East Bay Muscle Cars Chevelle
 

Thought I'd share some pics of one of the many projects we have going on right now. A customer we have done some minor work for in the past decided it was time to bring the car to the next level. We knew there was some rust, but found we needed a new frame, floorpans and rockers. We are replacing all of that and also installing a LS3 416 ci from Turnkey (600 HP!)Vintage air, filling the firewall, and rewiring with an ISIS system. The goal is to keep a factory stock SS appearance with a modern twist.

A few progress pics.

Should be a cool project! Nice car too.
Love the smoothed firewall.:thumbsup:

Nice project . Keep the pictures coming.

Fabbed up the inner rockers and getting ready for floorpan installation. Engine gets dynoed Monday!

The floorpans and trunk pan are installed, and are in the process of doing inner and outer wheel wells also. We recieved LS3 from Turnkey (599 HP) and 765R4 from Bowtie Overdrives and are in mock up stage at this point. Well be undercoating and painting firewall this week.

suspension installed, body mounted to frame and starting on wiring in the next few days

After having to put project Chevelle on the backburner for awhile, were back on it making progress. Heres a few shots with engine installed, DSE wiper motor and Vintage Air getting mocked up. Were using Aeroquip Ez clip fittings and hose and very happy so far. I'm done with hard to work with, leaking braided A/C lines!

Very nice project. And great progress too! What are the plans for the interior?

Nice build. Can't wait to see more of what you guys are doing with this car.:thumbsup:

Were retrofitting these gauges into dash and will switch everything to electronic while keeping the stock look. Interior will be stock with electric windows activated by tipping the window cranks, Isis master cell installed in center console and hidden stereo system. Stock Am radio will remain in dash.

This is going to turn out really nice. Those gauges are cool, I have been talking to Mark quite a bit about the products they offer. Nice stuff at great prices.

:wow: Damn !! Killing me, I need to get on the gas over here. You guys have some great idea's. I love the "New" stuff hidden:thumbsup:

Thanks, trying to do something a little different and tick off the purists!

Where is the owner out of, local?

Nice stuff guys...gonna have it ready and at the Goodguys show in P-Town in March?

Yes, the customer is local and the goal is to be at Goodguys Pleasanton.

Nice work and great progress. Should be a sweet ride with that power train.

Trying to keep the stock look externally so we modified a stock gas tank. Features Bosch pump with -8 supply and -6 return this will go to frame mounted regulator. Also we will be mounting our reworked gauge panel and wiring it up this week. power windows are installed with crank activated micro switches. Overall, making good progress.

A few shots showing the gauges we got from New Vintage. Very happy with how they turned out, I think it acheives the resto look we are going for. They feature stepper motor actuation, LED odometer and led backlighting in the factory green hue and now the redline is a little more in line with our LS3We also had to make some modifications to fit the Infinity speakers. Due to the Wilwood disc brakes we needed to "step up" to 15" wheels so we have 7" on front with a 235 60 and 8" on the rear with 275 50 drag radials (BFG). Sidewall profile is the same front to rear so from the side, its hard to tell. Trying to keep the sleeper look!

Very nice looking, I too need to come say hi.

This car going to be at any upcoming events in the area?

I'm sure the owner will be taking it to many local events. We are trying for Goodguys Pleasanton in two weeks, but we'll see. I'd rather do everything right the first time and not have to rush and "get back to it" after the show. Been down that road and its just not worth it. For sure Goodguys in May though.

I hear you on that. I will keep a eye open to see if it's there.

Nice work Steve!

What brand guages were used?

I like how the dash keeps the stock 70 look but modern too,:cool:

We are on the home stretch and will be test driving next week. Engine is running and sounds very good with 3" stainless tubing, stock tips, Pypes "violator" mufflers and ........Random Technologies 100 cell cats!!! We decided to keep the modern technology theme going in the exhaust dept. as well and figured why not?
Also pictured is the hidden fuel lines going to and from the tank to the internal Bosch pump with custom fabbed internal "surge tank".
The Isis is finished exept for some last minute programming, the electric windows(activated by tipping the stock window crank) can also be activated via the key fob through the Isis as well as door locks, lighting, horn, security and lighting. Interior lights soft fade is also a nice touch. The bank of relays on the battery tray are for locks and windows.

We finished the last minute details, including programming of Isis to roll windows down with remote and lock/unlock doors, soft fading interior lighting, also made "CHEVELLE" logos for coil covers and misc. tuning. After putting about about 50 miles on it, this thing is a beast! it drives smooth and civilized, but with an extremely flat torque band and 600 hp, will roast the drag radials at will. corners good and is a very comfortable ride. The only thing not done was paint. I think we acheived our goal of looking like a stocker pretty good. The customer picked it up and was very pleased. Future plans call for a cold air intake and 3.73 rear gears to replace the 3.08s. We also will be running it at sac raceway in the near future. (mid to high 11's?)

A few more pics

Nice looking car guys!!!:thumbsup:
Does it hook up well with that power?

It turned out awesome, stock looking with 600HP *yikes*
Nice work!

Car came out great Steve. Congrats!

That is a nice one..

chevelle
 

WOW. That is amazing. I plan on doing the same to my 70 in the distant future. Would you mind giving the specs on the motor/tranny mounts you used to get the motor to sit on the frame?

Vince

Thanks guys. Its a fun car I think he's going to enjoy alot. To answer a couple of questions, in first and second theres no traction. But I've seen these tires hook hard at the track after a burnout so well have to see at the track! The engine brackets are Edelbrock with energy suspension mounts. Oil pan was Moroso and trans crossmember was made by G-force. (We were going to build our own, but couldn't beat the price.very good exhaust clearance too) We originally tried to use engine brackets supplied from Turnkey with the engine but oil pan contacted steering linkage and crossmember.
BTW Jason, Were looking forward to the Torino!

Me too! Hopefully the wheels will arrive in the next week or two.