Project: "BAD BUZZ" 1973 chevelle PT Build

[sr73bu]

I've been posting some pics and updates under my previous build Thread (1973 Laguna PT build)... But decided to give my build a name and nearly start over again...

before...

IMG]http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/chevellesfgf.jpg[/IMG]


after...





A few months back I re-did the interior with Procar buckets, 4 point harnesses, and made my own console, along with a few other tricks...








I then moved on to the rear suspension: Hotchkis Upper/Lower control arms, rear sway bar, kyb shocks and opgi 2" lowering springs... I also added a new front sway bar, kyb shocks, and opgi 2" lowering springs to the front... I loved the stance... and the handling was like night and day... but Since I "rebuilt" this car in high school (12 years ago), some of the worksmanship was way below my skills today. I promised myself to drive it this summer and start to rebuild the rest of the car this winter...




Well, winter came early, after electrical problems last week and 12 years of maturity, I've decided to dive into this head on and pretty much work backwards from the destruction I did to this car in high school...it was after all my daily driver and anything I did needed to be completed before the next school day... For now the plans include new upper/lower A arms (DSE or global west), cleaning up/painting the firewall and chassis, powder coating new headers and my exhaust system... I'm going to remove the engine/trans to check everything and clean things up as well.



The car has a good foundation: new ss brakelines/misc parts, rebuilt 355/t-10 4-speed, and completely redone interior.. My goal is to bring the rest of the car up to speed with my recent improvements... A few more changes include 17"or 18" wheels and the Laguna nose will be replaced with the chevelle grille/bumper (modified)... Brakes and a fresh paint job will also be on the list.. I'll post a rendering of what i'm thinking shortly.

PS. the 16" wheels are for sale along with the Laguna nose.. PM me if you are interested.. i'll be posting them in the for sale section in a few days.

[srh3trinity]

I like where you are going and also where you are starting from. These wheels look nice, but this car is big enough to make a much bigger wheel and plenty of tire work.

[alowerlevel]

PS. the 16" wheels are for sale along with the Laguna nose.. PM me if you are interested.. i'll be posting them in the for sale section in a few days.

Hmmm....Im gonna have to see how my money situation looks when you go to sell the nose. Ive been looking for one to replace the regular chevelle one on my car with a 73-74 laguna nose.

[sr73bu]

Hmmm....Im gonna have to see how my money situation looks when you go to sell the nose. Ive been looking for one to replace the regular chevelle one on my car with a 73-74 laguna nose.

Since you are located in Jeresy i'd be willing to make a really good deal...Just so I dont have to ship it (i'd meet you half way), plus I need to get it out of my garage. I could post some pics if you are seriously interested. If you have any parts for 73-77 (im looking for front wheel houses/ rad support) i'd be willing to work out a trade.

I paid $350 for the nose...before paint and prep. But since you will need to repair some of the spider cracks with flexible filler (ALL enduro rubber style noses have this problem from "shrinkage" haha)... its yours for $250 and i'll meet you have way from your location. if you have the parts i mentioned i'll knock some $ off. PM me if you are serious. I need to get this out of the way. Thanks

[CruizinKev]

very nice! love those ProCar seats! I want these for my Monte Carlo!!

[twosaturns]

Since you are located in Jeresy i'd be willing to make a really good deal...Just so I dont have to ship it (i'd meet you half way), plus I need to get it out of my garage. I could post some pics if you are seriously interested. If you have any parts for 73-77 (im looking for front wheel houses/ rad support) i'd be willing to work out a trade.

I paid $350 for the nose...before paint and prep. But since you will need to repair some of the spider cracks with flexible filler (ALL enduro rubber style noses have this problem from "shrinkage" haha)... its yours for $250 and i'll meet you have way from your location. if you have the parts i mentioned i'll knock some $ off. PM me if you are serious. I need to get this out of the way. Thanks

he has the nose you want! why not just swap straight across! LOL

I've always loved the '73 A bodies, all of them, but really liked the laguna and the SS. my dream hybrid would be a '73 laguna (for the round tails and full side windows) w/ a '76 laguna nose.

[srh3trinity]

I've always loved the '73 A bodies, all of them, but really liked the laguna and the SS. my dream hybrid would be a '73 laguna (for the round tails and full side windows) w/ a '76 laguna nose.

Cosigned. That sounds like the combo I would go with. I like the round taillights.

[SS1156]

I love this year Chevelle. I had a 73 GMC Sprint which is the ******* child of the ElCamino. I loved that truck cause you could tuck huge tires up under them things. I had a set of 16x8 88 Trans Am mesh wheels all the way around with 245/50ZR16's up front and 255/50ZR16's in the rear. I also had that thing dropped to where it sat right on top of the tire......man did that thing look kick ass. Keep up the cool work on the Chevelle, I love to see these years PT'd. I would like to see some more pics of the car.

[sr73bu]

pulled the motor and trans yesterday... i'm going to clean up/ paint the frame and firewall... then start ordering parts...

[WS6]

cool car. I'm really liking these uncommon/alternative builds. Good luck with it.

[sr73bu]

I took the rest of the front suspension apart.. sanded and painted the frame (I already painted the rest of the frame from the firewall back when the rear suspension was out). I used a gloss black on the frame (wish i used a satin) and sprayed a truck bed coating with a fine texture on the firewall and cowl panel... then finished it with a satin paint. I also got my American Autowire harness and some random bushings.... While I save some cash for the upper A-arms & steering box, i'm going to start rebuilding the lowers...

[sr73bu]

... i'm also working on a removable heater/AC delete plate using some 30 mil sheet plastic that i'll die-cut on our machines at work... stay tuned.

-Sean

[sr73bu]

Heres my progress for the week... I made my Heater/A/c Delete plate... Next week i'm going to start rebuilding/painting my suspension parts... stay tuned...

-Sean

[sr73bu]

Cleaned (an understatement) and painted my Spindles/ Brake parts... Getting ready to replace all bearings/seals... Should get my d52 Wilwood calipers soon!



-Sean

[srh3trinity]

I like the panel on the firewall. The screws look nice and clean.

[sr73bu]

Got some parts this week.... Assembly starts next week, had to get some yard work done to keep the wife happy this weekend...

Wilwood D52 GM kit.... they are light and look really quality and with dual pistons should work great... we'll see.





Also... an AGR 12:1 Quick ratio steering box...



Sanded and painted the A-arms... I plan on going with a DSE set-up in the future, but for now I'll rebuild these with Energy Suspension Poly Bushings and Moog Parts...



Painted all of my suspension parts with VHT epoxy gloss black... stuff dries hard as a rock... i'd recommend it.



Looks like i'll also have to tighten my budget on the wheels... a set of forgelines will have to wait... so cragar soft 8 in 17x9 all the way around will do... 275/40/17 front and 285/40/17 rear...if i get them widened to 11" then a 315/35/17 will fit...



-Sean

[twosaturns]

Looks like i'll also have to tighten my budget on the wheels... a set of forgelines will have to wait... so cragar soft 8 in 17x9 all the way around will do... 275/40/17 front and 285/40/17 rear...if i get them widened to 11" then a 315/35/17 will fit...



-Sean

I love those wheels, just wondering why you'd bother going only 1cm wider in the rear on the same width wheels. seems the preacticality of being able to rotate them would trump any benefit from a slighty wider tire in the rear.

[srh3trinity]

New parts are fun, those wheels will look great. Nice and mean. I am tempted to run them too.

[ArtosDracon]

Nice! As a fellow 73-77 A-body owner I'm going to be watching this thread like a hawk! I love budget builds.

[sr73bu]

Quick Update...

Assembled my front brake setup...



Along with some more red poly bushings/bumpstops, I ordered a pair of Global West Offset A-Arm shafts... look nice....



I hope to install the bushings and misc. parts this weekend, then start assembling the rest of the front suspension next week...

-Sean