🔧 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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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.

Jon01

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Very nice.

I'd keep the engine 10-10.5:1, I would not go lower.

What he said.
I'd be tempted to find a set of 799/243's, have them milled to bump compression up.
Not as good a solution as some flat top pistons but it'll work.
$ should be about the same once you sell the 317's.

Or a set of LS2 stock pistons would be another idea.
 
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Shawn1112

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Few updates as I have ordered a few things. Ordered a tilt steering column, supposedly its from same car, same year and plug and play. Also scored the nicer digi dash for $850. Guy had 3 of them brand new in the box, didnt ask any questions but assuming they fell off the back of a truck. My buddy Josh in Miami actually found it for me and knows the guy. Then bought a Billet steering column dress up kit including the headlight knob. Lastsy, some new chrome heat/ac vents as mine are trashed.

Gave Carl @Redline the cam specs so he can spec out a custom converter and gave him the okay to start building the trans. Sat down with my engine builder and got a parts list together, probably start ordering next week. Targeting first week of Feb to start the swap. We are going to go with all F Body accessories. Going to try and stop at vinyl shop in the city tomorrow to get ballpark price, I know they need to see the car. The thought is now on my rims is copperish color vinyl on the faces, or if I wrap the car, then color match the faces to the car.


Cam I'm going with
 

Carl@Redline

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Few updates as I have ordered a few things. Ordered a tilt steering column, supposedly its from same car, same year and plug and play. Also scored the nicer digi dash for $850. Guy had 3 of them brand new in the box, didnt ask any questions but assuming they fell off the back of a truck. My buddy Josh in Miami actually found it for me and knows the guy. Then bought a Billet steering column dress up kit including the headlight knob. Lastsy, some new chrome heat/ac vents as mine are trashed.

Gave Carl @Redline the cam specs so he can spec out a custom converter and gave him the okay to start building the trans. Sat down with my engine builder and got a parts list together, probably start ordering next week. Targeting first week of Feb to start the swap. We are going to go with all F Body accessories. Going to try and stop at vinyl shop in the city tomorrow to get ballpark price, I know they need to see the car. The thought is now on my rims is copperish color vinyl on the faces, or if I wrap the car, then color match the faces to the car.


Cam I'm going with

Gonna be a killer cruiser with some nutsack when you're done! Once again, glad to be a part of one of your builds, good sir!
 

daturbosix

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Going to try and stop at vinyl shop in the city tomorrow to get ballpark price, I know they need to see the car. The thought is now on my rims is copperish color vinyl on the faces, or if I wrap the car, then color match the faces to the car.
might be worth giving Greg a call
 

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might be worth giving Greg a call
greg's a nerd.






jokes aside... he's a good dude.
 

Shawn1112

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Wrap is every bit of $3k possibly higher but the guy said $3k is a fair number. Said it only lasts 2-3yrs though. Then when I want to switch it up, figure $750 to correctly remove it without hurting the original paint. Plus $3k to do it again. $6k to paint isnt sounding all that bad now.
Will go get a 2nd and 3rd quote from others, possibly Greg
 

Shawn1112

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Picked up the heads from Satera today, starter and water pump both showed up today as well.
First piece to the audio build acquired yesterday. Found a Banda Viking 8000k amp for the subs.
Guy had it hooked up to 3-15" Massive Audio Hippo subs and saying it hit insanely hard is an understatement. He has them in a G20 van and couldnt believe the rear side windows werent breaking as they were flexing big time. That should work fine for my build as I'm doing either 3 or 4 15's but not the Hippos. Maybe some L7's or Sun Down Audio

 

Jon01

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I think a rectangle port LSA combo would be pretty wicked, saw a G8 at LS Fest go mid 9s with that setup, nothing crazy. Jeremy knows LS stuff he'll steer ya straight.
Shawn1112 Shawn1112 this is exactly what I would do.
Some of this should be done with the motor while it's apart so you're not doing things twice.
Rectangle port heads, LS9 head gaskets, china studs, BTR PDS cam I would do now.
Then next year you just have to swap the blower on, plumb the hx stuff and stab some bigger injectors in there.
You won't give up much power over an N/A cam.
That heavy car will benefit hugely from the torque curve the blower builds over a turbo 2 stroke power curve.
Just my $.02 as someone who's done things 3x and made them harder bc I didn't start the project in with an A->B plan.
 
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Shawn1112

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So was talking with my builder about “dressing up” the engine a little cosmetically.
I know the install will be very clean, but prefer the engine look okay as well as Im sure I’ll take it to smaller local shows. So we both agreed to have the valve and timing covers powder coated. Hence the reason I’m looking for an intake mani that’s clean looking as well. I want a clean/simple look on the engine/engine bay

Ideally I’d PC the valve and timing covers to match the paint. The problem is, I don’t have an idea of what color I’m painting or wrapping. I’m all over the place from pearl white to brandy wine to the original color lol. So leaves me with 3 options and open to other options. Do I PC in black, wrinkled black or orange (because Chevy).

Also open to other ideas to dress up the engine/engine bay.
Any other thoughts/ideas. I do have access to a hydro dipper as well, good friend has one.
 

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Shawn1112

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Dude, ive said it and posted other vids on here in the past. Some of these Donks are fucking moving. 9 second pass on 26” or 28” rims is pretty fucking impressive imo.
 

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