Project 'Too Much': 1969 P1800S - soon to be P1800 GT

[daemon2]

I picked up this car last summer, I had never seen one before and wanted it as soon as I came across it.
When I bought it I told my wife I would drive it as is 'don't need to change anything'....
I have done some minor bolt on changes to previous cars, but nothing to this scale before. I would appreciate feedback through the build if you see anything that seems off.
Initially I was looking at a mustang II front and 9" rear, I am actually running Mustang II coilovers in the front of this car now and adjustable spring perches in the rear that gives me about 4 inches of lowering.
The car is solid and would run forever the way it is, until rust ate it apart. My plans are:
Corvette IFS and IRS
20x11 rear 19x10 front
LS engine - turbo
complete rebuild to clear out any rust
interior, electronics, the works.

When the rendering is available I will post it, here are some images the way it sits today.

My build will be called 'Too Much' - (my families idea)

Wish me luck!

The fourth image is the car passing emission testing.

[coolwelder62]

GLW your build.Will be watching.

[mexMan]

Watch Iamtheonlyreal1 products, I've been following his builds and I'm amazed by the quality, anyway, the car looks in perfect shape, looking forward the build pics.

[daemon2]

Tear down begins!
original interior

original guages - I wan't to replicate these with modern guages

B20F - 100 hp?

engine bay - day 1


Thanks for the replies!

Here is some information on a build in Sweden that inspired my project.
http://www.p1800gt.se/

[454SSguy]

that is gonna be an awesome project, can't wait to see the rendering.

[DETON8R]

I saw the P1800 build on here on Lateral-g and I got inspired. I am in the middle of a 1969 Camaro build, and my next car will be a P1800. I found a 1965 P1800S in the woods in Willits, CA, a complete car with documents that go back to when it was imported into Canada from Sweeden, maintenance records from the 60's to the late 80's from all the owners up until the current owner who drove it until 1990 then parked it. Major rust in some spots on the floor pan, rockers and wheel openings, almost none in others and most of the rest of the car, I need to start tearing into the car to see whether the floor is salvageable, everything else is mostly rust free and solid (the car spent its first years in the rust belt in Canada), but there is some minor body damage to deal with too.

I've been checking out a bunch of things to do with the car. If the car is rust free and straight, check out this thread on CHANGLING. You can also search Google on "P1800" and "LS1" and there are other threads on that build.
https://lateral-g.net/forums/show...ighlight=p1800
Robert has put together a suspension kit for P1800's and Amazon's, looks slick, and mostly a bolt up application. Front and Rear kit.
https://lateral-g.net/forums/show...ighlight=p1800

I went to the Good Guys event this summer in Pleasanton, CA and talked to the guys at Art Morrison, and they have built a G-Max replacement frame for a customer already. Send them an email and they can send you info on the P1800 frame they put together for a customer already. Major floor sheet metal surgery on that car if you use that set up for sure, but there are some REALLY-REALLY-REALLY SICK/AWESOME/RADICAL rides based on the G-Max (I'm still blown away by the 1954 Vette with a G-max frame). Well worth an email and a phone call.
http://autoeclectic.com/monster-vett-1954-zr1/

From what I've been able to figure out, the wheel base is pretty narrow (96 inches) and the track width is pretty narrow too (59 to 63, depending on how much tire rub the owner is willing to tolerate!!). Kind of hard to use Vette geometry all around, unless you are willing to stretch the car, move the wheel openings and/or flare the fenders, and then trim the torque tube to fit the P1800 wheel base. It has been done, and it is a TON of fabrication. From what I've seen the recommended hub-to-hub track width from most custom shops would recommend a 53 to 55 inch range, and if you plan to use a C5/C vette front suspension, you might have some pretty narrow frame rails. DSE just released a narrower front frame. Don't know much about it, but it is a DSE product, and make some good stuff.
http://www.detroitspeed.com/products...gen-frame.html

I've been hitting the Car shows and photographing other cars that have been built that are the same size and proportion. I found an Austin-Healey (??) of about the same size that had 2 to 3 inch flares on all four corners, and the side pipes that the builder used really brought the car back into proportion, as the car would have looked like a race car (and kinda funny) without the side pipes.

Have fun with the build!! And keep posting pics!! Lots of Pics!!

[daemon2]

This is great stuff, thank you for the info!

[daemon2]

Some of the teardown is complete, I had a few hours over the weekend.

I have uncovered most of the car now and can see where the work will start.

For the most part this car is in very good condition.



almost time to cut.
There are a few panels that will need to be replaced and I have a few places where a finger can go through the floor

[daemon2]

When you get into your build, if you find you need body or floor panels get in touch with Robin at Wolf Steel.http://www.alfaparts.net/
He's great to work with and has a good selection available for these cars.

Originally Posted by DETON8R

I saw the P1800 build on here on Lateral-g and I got inspired. I am in the middle of a 1969 Camaro build, and my next car will be a P1800. I found a 1965 P1800S in the woods in Willits, CA, a complete car with documents that go back to when it was imported into Canada from Sweeden, maintenance records from the 60's to the late 80's from all the owners up until the current owner who drove it until 1990 then parked it. Major rust in some spots on the floor pan, rockers and wheel openings, almost none in others and most of the rest of the car, I need to start tearing into the car to see whether the floor is salvageable, everything else is mostly rust free and solid (the car spent its first years in the rust belt in Canada), but there is some minor body damage to deal with too.

I've been checking out a bunch of things to do with the car. If the car is rust free and straight, check out this thread on CHANGLING. You can also search Google on "P1800" and "LS1" and there are other threads on that build.
https://lateral-g.net/forums/show...ighlight=p1800
Robert has put together a suspension kit for P1800's and Amazon's, looks slick, and mostly a bolt up application. Front and Rear kit.
https://lateral-g.net/forums/show...ighlight=p1800

I went to the Good Guys event this summer in Pleasanton, CA and talked to the guys at Art Morrison, and they have built a G-Max replacement frame for a customer already. Send them an email and they can send you info on the P1800 frame they put together for a customer already. Major floor sheet metal surgery on that car if you use that set up for sure, but there are some REALLY-REALLY-REALLY SICK/AWESOME/RADICAL rides based on the G-Max (I'm still blown away by the 1954 Vette with a G-max frame). Well worth an email and a phone call.
http://autoeclectic.com/monster-vett-1954-zr1/

From what I've been able to figure out, the wheel base is pretty narrow (96 inches) and the track width is pretty narrow too (59 to 63, depending on how much tire rub the owner is willing to tolerate!!). Kind of hard to use Vette geometry all around, unless you are willing to stretch the car, move the wheel openings and/or flare the fenders, and then trim the torque tube to fit the P1800 wheel base. It has been done, and it is a TON of fabrication. From what I've seen the recommended hub-to-hub track width from most custom shops would recommend a 53 to 55 inch range, and if you plan to use a C5/C vette front suspension, you might have some pretty narrow frame rails. DSE just released a narrower front frame. Don't know much about it, but it is a DSE product, and make some good stuff.
http://www.detroitspeed.com/products...gen-frame.html

I've been hitting the Car shows and photographing other cars that have been built that are the same size and proportion. I found an Austin-Healey (??) of about the same size that had 2 to 3 inch flares on all four corners, and the side pipes that the builder used really brought the car back into proportion, as the car would have looked like a race car (and kinda funny) without the side pipes.

Have fun with the build!! And keep posting pics!! Lots of Pics!!

[Iamtheonlyreal1]

Good luck on the build, I have been telling the P1800/Amazon community that they need to get off their asses and represent in the real car classes.. LOL Seems, I have been black listed by alot of the organizations, because these cars are perfect in their original form. I had a couple of guys literally say that if the original OEM suspension and drivetrain setup was tuned right, it would far surpass anyones driving capabilities.. LOL No Lie, they really believe this.. Once we get a couple of the P1800's and Amazon's completed, we have a agreed to put one of them up against the originally configured car, so lets just hope they actually show up since it was their idea.

Just let me know if you need anything.. I would be happy to help out in what ever fashion I can.. I was considering the full Corvette chassis also, but there was going to be way to much fab to the car and the chassis to get it done, so I decided not to go that route. Our kits are a direct bolt in, because we are building several of these 545 horsepower projects, and I wanted to ensure some consistancy in the builds.. So all of our stuff is CAD'd and mass produced at this time.