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My 69 Chevelle Project

14K views 76 replies 21 participants last post by  max69chevelle 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm gonna try to do the best I can and caption every photo and everything we did for this build...

Started out with this....







When I got it, it was said to me that this was a 468bbc, with a Turbo 400 manual valve body car.

Exterior shape was real nice and the interior was really nice too. I think it was repainted the correct Lemans Blue, same code that's on the body tag.




About 71k on the body when I got it.


Here is the engine:


Car had a beast of a cam and 1000 rpms felt like it was gonna shake the quarter panels off. I knew it had power.

I quickly changed the cheetah shifter for the stock one, and it being a full manual valve body was a pain. We tried to put in a new hybrid valve body but the trans was modified too much to reverse it back. It also had a 3500 stall. It rode okay on the street.

Fast forward a year later I blew both head gaskets and took it in to a nearby shop to get it looked at.

This is where the fun began and the build snowballed from there.....
 
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#2 ·
Valve cover off....


Essentially we decided to take see what was inside the motor and take it from there...

72 454 Block...


990 heads, with a 60 over bore (4.310)


Had SRP pistons of about 12.8:1 compression


Nice SCAT 4.25 crank...


Essentially was a decently high compression strip car.

This is where I did some thinking and decided to go a different route with this car. My plans were to build a pump gas street car, with great handling, great streetable power, with nice road manners.

Let's just say this build snowballed quickly...
 
#3 ·
The suspension was all original for the most part, sagging and shot coils, old shocks, worn out bushings...

Called UMI and got a whole new suspension...this is a stock photo of the parts I got, except I opted for the pieces in black instead of red:



Car came with stock disc brakes out front and drums in the rear.

Front we decided on the CPP C5 Spindle Disc Brake kit.



The car came with a nice Ford 9" rear end, so I got a rear disc brake conversion for that.

For the motor, after lots of research, and help from Straub Tech I came up with the following:

- ROSS Pistons (10.5:1 compression)
- Straub Hydraulic Roller Cam (.600/.600; .243/.243 @ 0.50; 109 LSA)
- Morel Lifters
- AFR 305 Rectangular Port Heads
- Crane Gold 1.7 Roller Rockers
- keep my SCAT crank
- keep my Holley strip dominator intake
- keep my Holley 4150 850cfm carb

For the transmission I went with the new Legend Gear LGT700 5speed trans and the whole conversion kit for it from Silver Sport Transmissions. Got a hydraulic clutch setup, McLeod RST clutch and all the works.

Sent all of those items to the shop after the block was cleaned, machined, etc...

Even got new 18x8 and 18x10 American Racing Torq Thrust II wheels and new Michelin Pilot Sport tires. Those Rev wheels that it came with were just too small for my liking.





Fast forward another 6-9 months and the shop hasn't done much, other than get the block machined and ready. I was fed up at that point....
 
#4 ·
After a few talks with the shop I decided to pull the car, and take it and all the parts to a shop that would get it done, get it done right, and in the timeframe that I wanted.

On the trailer it went...with the new wheels and tires already installed.

 
#5 ·
Within a few weeks the engine was assembled and dyno'd. We ended up changing over to a Victor Jr intake manifold, and new Milodon Pan.





On the dyno...



After some carb tuning....

Dyno pull...
https://vimeo.com/152000508

Made 665hp @ 6000rpm and 658tq @ 4900 rpm.

I was very pleased with the power and the responsiveness of the motor.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Front suspension and brakes are in, engine bay cleaned up...

New dual 8" booster and master cylinder as well. If I don't like the way the car brakes I may have to go Hydroboost.

Also installed a new fast ratio manual steering box. If I don't like the steering I may have to go power steering.







 
#7 ·
Motor and trans are in...



Got brand new carpet too!



Opted for Lemons Headers with 2" primaries and a race slip on collector...



Pypes 3" exhaust with X pipe and 18" race pro mufflers will be going in...

 
#8 ·
Billet Specialties Serpentine Conversion with a 12si 94amp alternator (MAD wiring upgrade to be installed).



New BeCool aluminum radiator, GM 772 fan and Hayden 2747 fan clutch, new shroud. (Not completely installed pic)

 
#9 · (Edited)
Rear end woes...

Found out the ford 9" had a full spool and 33 spline axles.

We opted to install 31 spline axles and a Detroit TrueTrac posi instead...





First time the car sits on its own new suspension...







Front looks a bit too high for me...

Since the CPP C5 spindle kit had tall spindles, I ordered the UMI 2" lowering springs instead of the 1" lowering springs that are on there now. This will give me another 1" drop and hopefully more when the hood goes on and it's all buttoned up. Should have that installed sometime in the next few days!!
 
#10 ·
Project looks great! I just put the Stage 2 UMI kit on with 2" drop springs on my 68 and couldn't be happier. Handling is night and day and stance is nice too :thumbsup:
 
#11 ·
That's great news! And thanks!!
I guess I could have gotten drop spindles but I think with the 2" lowering spring it will sit better. Not to mention it may settle in a bit more as well.
I can't wait to be driving this thing. It's been way too long.
 
#21 ·
Thank you! Still on the list: driveshaft fitting, new Dakota Digital VHX gauges, new alternator wiring update and other engine wiring cleanup, and other small odds and ends (steering wheel, glove box, grease the locks, e-brake hookup,...). Almost there!! [emoji1591]
 
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