🔧 BUILD Shawns 1971 Impala Donk

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Interior/Top
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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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man,your in for a long Summer at cruise nights/shows
who painted this car?
how much did it cost?
can I have his #
who did the chrome?
do you want to sell it?
f'you just leave me alone & dont touch the car please/thank you..move on..j/k (but true)

you might get an offer you cant refuse..??
fkn car is going to look badass..congrats man.
Oh I’m going to enjoy the shit out of it the summer.

Rolandos in Elk Grove 847-228-5036

Wound up a little north of $13K. I got hit with a few extras, found 1 spot of rust with bondo, cut it out and put new metal. Trunk lid and header panel had to be sanded down to bare metal.

Millenium in Melrose Park doing the chrome and polishing. Still haven’t seen finished product.

Everything is for sale for the right price. Just know I turned down $50k prior to it being painted.

Thanks dude
 

Shawn1112

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Just a small update. Picked up all my trim and bumpers from the polisher and dropped it off at Rolandos. Everything was wrapped so no pics of that stuff. Just taking a peek thru the wrap the trim looked very good. We did unwrap the bumpers and they are a very good drivers quality. Which was what was expected. To get show quality it was about $1400 per bumper and a 6 month minimum wait. I didnt pay $1400 total for both bumpers and had them back in 6 weeks lol. The boys at Rolandos had a death in the family and have to take off for Tennessee tomorrow. They are going to be gone for a week, kind of sets us back a week but shit happens. If I had the trim back to them 1.5 weeks ago as planned they would be wrapping up with my car this week.

They fired up my car yesterday to check a few things. Asked if I had an exhaust leak, I said I think I do and Jeremy thought so as well. But I had it up on a lift and went thru it with a fine tooth comb and couldnt find it. I was going to try and rent a smoke machine when I got the car home. He has one and said he would take care of it for me. So thats one less issue I'll have to worry about. Its got a fluttering noise when its first started and as it gets up to temp it goes away. Almost wondering if its a bad muffler (Flow Master 40's). I bought them new, so who knows. Should no more in a couple of weeks.

Here is a skirt and one of the ears that go on the front fascia in the sun. Not wet sanded yet so if you see any flaws thats why.
Its almost impossible to catch the metallic flake, but its there lol

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FESTER665

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Just a small update. Picked up all my trim and bumpers from the polisher and dropped it off at Rolandos. Everything was wrapped so no pics of that stuff. Just taking a peek thru the wrap the trim looked very good. We did unwrap the bumpers and they are a very good drivers quality. Which was what was expected. To get show quality it was about $1400 per bumper and a 6 month minimum wait. I didnt pay $1400 total for both bumpers and had them back in 6 weeks lol. The boys at Rolandos had a death in the family and have to take off for Tennessee tomorrow. They are going to be gone for a week, kind of sets us back a week but shit happens. If I had the trim back to them 1.5 weeks ago as planned they would be wrapping up with my car this week.

They fired up my car yesterday to check a few things. Asked if I had an exhaust leak, I said I think I do and Jeremy thought so as well. But I had it up on a lift and went thru it with a fine tooth comb and couldnt find it. I was going to try and rent a smoke machine when I got the car home. He has one and said he would take care of it for me. So thats one less issue I'll have to worry about. Its got a fluttering noise when its first started and as it gets up to temp it goes away. Almost wondering if its a bad muffler (Flow Master 40's). I bought them new, so who knows. Should no more in a couple of weeks.

Here is a skirt and one of the ears that go on the front fascia in the sun. Not wet sanded yet so if you see any flaws thats why.
Its almost impossible to catch the metallic flake, but its there lol

View attachment 114680

View attachment 114681
Heard that they will be out for a few days so it might be another week for a quote for me, but also might have to look elsewhere because hes saying theyre already booked until next year with projects so we shall see.

Actually close to just saying fuck this car and selling everything because Im so tired of the no call backs, no timelines, no quotes, etc. Never had so many problems in life trying to pay people. :bowrofl:

Paint looks phenomenal though!
 
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OffshoreDrilling

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Heard that they will be out for a few days so it might be another week for a quote for me, but also might have to look elsewhere because hes saying theyre already booked until next year with projects so we shall see.

Actually close to just saying fuck this car and selling everything because Im so tired of the no call backs, no timelines, no quotes, etc. Never had so many problems in life trying to pay people. :bowrofl:

Paint looks phenomenal though!
Sell it all and get a 10 year loan on a car that’s already done
 

The Beast

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Heard that they will be out for a few days so it might be another week for a quote for me, but also might have to look elsewhere because hes saying theyre already booked until next year with projects so we shall see.

Actually close to just saying fuck this car and selling everything because Im so tired of the no call backs, no timelines, no quotes, etc. Never had so many problems in life trying to pay people. :bowrofl:

Paint looks phenomenal though!

Did u try the guy on IG?
 

Shawn1112

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Awesome.

A flutter sounds like exhaust. If you had an issue inside the muffler like one of the baffles is loose might sound like that or a like a rattle.
I'm leaning towards a bad muffler. As I said it was on a lift and myself and someone else could not find any sign of an exhaust leak.
Having them smoke it is costing me nothing, so might as well do it and rule it out if nothing is found.
 

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