70 Chevelle Restoration

71,438 Views | 363 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by stbabs
goodAg80
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AG
Quote:

This baby is RUNNING!!!
SusieQ
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Oops wrong thread... ignore
stbabs
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AG
SusieQ said:

Oops wrong thread... ignore


Susie Q musta read back in the thread, saw I bought this car new in 70; did the math and realized, "My God! This dude is OLD!!"

And she'd be right.

stbabs
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stbabs said:



This baby is RUNNING!!!

Tried to upload the sound but the recording didn't do it justice.

Have to trust me; it's SWEET


First run in was pretty uneventful.
Timing an old engine with a modern FI system is more art than science. More by ear than timing light. She's good there.

Fuel leaks, one at the pump but easily fixed; just tightened the fitting.

Fuel pressure. Initially way low and ran rough due to fuel starvation. Simple fix here too. Pressure adjusts just like an air compressor regulator. Runs at 43 psi

Thought I had a fuel leak at the tank but realized it came from when we filled the tank with a can and funnel. Fill neck on a 70 Chevelle is almost horizontal. Pour too fast and gas burps back, runs down the neck and drips from the lowest point on the tank.

Two fire extinguishers were ready but not needed.

Next week we tidy up the engine compartment; bundle wires, cut and route heater hoses, then start hanging fenders, doors and hood.

stbabs
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Always another box needed!

Almost forgot. The FAST EZ fuel injection has to read engine rpm from somewhere in order to operate at max efficiency.

Nothing on the old 396 to port to for an rpm read so, drum roll!! I gotta buy another box!!!



Ok, this thing is like 7 1/2 by 4 inches and there's NO ROOM anywhere on the firewall to hang it. Besides, I'm trying to keep the engine compartment as uncluttered as possible.

Where to hang the box? No room under the dash either.

Instruction say "Do not install in glove box because of possible heat buildup. But the glove box is the perfect place for it. Outta sight yet accessible.

. Ok, how about mounting a small computer cooling fan on the outside of the glove box to move air across the MSD box.

Done! And moves plenty of air. Shouldn't be a problem.
TxSquarebody
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You couldn't pull a tach signal from the coil (-) terminal? That's how FiTech wires up with ready-to-run distributors.
stbabs
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TxSquarebody said:

You couldn't pull a tach signal from the coil (-) terminal? That's how FiTech wires up with ready-to-run distributors.


The FAST EFI instructions advised against using the coil (-) for tach signal; concerned about stray electrons to the FI computer.
Who knows? Likely would have been fine but at this point, what's another quarter of a thousand $$.
lb3
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stbabs
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lb3 said:

At this rate you may be done before football is over. Do you expect to drive this car to any tailgates this fall?


I should be finished in 3 weeks, baring complications; which are always possible.

Hadn't thought about driving it to a tailgate but that could happen. I gave up season tickets when I moved back to the piney woods but my kids still have em and tailgate a lot.

If I do bring it down, I'll certainly let the TAgs gang know my plans.
stbabs
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Seats are almost finished.
Here's the front seat bottom. Remember, I decided to pay homage to originality by keeping the split bench seat she came with.



Really like it. Ordered covers from Legendary Auto Interiors. Quality is their thing. I paid a premium but glad I went with them.

Color is Pearl White. I know, "white interior??"
Remember, this AIN'T my farm truck. Clear, sunny day cruising ONLY and no work clothes EVER.
AgBQ-00
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This is beautiful work! Thanks for sharing the journey with us!
You do not have a soul. You are a soul that has a body.

We sing Hallelujah! The Lamb has overcome!
stbabs
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Hung rear bumper, bled brakes, checked all lights (old connectors needed work), checked all gauges.

Fuel gauge didn't work at first. Found that the connectors in the trunk had been jacked with and wire to sending unit wasn't making contact. Fixed!



And this is the small CPU cooling fan I mounted on the glove box to keep air moving around the MSD ignition box. May mount a second fan just for insurance. Maybe one push; the other pull.
goodAg80
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It looks like the SS comes with some nice accessories.

stbabs
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Flared exhaust tips are original to the SS cars and add a nice finished look.
lb3
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stbabs
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lb3 said:

Those cpu fans are pretty small so you probably won't hear them, but if you can, Noctua makes the quietest fans.


Ran the fan before Installing it. I had to look at the blades to know if it was running. I'm ordering a second fan, one intake, one exhaust.

Even though MSD recommended against using the glove box for their ignition box I can't imagine that the engine compartment would be cooler, even though there's more air movement under the hood.

Anyway, the CPU fans should keep the glove box cool and the ignition box happy.
stbabs
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Doors on, one fender hung. Still have to tweak the fender-door gap so the door is marked "do not open" to avoid paint to paint contact until the gap is adjusted.

Not picture worthy but door and quarter windows are installed.

Next comes weatherstrip and interior.

BTW, those are the old tires and wheels. Have repo SS factory wheels. Haven't decided on tires yet.

Mookie
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Like seeing the updates.
chimpanzee
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stbabs said:



BTW, those are the old tires and wheels. Have repo SS factory wheels. Haven't decided on tires yet.



Last time I looked around, if you wanted 15" tires and wanted an established brand, your choices were either the BFG's similar to what you already have there or Cooper Cobras (for significantly less $). Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin, et. al., offer nothing in the size, again, last time I looked.
stbabs
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Coker has the Firestone wide oval in 15" radial at a whopping $360 a tire.

I'll prolly go with BFG Radial TAs.
Silvy
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BFG Radial T/A are seriously the suck, my Cooper Cobras work much better.

Another option is the Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/T, but not sure if they have your particular size that you're after. Last I saw, Summit carries them.

https://mickeythompsontires.com/street-tires/sportsman-s-t
chimpanzee
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stbabs said:

Coker has the Firestone wide oval in 15" radial at a whopping $360 a tire.

I'll prolly go with BFG Radial TAs.

Yikes.
Duncan Idaho
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Were red lines a thing on these cars?

Because nothing looks cooler than a set of red lines on a classic
gigem70
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AG
Raised white letters were the thing on these cars.
stbabs
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gigem70 said:

Raised white letters were the thing on these cars.


True. There were 4 types of tires from the factory for SS Chevelle in 1970: Firestone wide oval, Goodyear polyglass, General bias/belt and Uniroyal tiger paw.

All raised white bias ply and most were 14 inch. Malibu had narrow white walls.

To my knowledge only Firestone wide oval and Goodyear polyglass are now available in 15 inch radial; and, they're pricey at $350 plus per tire.
Duncan Idaho
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stbabs
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At the "lotta work; not much visible progress" stage.
Dash installed, gauges working, AC and heater ducts and flap valves respond to vacuum. Still playing with the horn, thus the steering wheel is still off



Dash pad installed, looking down thru where the windshield will eventually be.


Not much of a picture but windows are in on pass. side. Drivers side tomorrow. Major challenge here was the fact that my son pulled out the regulators, stops and door locks years ago so no recent memory of how to reinstall. YouTube videos saved the day.

TxSquarebody
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Almost there!
stbabs
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TxSquarebody said:

Almost there!


Tomorrow, in addition to finishing the windows, I'm going to tackle the headliner.

I've been advised to have a pro do it but I've gotta give it a try. 70 Chevelle headliners are suspended type, meaning they're held in place by rods that hook into the sheetmetal on either side below the drip rail.

I've watched two hours of YouTube videos so I'm sort of a pro myself.
TxSquarebody
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The bow type headliners aren't too difficult, but do require a certain touch. Be patient.
Centerpole90
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AG


Anyone who hasn't done it isn't out there living on the edge!

Awesome work!
Aston 91
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I did the headliner in my '66 Chevy II and I can tell from this thread that I'm not nearly as talented as you. Watched a bunch of YouTube videos, bought a few boxes of binder clips to keep it tight around the edges and tried to be patient. I installed the screws for the dome light bezel and sun visors before I put the headliner in. Made it easier to find the location to cut the headliner by feeling for the screws instead of the holes where the screws go. Mine isn't perfect, but I'm satisfied with the results - and with the fact that I didn't pay an obscene amount to have someone else do it.
Duncan Idaho
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Centerpole90 said:



Anyone who hasn't done it isn't out there living on the edge!

Awesome work!

I need this on my blue dickies coveralls
stbabs
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Aston, good pointers on putting screws in first.
Got a late start today so I decided to wait until tomorrow for the headliner.
Finished installing windows and weather stripping on doors. Hung the pass side fender and started adjusting the gap. Long involved process, finish manana; then the headliner.
Taking lots of blankets to the shop to pad the bare floor for the headliner install.
Suspect I'll be wrestling the headliner for a while and that darn floor pan gets pretty hard; to say nothing of the protrusions and little pointy things that like to poke your knees.


stbabs
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Headliner is dry fitted from middle to front windshield.

Very pleased! Tight and no wrinkles.

Used 35 spring clips to hold the front half. Off for more clips then we'll dry fit the back half. Hopefully it fits as well as the front half.

If it does I could driving this baby outta the shop by mid next week.

 
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