🔧 BUILD Shawns 1971 Impala Donk

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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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Brakes are done outside of bedding the pads, will do that tomorrow.

New 160 T stat is in, fans were adjusted to come on sooner to compensate for the 160. Let the car idle for about 20 min and temps never climbed hire than 180. But the true test will be when I drive it.

Got my Holley screen to read ethanol content, currently sitting at 62%

New o2 is in, but same issue on start up with the AF going to 32-35 then within 30 seconds it reads as it should. Called the tuner and he said it might be a software issue and we need to update to the newest version. Might do that tomorrow.

Checked everything over from the blower install and everything looked to be good.
 

01bluesnake

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Brakes are done outside of bedding the pads, will do that tomorrow.

New 160 T stat is in, fans were adjusted to come on sooner to compensate for the 160. Let the car idle for about 20 min and temps never climbed hire than 180. But the true test will be when I drive it.

Got my Holley screen to read ethanol content, currently sitting at 62%

New o2 is in, but same issue on start up with the AF going to 32-35 then within 30 seconds it reads as it should. Called the tuner and he said it might be a software issue and we need to update to the newest version. Might do that tomorrow.

Checked everything over from the blower install and everything looked to be good.

Double check the setting in the Holley match the sensor type/part number being used. 32-35 AFR definitely seems like a calibration or software setting, most cars won't run past 18-19AFR
 

Shawn1112

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Double check the setting in the Holley match the sensor type/part number being used. 32-35 AFR definitely seems like a calibration or software setting, most cars won't run past 18-19AFR
I'll double check it tomorrow. You will know better than me, but from what I have gathered. The Terminator only takes the Bosch o2 sensor that comes with the Holley Terminator. No other o2 will work with it, and there has been talk of the new software allowing a different o2, but that hasnt happened yet. They are notorious for going bad. So I would assume thats whats programmed in the Holley, but as mentioned I will double check it
This is the 3rd one to go bad on 2 different vehicles. I guess the Dominator takes a different sensor and has a totally different plug.
 

01bluesnake

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I'll double check it tomorrow. You will know better than me, but from what I have gathered. The Terminator only takes the Bosch o2 sensor that comes with the Holley Terminator. No other o2 will work with it, and there has been talk of the new software allowing a different o2, but that hasnt happened yet. They are notorious for going bad. So I would assume thats whats programmed in the Holley, but as mentioned I will double check it
This is the 3rd one to go bad on 2 different vehicles. I guess the Dominator takes a different sensor and has a totally different plug.

I wasnt sure which holley you had, but yes they come with a Bosch. How far down the exhaust and what angle is the sensor mounted? Make sure its mounted or sitting between a 10 and 2 angle, 11-1 is more ideal so moisture will drip off, E85 attracts moisture like a mofo. if its too close to the engine, they wont last long. I try to place them just past the collector on long tubes, and with shorties and midpipe at least 24" back.
 

Shawn1112

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I wasnt sure which holley you had, but yes they come with a Bosch. How far down the exhaust and what angle is the sensor mounted? Make sure its mounted or sitting between a 10 and 2 angle, 11-1 is more ideal so moisture will drip off, E85 attracts moisture like a mofo. if its too close to the engine, they wont last long. I try to place them just past the collector on long tubes, and with shorties and midpipe at least 24" back.
I have long tubes and just off the top of my head, its sits about 6-8" behind the collector. Its right around a 10 and 2 angle
 
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Shawn1112

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Car is back home and the brakes feel insanely good, huge difference over the 2 piston set up. Now I actually trust them to stop in an oh shit moment if needed.

Again, I'm not familiar with these LS's and especially with a blower. I did like 85-90mph almost the whole way home on 290, temps never climbed above 205. They actually held steady between 203-205 at those speeds. On the EOE there was a state trooper so I did like 60-65mph and temps stayed in the 192-195 range. I dont know what normal is on a LSA blower car. Fans are set to come on at 175 and the 2nd at 190.

Almost at the finish line with her. Needs to go back to the painter for my hood, AC, and the final polish. Then 01bluesnake 01bluesnake is going to fab up a custom intake tube for me.
 

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Went and paid 01bluesnake 01bluesnake a visit today. He is going to get parts ordered and fab me up an intake tube. Not much room to play with, but he came up with what we hope is a solid idea. I mentioned to him about the coolant temps running a little warm, especially with it being hotter out today. He suspects the high IAT's are contributing to it, sort of a domino effect. Sure as shit, the ride home I watched both at the same time. IAT's start climbing into the 145-155ish range, the coolant temp also went up to 205-208. IAT's came down and a couple of minutes later the coolant temps dropped.
 

Turbocharged400sbc

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I've never seen my cressida look good before. That was till today when I looked over and saw it reflected in the spinning copper vortex of this rolling monster shortly before I was startled by an angry LSux battling to accelerate the earth away from under a great lakes iron ore barge.

I'm at jewel now looking to grab some A&W root beer and Vanilla Ice cream.

Who's the hottie riddin shotty?

Lookin fine dude, the car too!
 

Shawn1112

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Shawn1112 Shawn1112 were you cruisin west down Bowes rd. in Elgin Saturday evening? I caught what looked like an Impala on big rims going the other way as we were heading to get dinner in the family appliance.
Not I, I started drinking around noon Saturday so the Impala wasnt moving lol
 

Shawn1112

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This fucking car will be the death of me. Nothing at all has ever went smoothly on it.
Get it up on a lift today to install my Circle D converter. Everything goes smoothly until we put it back together.
It wont bolt up to the existing flex plate, FML. Luckily Circle D had one in stock that they could overnight. Only blessing there is the overnight shipping was only $45 which shocked me. I was figuring at least $100 or more. I jinxed myself too, I was saying, damn this has went so easy and smoothly as we knocked it out in under 2hrs, but nope, I had to open my fucking mouth lol.
 

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Thanks 01bluesnake 01bluesnake @Jon01 @DEEZUZ Pro Stock John Pro Stock John and whoever else chimed in regarding my high IAT issues. I drained my HX system, thru the vacuum on it. Filled with the same tool. Just took her out for about 20 minutes. 4-5 WOT pulls, a couple of hard launches. IAT’s never went higher than 145ish. However the part that gives me confidence that air might have been the issue. They dropped immediately, pretty much as soon as I let off, they dropped and dropped fast. From 140 to 130 in a blink of an eye. That never happened, when they dropped it would be very slow. I know the true test will come when it’s hot AF out again. But fingers crossed.

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