What's this X-member??

theelcaminofactory · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:23 am Post subject:

OK, I have been contacted by Rick, he has given me the go ahead to list this info on ECC. Rick can be contacted at Rick and Heidi Fisher <Fisher@mo-net.com> I purchased his crossmember thru Ebay. If anyone is interested I have his phone # and home address. PM me and I will be more than happy to put you in touch with him if you want one of these crossmembers. I don't think you can beat this price and get this kind of quality. There is also interest being generated in his crossmember over at www.maliburacing.com (in Forums) he is currently keeping up with the demand. His forums at maliburacing.com are posted under "Iceman" in the "classifieds" section.
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"The day we lose our will to fight is the day we lose our freedom" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

Tommy · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 8:13 pm Post subject:

Mike , I just shot him a e-mail.
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78 Camino SS, 355,built 700r4,3.23
Gallery78 Camino SS, 355,700r4,3.23
MSGT 145 AW
NECOA #14

theelcaminofactory · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 3:33 am Post subject:

Patiently waiting for mine to be delivered...well not that patiently. I've got to try and intercept the delivery man before he gets to the front door and my wife finds out...or then I'll have to listen to the "Well whad cha buy now?" routine. Try explaining why you need a crossmember to your not so automotive enthusiastic blonde wife. "Well doesn't the car already have one"?..."Yes hun it does, but not the right one, I need this one to run dual exhaust with headers"..."Dual exhaust with what? What's that? Is that gonna cost more money too?" Laugh

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"The day we lose our will to fight is the day we lose our freedom" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

ElkySS · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 6:15 am Post subject:

My crossmember, from Rick/Iceman, arrived yesterday. On my birthday, hee-hee. Beautiful piece.

theelcaminofactory · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 9:21 pm Post subject:

Guys, this crossmember was first brought to my attention on Feb 28th. Shocked

It's fabricated by a guy that goes by Iceman (Rick) over at www.maliburacing.com As a lot of you know, there has been quite a few posts on aftermarket (both G-Force and more recently Jegs) and modifying stock crossmembers for use with true dual exhaust in 5th Gen Elkys. On Mar 3rd, I bought one of Ricks crossmembers off Ebay...his wife handles the items on Ebay and goes by the name "pitqueen" I have emailed Rick a few times about his crossmember. On Mar 6th, Rick fabricated my particular crossmember along with a few others, for guys that are members of maliburacing.com. I received my crossmember today Mar 11th. I opened the shipping box when I got home from work around 5:30pm. It's now 8:45 pm, and I'm still grinning ear to ear! Very Happy

I couldn't be happier. Rick makes a QUALITY crossmember that is as good if not better than "G-you-know-who". I couldn't recommend Ricks piece any higher! You have to paint it yourself, which is no big thing, but man this thing is nice! It could easily handle the torque of a Big Block. If any of you guys plan on installing dual exhaust, I stongly encourage you to contact Rick about getting one. He makes them for just about all the different GM transmissions that came in your 5th Gen and may be custom installing in your Elky or any A/B body GM. It's definately worth the price. OH by the way it's not called a crossmember...it's called a G-body transmission support beam, that's because "G-you-know-who" I guess has been making a bit of a stink, guess they don't like the competition! Laugh

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"The day we lose our will to fight is the day we lose our freedom" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

blackelk · Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:52 am Post subject:

I had a fender bender :oops:about two weeks ago and it took another week to find the parts which has put the x-member and exhaust job on hold.I had to replace the left fender,header panel, bumper radiator support and hood.Luckily I came across a malibu at the local salvage yard and got the whole front clip plus the drivers door for $350 Smile

, not a bad price I think. I got the parts on and primed so hopefully i can do x-member and exhaust this weekend because I'm even getting tired of see this stuff in my kitchen.

By the way, if its snowing and you know there are steel road repair plates at the intersection, it's a good idea to slow down Embarassed

(I hit a hydrant post not another car)

blackelk · Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:43 am Post subject:

Well I installed the jegs x-member and exhaust system on saturday. First let me say that I have never installed headers with the engine still in the car before and I have to say it wasn't that bad, it helped alot that i had a pit to work in so that was good. I'll try and keep this as brief as I can so lets get started.(sorry no pics during install just of finished job. post those soon)

The x-member went in pretty easy it lined up with the bolt holes pretty good and it looked good in place w/o the exhaust installed(more on that later). I used the same bolts I mention this because someone suggested replacing them but I just cleaned them with the wire wheel and spayed them with some rust-o-leum black a little loctite and they were good to go. I have a 700r4 that I'm going to install I hope it fits.

Then I ripped out the stock exhaust which came out with out breaking any exhaust bolts in the the block. The hooker headers went in but I had to remove the motor mount bolts to lift the engine and still had to push and pull for a little while for the drivers side to go in which it did from the top. The passenger side wasn't as bad as expected. My wife showed up and gave me hand (gotta give her props) she left after we installed them from the bottom only had to remove the oil dipstick (going to replace w/ lokar flex dipstick) I gotta say what a pain it was to line up the holes for the bolts I used a little loctite and a lock washer lets see if they hold.

Then I moved on to the jegs G-body 2 1/2"exhaust system. I have to say that the fit and finish isn't that great. First the pipe from the header to the muffler doesn't sit right down the center of the humps in the x-member but it does clear easily and you can fit a 3" pipe in there if you like, for some people this might be a problem personally I dont care because it clears and its under the car who's gonna see it. The muffler to the tailpipe which was supposed to exit under the bumper was a little short, what I mean is the bend in the pipe that goes over the rear end put the muffler about 4" away from the tailpipe piece so I have to use an extension from the muffler but once that's done it should be okay. The hangers have holes that line up with the clamps, but they dont so I had to slot the top hole to make them fit but that was no big deal (Thank god for air tools).

So if anyone is asking would I reccomend the jegs x-member I would have to say if you want it to line up like the G-force one then no, if you don't care then yes, but I understand theres a guy welding up x-members for like $100 so maybe you should go with that since it's cheaper than the jegs unit.

The headers the only complaint i have is that one of the spark plugs on the passenger side second from the back of the engine lines up directly with one of the pipes I cant even get the socket on it to tighten it up just hand tight. Any suggestions?

The exhaust system I would also have to say no, but for $175 I guess it wasn't that bad.

It sounds pretty good I'm most likely gonna change the mufflers because the sound is very aggressive I prefer a more mellow sound.

Sorry I dont have pics I forgot to bring the camera with me, but once my buddy called and said that I had the pit for the day if I wanted I just ran out to get it done.I will take some of the finished job soon.

Guess it wasn't that brief now that I look at it.

theelcaminofactory · Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 5:05 am Post subject:

Just to let you guys know, Iceman has been selling his crossmembers about as fast as he makes them. He's sold twenty so far this month alone through Ebay and currently has one listed for anyone whose interested. It's item# 2469581258. I suggest that any members looking to install dual exhaust to at least check out the feedback on Ebay about his crossmember if you don't believe me about how good this crossmember really is! Did I say good...I meant great. His crossmember is much better than Jegs, and as good if not better than the G-Force...and a whole lot cheaper too! Check em out if you haven't already. This really is a great deal guys! Smile

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"The day we lose our will to fight is the day we lose our freedom" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8