HOW TO...

Change to Corvette brakes on the Grand Am/Alero:
1) Order these parts:
- 98-02 fbody caliper brackets (front) (P/N: 18026163) $61/each
- 97-04 Corvette calipers
---grey calipers:(P/N: 12530682)(P/N: 12530683)$100/each
---red (zo6) calipers:(P/N: 88895128)(P/N: 88895129) $96/each
- 98-02 fbody brake pads (front)
- 00-05 Impala rotors (front)
- 98-04 Corvette anti-rattle clip
* all part numbers are GM numbers.
** the calipers are available at auto part stores for less, but are not GM original parts.

2) Start off by removing the wheel. Make sure you remember to use a jack stand not just a jack.

3) Next you remove the top caliper bolt. You use a 13mm crescent wrench for the bolt, and a 16mm crescent for the retainer. You then flp the caliper back to remove the brake pads.

4) You then remove the brake line bolt from the back of the caliper. It uses a 13mm bolt as well. You might need to put the top bolt back into the caliper and hold it in place while you loosen the banjo bolt (brake line bolt).

5) Next you remove the lower caliper bolt using a 13mm crescent and 16mm crescent for the retainer. You can now take the entire caliper off.

6) You can now remove the caliper bracket. For this you use a 16mm crescent or socket wrench. theres two bolts, one on top and one on bottom. Now the caliper bracket and rotor come off.

7) You now install the new rotor and caliper bracket. Make sure to use threadloc on the threads, and reinstall with a torque of 85 lbs.

8) Check the dust shield to amke sure it is not touching the rotor. Mine was ( i discovered after 100 miles of annoying scrapeing). If it is touching then use a flathead and move it about 1/2 inch away from the rotor.
Here it is touching.
Here it is after being spaced.

9) Now you can bolt the brake line up to the new caliper, (tightening to a torque of 40 lbs) and bolt the bottom part of the caliper on using new bolts. The bolts that come with GM corvette calipers are 15mm bolts. 13 mm bolts also come with the camaro brackets (knuckles). Tighten the caliper bolts to a torque of 25lbs (verify all torque settings in a hayes manual).

10) Now you can put the pad retainers in place, and install the brake pads. You can then flip the caliper up and bolt it in place.

11) Make sure to bleed each side after it is done. Once the job is done, make sure that the brake fluid reservoir is filled to its line.

12) Now reinstall the wheel, torque them to 100 lbs. and lower the car back down.

more pics:

Put pontiac center caps on aftermarket rims
Heres a before picture shoing the cheap Konig center caps.

Once it is removed from the rim you will see that theres two parts, the front piece that is seen, and the rear piece that snaps into the rim itself.

Use a flathead screw driver to pry the two pieces apart, be careful with the rear piece that snaps into the rim, you will reuse that.

Heres a close up of the piece that snaps in. on the konig center caps some tabs are left. these were the simulated hex bolts that appeared on the center caps. They need to be cut off with a dremel or exacto knife.

Here it is with the tabs cut off. I used a dremel with a cutoff wheel.

This is the Pontiac center cap that I used. It came off a 2006 Grand prix. ive seen them in black and silver.

Start to snap the pontiac cap into the remaining piece from the aftermarket cap, making sure that the pontiac cap sits up against the side where those tabs were. before completely snapping it in, put some silicone between the two to make sure the cap doesnt spin.

Heres how it looks once its been snapped together.

Another shot.

Heres the front of it.

And heres the final product.

Remove door panels from 99+ Grand Am:
1) Locate the screws
a) the first is behind the door lever.

b) The next is behind the power panel.

c) The next is under the door handel.

d) The final one is behind the red reflector.

2) Just pull out, being careful not to pull to hard and break the cheap plastic clips.

3) You now just need to pull up and off.

Clear headlights on Grand Am 99+
first off you need to order the GTS clear headlight covers.

The tools you need.

Step 1: Remove the headlight from the car and all bulbs from the housing.

Step 2: Remove the rubber surround.

Step 3: Use a Utility knife and cut into the silicone all the way around the headlight until the lens can be separated from the housing.

Step 4: Position the new clear lens over the housing and use blue painters tape to secure the lens in place.

Step 5: Use silicone to secure the corners and edges, carefully making sure to completely seal the headlight.

Step 6: Reinstall after giving the headlights adequate time to dry.

Before:
After :

Build a fiberglass enclosure into a spare tire well
The materials you will need:

(1) Remove everything from the area, including the metal support to secture in the spare:

(2) Lay down some painters masking tape to cover the entire surface of the well. Then cut the chop-mat into small squares. Pour some resin into a disposable container, and mix in the hardener agent.

Use the paint brush to paint on resin, then place a square of mat over it, then paint over with resin. This process is similar to paper machet.

Continue this until the entire surface is covered.

(3) Once the fiberglass has cured (give it 24-48 hours) use WD40 and work out the mold. it takes time, be careful not to crack the fiberglass.

(4) At his point, you need to trace the spare tire cover onto a piece of 3/4" MDF. You can cut holes for the subs and be done, or make that into a 2" ring (which I did) to countour the top and angle the subs. You then secure the wooden ring to the "tub" by placing them both into the car in the correct position, and fiberglass them together. Make sure to use tape under where this new fiberglass goes.

(5) Now cut out 1-1.5" rings from 3/4" MDF. Use a dowel and hot glue to secure the rings in the position you want the subs to be in.

(6) Now use fleece (available at fabric stores) and stretch it over the box, securing it to the MDF parts using a staple gun.

(7) Now liberally paint on more resin. Use enough to soak all the way through the fleece.

(8) Now that the resin has cured, trim off the excess material and start spreading the bondo over hardened fleece.

(9) You need to sand the bondo as it dries to get a rough shape that you desire. If you are covering it in carpet then you should be just about done, but if its getting covered in vinyl it needs more work, and if its getting painted you need to get it 100% perfect.

**make sure to use "kitty-hair" or bondo/glass mixture on the insides to add extra support where needed and to keep the box rigid.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 1: SOLD!!!
Page 2: Intro/Mods list
Page 3: Exterior/Under hood shots
Page 4: System shots
Page 5: Interior shots
Page 6: Misc. shots
Page 7: How to...
Page 8: Old pics
Page 9: Friends rides
Page 10: Show Pics
Page 11: Grand Am Concept Cars

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