled. When both wheels are straight the drivers side tire sticks out a little more than the passenger side one? Doesn't look like an alignment issue. That's second on the list.

 

If you can find the thread about it, he had lots of issues with it. I don't think it was ever "fixed", just made to work.

[l67ss]

Mebbe it was wrecked before?

[Markchristel80]

I don't think so. I saw the motor before the cradle was replaced/fixed and the mounts were straight and it looked normal. The tires were the right size up front too so I assume it happened when the cradle was changed.

[Psych0matt]

I think that was the issue now that you mention it, something with the replacement cradle

[Markchristel80]

I'm just hoping the car is rotted where the cradle attaches to.

[Psych0matt]

why?

[Markchristel80]

I mean I hope it's not!!!!

[l67ss]

Its possible the donor is tweeked, should b enough adjustment though if its not too bad.

[Markchristel80]

How do you adjust it? Looking at the car with the hood open it looks like the drivers side is falling down and the mounts are being pulled in that direction. The drivers tire also is the one sticking out further in the wheel well too.

[l67ss]

Hook a chery picker to the engine and pump just a little bit(just enough to take the weight off the subframe) loosen all four sub bolt quite a bit(make sure theyre still thread in some) and try to work the sub to where it needs to go (you might need a bfh)

How do you adjust it? Looking at the car with the hood open it looks like the drivers side is falling down and the mounts are being pulled in that direction. The drivers tire also is the one sticking out further in the wheel well too.

[Markchristel80]

My lucky day! Went to parts galore on 8 mile and found a rear package shelf in perfect condition that was the same color as mine. The original one had the carpet all worn off and the cardboard was showing. Their used to be a ton of these at the junkyard now there isn't as many. I also scored a new cargo net for the trunk, the one that was in it was all stretched out. The next thing I wanna replace is the floor mats. I want the front ones with the gm logo in them but am having difficulty finding them. I'm doing all the little stuff now so in the spring I can fix the cradle, front struts, mufflers, and the rust.

[LumiLTZ]

How do you adjust it? Looking at the car with the hood open it looks like the drivers side is falling down and the mounts are being pulled in that direction. The drivers tire also is the one sticking out further in the wheel well too.

 

There should be, on the passenger side, a couple of 3/4" or so holes near the front/rear mounts on the cradle, that correspond to holes in the body. When I had the cradles in both my Luminas out for other work, I aligned them using a couple pieces of 1/2" pipe as long as I could make it to fit up/under the car that I put through both holes, then used the pipe as a lever to shift the frame such that the holes lined up, then had a helper snug the bolts up. This method seemed to work well for me, as when I took them to the shop for a final alignment, they weren't too far off in my 'before' printout.

[ScoobyDoo82]

My lucky day! Went to parts galore on 8 mile and found a rear package shelf in perfect condition that was the same color as mine. The original one had the carpet all worn off and the cardboard was showing. Their used to be a ton of these at the junkyard now there isn't as many. I also scored a new cargo net for the trunk, the one that was in it was all stretched out. The next thing I wanna replace is the floor mats. I want the front ones with the gm logo in them but am having difficulty finding them. I'm doing all the little stuff now so in the spring I can fix the cradle, front struts, mufflers, and the rust.

 

We must have missed each other cause I went today too! Were you in the GP?

[Markchristel80]

We must have missed each other cause I went today too! Were you in the GP?

No my brother and I took my focus. I'm not driving the Grand Prix til it gets fixed. Their wasn't crap there!! I did find a new rear deck panel in good shape tho.

[ScoobyDoo82]

Yeah I found nothing either. Although I'm not really looking for too much, just small odds and ends.

[Euro]

I'm glad to see you're going to stick around and get her fixed up! Seems like she is in great hands

[Markchristel80]

I'm glad to see you're going to stick around and get her fixed up! Seems like she is in great hands

I don't give up on anything! Do I regret buying this car? Definitely! But I'm stuck with it now so I might as well make the best of it. I wish I knew a little bit more history on the car or what else it may need or what went wrong with the repairs but oh well. I've learned my lesson the hard way this time. The next time I buy a car off craigslist it's going to a mechanic before I hand over any money again.

[Markchristel80]

Thanks to Nate's pic of that white cutlass I went to parts galore this morning and scored all 3 gm floormats for the gp!!!woohoo:o:high5:

[94 olds vert]

Good to hear. I take it it was the single rear piece then?