🔧 BUILD Shawns 1971 Impala Donk

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

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***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.

Yaj Yak

Gladys
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Plus look how much time it took to get it where it's at. Time costs money as we all know.


absolutely.

also, the "vision" part isn't easy with these. they can easily look like shit i feel and Shawn1112 Shawn1112's is fucking perfect, and you have to have that mindset from the get go or you'll waste time and money.
 

Shawn1112

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I want something that looks like this. My guy had a brand new one last week for $1500. But it was the polished version.

 
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Limey

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I want something that looks like this. My guy had a brand new one last week for $1500. But it was the polished version.


1900 and change here
 
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Shawn1112

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1900 and change here
Oh I wont pay full price for it. I know people with accounts to different places.
I'll get it at one of my buddies cost price
 
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Shawn1112

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So strange issue popped up last night while cruising home with the Wifey. Was doing about 85mph, went to pass someone and gave it half throttle and I lost power to my digi dash and the trans went into limp mode (stuck in 3rd). Get home from work, check fuses (old glass fuses) and the CLK/LTR/CTSY/BAT fuse is popped. Throw a new 20A in and the dash lights up, take it for a ride and all good, trans is shifting as it should. Turn the music up and popped that fuse, limped it home in 3rd. Changed fuse again, took it for a ride with no music on and no issues at all.

So why the fuck is that fuse popping, nothing at all is tied into that fuse that would increase the load. Also, last week I drove home from Woodstock with the music rocking for 1hr straight and no issues. At the car show last Sunday at different times of the day I turned it on for people and let it rock for 5-10 minutes at a time. Last night cruising to dinner and then to my guys, music rocking and perfectly fine. So WTF happened on the cruise home (music was rocking) that caused this shit to start happening. I hate diagnosing electrical issues with a passion.
 

Shawn1112

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Maybe also sand down the connections?

You didn't add anything to that circuit (not sure that's the right word) right?
When we put the new amps/subs in last week. Me and my guy re-did all the powers and grounds in the trunk. Just so I know they are done right now.
Correct, nothing is added to that circuit. Something is arching somewhere on that circuit though.
 

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