I've owned this giant ugly/beautiful thing since I was 17 (24 years basically). I got it in trade from my father for an 83? Honda CB750 Super sport that had a big bore kit, rejetted carbs and a Kerker headers I had gotten for $50 in computer parts and some labor setting up a home network (in the late 90's this was the shit).
It's about the only thing of my youth I've held onto and I am unsure why. Growing up my brother and I "borrowed" if from my father and took it to a Pomona grudge match night and ran a 14.8 with the original tired 327 and powerglide. We cruised it everywhere and in a fit of retardation we stuffed it full of speakers and amps. We even stuck a 15" woofer from a Hammond organ in it for a while too. I tell you Queen, Styx and Zepplin never sounded better.
Even though this was an Impala trim, it was a stripped out model. 4 wheel manual drum, heater, single speaker AM/FM radio, 14" wheels and only the 6 passenger model.
To date I have done a front power disk brake conversion, tubular upper and lower control arms, Some china stainless headers I made fit around the steering box with a torch, true dual 2.5" exhaust with Magnaflow exhaust, 10k mile GM goodwrench motor from an 89 TBI suburban (swapped to 4bbl carb, shit heads and all) I got in trade for helping swap a 4bt into said suburban. It still runs the original unknown powerglide trans and open 12bolt rear axle/brakes. It has been lowered with 2" drop spindles and cutting 1/2 a coil in front and I dont remeber how much we cut in the rear with all new poly suspension bushings as well. I am running 18x8 in the front and 20x10 in the rears as well and they fit with no rubbing.
One of the better upgrades I did to it was an aftermarket 4bbl Throttlebody EFI system from FiTech. I got the EFI in trade for testing Holley, FiTech and FAST EFI systems on my car for a magazine writeup. I started with the 400hp one and traded that one to a friend for a 600HP one he had sitting.
I did this in prep for future mods. I currently have a new set of Vortec heads, an NOS 350HP 327 cam, some scorpion? 1.5 ratio roller rockers, Eddie motorsports billet pulley setup and a "high rise" dual plane intake (will be milling down the center divider) to swap on sitting on a shelf in my shop for it. Just need some time and $$ for the gaskets and power steering lines.
So, onto the photos.
How it looked after pulling out of my backyard to fit new wheels and tires onto it
Decided I didnt like the look of drums with the new 18x8 fronts and it sat way to high. I had my brother sit on the front corner to simulate the drop I wanted in my head as well
Started with the cheap disk brake conversion with 2" drop spindles (this kit uses S10 calipers and 11" rotor. I will be swapping it out for one that uses 13" c4 ones from performance online soon)
This is way before I swapped the upper/lower tubular control arms onto it (also from performance online)
This now gave me a ride height I was liking a bit more (all new springs in front so it settled some more over time too). The brown body line is dirt after I removed what was left of the original trim (couldnt find the missing pieces so said fuck it and took it all off)
I then yanked the tired motor that was in it and dropped in my basically new TBI 350 (if you look in lifter valley it is spotless)
More to come
It's about the only thing of my youth I've held onto and I am unsure why. Growing up my brother and I "borrowed" if from my father and took it to a Pomona grudge match night and ran a 14.8 with the original tired 327 and powerglide. We cruised it everywhere and in a fit of retardation we stuffed it full of speakers and amps. We even stuck a 15" woofer from a Hammond organ in it for a while too. I tell you Queen, Styx and Zepplin never sounded better.
Even though this was an Impala trim, it was a stripped out model. 4 wheel manual drum, heater, single speaker AM/FM radio, 14" wheels and only the 6 passenger model.
To date I have done a front power disk brake conversion, tubular upper and lower control arms, Some china stainless headers I made fit around the steering box with a torch, true dual 2.5" exhaust with Magnaflow exhaust, 10k mile GM goodwrench motor from an 89 TBI suburban (swapped to 4bbl carb, shit heads and all) I got in trade for helping swap a 4bt into said suburban. It still runs the original unknown powerglide trans and open 12bolt rear axle/brakes. It has been lowered with 2" drop spindles and cutting 1/2 a coil in front and I dont remeber how much we cut in the rear with all new poly suspension bushings as well. I am running 18x8 in the front and 20x10 in the rears as well and they fit with no rubbing.
One of the better upgrades I did to it was an aftermarket 4bbl Throttlebody EFI system from FiTech. I got the EFI in trade for testing Holley, FiTech and FAST EFI systems on my car for a magazine writeup. I started with the 400hp one and traded that one to a friend for a 600HP one he had sitting.
I did this in prep for future mods. I currently have a new set of Vortec heads, an NOS 350HP 327 cam, some scorpion? 1.5 ratio roller rockers, Eddie motorsports billet pulley setup and a "high rise" dual plane intake (will be milling down the center divider) to swap on sitting on a shelf in my shop for it. Just need some time and $$ for the gaskets and power steering lines.
So, onto the photos.
How it looked after pulling out of my backyard to fit new wheels and tires onto it
Decided I didnt like the look of drums with the new 18x8 fronts and it sat way to high. I had my brother sit on the front corner to simulate the drop I wanted in my head as well
Started with the cheap disk brake conversion with 2" drop spindles (this kit uses S10 calipers and 11" rotor. I will be swapping it out for one that uses 13" c4 ones from performance online soon)
This is way before I swapped the upper/lower tubular control arms onto it (also from performance online)
This now gave me a ride height I was liking a bit more (all new springs in front so it settled some more over time too). The brown body line is dirt after I removed what was left of the original trim (couldnt find the missing pieces so said fuck it and took it all off)
I then yanked the tired motor that was in it and dropped in my basically new TBI 350 (if you look in lifter valley it is spotless)
More to come
