🔧 BUILD Shawns 1971 Impala Donk

Thread
Interior/Top
LS Swap
Wheels
Sounds/Music
Suspension/Brakes
Paint
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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Soooo, I think my wife and kids got me a B Day present and it showed up early. Not sure if I was supposed to see it. UPS dropped it off and it had my name on it, so naturally I opened it ???. A few weeks ago she said give me some ideas on what I wanted for my B Day and this was one of them

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Jimy Bilmo

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Soooo, I think my wife and kids got me a B Day present and it showed up early. Not sure if I was supposed to see it. UPS dropped it off and it had my name on it, so naturally I opened it ???. A few weeks ago she said give me some ideas on what I wanted for my B Day and this was one of them

View attachment 138725

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Gas tank?
 

Shawn1112

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Thing looks slim, how many gallons?
22g iirc, I would have to look it up
OEM tanks get a lot of sloshing and not something I want to deal with once she is boosted.
Not sure if thats the correct term (sloshing) but all the B Bodies have the issue

Edit: holds 23-25g
 

Shawn1112

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Getting close to LSA time, the guys shop I'm using said we should be able to start on Monday. I'm going to paint my new brake booster black at my whse tomorrow morning. I'm also going to talk to my guy thats going to do my top. His shop and the shop I'm using are both on the West Side of the city and literally 2 miles away. I'm going to try and align it so once we finish the blower, I go straight to him for the black cloth top.
I gave him a $500 down payment last April lol. He ordered me like a peanut butter colored vinyl that I was going to have the top done in. But changed my mind after it came in and he cut me a sample, it woulda looked like shit. Then I just never went back as I wanted to enjoy my car lol. So we gotta figure out how much the vinyl he already ordered costed vs the new cloth material. MFer better have that vinyl as I paid for it and I'm taking it. If not then thats cost is on him.
 

Mr_Roboto

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Jimy Bilmo

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Brake booster done, 4 coats of satin black, followed up with 4 coats of satin clear. It’s not perfect, but I’m probably the only one who will notice the imperfections.

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Yeah, people won't be looking at the booster, they'll be looking at the blower and the valve covers anyway. Looks good!
 
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Shawn1112

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Wagoneer loaded up, after work tomorrow I’m dropping off all my parts and tools. We are going to go thru the parts and see what I’m missing. I already seen one thing I forgot, a new crank bolt. I have the pinning kit but musta forgot to order the new bolt. Red crate on the left is filled to the top with all the little shit including new ARP head studs, ARP header bolts, new head and header gaskets etc.

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Jimy Bilmo

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Is it necessary being I'll only be at 600whp or there about? My blown Jeep SRT8 was pushing a lot more than that and I was on a stock crank bolt.
I'll buy the ARP one if its necessary, as I'm not that familiar with these LS motors.
Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
 

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