New member here, currently working on a standing mile/hillclimb/time attack car. Started with a 2004 CTS with a melted V6. I purchased a LS7 block and crank, LS3 heads and induction, and a T56 transaxle from a 2006 Z06 vette (this is the triple synchro/one piece countershaft with factory mechanical oil pump to run external cooler version of T56) and am converting to run behind the engine with almost all factory transaxle pieces other then billet tailhousing and Turbo 350 slip yoke.
I build racecars for a living, and am hoping to have a street legal 200 MPH CTS(7)?. I have plans on fabricating tube front end/core support, radiator and cooling ducts, tucked 6 point 4130 rollcage, and taking LOTS of weight out of the car. Hoping to be around 600 WHP and 3000# wet once i have gutted and removed much weight as possible, while still having basic interior and back seat. I will probably be using a stand alone ECU and making a harness... still trying to figure out easiest way to tie into factory chassis harness. One thought is to mount an Ipad where gauges would go and use virtual gauge display from EFILive or HP Tuners to see engine vitals. I know there will be plenty more work to be done like rear diff/links and brakes etc. once i start breaking things with 600HP engine.
















Engine is mounted on .250" 6061 plate, with all other powertrain mounts being 6061 1.5" tubing. Plate and mounts are still in process and need to be trimmed to fit. Working on custom oil pan, torsion tube swaybar, and fabricated core support at the moment.

This is a front end i built for a rallycross car that i crewed for,i plan to model mine from.

 

hero status.

 

Glad to see you made it over to LS1 as well. Should be alot more help engine wise here than on CF. Although both are great and have their strengths.

Glad the project is coming along nicely!

 

go head with yo bad self. looking forward to following your build. keep that v6 front end and put tags on the bitch and hurt some feelings out there.

 

Yea, i'm glad someone else said it. Thanks alot i know this site is supposed to be alot better.

 

Why? Because F*ck aerodynamics! that is why.



I think it would be a blast starting with the empty shell of a car and build like this.

 

This should be fuggin cool

 

My first thought was "WHY?" Then I quickly thought "well, why do any of us do this stuff?" and the immediate answer was because we can Good luck and Godspeed.

 

I like this thread so far. Keep it coming. Too cool.

 

Freaking awesome, cant wait to watch this build!

 

Yup! The other may have a few Caddy-specific advantages but on balance, edge goes to 'Tech.

 

Awesome....do you plan on using the cts suspension?

Forums?? If you're modifying, this is the place to be, if you're repairing or maintaining, there's a little more of that info on the other site when you figure in they have a strictly CTS forum.

 

cool, following this one...

 

I plan on using most of it with a few mods. Coilovers will most likely be custom penskee, or whatever double adjustable piece i can get a good deal on and make fit the chassis. Front suspension on these cars is great, just need to ditch bushings in control arms for weld in bearings, and fabricate tie rods. It's all really nice cast aluminum arms, rack and subframe are solid mounted from the factory. Rear suspension is a bit lame, but my small budget will limit what I can do immediately. Plans are independent 9" housing and some solid links to stop wheel hop.... and maybe someday convert to double a arm in the rear to match the front. Unfortunately suspension in general is a bit slim on funding for the short term.

 

Working on badge design to get machined from aluminum to replace factory pieces. Plan on changing the "R" a bit to look more freehand like a Honda type r style. What do you guys think ?

This way no one will bitch that I put CTS V badges on a V6 chassis

 

The steering knuckle for the 08 and up cts is made of aluminum and is considerably lighter than the cast iron parts found on your car. The geometry for those is close but minor frame mods or tubular a-arms will be needed to get it aligned right. Fuzzylogic and Naf have done this but details are sketchy.

If you made tubular a-arms for this swap (or even stock replacements) they would sell well! As our stock parts wear out, we will be looking for good boltin alternatives, especially if it offers a solid performance bonus!

I haven't tried but apparently the stock ball joints aren't serviceable so there will be a lot of control arms being sold in the future and we don't have many options.

 

Well the cast iron pieces I have are crazy heavy, so that would be a huge help in unsprung weight. The hub carrier is the same? Is the 08 chassis the same as 2004?

 

They are very close and while I don't know that it's been confirmed, the rear subframe at least will bolt right in although it will take a fuel tank swap.

I was hoping to eventually check out the entire 08 and up front suspension as a swap but I haven't needed to go that far just yet.

Help us...

Ps....iirc, the v2 hubs are a direct swap I believe for the smaller hubs you have. If those aren't, I believe certain Camaro or vette hubs are but you have options...

 

Ahhh, imagine a V1 with none of the shortcomings that GM built into it.

 

i have a boner...