I recently purchased a 67 ElCamino w/no motor or tranny. I bought this while deciding between a Cameo truck and a 67 Chevelle to go with my 65 (I always liked the 67.) This is a ps/pb V8/auto car. This car is my first attempt at paint and I bought it because it is VERY straight and rust free. Here is my problem: I need to make the car driveable for less than $600.

It needs a motor, a transmission and a decent brake job.

How would you tackle this? Getting a second job is not an option http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif and the motor doesn't have to be perfect. I just want something that will get me by for a few years and doesn't smoke. It has a 3.90 gear in the back so it should be peppy with any motor.

What would you do? I need to save money, but I don't want to cut corners. I hope I can do both. Thanks - Jeff

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Got Chevelles?
Jeff Carpenter
65 Malibu Convertible
See it before- www.littlecars.com/car1.jpg (http://www.littlecars.com/car1.jpg)
Team Chevelle Gold #61


[This message has been edited by jeffc (edited 09-15-99).]

600$? thats a tuff one...this one should be interesting...

Good Luck Jeff, but I think the most reasonable thing to do for 600 bucks is buy a moped and work your but off to get a decent budget. hehehehe

jeffc, Keep looking in your local paper in the parts for sale column, around here there are engine/tranny combo's for sale for that kind of money every once in a while,but you get what you pay for.You will still need various other parts,ie,crossmember,driveshaft and etc.

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Leo Paugh
Maryland Chevelle Club #017

[This message has been edited by chev64 (edited 09-18-99).]

Check the newspaper and auto trader for a cheap beat up old clunker that runs good. Pull the engine/trans and put it in your Chevelle then sell the clunker to a pick-a-part. I bought a 71 Impala that had been rolled several years ago with ONLY 28,000 original miles on it. It had a 454/TH400 that ran. I bought it from a impound yard for ONLY $350.00 WHAT A STEAL!

Around where I live, everyone is out to make a buck. The junkyards charge crazy, ridiculous prices. You might want to check the Recycler Classifieds, but still, $600 for a decent engine, tranny, and a brake job? That's quite a tight budget. Maybe you'll get lucky and find a true Chevy enthusiast who has loads of goodies and likes to help out his fellow Chevelle man. Maybe even on this sight. Good luck! John69MalibuChevelle

The recommendation that Vic gave is about the only answer!

Even around here (L.A. California), where "pick-a-part" junk yards are REAL common, If you buy the engine and trans separate, the cost would be close to or over the 600 bucks.

I once had a 65 Nova wagon (originally with a 283, powerglide) and managed to find a 70 Chevelle wagon that was REAL trashed in the frame department. Some pretty major crashes! I don't remember what I paid for the complete car, but it wasn't much! I used the engine (350), transmission (th350) and the disk brakes with power booster and all (the spindles were remachined by ECI).

Then I had the left-overs towed off by pick-a-part.

The one BIG mistake that I made was not replacing the timing chain while everything was on the garage floor. Keep in mind that Chevy used an aluminum cam gear with nylon teeth. It let go after about a year and a half.

You should also replace the oil pump.



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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference & Wagons sections
Gold Member #5

Hey! Look out for that "Giant Snow-Ball" rolling towards you http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif To keep cost down its buyer beware. Buy an engine you can listen to. The best bet is to find a crunched A-Body car that has good running gear. The last Elcamino I got was free....$9,000 later I sold it. Just watch out for the "Snow-Ball" http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Cardiac (edited 09-20-99).]

Jeff,
I've seen 307's that nobody wants, some with low miles for $50-100 that you can hear run. A turbo 350 for about $350. Check the parts for sale area on this site. Your local paper parts for sale section and the Want Ad mag that I get at local 7-11.

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Tino #28 Gold

how about a 283 and a glide. can pick this combo up cheep and they are all over the place. use the extra $$$$ for the breaks then if you have any extra do some work to the motor like timeing chain maybe intake carb oil pump etc. those parts you put on the 283 o whatever can be put on another SBC once you get some green.

Good Luck




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Hot66ss
Los Angeles,CA

66 Super Sport
67 Malibu
Aces Member 2380
Team Chevelle member #262
members.aol.com/chvellss (http://members.aol.com/chvellss)

how about a 283 and a glide. can pick this combo up cheep and they are all over the place. use the extra $$$$ for the breaks then if you have any extra do some work to the motor like timeing chain maybe intake carb oil pump etc. those parts you put on the 283 o whatever can be put on another SBC once you get some green.

Good Luck




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Hot66ss
Los Angeles,CA

66 Super Sport
67 Malibu
Aces Member 2380
Team Chevelle member #262
members.aol.com/chvellss (http://members.aol.com/chvellss)

how about a 283 and a glide. can pick this combo up cheep and they are all over the place. use the extra $$$$ for the breaks then if you have any extra do some work to the motor like timeing chain maybe intake carb oil pump etc. those parts you put on the 283 o whatever can be put on another SBC once you get some green.

Good Luck




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Hot66ss
Los Angeles,CA

66 Super Sport
67 Malibu
Aces Member 2380
Team Chevelle member #262
members.aol.com/chvellss (http://members.aol.com/chvellss)

Jeff C if u live out here in phoenix i will sell you a 327 with a powerglide runs and all for about 400 but i will not ship it email me @ gumball@home.com if u are interested only thing is i can't do it for about anther 2 months still using motor and tranny http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

Yea!!! Sunday morning I found an ad listing a 327 w/auto tranny. I called and they didn't know much about the motor except it was a 1964 w/automatic tranny. It came from a 64 Chevy truck that someone had restored. It was lowered and they ended up dragging a piece of something on the headers which started a fire and burned the truck.

They said the motor/tranny had less than 5000 miles. I grabbed my money and ran. Turned out to be a 327/Turbo 400. It came with everything but the carb, distributor, and alternator. The starter is still on the motor and I got all the brackets, pulleys and even the fan and clutch. All the rubber burned and one of the valve covers was warped. The motor turned over by hand so I went ahead and bought it. Total price: $250.

What a great day.

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Got Chevelles?
Jeff Carpenter
65 Malibu Convertible
See it before- www.littlecars.com/car1.jpg (http://www.littlecars.com/car1.jpg)
Team Chevelle Gold #61

I don't know where the hell I was at the time, but my dad got rid of his ugly, rusty '74 Biscayne with a babied, under 80,000 mile 350 & TH350 for, get this, $175! The drivetrain was great. I sure would've like the drivetrain (groan). For $250 a small block & a Turbohydro is a lucky find, too! There are so many 283s & Powerglides sitting around unused that maybe you could almost steal one. With 3.90 gears and the 283's willingness to rev you could get a hot cam and some used speed equipment and have fun on a shoestring. Good luck with it.

[This message has been edited by Cam (edited 09-21-99).]

[This message has been edited by Cam (edited 09-21-99).]

Hehe, congrats Jeff!

Do not test drive before you get the brakes, man! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

Whats with the 600 bucks anyway?? IRS paid you a little visit? http://www.chevelles.com/forum/frown.gif

Well, you still need to drop a mad loot for a carb, all the ignition/electrical stuff + belts etc

But still a great deal, no less!