🔧 BUILD Shawns 1971 Impala Donk

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

General Information

1688879068474.png


***Check out the tabs to save you the headache of reading this whole thread, also post 3 has a current mod list***

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.

cap42

Restoration Hell
Mar 22, 2005
2,763
2,429
Bolingbrook IL
Originally when it was painted last year, they stripped the trunk lid and header panel to bare metal as thats all they recommended it needed.
I had issues arise on the hood since then and when I brought the car back they recommending stripping down to the bare metal, and applying some sealant before repainting. The sanding to bare metal and repaint was on his dime, the only thing I was going to pay for was the sealant. Well after stripping it down to bare metal they found the flash rust all over the place. Hard to get pics of it, but I saw it first hand and it was like cancer, it was fucking everywhere. The new hood that I bought looked really good, we had that one blasted and when it came back from the blaster it was worse than my original hood, like way worse. That shit was all in the nooks and crannies.

As mentioned, this flash rust shit is foreign to me. I asked a buddy of mine who owns a body shop in the city. He also said if its as bad as I described the hood is fucked. I'm not even remotely thinking he is trying to fuck me in any way, shape, or form. He has stood behind his work and the other issues are 100% on his dime no questions asked.
That's the shitty thing about painting a car with paint already on it, you never know what's underneath or how good the person was that did it..

Any unprepared steel panel will instantly start to rust if it's not treated or coated with something to prevent the air from chemically turning the steel to rust. Metal that has pits in it can still be saved and have a good long lasting paint applied over it. It just takes all the necessary prep work such as treating or removing active rust. Then sealing it in a epoxy. If you look at all the pics and videos of my nova 90% of it sat in bare steel for a few years. Lots of areas where flash rust started to happen. I mechanically removed as much rust as possible and then did a rust neutralizer or converter, clean, prep and now it's sitting in epoxy. I don't expect to see any rust pop back unless I didn't do something right.

I'm not nitpicking, but unless the metal is deteriorated to where it's thinner than it needs to be. I would think your painters should be able to stop the rust in its tracks, seal it up with epoxy and body work over it and you or anyone else should never know what the metal underneath looks like. Just trying to help you out without having to spend a crap ton of money on patching two hoods together and all the bodywork that will be needed.
 

Shawn1112

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2010
34,864
104,438
Streamwood
That's the shitty thing about painting a car with paint already on it, you never know what's underneath or how good the person was that did it..

Any unprepared steel panel will instantly start to rust if it's not treated or coated with something to prevent the air from chemically turning the steel to rust. Metal that has pits in it can still be saved and have a good long lasting paint applied over it. It just takes all the necessary prep work such as treating or removing active rust. Then sealing it in a epoxy. If you look at all the pics and videos of my nova 90% of it sat in bare steel for a few years. Lots of areas where flash rust started to happen. I mechanically removed as much rust as possible and then did a rust neutralizer or converter, clean, prep and now it's sitting in epoxy. I don't expect to see any rust pop back unless I didn't do something right.

I'm not nitpicking, but unless the metal is deteriorated to where it's thinner than it needs to be. I would think your painters should be able to stop the rust in its tracks, seal it up with epoxy and body work over it and you or anyone else should never know what the metal underneath looks like. Just trying to help you out without having to spend a crap ton of money on patching two hoods together and all the bodywork that will be needed.
That’s the issue, it’s thinning out in a few areas. Some spots more than others. Hence the reason he is cutting metal from the hood I bought and cutting metal out of my original hood.
 

cap42

Restoration Hell
Mar 22, 2005
2,763
2,429
Bolingbrook IL
Disclaimer: I'm not being sarcastic.

How will that respond to bondo/filler?? Bondo might be your friend here.
Totally wrong thing to do if you want a quality job to last. Bondo or body filler will soak up moisture making the metal rust worse and then it will crack. Plus that will be a weak area especially on a panel that moves/flexes.
 

Shawn1112

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2010
34,864
104,438
Streamwood
you tell mario hi? :)
He wasnt there, just Joe and Bob if I remember the others guys name, I'm horrible with names
Congrats ~600rwhp is great.

Did he lock the converter?

How are those a/w setups configured, two lines going to a tank that has an electric pump?
Thanks

Meaning what, we drove it on the street to get the shifts dialed in and he adjusted the lockup to 55mph at 30% if that sounds right
He did highly recommend getting a Circle D converter which I plan on doing. I guess the converter in there now is holding me back

Yes
 

BOTTLEFED

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Mar 7, 2015
2,699
5,477
He wasnt there, just Joe and Bob if I remember the others guys name, I'm horrible with names

Thanks

Meaning what, we drove it on the street to get the shifts dialed in and he adjusted the lockup to 55mph at 30% if that sounds right
He did highly recommend getting a Circle D converter which I plan on doing. I guess the converter in there now is holding me back

Yes
Yeah i forgot, it was his kids communion today, and yes bob is the fab guy over there, hes a bad mofo with a welder/fabrication. Hes done a few things for me that other people that were supposedly "the best welders" couldnt do lol.

Congrats on the numbers!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shawn1112

Shawn1112

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2010
34,864
104,438
Streamwood
What a fucking day. Picked her up from the body shop, put like 8 gallons of 93 in it. Get on the EOE and she was running like shit, felt like she was missing.
Pulled over and popped the hood, quick visual inspection didnt show me nothing. Fuel pressure, oil pressure, and AFR looked good, so I drove it like that to Sycamore.
My thought was bad plug or a plug wire came loose when the body shop pulled the inner wheel wells off. Get it to the tuner, tell him whats going on, tells us to pull a plug. We do and these plugs only had 200 miles on them and were caked from running super rich. He had one of them old school plug cleaners, so we had to pull all the plugs, he cleaned them and we tossed them back in. Fired her up and she was fine. Although we also suspect my O2 is going bad as they are fucking notorious for that with these Holley systems. I guess its the shitty design by Bosch. So I'm going to order 2 so I have a spare. I had that fucker go bad on my Regal twice.

Got some miles on her, took 64 from Sycamore to Strats as Chi Inc had their season opener. She feels strong and I'm very happy.
From a dig it just blows the fucking tires off, so I need some seat time to figure her out.
Leaving Strats had a BMW that wanted to play, dropped it in 3rd and hit it and within 4-5 seconds I had him by a few cars.
Final pull and #'s were at 20 degrees of timing and that was keeping it more on the safe side on pump gas. Pulled a plug and he was happy with the timing mark.

Well, we also semi fixed my coolant temps running hot. One fan was missing the relay so fan #2 wasnt turning on. Popped a relay in and it worked.
Temps still climbed while in traffic but nowhere near where they were. I bought a T-Stat for an LQ4 and apparently I was supposed to buy what my water pump requires being its not the OG water pump.
 

Thread Info