🔧 BUILD Shawns 1971 Impala Donk

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Interior/Top
LS Swap
Wheels
Sounds/Music
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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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Damn dude, that looks like it’s sitting how you wanted it to already. Still planning on suspension work?
Absolutely, I’d like the back another inch lower. Drove it a few miles earlier and it 100% needs suspension work to make it perfect.
I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to like the wheels from the pic you posted of them off the car but GODDAMNIT that looks good.
That makes 2 of us. I love the look of them on the car.
 
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Five-0

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Man that thing is minty! I'm impressed the wheels just bolted up no problem on a stock suspension, lol. I wasn't sure on the wheels, but they look way better on and right at home. Are you going to leave it root beer colored or change it up?
 

Shawn1112

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Man that thing is minty! I'm impressed the wheels just bolted up no problem on a stock suspension, lol. I wasn't sure on the wheels, but they look way better on and right at home. Are you going to leave it root beer colored or change it up?
There is enough room for 26's on a stock suspension to mount and carefully drive it. But who wants to be careful lol. Cheapest way to go about it is do 2005 Chevy Impala SS springs in rear with air shocks and heavy duty box Chevy Caprice springs in front. Wont rub at all going that route but rough ride from what I have been told. Proper way is coilovers all the way around, dual adjustable trailing arms, very minor frame notch up front and an anti roll bar. If I go with a bigger lip on rears. Then we have to shorten the rear end and put new axles.

Probably will do a metallic or candy root beer. If I leave the top black which I'm leaning towards. Then the interior will be done in all black. If not the only color that would blend well with root beer is beige. So I would have to do the top beige and the interior as well. But that shit gets too damn dirty
 
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Shawn1112

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can you get all the interior parts in black? or would you have to have them dyed black?

root beer color with a tan inside and a tan top would look good on that car.
Dyed black on everything that cant be upholstered.
I agree 100%, but I dont want to have to worry about it getting dirty everytime I drive it.
 

Shawn1112

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more metallic and root beer variation would look sick. If going with a black interior what about adding some burlwood interior pieces that compliment the root beer and keep it vintage but unique.
Yup, already been discussed between my interior guy and myself. Not necessarily burlwood, but tying in some brown to the interior
Ever consider bagging it?

As for the rim polish, I don't think they make it anymore but I used to use Zoop seal on my old billet's. Such a PITA polishing them every week or two. Used Zoop seal on them and didn't have to polish them for the rest of the year.
I did and still an option, buddy of mine has his 74 bagged. Still planning on picking his brain a little on the bags
I remember Zoop from when I had Billets a while back as well. I'll also look in to it
 
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Shawn1112

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how many serious offers have you gotten?
Quite a few actually, but not enough money to make me think twice. Factoring in my trip to Miami last month and the trip to Orlando airfare was cheap as fuck, but then my airbnb's bar tabs, dinner tabs etc. I'd only make $1500 on the highest offer so far. In all honesty James and I know you have heard this before. This one might be a keeper, I like it that damn much. Dont get me wrong if someone offered me $30k right now, they could have it lol. But if I get deep in to this car financially, it will be a keeper.
By far my favorite TCG build thread of 2020. I almost pulled the trigger on one a few years ago when the prices weren’t nutty, was a local car. This was in like early 2017 I think.
Thanks man, and I really should have as well when I bought my Regal. Guarantee you I could have had it for $7500-$9k. Big reason I'm only doing 26's vs 28's or 30's is I dont want to start cutting the frame to make the wheels fit. Everything I do to this car, I want to be able to remove and retain the factory parts. Same reason I'm really leaning towards keeping all the bench seating vs buckets and a custom console that goes front to back. Besides that, I'm digging the bench seats and they have grown on me. I dont think the LS swap will be that big of a deal if I ever sold the car as close to original as possible. If it is, throwing a 350 or 400 back in it would be cake
 

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