83 delta 88

ok so this my first car and im tryn to learn everything i can. im looking to make this car handle a little better at a low cost. any suggestions?

Olds64

You could replace the shocks and rebuild the front suspension.

80_cutlass

Deltas are softly sprung on purpose. Makes for a nice ride. If you really want it to "handle" its going to take a lot of work/parts. If you just want it to ride like it did when it was new, update the worn out bushings/shocks/springs/steering components with replacement parts.

That's front and rear bushings and shocks, by the way.

If you want more information about how to make it "handle," please repost and I am sure someone will help you out.

sb

henryk8398

If your Delta has a stock suspension, it's time to go junkyard hunting. Find the biggest front AND rear sway bars you can find from any 1977-96 GM full-size. Take all the hardware (brackets, bushings, end links, etc). Very quick bolt-on that you will love. I went to my local pick a part last year and got everything for $25! It was half-off day! It will definitely improve handling. Good luck!

joe_padavano

X2. The B-body chassis is the same from 1977-1990. Find a 91-96 Caprice police car and get the front and rear bars from it. Note that the stock suspension bushings and ball joints must be in good shape, or no amount of sway bar will help, however.

The Stickman

That's not really true. They can be great handling cars with little work. Now my first question would be is do you have the F41 suspension? If not those springs are a great package. A rear bar even a stock one will do wonders. But if you don't upgrade the wheels and tires you aren't going to take anywhere near full advantage of anything you do. And as Joe said anything that works with an Caprice/Impala SS will work with the 88's. There are tons of parts out there for these cars from springs to control arms(front and rear) and all kinds of swaybars. BTW one other thing that will help is to put your car on a diet which is also easier than you might think. There is an aluminum hood and hinges that should save around 50lbs maybe more off the frontend.

jensenracing77

my dad added a sway bar to the back of his and it don't push near as bad in the turns. there is a curve that i can take at 65 MPH in my Rallye 350 and he could do it at 50 in the 84 delta before the car would start to push. he added the sway bar and is getting to 60 before the back tires start to make noise and the push is gone.

80_cutlass

You just proved my point. That is a lot of parts and a lot of work. Not to mention that odds are it needs some new parts due to wear. I didn't say it was impossible or even impractical. Just didn't want him to think he could throw some shocks on there from edelbrock or someone and expect it to "handle" like a corvette.

sb

The Stickman

No he asked if he could make his car a little better for little cost. You said he couldn't and I said he could. The F41 springs and stock swaybars from a junkyard would be very easy and cheap. I could pull these parts from a junkyard and have them installed the same day for less than $100. I do agree that making sure that parts that wear need to be taken care of. What i was trying to point out is that it can be done on a budget. I know I have done it. But if you wish to take it even farther the parts are availible. Just saying there are options out there from almost nothing to big cash. Just depends on how far you want to go.

Olds64

PST carries kits to upgrade your steering and suspension. I've used their rubber kits before. The price is right and they work great!

80_cutlass

I never said anything about cost. Just work and parts. You listed a bunch of parts which I agree 100% will help his car and you pointed out some places to get them. Please don't put words in my mouth.

In fact, with a little skill (or help) he can do a lot with the handling of the car without resorting to much cost at all, but a LOT OF WORK. For example boxing the rear control arms. If he looks around for materials he could even make some sort bracing and/or subframe connectors. Work. At the local tractor supply he could get pieces to make an adjustable pan-hard brace and or make his own adjustable/tubular upper rear control arms. Work. I've even gone so far a making my own sway bars (converting actually) when I couldn't find the actual sway bar application at the JY for my car. (This shouldn't be a problem for the OP) Work.

Believe me, I know about doing things on a shoestring budget.

sb

The Stickman

But he only asked how to make it handle a little better. He never said he wanted to go all out. All the things he needs are simple stuff. Sure he can go better after if he isn't satifisfied or he get's the bug to make it even better.

80_cutlass

Point taken.

All the parts need to be in good shape. Already got the info for the sway bars. Get a good alignment done by a competent shop (good luck) and the difference in the way it handles will be great.

Couple that with good shocks and some decent tires and there will be no complaints except from the Porsche crowd.

I wonder if the OP has even been back to look at this discussion.....

sb

83 delta 88

thanks for all the great info and help. and thanks 80s cutlass and the stick man for all the entertainment and education haha. now for some questions. how do i check if i have the F41 suspension? and what cars have them if i dont? i have also been told that i could pull the sway bars (and other suspension componets) off of cadillacs also. i ask this because there are a ton of them in the local jy

The Stickman

To check to see if a car has the F41 suspension package you need to find where the RPO codes are. On the wagon they are under the floor panel inside the rear door. Not sure where they are on a regular 88 but the springs would be the same. As for swaybars the first one I used was off a Deville I think

83 delta 88

I could use the bars off any full size caddy between 1977 and 1990 right?

The Stickman

I am not sure which ones fit. But what you could do is to pull one off with the channels that slide into the control arms and then find another B-Body car(not a wagon) like an 88 or Impala/Caprice in the yard and see if it fits.

fdwheelman

To add to the thread, and not leave stickman all by himself, or 80 Cutlass for that matter....

I do agree, to improve the handling of these battle cruisers takes some busted knuckles, time, and patience.

Being a B-Body however is not a death sentence for a "handling"

Tires and Tire Sizes make a difference. A front end alignment is also a HUGE bonus.

Some of the things I have done to my Holiday are:

Front sway bar from a 9C1 (Police) Caprice - Noticed that a Mid 90's Roadmaster had the same size.
Rear swaybay from said Roadmaster - I can't remember the size of either, but can measure em if you want the sizes.
Steering shaft replaced with a 95 Jeep Cherokee "U-Joint" style
SSM Boxed Rear upper control arms (eBay'd, $15 bucks!!)
New shocks on all four corners, and not el-cheapos

It made it a much more spirited ride, not a go-cart, but it handles very nicely for a car of it's age and overall size. It will suprize someone not expecting it.

Future plans are to:
Completely replace the front end components
Box rear lower control arms
Grab a posi rear, maybe even find a disc brake rear.
Steering box upgrade
Brace the frame......

Remember though, with an 83, you are dealing with a car that's close to 30 years old, some of the components aren't gonna come off as easily as the used to. Some of the bolts are gonna make you cuss like a sailor.

It can be done! It won't be a Corvette, but it will be a little more fun.

agtw31

my 85 Delta has a
94 impala cop car rear sway bar(HUGE) and boxed lower control arms,
94 roadmaster front sway bar,
gabriel ultra shocks all the way around
new F41 steering box,tie rod ends,center link,rag joint
215/75/15 goodyears
rides like a champ,handles a heck of a lot better than it used to

i also got rid of the slushbox OG code 200r4 trans,and replaced it with a BRF code 200r4 from a T Type turbo Buick.
talk about strong shifting,wow!!

something you also might want to consider is replacing your transmission and motor mounts.

you wont believe how much different the car feels with those replaced.

i had a vibration on the highway that drove me nuts,it turned out to be a transmission mount that literally disintegrated in my hands

83 delta 88

what do u mean OG code and BRF code? I still have so much to learn

agtw31

the valve body and internals are more heavy duty in a turbo Buick's BRF 200r4,and they are a direct bolt in.you get firmer shifts,and they hold up longer,especially under a lame 307..
you probably have an OG code (2.73 gear) 200r4 trans in your car,it's built for smoother shifting in a big car with a 307.

i believe G body H/O's and Monte Carlo SS's had CZ code 200r4's,and they had 373 gears

just make sure if you change a trans,you take the governor out of your old trans and swap it into the new one,if the gears were different on the car the trans came from.

83 delta 88

Thanks for the info.

Does the F41 in this service parts identification thing mean it has the F41 suspension package? (middle of second row) its off of an 84 delta 88

2010-06-20_11.26.23[1].jpg

agtw31

looks like it to me
do you have a factory rear sway bar?

83 delta 88

i jus looked at it and it doesnt look like mine even has a sway bar haha

fdwheelman

Mine didn't either...

But it does now...

The Stickman

The F41 on the 88's usually means better springs. I read somewhere that they are actually a matched set. And you should have the bigger front bar. Add a rear bar and see the difference.

fdwheelman

Deja vu, ain't it...

The right bar makes the car feel VERY nice!