My First Classic('72 Chevelle)

[chevy4life]

Hey guys, my name is anthony and him pretty new to the site. I've scoured the build threads and am so impressed with the amount of the work that people have to do the cars they love! I recently purchased a '72 chenille. It's pretty original with moderate 350 in it.


In the month I have had I have done a little work to it when i'm home on weekends from school. So far, i have put an engine dress up kit in


then i swapped out my bench seat with some new bucket seats that i re-covered myself. I don't have any pictures of those at the moment.



Lastly, I picked up some new rims and tires off a friend today. They are from a corvette and am still waiting on the spacers to come in the mail but here is a mock up of one of the rear tires


the car looks messed up because it is still jacked up.

As for the future, I was hoping to get some input or advice anyone is willing to offer! I plan on swapping out my rear end from the 2:90 ration up to a 3:55. It has a th350 currently but have toyed with the thought of a 700r swap? Any thoughts? Thanks to anyone who is willing to give me any help!

[AusMarty]

A Chenille eh?
looks like a Chevelle to me. :-P

She looks like a pretty clean car mate, nice wheel choice too. ;-)
Go maaaaaaaaaanuaaaaaaaaal.

[ccmc]

My first car was a 72 Chevelle Malibu with the bench seat. Love em.

I swapped in 200 automatic overdrive instead of the the 700 and I did not have to shorten the driveshaft.

[chevy4life]

Excuse the spelling mistakes haha! I was eye balling the monster transmission kit for the 200-4r. I think in the amount it costs more than the 700 I will save it in not having to Modify the driveshaft. Thanks for the input. I'm picking up a new b&m quicksilver shifter today. Can't wait to see that in the car.

[chevy4life]

Well today i payed a visit to the good guys at indy auto parts to pick up my B&M shifter and what do you know...I walk out with a Grant's steering wheel as well. Funny how those things work...

[chevy4life]

Finally got all of my stuff into the car. I ran into a little issue with the B&M shifter though...for some reason, no matter how i adjusted it, i keep getting a double reverse gear. So when i shift down to revers, i get reverse for two clicks before i hit neutral. Any experience with this??

[chevy4life]

well guys, let the games begin.....




what will be delivered in the course of tomorrow through next week:
1) tank's inc full set up--EFI tank, In-tank pump, sending unit
2) earl's hosing with all of the an fittings
3)dirty dingo "double-d" motor mounts
4)also ordered some try-fit woven fiberglass heat shield for all of my wires on the motor made by techflex. not only will this keep all of my wires safe, i think it will neaten up the engine compartment really well, and look really cool. wicked cheap stuff
5)last but not least. i will be picking my 2004 5.3l up next friday. its out of a youkon with 120k on it. runs perfect. also coming with it is a 4L80e and a complete(and worked harness) as well as the computer. im hoping the 80e goes in without too much hammer use i already have a paint scheme and set up for my engine and bay but i will leave that till next time...

i convinced my mom to get me a set of hooker headers and a new cts-v oil pan set up for christmas so hopefully i will have almost everything i need so far. not entirely sure what i am going to do about the tranny cross member yet...
hopefully someone will chime in and give some advice here and there.lol

yea SOX!!!~anthony

[analyte]

There are better options for oil pans out there. The Chevelle's center link is notorious for contacting the pans when turning lock to lock. Holley has a new design coming out that should be an improvement over everything currently avaiable, but I'm not aware of an official release date.

Nonetheless, great project!!!

Kerry

[chevy4life]

kerry, thanks! i've followed your project so far and it looks really great! i am aware of the steering issues and that holley is coming out with the new pan but i cannot find any leads to when it will be released and i know once it is it will be a mob pit trying to get one shipped in any timely fashion becasue everyone will be buying them. i'm thinking because i want to get this project done, i may stick some foam or rubber to the steering arms and just deal with it for now.

[analyte]

I totally understand. Subscribed!!

[chevy4life]

some teasers...ill post some full pics of everything soon once i have everything organized. this project just got real!

[chevy4life]

made some progress this weekend. just need to pick up a starter and throw the cover on the intake and its complete

[chevy4life]

also snagged a nice rebuilt 12 bolt with 4:11's and an eaton posi

[chevy4life]

Had a very productive weekend for working with myself and 1 buddy. got the motor and tranny set in and wired. this week hopefully i can get the flex plate and converter mated without having to pull everything again. any advice on a p/s pump pulley?

[chevy4life]

spent some time this past weekend getting some finness stuff done. got most of my wiring completed. still waiting on some gauges and forgot to get a relay for my fuel pump lol. also got my fuel completely plumbed, new tank in, and the new 12 bolt in. i realized after the fact that i had everything wired, bolted in, and completed that my flex plate on the 5.3 will not mate to the 4l80e... so i ordered a new tci one with the spacer and bolts and hopefully that won't take up an entire day this coming weekend lol





also got blessed with some snow… nothing like working in a non-insulated 200 year old barn(legit) in -20 degree weather… wood stoves do nothing there

[johnny68]

glad to see younger guys keeping the faith with old cars good job
john

[chevy4life]

John thank you very much. IMO nothing surpasses an old classic like these. I'm only 19 but the stories that have come up with the car and that I've heard about other people's cars when they see mine is amazing! its like working on a time capsule i love it

[chevy4life]

and nothing beats pulling up next to a ricer and just waving goodbye

[chevy4life]

last weekend i had some time to pull the motor again, install the new flex plate, and repaint the entire engine bay. that was bugging the crap outta me. This weekend I'm gonna try to bang out the rest of the wiring, trans crossmemeber and cooling lines. start-up hopefully over christmas break!! does anyone know how to insert images so they're smaller on the thread..?

[chevy4life]

Quiet an eventful weekend besides the 2 feet of snow.. Basically got a ton of little things finished up: 98% of my wiring is done. Just need to order gauges and hook them up. Got all of my trans lines plumbed. Got the rear end and fuel tank finished up so it's setting on its own weight again.
Then what made it eventful... I was putting on my starter and somehow got a cracker plastic housing on it without realizing so when I torqued my 12v terminally it snapped off.. Great now a new starter. Then, I installedy trans cooler on my radiator and apparently the fasteners they supply puncture the radiator! When I filled it up it was leaking from there so now a new radiator... (If any one is getting rid of one let me know).
So where I'm at is waiting on a p.s pump, starter, looking for a radiator and my headers will be in next week. Then I'll be ready to start her up. Oh how could I forget, a drive shaft haha. God this weekend took it's toll.