Nasty64 Belair

[64impala]

Here is my build that I have been working on since 2006. Long story short, I started with a 64 impala ss. Took the body off the frame and completely rebuilt the chassis by fully welding the frame welds, beefed up the x section with 1/8th inch plate, powder coated frame and used Eastwood rust encapsulator inside the frame, global west control arms, CCP front disc breaks and 500 steering box, Moser 9in ford rearend with a spool, 35 spline axles, big bearing chevy ends. Coy C5 wheels 20x7 fronts, 22x9 rears still in the boxes. Once the Impala body was stripped I found it had been hit on the right side and needed too much metal work, so I sold that body and found a 64 Belair that was straight as an arrow. Put the body on a rotisserie and fixed all the rusted floors, body braces, trunk tail panel, tail light buckets, and floor braces. Sprayed Eastwood Undercoating with rust encapsulater under the entire car and set the body back on the finished chassis. The car now is the hands of my paint/ body man. Should get her back in February. I'm having him smooth the firewall, fill in all the side trim holes, soda blast the inside and out, and thats where she is at now. The lower quarters need to be replaced and that's what he's working on now. Meanwhile I bought a 5.3 Gen 4 ls, s475 single turbo, custom spec turbo cam, lunati springs and rockers, single custom full turbo kit using gto manifolds. Bought a stock ls1 radiator, swapped out the truck pan for the ls1 fbody pan. Bought a fully built TH350 and had NORTH TEXAS CONVERTERS build me a 3800 billit mechanical diode converter for my turbo setup. Trying to decide to go with air ride or coilovers. The car will be my daily driver except for bad weather days, ice/snow ect. I will be updating my build thread as this move along. Once I get her back from paint, things will be coming together fast. My paint color will be GM White Diamond. Thx for reading and I welcome any help, ideas, past experience, ect....



Nathan

[Radlark]

Looks like you're off to a great start! Keep us updated with the pics and welcome!

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Cant wait to see her painted..

[renegade6]

Subscribed!

[CTX-SLPR]

Please show us more of how you beefed up the X!

[Motown 454]

Nice project.

[64impala]

I'll have to find the pics of reinforcing the x

[64impala]

Here is the rest of my turbo hotside and intercooler/piping. Down pipe too. My turbo kit is complete

[CTX-SLPR]

I'll have to find the pics of reinforcing the x

Thanks, thinking of doing similar to my Riviera.

[64impala]

Please show us more of how you beefed up the X!

I Used 1/8th Inch Mild steel. Went 2ft fwd, and 2ft aft of the X on all sides and welded the 1/8th inch plate on all sides... easy... just use a big hammer for shaping the metal to fit the contours of the X and weld through primer under the metal before welding to prevent corrosion

[64impala]

A few mock up pics of my turbo setup. I'm trying to use truck acssesories but my piping is hitting the top of my alternator bracket and the nose of the water pump. I could add an inch in length to the piping and that would clear my truck acssesories but that moves the turbo that much closer to my radiator.. I'll just have to install my motor in the car when it gets back from paint to see if it will hit the radiator.

[64impala]

If someone with a 58-64 ls swap could measure the mounting point of the water pump to the face of the radiator that would give me a very good idea if I will have the clearance. Thx

[64impala]

If someone with a 58-64 ls swap could measure the mounting point of the water pump to the face of the radiator that would give me a very good idea if I will have the clearance. Thx

[E.rodz]

i hate to be the barer of bad bad news but unless your motor is mounted half way in the middle of the car that will never fit.maybe if there is no radiator or a/c condenser.you might have a chance. here is a view that might give you a little perspective.there is only a couple of inches between the fan and the water pump. if your crossmember has not been cut down and you use that intake it will most likely hit your hood. i cut like 2.5 inches out of the crossmember to get the motor down far enough,motor is set back almost all the way to the firewall also.

[64impala]

I have the motor all the way back to the firewall. I did clearance the cross member. But I did not fit the turbo piping before I took it to paint.... my mistake and I'll go pick her up once she is in a primer/sealer. Damn.... maybe I could customize my stock radiator support to get the turbo setup to fit.... Also, not running any ac.

[64impala]

Well decided to put my hotside turbo setup for sale. I will be using a "log" style turbo exhaust manifold on the passenger side from Dirty Dingo. Then my cross over will follow down and behind the oil pan and under the front of the trans, then back up to the drivers side ZR1 manifold. This setup will allow me to keep my truck acssesories, and I'll just run a direct fit aluminum radiator. Here is a pic of the turbo manifold from Dirty Dingo. I'm using there motor mounts and they make awesome products.

[Johnny Blaze]

Love it!
I had a 64 biscayne, planned a similar build, but body was jst too rough.

Always a fan of post cars.

[64impala]

Thx Johnny

[64impala]

Thoughts on my new turbo setup from Dirty Dingo Motorsports? I'm using a 45 Turbonetics wastegate. Is this big enough? Attached is my turbo specs and pics of my turbo hotside.