El Camino project car

[hotrodalex]

Ended up getting a new battery a couple of weeks ago. Put the new steering wheel on today, looks pretty sharp.

Probably going to lower the front down another inch or so and then get an alignment. Should be ready to go for the most part, just gotta get the seatbelts in. Everything else is just finishing it off, not necessarily parts needed for it to drive.

[Rupert]

Nice!

[hotrodalex]

Of course I have to take it off again because I forgot to change the ignition switch (got new locks a long time and held off on doing the ignition until I did this)

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Now are you gonna cut the dash for your stereo or go with an under dash/glovebox set up?

[hotrodalex]

Now are you gonna cut the dash for your stereo or go with an under dash/glovebox set up?

Probably gonna keep it in the same place, since the stereo in it is junk (like you can see). If it had a nice old school stereo in it I might think about keeping it and relocating the new unit, but since I haven't kept any other part of the car stock I don't see the need to buy a new retro unit and one for the glovebox too.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Probably gonna keep it in the same place, since the stereo in it is junk (like you can see). If it had a nice old school stereo in it I might think about keeping it and relocating the new unit, but since I haven't kept any other part of the car stock I don't see the need to buy a new retro unit and one for the glovebox too.

That makes sense. I really wanna get my hands on a project like this. Rite now I'm planning on doing some things to my F-150. Maybe a flat black with black wheels. Since my daughter will be 16 next year I'm giving her my Corolla and the Ford wil see more action. As of now it's just rusting away. I've been trying to get my moms friend to let go of his 70 Chevelle vert but he won't budge!

[hotrodalex]

That makes sense. I really wanna get my hands on a project like this. Rite now I'm planning on doing some things to my F-150. Maybe a flat black with black wheels. Since my daughter will be 16 next year I'm giving her my Corolla and the Ford wil see more action. As of now it's just rusting away. I've been trying to get my moms friend to let go of his 70 Chevelle vert but he won't budge!

Somethin' like that?

It'd look sweet painted flat black with some fat rubber in the back. If you don't plan on using the bed much you could get some tubs (or mini-tubs) too. Though I don't know if I've ever seen super wide black rims besides on Top Fuel cars.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Just like that  . The bed will get use hauling my bike (when I don't use my work van) or the quad I'm planning on picking up. But not any serious hauling. I really wish it was a 4x4 but I can deal with 4x2 for the lil bit of driving that will do with it.

[hotrodalex]

I don't think the El Camino will do any hauling either. I plan on getting a cover and maybe even a wood bed. I saw a display in Bowling Green that had removable wood beds that sit on top of the metal. Would be great for car shows and stuff and they said it's pretty durable so I would probably just keep it in.

Cover: http://www.craftecinc.com/index.php

Wood: http://bedwoodandparts.com/

The wood is at least a grand, though.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I love wood beds! That would be really nice in your ride. The wood would look nice with the bright red paint!

[hotrodalex]

So I went to work on a custom center console and have now decided to start all over. I was making a cardboard mock-up and was going to integrate the console into the dash. There were a few minor issues, but the heater outlet would have been blocked. That's no good. The car already doesn't have A/C, don't wanna lose the heater too. So now I'm back in the drawing stages. I think I'll just keep the console flat and not bother joining it with the dash. I'll still have an arm rest and place for a sub woofer, though. From the shifter back it won't change.

I also scrubbed some rust off the bottom of the doors that started to develop. Looks much better.

[hotrodalex]

My dad finally started to put his tubular control arms on his Camaro, plus new springs and a beefier sway bar. While doing this he had a great idea - since he got a new sway bar, we could just put the old one on the El Camino. I think it's only 1-1/8, but it's better than what it on there now (nothing). Should work until I upgrade the rest of the suspension (which is on the bottom of the list)

[Rupert]

Nice.

[hotrodalex]

Seat belts are in! Well, the lap belts at least. The shoulder harnesses won't be installed for a while, since I'll have to weld in a roll bar of sorts to mount them. I'll probably do that when I start putting together the console and sound system, since I'll have to plan out how it'll all fit.





The original plan was to use homemade brackets, but those weren't going to allow any movement of the belt where it was bolted into the bracket. So plan B was the eyebolts and snap hooks. They worked great, especially since we found pre-fabbed threads in the middle of the crossmember. Only problem is that the bolts are a bit long and get a bit close to the driveshaft, so I'll probably have to order some shorter ones.

[hotrodalex]

Fedex just delivered some tubular control arms. Those will go on soon, when I lower the front end and put the sway bar on.

[hotrodalex]

No more wheel gap!





Put the driver's side lower control arm on today. Meant to do a lot more, but the stupid bolt connecting the old one to the frame was rusted to the metal sleeve and wouldn't come out, so we had to cut it out and bang on it with a hammer for about 2 hours. And it kept raining on and off so we kept stopping. But finally got the old one off, cut one coil off the spring, and put the new tubular control arm on and put the spring back in. Hopefully the upper arm will come off/go on easier.

Looking at that picture, it seems like the camber is off. Not surprising, but I didn't notice it looking at it in person. Weird. Doesn't matter though, since the first thing on the list is to get an alignment after I get everything else on.

[Mustangfan2003]

I'll race you in my Benz, a long distance race that is. 

[hotrodalex]

Am I allowed to add another couple of gas tanks in the bed?

[Mustangfan2003]

Two 5 gallon jugs?  Sure I'll even allow that. 

[Rupert]

Looking good.

[hotrodalex]

Two 5 gallon jugs?  Sure I'll even allow that. 

I was thinkin at least a 50 gallon tank.

Looking good.

Thanks!

[Secret Chimp]

This car needs to have fatty rear wheels compared to the fronts. Throw some Rallys on that bitch.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Looks good Alex! But lets get some paint on those calipers!!!!

[hotrodalex]

This car needs to have fatty rear wheels compared to the fronts. Throw some Rallys on that bitch.

Once this set of tires wear out, I'll probably get new wheels and keep these for winter tires. New wheels will be 17s or 18s, with some fat rubber in the back.

I like these a lot: http://www.americanracing.com/wheels/?wheelid=SB4273&siteid=1&groupid=74&page1=1



Haven't decided if they would look right on an El Camino, though, since they are from a Shelby Cobra.

Looks good Alex! But lets get some paint on those calipers!!!!

Yeah, should have painted the calipers and master cylinder when I got them. Oh well. It's on the to-do list, but since it's not necessary to make it drivable, probably won't happen for awhile.

[Secret Chimp]

Once this set of tires wear out, I'll probably get new wheels and keep these for winter tires. New wheels will be 17s or 18s, with some fat rubber in the back.

I like these a lot: http://www.americanracing.com/wheels/?wheelid=SB4273&siteid=1&groupid=74&page1=1



Haven't decided if they would look right on an El Camino, though, since they are from a Shelby Cobra.

Yeah, should have painted the calipers and master cylinder when I got them. Oh well. It's on the to-do list, but since it's not necessary to make it drivable, probably won't happen for awhile.

Nooo, don't put huge-diameter rims on an old car, it just looks wrong.

[img]http://images2.carsforsale.com/319174/3203ED0C-B5F1-4906-8FA9-45FB11ABD885_1.jpg[/quote]

Rally wheeeels

[Cookie Monster]

Nooo, don't put huge-diameter rims on an old car, it just looks wrong.

[img]http://images2.carsforsale.com/319174/3203ED0C-B5F1-4906-8FA9-45FB11ABD885_1.jpg

Rally wheeeels

Those wheels are boring.

[hotrodalex]

17s aren't huge.

And I got the two upper controls arms on today. The camber is wayyyyyyy off on the driver's side now, I probably shouldn't have taken out all of the shims. Not sure I want to even drive it to the alignment shop like that.

[hotrodalex]

All done! At least, mostly. I think all that's left is finishing greasing the bearings (ran out, still have 3 left to do) and get an alignment.

Can't wait to see how differently it drives, especially with the sway bar.

[hotrodalex]

Oh, and we have to finish putting in the new wiring harness before it's drivable.

Next step is start the interior. Gotta fix any and all leaks and then I can clean up the floorboards and put in new weather striping. Some insulation and carpet will finish it for the most part. Then I can start on the custom center console and sound system.

[Rupert]

Cool! What did you do on the suspension?