When I bought my firebird, it always seemed to fall on it's face when you romped on it. After looking the holley carb over, I found that they put a nut and bolt in the linkage to the secondaries. They tried to make it from a vacuum version to a mechanical.

On a free honda I got, they used electrical tape to mount the coil to the engine. A bungee cord to hold the headlight in place and another bungee cord wrapped in a plastic bag for the battey hold down. This was my college beater.




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J Enga
64 Malibu SS 327
400 build up
Instructions?...All I need is the exploded view

 

not funny, but they put a main bearing shell in wrong. Oil hole was on the cap.

Bye Bye crank

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Mike Novak
'71 Chevelle convertible
red daily driver

 

Guy that had my car before me used a hardware store bolt and flat washer to hold oil pump on!What a supprise I had when I tore the engine down for a rebuild!

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http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/2fas4u.jpg

 

A friend of mine bought a Ford Bronco on a deal because the fuel pump quit working. The owner said he just put all new timing gears and fuel pump eccentric in it. I tore it down and the timing chain was on backwards. My buddy called the owner out of curiousity and asked him if he made sure the timing marks were lined up and the owner told him yes. He must have been pretty nifty to see the marks between the block and the chain. HA HA.

John Weaver

 

Tore down the '70's 402, and there's about a hundred wraps of bailing wire holding the oil pump pickup to the pump. Scary, but I couldn't afford to redo the shortblock, and so far it still runs strong. Sure I'll find more surprises when I finally tear it apart.

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Tony Nausieda
1970 SS 396 L34
1977 Caprice, roller SB406
1965 Le Mans EFI'd 468, M22, Global West, etc

 

When I bought my car 21 years ago the previous owner had put the shifter linkage on upside down and the shift pattern was reversed. It was a novelty until one night I missed a shift horsing around on the main drag and I sent the fan into the radiator.

After that I failed to see the humor in that setup.

Ahhhhhh to be young...still can't believe I lived thru all that??

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TC #364
Aces #4309
Jeff's 69

 

Mine would be the previous owner driving off the side of the road doing about 25 and running into a rather large and immovable Caddy. Damages were the bumper, fender, hood and radiator support.

The poor little 65 had only 63,000 original miles on it. 230 inline 6, Powerglide, post model, poorly slopped on cover paint job, made in Massachusetts, and never driven out of the state. (Still hasn't)

But, with a few body repairs, needed changes to the drivetrain, interior, and many hours of work, it still only has 70,000 miles on it, but isnt so "poor" anymore. Rather healthy.

So whats the funny part? Him losing such a great little car!



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T-Bone

 

- Took out the A/C system, cut the wires under the hood, removed interior ducts, the point of that I don't know
- Used sheets of riveted lead to patch rust holes in the back and half a can of body filler
- Replaced the front bumper but didn't put in a filler panel
- Had one loose bolt holding on both the rear shocks
- String holding in the tranny modulator valve
- Removed RH exhaust heat valve for power
- Made his own rear light harness

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1970 Chevy Custom El Camino
Originally was & will be Green Mist & Silver w/Green Vinyl Top (now black/black)
350ci/300HP 4bbl & Dual Exhaust
TH-350 - 2.73 Posi Rear - Factory PS, PDB, PW, Tilt, A/C & More
1987 Chevy Caprice Coupe (spare car)
Other Restorations - 1967 Sears Custom 600 Tractor

 

I went to look at a 68 El Camino, they guy was selling it because he had installed a rebuilt motor but couldn't get it to start. He turned the motor over with the starter to show it wasn't frozen. I asked if he made sure it had gas, he said that it did. When I got it home I put gas in it and low and behold it started right up. Who would have thought.

Steve R.

 

Ever wonder what a chevelle looks like coils from a Cadilac under the back?

Need I say more.

one other thing. To start the car one used a Large plunger haning from the dash. Nuetral safety switch my ass.

The solenoid wire itself was 5 seperate pieces of wire.

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-Just call me Otis
71' 3880# with me. Big Block 402, Merlin oval heads, 10.2:1CR, TH400, 3.73 posi,
1/8th: 8.0 @ 88mph
BEST 60': 1.85 w/street tires.
BEST 1/4: 12.5 with 1.89 sixty foot (street tires)
BEST MPH: 109mph

Picture of me roasting the tires and other guy stuff
Video of me staging (smoke of course)

 

My now wife at the time girlfriends 75 Nova when purchased by her father asked if it had any body word done to it? the owner replyed "yes, under the side quarter window glass behind the door window was rusted out on both side but I fixed it the right way." apparently he was very proud of fact he had taken the time to do it right.

When My father-in-law tore into the car for a complete paint job, he discovered about 1.5" of bondo followed up with about 2 sunday papers worth of newspaper stuffed in the rusty hole.

 

When I talked to the original owner of my car I asked him what happened to ALL of the original drive train.

12 bolt posi, "The good ol' boy up town swapped it out for a good 10 bolt when I broke an axle".

The original big block, " Same good ol' boy put me in a good 350 when it started smokin".

400 turbo trani, "Same good ol' boy put me in a new 350 turbo".

I bet I know where there's a good ol' boy with a good ol' bb hot rod.

About the worst thing I did was put cardboard in the trunk to fill in the rusted out 1/4's on a 68 GTO convertible and paint it red to match the car. Hey, it didn't look to bad from a distance.

Cal

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TC Member # 1308

my trailer queen
future racer
justins 67
cals caminos web site

[This message has been edited by 72sselcamino (edited 08-29-2002).]

 

Geez, I don't know where to start. Original column shift nob replaced with an 8 ball. Didn't take long to learn not to close the door with the engine running. The impact combined with the weight of the 8 ball would cause it to drop into gear.

All AC underhood stuff removed (in AZ?)and all interior ducting removed.

Station wagon springs in the rear and intentionally broken shocks in the front, possibly with big block springs (car is a sb.)

Home made dual exhaust with a Y pipe attached to one manifold. One part of the Y bolted to the manifold, the other part clamped and welded closed.

JJ, do you remember anything else? Every time I take something apart I find something else. I think I have the Frankenstein of Chevelles!

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Honey, its not a $200 hat. The distributor was $200, the hat came with it. kevin d
Classic Cars and Trucks of Beaufort #03
TC #1108
ACES #4586

 

Well the previous owner of my car had a couple of neat things they added to make it better. One was courtesy lights in the sail panels next to the back window.

There gone now and then there was a shorted wire under the dash that was without insulation.

I think the best one was the patch panels that the owner had welded on was done where the seams were ontop of the original panel so there was a nice hump to the bottom of the front fender and bottom rear quarter behind the back wheel. Oh and the acorn nuts on the lugs wouldn't allow them to be tightened enough to snug up the rally wheels to the hubs.

I have seen much worse on other cars like the 68 my folks got for me and my sister to share while drining to high school. I think the entire car was bondo and some places it was 2" to 3"'s thick. That car didn't last much more that 2 yrs before it crumbled.

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Deon
72SS454 Clone
Website

 

1) A painted carburetor
2) Patches riveted in the trunk right through the gas tank!
3) Rubber hose used to replace a rusted brake line. (which of course was swollen and busted from the fluid attacking the rubber)
4) 6X9 " speaker holes cut into rear shelf with what appears to have been done with an AX! (and probably done by a blind guy too)
5) Headlight buckets painted red. (remember everyone painting things on their cars like gas tanks, wheel wells red in the 80's?)

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Bob (Pa.)

1963 Impala 283
1966 Chevelle SS 409
1969 Malibu 307
1972 Malibu 307
1969 C10 stepside 350
1971 Cheyenne 20 3/4 ton
Somebody stop me...

Looking for Chevelle or Impala parts? Click here:
Chevelle parts for sale

The 348/409 Chevrolet forum
http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/187005

 

On my 69, the teenage previous owner had invested about $1,000 in a stereo system, but the car had a bent right rear wheel, bent right rear backing plate, and bent right rear axle. Also had no brakes, carpet worn through to the floorpan, "maypop" tires, and an engine/tranny combo that leaked from every conceivable seal and/or gasket. Hey, gotta have tunes I guess, right?

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Mike Newby

69 Chevelle 355/TH200-4R
97 Grand Prix GTP
64 Chevy C10 Pickup
79 Suzuki GS550

 

Hoseclamps on a driveshaft to balance it.
Did a ford 289 firing order on 350 chevy. Tough the cam was the wrong one for the motor, he work on it for three days and sold the car to me. His words[ I am a ford man, not into chevy] maybe you can get the dam thing running.

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70 vett conv
34 3 window coupe
66 malibu
Go speed racer, Go speed racer, go

 

Bought a 67 SS project from a guy and asked why it comes with another frame. He said the original was damaged. They hit something with the front and put all new GM sheet metal front end but the frame was cracked and they just welded a plate over the crack. Might have worked but the weld job was so poor I put a screw driver under the plate and popped it of by hand! They had been driving around with the front clip getting ready to snap off at the frame!!

 

I hope I don't have to limit this to Chevelles.

I bought an '82 Mazda pickup from a friend of my brothers. Paid $300 for it 9 years ago, and I still have it.

When I bought it, the guy told me he just had the brakes replaced by a mechanic in Houston.

I took the rear drums off because I thought I heard a slight metallic sound.

I found the brake shop put the brake adjusters back in on the wrong sides. One had actually adjusted in, and fell out. The tube part got bent more than 90 degrees at the fork, and was hung up on the emergency brake cable inside the drum. HOLY CRAP.

They were stamped R and L, yet they still got them in backwards.

Dave

 

-Front quarter markers painted red. One of which is a wrong side lamp turned upside down.

-Rear deck lid has holes cut big enough for two 12" speakers.

Other than that, the guy was a mechanic. so all of his fixes where functional to say the least.

------------------
-Just call me Otis
71' 3880# with me. Big Block 402, Merlin oval heads, 10.2:1CR, TH400, 3.73 posi,
1/8th: 8.0 @ 88mph
BEST 60': 1.85 w/street tires.
BEST 1/4: 12.5 with 1.89 sixty foot (street tires)
BEST MPH: 109mph

Picture of me roasting the tires and other guy stuff
Video of me staging (smoke of course)

 

7 yrs back I was a rookie in buying a classic so I have an excuse for not checking out the car more closely

I bought a 66, the brakes didn't feel right, it had a dual master cylinder. The section for the rear brakes was empty, filled it, it leaked. Pulled the rear drums off the not original 12 bolt rear. The insides were a pile of rust and the last time the shoes were replaced they were installed backwards.

Andy
MD Chevelle Club #206

 

On my '72 I had (and sold) the guy was a "mechanic" I bought it from. He had put a close ratio steering box in, it was supposed to be 3 turns to the left, and 3 right. I guess it wasn't in the cnter when the steering shaft was put buck on because I got 4 turns to the right and 2 to the left. I can't tell you how many 3 point turns I did just to make it through those drive-thru's..

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JR
TC #1098
My 69 Convertible
Body work and interior started June 02 - UPDATED 8/26/02

My 2001 Z28 - LS1

 

Hmmmmm,
How about installing a 2 tone Grey and Black Velor interior, accented with a pink heartbeat line across the door panels.

I guess I should've saved them for somebody with pimp taste, but I burned em.

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ACES member:#3722
68 SS-396 Best E.T. 13.533@106.42 m.p.h.
1st Car 1984-86, original 6cyl, then 74-350, then 327, then 454
68 Corvette In the Family for 20 years.

 

On my 67's fuse panel, the fuse for the wipers is wrapped in tin foil esque wrigleys gum wrapper to make the connection....I actually have left it this way

On my firebird, when I did my first oil change on it, I found a piece of toast wedged in between the oil pan and the frame....guess someone from Jiffy Lube got a little careless with his breakfast that day.

 

I just purchased an 88 IROCZ TPI 305 and somebody took the intake off and reused the old gaskets and held them in place with the yellow weather strip adhesive. If you have ever used it before you know it is stringy. They had the stringy mess over all of the intake runners. When they were hooking the electricals back up they hooked a vacuum hose up to an electrical connection.
The fuel pump in the tank wasn't working so they cut supply line in the engine bay and installed an electric pump.
I can already see the headaches that I am going to have getting this car running.

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Nathan Brandt
The more cubes the better!!!
70 SS 396 4spd under restoration
71 SS 454 clone 8.8 1/8 on pump gas and 8" slicks
60' 1.949 & 77 MPH
Team Chevelle # 1143
ACES # 5391
My 71 SS 454 clone