🔧 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.

Shawn1112

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We are getting there on the sounds. Only things I need to get now. Extra battery and a pair of Hertz ST25 horns for the front. Pays to know people in the biz. Buddy relocated 75’ of 0 gauge and all the other wiring I’m going to need for $75. They stock 1000’s of feet at his job. Still have to pick that up, but he 100% has it in his possession.

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Shawn1112

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This thing gonna be ready for summer?
Ready to drive, yes, complete no. Should have started the swap last week but having issues getting all the parts. We have about 80% of whats needed. A few important things were on backorder. Hoping to start by end of the month at the latest.

If I can squeeze in to budget, the plan is to go straight to Carl after swap, as his shop is literally 5 miles away from the shop doing the swap.
Thats probably a 2 day job.

After that, have to do all the sounds and digi dash if I have the digi dash by then. I ordered the one everyone has, then a new style came out, so canceled the original order to get the new style one. New style looks more OEM and nobody has it as of now. 6-10 week lead time, lol. Trying to wait as long as possible as my buddy thats helping with the sounds is a fucking wiring wizard and he will be doing the digi dash. Probably take us 2 weekends. Only thing I'm waiting on is the extra battery for the trunk and that will be here next week.

Talked to my suspension guy, thats only going to be 2 days because frame notch not needed. Basically just doing coilovers front and rear, anti roll bar in rear, upper and lower control arms up front

Painter is on board and just needs a 2 week notice. He will have the car for 3-4 weeks. I have to purchase all new weather stripping

Just took my buddies car to my interior guy and I'm not going to make it for the time we scheduled it due to the swap putting me behind.
So he is 3-4 months out and would need my car for a month. So thats probably going to happen next year as I dont want the car gone for a month during the season. Good news is he is going to give me solid deal. My buddy is spending $12k with him for 2 cars then my other buddy is bringing 2 cars a little less involved so those will probably be $10k total. JB (interior guy) and I talked after we dropped my buddies car off and he said he will do my trunk and center console for free. Thats probably saving me $750-$1000
 

Shawn1112

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dude, can we expect something like this ?

FUCK NO lol. Thats a competition car, the guy that builds my sub boxes and a few other guys I know do SPL competitions. They have broken their windshields from the bass. The worst I have ever done is crack a few gas tanks on my box chevy with 8-12's in the trunk. But thats common on the box chevys. My buddy just cracked his last week with only 2-15's and my other buddy I was in Miami with cracked his with 4-12's when we were in Miami.
 
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Shawn1112

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How the hell does that all fit in a car? :rofl:
Ever see how big the trunk is on a 71 Impala. Can probably put 3 bodies in it, lol.
2-13.5"Subs arent even in that picture lol
Optima yellow top goes under the hood in place of normal battery
4- 6.5's and 2 tweeters in rear deck
4-6.5's up front somewhere, still havent figured it out
2- Hertz horns will go in the dash
3-amps in trunk, they stack on top of eachother
1-epic center in trunk
1-head unit up front
1-XS battery in trunk
 
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Bob Kazamakis

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Ever see how big the trunk is on a 71 Impala. Can probably put 3 bodies in it, lol.
2-13.5"Subs arent even in that picture lol
Optima yellow top goes under the hood in place of normal battery
4- 6.5's and 2 tweeters in rear deck
4-6.5's up front somewhere, still havent figured it out
2- Hertz horns will go in the dash
3-amps in trunk, they stack on top of eachother
1-epic center in trunk
1-head unit up front
1-XS battery in trunk

I used to have a 64 Catalina with what looks like a similar trunk size, still sounds like so much stuff :rofl:

Maybe I missed it but are you going to tackle this part or farm it out? I remember some issues with your “normal” place for sounds.
 
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