At some point in the near future, I'm going to need to way upgrade my braking system. I'm gonna need to convert my rears to disk brakes from drums, bigger calipers, pads, rotors, a more powerful master cylinder... I need advice on all of that. What'll fit, where to get it... Also, do I need a more powerful brake booster? I'll probably have to change my lines as well.
I might also wind up needing to beef up my suspension. I'll be dropping in a much bigger engine. Don't know which yet, but it'll be an LS series. A transmission swap is also in order.
I have a '94 Cavalier two door, 2.2L I4, 5MT
Any assistance is appreciated.
"Would you go with me, if we roll down streets of fire?
Would you hold on to me tighter, as the summer sun got higher?
If we roll from town to town, and never shut it down?"
-Excerpt from "Would You Go With Me", by Josh Turner
you best bet is the 2nd gen forum... most of the site is 3rd gen biased
Yeah James would probably be your best bet, he's the only one that I can think of with converting to rear disks on a 2nd gen
Aaron wrote:Don't know which yet, but it'll be an LS series.
This threw me for a loop..... 2nd gens didn't have series, and only three trim levels were available in 94- VL, RS and Z24, so I'm not really sure what you're talking about. 3X00/3400 swap maybe?
Anyways- J body wheel bearings all use the same exact bolt pattern from 82-05. So, if you wanted, you could use any 3rd gen "specific" big brake kit or rear disc conversion on your car. Or you could do one of the several cheaper versions, N/W/F front, H body front, H/J front, Neon rear, Daytona rear.
You won't
need a bigger master cylinder with any of those swaps or conversions, but it would be nice to have. You can use an F body MC, an H body MC, or an N body MC (all 1" bore). I recommend the N body MC, since the ports are both on the driver's side, and the reservoir clears the hood. You'll also need a proportioning valve for the rear brakes, but upgrading the lines would just be a waste of time and effort (unless they are bad and need it).
There is a ton of suspension info I could throw out here, but instead, I'll direct you to V6Z24.com and to check out the suspension forum there, since its all there already.
James Cahill wrote:Aaron wrote:Don't know which yet, but it'll be an LS series.
This threw me for a loop..... 2nd gens didn't have series, and only three trim levels were available in 94- VL, RS and Z24, so I'm not really sure what you're talking about. 3X00/3400 swap maybe?
Anyways- J body wheel bearings all use the same exact bolt pattern from 82-05. So, if you wanted, you could use any 3rd gen "specific" big brake kit or rear disc conversion on your car. Or you could do one of the several cheaper versions, N/W/F front, H body front, H/J front, Neon rear, Daytona rear.
You won't need a bigger master cylinder with any of those swaps or conversions, but it would be nice to have. You can use an F body MC, an H body MC, or an N body MC (all 1" bore). I recommend the N body MC, since the ports are both on the driver's side, and the reservoir clears the hood. You'll also need a proportioning valve for the rear brakes, but upgrading the lines would just be a waste of time and effort (unless they are bad and need it).
There is a ton of suspension info I could throw out here, but instead, I'll direct you to V6Z24.com and to check out the suspension forum there, since its all there already.
As to that first remark... I knew that might confuzzle somebody. I'm talking engine-wise.
From what I understand, I could drop an LS1 engine in my Cav, and it'd fit. A tight fit, but a fit. I'm thinking something with less power. It's a Cavalier, not a GTO or something.
If I drop that much power into a cavalier, I'd have to beef the hell out of it, or I'd either destroy it or get killed. I'm probably gonna go with a rather powerful V6, custom header and exhaust CAI... Hell, if I can get an engine that won't die from it, maybe even a supercharger.
Seriously though, can you imagine dropping an LS1 V8 into a '94 Cav? It'd be like the hellish demon seed of economy cars. I'd also have to upgrade the entire braking and suspension system, and the trans, just to handle it.
I've been told I could rip and engine and trans with an LSD out of a Cobalt, and drop that in there.
This is why I need better brakes.
I'm slightly insane, and if I don't have enough brakes for the engine, I'm a dead man.
"Would you go with me, if we roll down streets of fire?
Would you hold on to me tighter, as the summer sun got higher?
If we roll from town to town, and never shut it down?"
-Excerpt from "Would You Go With Me", by Josh Turner
