The stock factory frame was (basically) good enough for the OEM supplied power plant.
When you start to modify the engine adding more horsepower to it, well, the frame (and the body) really isn’t strong enough to support that, and starts to twist and turn.
The solution is to add some support braces in strategic places on the chassis and other areas.
Our Turbo Buicks unfortunately did not come from the factory with any of the important ones that add strength to the frame and body.
Pontiac Grand Prix’s and some Oldmobile Cutlasses did, though.
Strange, considering that none of these vehicles had the power level of the Turbo Regals!
Adding any or all of these support braces, found on the other various G-body cars, which will simply bolt right onto any other G-body, will increase the strength to your G-body Regal automobile.
A friend sent me these diagrams, which illustrate what braces are available, in a color coded method on the photos.
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Yellow = rear frame brace, or a trailer hitch (which in effect, works).
(an aftermarket version of this brace is available, like this rear frame brace that we installed on our Buick GN)
Light Blue = lower to upper control arm braces
(this is an aftermarket only part)
(a few manufacturers as well as UMI make a version of these control arm reinforcement braces)
Dark Blue – lower control arm mount brace, weld in style.
(this is an aftermarket only part)
(SEE Rear Lower Control Arm Support Brace)
(a version for the upper mounts are available as well, not shown in the diagram, SEE Rear Upper Control Arm Support Brace)
Red = GM jounce bars, lower, under car.
(found on Pontiac Grand Prix, and some Olds Cutlass)
Green = front cross brace, lower, under car.
(found on Pontiac Grand Prix)
The 2 above pieces (red & green) provide a triangular support point for the front end of the Buick Regal.
(lots of vendors offer these parts as either a 1-piece unit, or 2 separate parts which consist of the cross brace + the 2 diagonal pieces)
(we made our own one piece unit for this area as seen here: Front Lower Triangular Bar)
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Dark Red = firewall to core support bars
(found on Pontiac Grand Prix, and some Olds Cutlass)
(these 2 bars are the hardest to find, and nobody has reproduced them yet)
Dark Green = core support to fender bars
(found on Pontiac Grand Prix, and some Olds Cutlass)
(many vendors sell this type, some aftermarket bars are longer than others – as they can attach to 2 different spots on the fenders)
(a more detailed look at these 2 of support bars: upper support bars)
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Medium Blue = radiator support braces. These mount on the core support.
(can be found on all G-body cars, but not all autos have these)
Gold = rear seat braces. access from the trunk area.
(found on Pontiac Grand Prix, and some Olds Cutlass)
(many vendors offer some version of these rear seat type of braces. some are [flat metal] solid units like found on the Buick GNX, which is a weld-in unit [but some like this are bolt-in to], some are multiple-bar type setups [that look like an “X”] that bolt in)
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A few other aftermarket made braces, not shown in these pics, that offer even more support for the frame & body:
Running perpendicular to the frame, the Rear Shock Tower Brace, (produced by UMI), offers strength between the rear shocks, which provides overall support in this area.
Similar to the rear frame brace mentioned above, which provides anti-twisting motion on the back side of the car, we made a similar unit for the front end of the frame: Front Frame Brace
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Adding any or all of these assorted support braces will provide an advantage over what the Buick plant originally provided to your Buick Grand National, Regal T-type, Turbo T, etc.
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