A Few of My Favorite Things
Because we sell such a variety of products here at Grunion, I often get asked which products I like the best, or what would I put on my own vehicle. Although there is no way of telling which product will suit a perons personal needs and tastes, there are tried and true products that we use on a daily basis and of which we can personally attest to their quality, value, and even ingenuity.
The following is a list comprised of some of the products that everyone here at Grunion Fabrication feels deserve some special attention, in no particular order:
Viair Compressors
The fact that Viair compressors are the most widely used compressor for on-board air systems is no accident. They have been catering to the custom car scene for many years and are widely known for their great quality. They are continually focusing on giving users the best experience possible with new products, superior quality, and a variety of compressor models that ensure that everyone can find exactly what they are looking for.
We have been installing Viair compressors on the vehicles we build for many years and will continue to do so for many more because their reliability far surpasses the competition.
Slam Specialties Air Bags
There are quite a few reasons that Slam Specialties air bags stand out from the rest. Some of which include their permanently bonded plates and non ballooning bellows. These features make them superior to the other brands while maintaining the other brands mounting positions so if you were to switch your bag set up to Slams, you would not have to change out your mounts. This makes it easy and convenient to make the change!
We love all series of Slam Specialties bags because of the different PSI options they give us while maintaining the same sizes and shapes throughout. The amount of lift, while not ballooning outward, that the Slam bags offer makes them an easy choice.
Norgren Fittings
When building your vehicle, everyone wants the most reliable products available. All of the products you put on your vehicle are usually well thought out and planned. The parts that often get overlooked during the build process are the fittings. Having good quality fittings should be a PRIORITY when planning your air suspension. We have always used and promoted the use of Norgren fittings.
Through all the years of building vehicles Norgren fittings have never let us down. We put them on everything we build and know that they are reliable. Other brands have become available over the years and nothing has even come close to the quality and reliability that Norgren fittings have given us.
McGaughys Spindles
When choosing a spindle for your truck it is important to retain the stock geometry so that you do not get premature ball joint wear, bump steer, and problems getting it aligned. McGaughy’s spindles are the only ones for the 99-09 GM trucks that retains the stock steering geometry. They have even won awards from GM for their spindles superior design.
McGaughys is our number one brand of lowering kit because of these reasons and their very competetive prices. They offer a LIFETIME WARRANTY from manufacturers defects on all of their spindles and a one year warranty on all of their other parts.
Surface DVDs
The guys at Surface DVD continally impress me with the quality they put out with every new video. Their eye for design and their vision for quality deserves to be recognized, especially when it seeems like new video company appears every couple of months.
As much as we enjoy and watch all of the videos we carry, I feel Surface DVD derserves special attention for the great “flow” their videos tend to take. They are very talented cameramen and editors.
Well, that is the list of some of our favorite products for now. There are many other things that we love that did not make this list today and you just might find them on another one later. What are some of your favorite products? What have you put through the ringer and still holds your loyalty? We would love to know, so feel free to leave comments for us!
Welcome 2009! Helping You Acheive New Years Resolutions!
As the end of the year has now come and gone I hope that everyone had a good, festive, and warm holiday season. We here at Grunion Fabrication had a very busy holiday. From a before-Christmas retail rush to building a car for bike builder Paul Yaffe’s significant other in under a week (more pictures in our Vehicle Gallery), it was definatley a hectic season.
Paul Yaffe's Cadillac
Cadillac
For New Years a few of us here took a small break and headed north to Snow Bowl to take advantage of the relatively new snowfall. Thanks to the great weather, we made it home with only a few sore muscles, but no broken bones. And now it is time to get back to work building cars.
Since it is now 2009, we know that no new year would be complete without setting a few New Years Resolutions. Now, I know that you are thinking, you may not be the kind of person who does resolutions because you can never follow through with them. But, we have come up with a great list of popular new years resolutions we can help you acheive in simple effective ways!
Get in Shape
iPod Handlebar Mount
Getting in shape this year will be easy and fun with our very cool iPod Handlebar Mount.
This mount is a super sturdy and simple way to encourage you to get on your bike and get in shape while still looking good.
Go Green
Grunion Fabrication knows that protecting the environment is an important part in everyone lives. When you shop at Grunion Fabrication you will feel good about your order knowing that ALL of the packaging and boxing materials are recycled and reused. We never waste paper or boxes and this year we will be emailing invoices and packing slips rather than printing them so we can cut back on wasteful use of paper and ink. Know that when you shop with us you are doing your part this year helping save valuable resources.
Get Finances in Order
With the economy in its current state we know that finances are weighing heavily on everyone’s mind. We want you to know that we are always willing to work with you on pricing. If you see a product that we sell advertised for cheaper elsewhere, we will meet or beat their price.
We also offer very resonable or FREE shipping on many of our products. If you have ANY questions about the price or shipping price of any product, please feel free to call and discuss it with us and we will work with you to our fullest capabilites make sure you get the very best value for what you need.
Spend More Time with Family and Friends
This hobby that we all love so much is a great opportunity to you to take more time to spend with the people you love hanging out with. There are so many ways that our love of custom vehicles brings people together. From car shows, to car/truck clubs, we encourage everyone to get more involved this year with their local and out of state events. It is always a great time to get together and hang out working on and talking about your vehicles. We really believe that it brings family and friends together and will enrich the lives of you and your loved ones.
Organize and Optimize
AVS 9 Switch Box
AVS Spiked Switch Box
This year we encourage you to do what you really want with your vehicle. There is nothing better than getting something new and exciting accomplished on your ride. There are so many new and exciting products coming out to make your vehicle better and more functional than ever. Maybe you want to upgrage your old ten switch toggle switch box to a smaller and cleaner looking switchbox
Or maybe you have some older style small valves and want to upgrage to some bigger and better SMC valves? Whatever you are trying to accomplish this year it is our goal to help you get there the most economical way possible. So give us a call or shoot us and email to pick our brains with any questions you might have and we will do our best to make sure you have a rocking 2009!
What are you resolutions for 2009? We want to hear your comments! Let us know any improvements you would like to see on our site. Use the comment link below.
Intoducing the NEW Slam Specialties SS Series Air Bag
Slam Specialties will be offering the new SS Series airbag in 2009. This bag comes in all of the standard sizes and will have all of the same specifications as the current RE models.
Slam Specialties SS Bags
SS Series Slam Specialties Air Bag
The new SS Series bag is a special combination of the newest technology along with the proven and tested high quality standard Slam Specialties design. These are a 200 psi air spring that features new impact-modified composite plates that give you a non corrosive, non-marring mounting surface. For strength and durability they have chemically bonded Zinc inner plates with integrated bump-stops. Along with all of the other great standard features they retain Slam Specialties signature non-ballooning design and they are going to be available in all of the standard sizes.
The new SS series bag is a 200 psi bag that will have all of the same specifications as the current RE models. However, this bag will be special because they have replaced the outside aluminum plates with composite plates. This means that with the substantially rising costs of metal and shipping, we are able to offer you a budget friendly option that still gives you the quality that you have come to expect when using Slam Specialty air bags. We know that people are hurting for cash in today's economy so we are happy that there is a reliable solution available.
The new composite plates will make the bag weigh less and give it a uniform look. The bag and composite plates are both black which makes it cosmetically appealing.
I know some people will be worried about the composite plates, but the beauty of this bag is that the plates will have no affect whatsoever on the bags performance or structural integrity. This is because the bags port is attached to the inner aluminum plate and it protrudes through the composite plate, so the port is strong and you won't have to worry about leaking or stripping threads.
Overall, we are excited that Slam Specialties have come out with this budget friendly option as well as continuing to offer their other great air bags. The SS Series bag will be available in early 2009. Please contact us with any questions you have about this or any other products.
We would love to hear your comments on this and any other blog subject!
The Interior Shop’s 1954 chevy 210
Todd Jubert, owner of The Interior Shop, decided he wanted to build a ‘54 Chevy for his new driver. So after he found one, he dropped it off at our shop for some work. First thing to get after was shaving some of the trim he did not want. After that we cut his old fire wall out and installed a new one from Bitchin Products. We also did a little rust repair while we were welding stuff up.
Next Todd wanted us to slam his car to the ground. So we started the bag job. In the back we did a 2 link style suspension with a pan hard bar and we mounted Slam Specialties air bags over the axle. We also did a custom curved C notch to match his frame. We also moved his fenders up a few inches to clear his tires. In the front of the car we stripped his old suspension and installed a Fat Man ultra low front end. I don’t think this is going to be quite low enough for Todd so we will probably do a bit more trimming to get the car to lay flat on the frame rails.
That’s all we have for now. Todd is undecided if he wants to chop it or not so we might have a bit more cutting to do. Check back for updates and more progress.
1954 Chevy
1954 Chevy
1954 Chevy
1954 Chevy
1954 Chevy1954 Chevy
1954 Chevy
1941 Caddilac Part 3: Chopping the Roof
We decided to do a 4-6 chop on my Cadillac. While figuring out how much to chop it, myself and a few friends including Floyd Oldewurtel, Keith Dean, and Rick Dore decided that I should also give it a hair cut and take a inch to an inch and a half out of the crown.
Chopping Roof
Chopping Roof
Rick Dore & Keith Dean Taking a Break
Roof
Roof
Keith Dean, Kevin & Robby
Chopped
After the roof was done I decided I would lead the roof and get the body work close before handing it off to my body guy to finish. Here are a few pics we took along the way.
Leading
Leading
Leading
Leading
1941 Cadillac Part Two: Air Ride Suspension
After we brought the Cadillac to the shop we knew we needed to get it on the ground. So we started in the front with a set of Fat Man dropped uprights. Next, we made some bag cups and clearanced the frame for the Slam Specialties air bags to fit. After the front was done we moved to the back of the car where we built a custom triangulated 4 link. We mounted the bags on the lower bars to give the rear of the car more lift and we retained the original Knee action shocks. Now that we have the car nicely planted on the ground it is time to move on to the roof chop. We will finish up with the air management when we have a running car. For now the car is on schrader valves.
Bags
Cadillac 4 LinkBags
Famous
Just stopped by Go Kat Go and picked up the Jan.-Feb.-Mar. 2008 issue (Number 28) of rolls & pleats magazine. The orange Merc that we did for Rick Dore was in the pictures from the La Roadster Show. It even mentions the shop along with Kevin’s name in it next to the names of Rick Dore and John Aiello. Thanks rolls & pleats.
Rolls & Pleats Magazine
Rolls & Pleats Magazine
"Terrific tangerine color on this Rick Dore Merc, which features body work by John Aiello and suspension work by Kevin Brumfield (Grunion Fabrication)."
Rancho’s Yamaha Rhino Long Travel Suspension System
Introducing the new Rancho Yamaha Rhino Long Travel System for the 04-07 and 2008. This system will give your Rhino an additional 4″ per side making your UTV less likely to roll and giving it an aggressive looking stance. This race-inspired long travel kit will allow you to brave any kind of terrain. The experts from Rhino engineered this system with the highest quality products available using 6061 aluminum CNC machined upper control arms, HSLA formed steel lower control arms, self lubricating control arm bushings, and inner tie rod and high strength tie rod ends.
This kit comes standard with Rancho’s awesome RS9000XL nine position adjustable coil over shocks in the front and the rear. This gives your Rhino an upgrade that is not only easy but makes a dramatic enhancement in ride quality and increased suspension travel. These custom engineered UTV shocks are individually valved for the UTV application. They have a custom rate Eibach coils along with an anodized aluminum reservoir, stainless steel braided hoses, and self lubricating bearings.
Other standard features of the Rancho long travel suspension kit are high strength rod ends and uniballs, front and rear axle shafts, and front and rear frame stiffeners. It also requires no spindle modifications, allows you to adjust the front camber, and allows you to reuse your stock wheels. Other features include improved ground clearance and enhanced stability.
Specifications:
- A-Arm width: +4″ wider per side
- Wheelbase: 2″ forward, 2″ rear
- Wheel travel: 11″ with no body modification
Features:
- Billet 6061 Aluminum CNC machined upper control arms
- HSLA formed steel lower control arms
- Self-lubricating control arm bushings
- Includes inner tie rod and high – strength
- Adjustable front camber
- Includes RS9000XL coil over shocks with MYRIDE 9 position tuning system
- Utilize high strength rod ends and uniball
- Front and rear axle shafts
- Includes front and rear frame stiffeners
- Allows reuse of stock wheels
- No spindles modifications required
Benefits:
- Improved ground clearance
- Enhanced ride quality
- Increased suspension travel
- Enhanced stability
Grand Opening Party – Over a Thousand Attended
Front Parking Lot
- Front Parking Lot
- Lou Dog Signing Autographs
- Jason from Inkenstein Tattoo
Line for Tattoos
Well everyone, we had a great party for the new shops. There was well over a thousand people that showed up and everyone had a great time. The food grilled by Mad Coyote Joe and his son Joey was awesome.
Joey Cookin' It Up
The giveaways from Spy, CST Suspension, Steele Rubber, Surface DVD, Goodguys, and Big Time Threads were huge crowd pleasers.
DJ
There was also a good crowd that participated in the 50/50 raffle. Jordy took the prize on that raffle, winning half of the raffle money. The other half was donated to the church that was kind enough to allow everyone to use their parking lot. Thanks again to everyone for keeping their parking lot clean.
The tattoo’s done by Jason Ballard from Inkenstein had a huge crowd all day. I think he ended up doing a dozen Grunion G’s throughout the day in a wide variety of styles.
Jason from Inkenstein TattooJason from Inkenstein TattooLine for Tattoos
Rob Olin was there doing some of his famous pin striping, and Lou Dog from the Kottonmouth Kings was here for a good part of the day hanging out, signing autographs, and playing with the kids before he had to head off to play at Edge Fest. His green metal flaked golf cart was a huge hit.
Rob Onlin Pinstriping
Lou Dog
Kottonmouth Kings Golf Cart
- Lou Dog & Jubert's SonLou Dog Signing AutographsKottonmouth Kings Golf CartHanging out with the kidsLou DogRob Onlin Pinstriping
I would like to thank everyone who helped and everyone that came out. We will have another party sometime in the near future. Keep an eye out for the next event.
Front Parking Lot
Hangin' OutFront Parking LotFront Parking LotFront Parking Lot
Surface DVD put up their pictures online here:
http://www.streetsource.com/showcoverage/viewshow.aspx?ID=83
Grand Opening Party for New Location
I just wanted to remind everyone that our Grand Opening party will be this Saturday September 27th 2008. We are teaming up with our shop neighbors The Interior Shop and Exklusiv Motorsports to put on what is hoped to be one of the best events of the year. We will be starting around 10am and going all day. We will have alot of different events going on all day. Just a few will be:
- Free Tattoos from Inkenstein Tattoo
- Free Food & Drinks: Special appearance from Mad Coyote Joe from Hit TV show The Sonoran Grill
- Free raffles all day for tons of merchandise from us and our sponsors including custom Pin Striping
- 50/50 Raffle
- Magazine Coverage
- Special pre-Edge Fest appearance from “Lou Dog” of the “Kottonmouth Kings”
Grand Opening Flyer Front
Grand Opening Flyer Back
Some of the companies sponsoring this event include:
- Spy Optic sunglasses
- CST Suspension
- Pro Moto Billet
- Steele Rubber Products
- K&N
- Surface DVD
- Goodguys Rod and Custom Association
- Big Time Threads
- Gennie Shifter
- Franks Window Tint
- Bonspeed
- And More!
