🔧 BUILD Shawns 1971 Impala Donk

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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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What's a little weird to me is the spacing is unequal, when I look at pics of stock suspension for your car seems like the rear end can't really be off center?
Believe me its very common on the G Bodies and B Bodies (70's/80's Caprices/Impalas) with big rims. Its always the passenger side.
As mentioned my Regal was like that, my buddies Box Chevy (I'll find a pic) was like that and countless others I have seen. A lot of times you can get away with it by going with a standard 5.5" lip on the rear wheels and sometimes you cant. Pics to follow
 

Shawn1112

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Body to frame alignment is probably off or slightly tweaked. I’m assuming it’s got factory worn out body mounts too. It would be quite silly to compensate for any of that with suspension or narrowing the rear end.
My buddy has all new body bushings and when he bought my Regal, he did all new body bushings on that as well.
 

Pro Stock John

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Totally get that it's an issue with big rim cars, you'd know that more than us.

I guess what I'm curious about, did you have to raise the car height up to make the new wheel/tire combo work? Are you using any adjustable arms? I see pics of the shorter adjustables offered for sale.

Not the end of the world to pull the housing out and apart to narrow it, but I'd personally want to make sure it's actually centered in the car first before I fugged with it.
 

Shawn1112

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I guess what I'm curious about, did you have to raise the car height up to make the new wheel/tire combo work? Are you using any adjustable arms? I see pics of the shorter adjustables offered for sale.

Not the end of the world to pull the housing out and apart to narrow it, but I'd personally want to make sure it's actually centered in the car first before I fugged with it.
I did not have to raise my car up to fit the 26's, anything bigger would have required some frame notching and other cutting.
I did have to raise the rear with air shocks after the sounds as the weight was too much. But that was only 1" and when the suspension is done it will be at least 1" lower in the rear. I guess the easiest way to explain the big wheel fitment issues is they wont tuck properly inside the wheel well. Where a 20" or smaller doesnt have that issue. Again this is a very common issue that has been going on for years. If anyone here can figure out who to do it without shortening the rear end. Then lets partner up and we can make a fucking killing. Also again, running a standard 5" lip on the rear more times than not its avoidable. But certain cars it just needs to be done. Guys that run like a 8" rear lip or bigger not only shorten the rear end, but they have to tub the cars as well.

I'm going to be running Q1A uppers and lowers up front, Q1A coilovers all the way around, Trick Chassis adjustable upper and lowers in the rear with a Trick Chassis under axle anti roll bar. Also up front doing upper/lower ball joints, inner/outter tie rods, sway bar if he can get one etc. So basically everything suspension wise will be brand new.

Adjustable panhard bar would be crucial for that. I don’t know if it could be added though
No clue, I'm sure anything is possible though lol
 

Shawn1112

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Yeah I'm not aware of any tricks to tuck the wheels in more except playing with camber but then you'll get uneven tire wear.

Can you trim the inside of the fender lips to create more room, that's a trick.
That’s also done with a lot of cars lol. We tried that with my Regal, but only so much you can trim.
 

daturbosix

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Has it had the body mount rubber bushings replaced?
Could they loosen the retaining hardware to the frame and center the wheels in the body? To my uneducated eyes it looks like it may not have the rear of the body centered over the rear end.
I've had to do that before on g-bodys to allow for tire fitment
 
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Shawn1112

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Suspension is done and DID NOT have to cut the rear end!!! I'm soooooo fucking glad that didnt need to happen.
Averaged about 80mph and at one point was doing 98mph the whole ride up from Joliet up 355 from route 6. Drove like a dream over all the dips and shit on the road. I'm extremely happy with the way it now sits, 100% how I wanted her to sit. Here are a couple of videos and will follow up with some pics of the underneath.
Waiting on the suspension shop to send me pics he took with a really nice camera.




 

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