Spent this weekend removing all of the parts on my stock 1987 front end. Only problem was the drivers side lower control arm, one of the bolts was siezed into the bushing, we ended up having to use a sawzall to cut off both ends of the bolt to get it out! I'm thinking some time in the last 19 years it must have been bent some way. I will bring the lower a arms to a local shop[ to press out the old bushings and ball joint, I have bought the PST polyurethane lowers to install there. I also have bought the Speedway racing chromealloy tubular upper a arms and put in stock ball joints in these. I'm waiting for some POR-15 to arrive to paint the frame and spring pockets before proceeding further. I also have the 2002 S-10 dual piston brakes, rotors and spindles to install. New tie rod ends, idler and center link, S-10 springs and Bilstein shocks will complete the project. Will try to take some photos and post them as it progresses.
I also have to track down a power steering leak, either the steering pump where the hoses connect or one of the hoses is leaking and making quite a mess.
Dave

Dave,
Sounds like some nice improvements! Which S-10 springs did you use? Did you cut some off of them or did you install them with stock length?

Thank You

The springs I'm using are the Moog 5660 S-10 springs. I have still not installed them, last night I finally got the tool to remove the ball joints from the lower A-arms, and popped them out. But I found out why the bolt was so hard to remove, the left A-arm was bent over 1/2". So I have ordered a new one, still waiting for it to arrive.
Dave

Spent this past weekend painting the frame and lower A-arms with POR-15, and after it dried a coat of POR-15 chassis coat black. Looks pretty god, just waiting for some bolts to start putting it all together.
I ended up renting a tool to remove the old ball joints, also used parts of this tool and my vice to press out the bushings. Also found out that on the lower control arm that I had to sawzall off the bolt, there was about 1/2" bent when compared to the other side. So I ordered a used one from Speedway Racing. (the metric lower control arm is a direct replacement)
I am now going to install the ball joints and bushings using the rented tool, hope to get things assembled this weekend.
Dave

Cool! I have been thinking of doing the same thing with th A arms. I was wondering about those Speedway metric lower control arms. They sent me measurements, but could not confirm they would work on my '81. I guess they will! I was going to go this route mainly so I could have all of the ball joints and bushings in the new arms and have everything ready to go before I started tearing the car apart. That way I *might* be able to get it all done on a Saturday so the vehicle won't be down too long.

Yes the metric lower control arms were the same as my original 1987 LCA, should be the same as any 78-87 El Camino (same as any other G body). The one they sent me was pretty nice, very clean, painted a fresh coat of flat black, and they had already removed the ball joint. They come with original rubber bushings installed, mine did not look too good, and I was planning to use the PST polygraphite bushings anyway. If you replace the bushings and ball joint ahead of time, it may be a one day job, but I've been working on mine for a couple of months it seems, still waiting for my LCA bolts to arrive from GM. And due to my own stupidity I need to get another lower ball joint (long story, let's not go there...)
But when the bolts arrive should take a day to get them all back together, but I'll still need to get it aligned and buy new front tires.
Dave