🔧 BUILD Shawns 1971 Impala Donk

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Interior/Top
LS Swap
Wheels
Sounds/Music
Suspension/Brakes
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BOOST TIME!!!!

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Well boys and girls my new project is finally home. Ive always had a hard on for the Donks (71-76 Caprice or Impala) and always told myself since 1994 that I was eventually going to build one. My buddy mike at the time had a 74 Caprice Vert with 30's and Vouges (google them if you dont know what they are) basically 30 spoke cragars and vouge tires. Its a classic old school gangster look. Over the years he built a few more and sold them and always offered them to me first and I declined because of my love of G Body's as well. When I bought the Regal a couple years ago, I really looked hard at the Donks and believe it or not they were going for half of what they are going for now. Even last summer they coulda been had for about a 1/3rd less maybe a little less for what they are going for now. I was set on a 71 or a 75 for 2 reasons. 71 is the most sought after and fetches the most money as its known as the ACE. 75 because it was the year I was born, and thought that would be pretty cool. Didnt care if it was a HT or Vert, kinda preferred that HT as I dont think Chgo weather is weather for Verts. Pay a extra $10k for a Vert, no thanks.

So when my buddy and I made a deal for the Regal months ago and I knew he was serious. I got serious in my search for a donk. As most of you know I went to Miami for 4 days last month. Had a shit load of them lined up to look at and found either garbage or guys that wouldnt move off what I thought was too high of a price. Few that I thought were too high, have actually sold since then, so I'm thinking price wasnt too high. While in Miami I met this dude Josh and him and I clicked and became friends. Super cool white boy who is in to donks as well, not generally something you see white boys building. He told me he would keep his eyes and ears open and if close enough would do the leg work for me. But told me if he found something I would have to hi-tail my ass down there asap as when they are priced right they sell in hours. Just so happened we decided to go down to Orlando this weekend because we found $61 RT airfare and the biggest donk/g body show just was going on. Figured I might be able to buy something there. Called Josh to tell him we were coming down and if he planned on taking his car to Orlando. He said he might know of a 71 going up for sale with a motivated buyer. I said well fuck let me know asap.

Touched down in Orlando Friday night and had to be up early Saturday to cruise to Ft Lauderdale to see this 71. Pull up to this gated community with $1m+ townhomes and get buzzed in by security. Pull up to the house and she was sitting in driveway and looked as clean as the pics I was sent. Took it for a ride, BSing with Josh, my buddy Ralphy and the owner of the car. Talking about everything from sports to woman to cars. Come to find out this rich fuck is a collector and has 2 other 71's besides the one I bought, and just purchased another on top of 6-7 other cars he has. I guess the Wife has a rule, every time he gets a new one something has to go lol. While BSing I kinda feel him out and get the idea he doesnt want this car going to a black guy who is going to ruin it with big wheels and a LS swap lol. So I played my white privilege card with him. He was asking $25k and very easily had him down to $20k. My final offer was $17.5k and he said he would sleep on it. Told him if he agreed in the morning then it was his job to get it to Orlando before Sunday night. He woke me up about 8am saying the car was mine and was on the way to Orlando. He showed up, we exchanged cash and paperwork, took it off the trailer and parked it at my Airbnb. We were going out for the day/night, so I pulled the coil so the fucker wouldnt start in case someone wanted to steal it lol. Also backed it in so a tow truck would have a hard time stealing it as well.

Talked to a few of the Chgo guys down there for the show and got lucky as one of the haulers had room for me to get her home. Car was dropped off in Midlothian today at $how and Go Customz and turns out Playboy a friend of mine just opened that shop up. Does nothing but suspension and motor work. Talked pricing about shortening my rear end, coilovers all the way around, new axels and adjustable control arms to squat this car. Basically a "California Lean". Front end will sit at stock height with a 26" rim and the rear end will squat 3-4" lower. I have some 26" Billets but probably going to put new barrels on the rear rims. Right now they are a 5.5" lip and I want that 7" lip on the rear, hence the reason for shortening the rear end. Most of you think of Donk and think of those 71-76 sitting on fucking 4x4 suspensions with 30" wheels. Yes those are donks as well, but not the look I'm shooting for.

Shawn1112

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Your car will be a lot of fun with the new combo and the 4.10 gears.
This ^^^^^^
Its not going to be a big wheel grudge car or a big wheel shootout car. I dont give a fuck who is faster or who's car looks better.
Someone pulls next to me at a light, he can get it or he can give it to me, NFG.
 

Shawn1112

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That’s escalated quickly. Joker do the porting on that thing?
Yup, and Brett is a super cool dude and did me a HUGE solid.
I didnt have time to wait for his standard lead time on a port job. Told him my story and why I needed this done asap.
He had a ported core that he was waiting for 4-5 months for the dude to pay or something along those lines. He said to bring my blower in and he would swap my guts into the ported core. I drove out to him early this morning. He knocked it out in like 30-45 min and I BS'd with him for about an hour. It turns out we know some of the same people including Satera. He spoke very highly of Jeremy, but he wasnt telling me anything I dont know lol. Told me his story about how he got in the biz as well, talked to me like we knew each other for years like if we were sitting in the bar lol.
How much $$ you think you will have into the motor?
$20ish including the swap and everything needed for the swap.
NEVER add it up.
Believe me, I dont.
Usually when I sell a car, I will try and figure it out and see how I did.
 

Bob Kazamakis

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Yup, and Brett is a super cool dude and did me a HUGE solid.
I didnt have time to wait for his standard lead time on a port job. Told him my story and why I needed this done asap.
He had a ported core that he was waiting for 4-5 months for the dude to pay or something along those lines. He said to bring my blower in and he would swap my guts into the ported core. I drove out to him early this morning. He knocked it out in like 30-45 min and I BS'd with him for about an hour. It turns out we know some of the same people including Satera. He spoke very highly of Jeremy, but he wasnt telling me anything I dont know lol. Told me his story about how he got in the biz as well, talked to me like we knew each other for years like if we were sitting in the bar lol.

$20ish including the swap and everything needed for the swap.

Believe me, I dont.
Usually when I sell a car, I will try and figure it out and see how I did.
He used to be on the site a ton, can’t say I’ve seen him post in a while Mook Mook
 
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DEEZUZ

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Yup, and Brett is a super cool dude and did me a HUGE solid.
I didnt have time to wait for his standard lead time on a port job. Told him my story and why I needed this done asap.
He had a ported core that he was waiting for 4-5 months for the dude to pay or something along those lines. He said to bring my blower in and he would swap my guts into the ported core. I drove out to him early this morning. He knocked it out in like 30-45 min and I BS'd with him for about an hour. It turns out we know some of the same people including Satera. He spoke very highly of Jeremy, but he wasnt telling me anything I dont know lol. Told me his story about how he got in the biz as well, talked to me like we knew each other for years like if we were sitting in the bar lol.

$20ish including the swap and everything needed for the swap.

Believe me, I dont.
Usually when I sell a car, I will try and figure it out and see how I did.
That's ashkum for ya
 
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Shawn1112

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That's ashkum for ya
I actually got lost as Google Maps takes you to the incorrect address. He said he tried getting Google to fix it but they wont.
Anyway, I cruised thru town, saw 2 bars across the street from each other (Mugsy's and didnt catch the name of the other) and 1 pizza place called Pizza Place or Palace. I could definitely do a weekend in that town if I had a reason to.
This thing is gonna be a tire fryer Shawn. You're gonna have so much fun with it.
Porting the blower was an excellent choice - 700w is a big #, that torque curve is gonna be amazing.
Man, dont I know. Sometimes on IG I see tire shops doing specials on 26" tires. I'm probably going to have to grab about 4 of them just so I have them lol.
 
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1quick

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I really shouldnt be that high, I'm thinking in the 750-900whp range now.
Here is my thing bro, the bottom end is being built. Why not turn it up now instead of doing all this shit later and double handling everything.
Not only would I be double handling everything, then I need to get the tune revised when I turn it up. Fuck all that, do it all now and be done with it.
Have them dial it in maxed out and just swap pulleys when you want more or less, or just leave it maxed out that’s usually how I roll lol
 

Shawn1112

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Picked up my motor this morning, and I totally forgot to take a picture of it lol. I just ordered new GM knock sensors, knock sensor grommets and a new valley pan gasket. Ive always been the type if its out of the car, might as well replace it. My motor is sitting at 10:3-1 and according to Brian that should be perfect.
New piston/rod combo is fully capable of going north of 1300hp. I believe my fueling (ID1300's and a dual 450lph) will support that as well if I ever turn it up.
My valley pan I had powder coated orange on the original build. So I'm going to spray paint it black on Monday, not worth paying to have it painted the same color of the car as you dont see much of it.

Now the tough part, getting that lazy fuck motivated to get started. He has 2 cars he is currently utilizing both of his lifts. I'm not mad at that as I get it, my car sitting on a lift is costing him money. He said both of those cars will be done by Tuesday and we will start on mine Wednesday and I have my doubts on that. If my car isnt at the suspension shop 2 weeks from Monday, then I wont be making it to World of Wheels. Because after suspension it needs to go back to the painter for a couple of weeks.
 

Shawn1112

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Okay, so like everything on this car, nothing can fucking go right. We got the motor and trans in, pulley kit installed.
Slapped the blower on and the fucking blower pulley isnt matching up with the pulley kit, its about 1" off. Called Jokerz and sent him pics, he said its a pulley issue with the kit I have. Called them about 5pm as they were closing, they said they want me to use their hub/pulley that comes with the kit. First of all my current hub is pressed in and their hub would need to be pressed in. 2nd, their pulley is too damn big, I'd probably lose 3-5lbs of boost and suffer belt slip. Its a shitty looking pulley imo. My ARP header bolts were too long, no biggie as I'll run out to Winners Circle tomorrow to grab some. New master/booster is in, old gas tank is out, all the old fuel plumbing is out. Oh yeah, my 370a alternator doesnt line up with this pulley kit either, so I have to order a new one. The kit comes with a 160a that I can use for now.

I just shot both Jokerz and CVF Racing emails looking for a solution. I'm thinking I might have to get a custom hub machined, but we will see.
The hub/pulley that comes with the kit is in the picture

Hub and Pulley.jpg


DB6191FB-7D04-4CEC-BED4-E89131F05F57.jpeg


51DD3F56-965E-40D0-826D-CE19928D0983.jpeg


E1846DB6-A71D-46BC-9B77-16B5B23FE245.jpeg
 

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