72 Driver NorthCarolina UNDER CONSTRUCTION

[flash]

Joe ,good luck with the ins company and again sorry to see this but it will be like new again before you know it .I know your wife must be heartbroken over this so give her a hug and let her know it could have been much worse .

[shadowgray396]

Sorry to see that happen. You just got it fixed from a December hit. That more then sheet metal damage. There's a very good chance you have a bent frame. At least 10k if you have it fixed by a body shop. Hope no one was hurt.

[smokenjoep01]

Everybodys safe. Just some hurt feelings.
As soon as I get the adjuster to look at it. Im pulling the nose and replacing all the control arms with tubular arms and replacing any other suspension damaged. Then to frame shop. Then paint and body!
Was really looking forward to Run to the sun this weekend & my son was taking it to the prom :(


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shadowgray396]

You may have to repair the frame before any suspension parts go on. If the area where the A arms attach is bent, you will not get new A arms on it.

[smokenjoep01]

Way Im dealing with it is just keep thinking " it will be Better" than before


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smokenjoep01]

Im thinking of updating to tubular control arm package.
Or a rack & pinion set up. Are there such kits for converting Chevelles ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shadowgray396]

There are rack and pinion kits out there for the Chevelle. Ones I have seen run between $1500 to $3000 for the kit. Tubular package would be way cheaper and a lot less work to install.

[Quadracer392]

I was actually looking at a R&P kit from unisteer which was a direct bolt on for about 1,700 or so. Looked like a nice set up.

[shadowgray396]

I was actually looking at a R&P kit from unisteer which was a direct bolt on for about 1,700 or so. Looked like a nice set up.

Sounds like a good set up. I have learned from the years nothing is a direct bolt in or as easy as it seems. lol

[Quadracer392]

Sounds like a good set up. I have learned from the years nothing is a direct bolt in or as easy as it seems. lol

I hear ya on that! I don't really know a whole lot about it, but it kinda does look like it's bolt on. Looks like it uses the original steering box bolt holes and the Idler arm bolt holes. plus it comes with a new pump. I don't anyone that's running a R&P setup but I'm sure it's nicer that the ol steering box set up.

https://www.unisteer.com/bolt-in-rack-pinions/1968-72-chevrolet-chevelle-power-rack-and-pinion-kit-w-sbc.html

[shadowgray396]

Well the car got hit again. My wife made a little mistake. I can fix it!
What ya think the repair bill is going to cost?
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/20/8ytesuny.jpg[IMG]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whats the verdict on the the Chevelle???

[smokenjoep01]

Adjuster came out Tuesday and told me he needed a couple days to get a estimate together. Should hear something today


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smokenjoep01]

Preliminary estimate $11,867.33


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carpoor]

Preliminary estimate $11,867.33

Wow... hope they don't try to tell you it is totalled.

[shadowgray396]

Preliminary estimate $11,867.33


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I guessed 10k, I was off by a little. Are you going to try to fix it or are you going to look for a shop who is capable to handle a classic?

[smokenjoep01]

I have a 25k agreed value policy. So there going to fix it.
Well, Im going to replace the suspension parts. The shop that just finished the last repair will be doing the body work and paint. They really did a good job and fixed some of the prior paint blemishes.
This time the entire car gets repainted!
My buddy says his car is a 20 footer and mine a 5 footer. Meaning how close you get before you see the blemishes.
This time around it should be dam near show quality!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[flash]

I hope you get to enjoy it some this summer.

[smokenjoep01]

Im really overwhelmed with this suspension upgrade stuff.
Im looking to spend about 2K in the suspension. Thats about what has been estimated to repair the suspension damage. Im thinking upper and lower front Tubular control arms are a must at minimum.
Are they all corrected to reduce camber? As a parts retailer. Im quite aware of the cheap ebay parts. But I see some good revues and even american made sets reasonable priced all I've ebay.
Then theres coil overs or not?? Swaybar needs to be upgraded?
Could somebody more familiar with all the options give me some guidance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[flash]

I would check into Detroit Speed and they are located in Charlotte ,Nc or that general area and they know their stuff. Kyle and his wife are auto engineers that used to work for GM I think before going out on their own.

[Quadracer392]

Another good high quality suspension company is UMI. All of their parts are made in house in philipsburg, PA. They have great customer service and a ton of separate parts or packages for the chevelles at very reasonable prices. http://umiperformance.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2

[shadowgray396]

Have you read the 2 sticky's in the suspension section on up grades? They are at the top of the forum.

[smokenjoep01]

I will read them now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smokenjoep01]

Great read. Looks like Im going with UMI control arms & swaybar. Made in PA. With USA steel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smokenjoep01]

Hey yall. Im needing the frame dimensions to get the frame checked. Anybody know were I can find that info?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carpoor]

Hey yall. Im needing the frame dimensions to get the frame checked. Anybody know were I can find that info?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tell me what you need and I can measure my spare frame this weekend.

[smokenjoep01]

I need the specs for the frame shop. They might be in a old manual


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ken Hayes]

Here ya go Joe

http://chevellestuff.net/tech/68-72_frame_dimensions.htm

[shadowgray396]

This is the same thing, but with additional dimensions.

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy58/shadowgray/Body%20Shop/framedims.jpg (http://s777.photobucket.com/user/shadowgray/media/Body%20Shop/framedims.jpg.html)

[smokenjoep01]

O you all are soo helpful


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[flash]

So how is your Chevelle ,any progress yet ?

[smokenjoep01]

UMI control arms and swaybars have been delivered. Preliminary frame measurements were good to go. Will get parts installed this week and get it back on the frame machine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shadowgray396]

Keep us posted of your progress.

[smokenjoep01]

These parts are works of art.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/21/yzajypu6.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/21/ryty7u4e.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/04/21/yvytahy8.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[chevymaher]

Very nice.

[smokenjoep01]

Guys I am in need of a Right front drum brake spindle. Anybody have any suggestions of were I could get one new or used?

[chevymaher]

One on Flea Bay right now for 50 bucks.

[smokenjoep01]

Got one coming from Ground up SS396

[chevymaher]

Good deal. That is where I get most of my stuff. That and Ausleys for interior parts.

[flash]

Anymore updates Joe ?

[shadowgray396]

Guys I am in need of a Right front drum brake spindle. Anybody have any suggestions of were I could get one new or used?
Sounds like it time to update to disc brakes?

[smokenjoep01]

I did update to disc. The kit I used utilized the stock drum spindles. I ordered one for a drum set up from Ground up and it was wrong. It would not work. Im still in need of a good used one.
Im also in need of the little filler panel that bolts to the radiator support, just under the hole for the headlight. Dont know exactly what its called. Dont seem to be available aftermarket??
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/16/zyduny2y.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shadowgray396]

Almost sounds like they may have sent you a disc spindle. The left and the right spindles are the same for 68-72. Also Derek69SS wrote this in the Chevelle Suspension & Chassis Forum. Brake drum spindles and be modified for stock disc.

Stock Disc Spindles: GM was good at making things interchangeable, and the front spindles were no exception. There are several cars you can look for when searching for these spindles, and they are a direct swap onto any ’64-72 Chevelle. You can find them on 67-72 GM A-bodies (Chevelle, Monte Carlo, El Camino, Skylark, GS, LeMans, GTO, Cutlass, 442). They were also used on GM’s 67-69 F-body (Camaro, Firebird) and ‘68-74 X-body (Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo). 1967 was the first year for the factory disc brakes, and along with the ‘68s, they used the very rare four-piston calipers. These are very expensive to rebuild, and are worth much more to someone looking for “correct” 67-68 discs than to anyone just looking to stop well. For this reason, it is recommended to use the ‘69 and later single-piston calipers. The 11” discs are sufficient for stopping your Chevelle for ordinary type driving, but they will get hot and fade quickly if you do any road-course racing.

Stock Drum Spindles: These are good for more than just scrap iron, so don’t throw them out just yet. With a little machining, you can bolt the stock disc caliper brackets on them, and “convert” them to disc spindles for about $80 if you can do the machine-work yourself. The drum spindles are also very popular for modifying to fit 12” C4 and 13” C5 Corvette brakes. There is some minor machining to be done on the upper bolt boss, custom caliper brackets need to be fabricated, and the drum brake hubs need to be turned down for the Corvette rotors to slip on over them. Access to a machine-shop is helpful, but there have been many “do-it-yourself’ers” who have made their own brackets using 5/16” thick flat steel.

[smokenjoep01]

They may have sent a disc brake spindle and expect the consumer to have it machined down if used for drum application?
Any ideas or leads on the filler piece on the radiator support??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shadowgray396]

You have to machine it to be a disc brake spindle, can't go the other way. May need to find a drum car to get the spindle or you should be able to order one at you local parts house I would think. I will put the word out to our Chevelle club to see if anyone has one.

[Quadracer392]

So are you needing drum brake spindles? If you do, I have two sets. One set I took off my chevelle and the other is off of the 72 cutlass I had.

[smokenjoep01]

I need two parts.
Stock drum spindle (Right)
Filler panel under headlight hole, mounted on radiator support (right)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Quadracer392]

PM sent about the spindle.

[smokenjoep01]

We may not need the spindle and we are going to custom fabricate the filler panel.
Looking to be painted this time next week.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[flash]

Good news ,glad to hear it will be on the road soon again.

[smokenjoep01]

And better than ever Flash. Everyone here has been a great part if getting my 72 better than it came stock.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shadowgray396]

Glad to hear you are getting close

[flash]

Any updates Joe ?

[smokenjoep01]

Howdy yall. Just wanted to stop in and say hey! Car was completed. Had it for just a couple days and scratched the fenders opening the hood.
We have been through 3 different suppliers trying to get hinges that worked and fitted good.
Ended up using the original stock hinges I through in the back yard metal scrap pile. I replaced them assuming a new set would work better than a old 1972 set, wrong.
All the new ones I tried either didnt close worth a crap or were impossible to get lined up.
The paint came out soooo good I decided this car will only be used for weekend rides on sunny days ;)
Bought a 1971 F100 2wd short bed for my daily use shop truck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[flash]

There is a guy on Team Chevelle that restores original hood hinges ,I think his first name is Willie .

[shadowgray396]

Repo hinges are junk


Willie Wilson did mine. Does great work. Same guy Flash is talkikng about.
http://www.hoodhingerepair.com/

[flash]

Thanks Ray for posting that ,I could not remember his last name .

[flash]

Joe ,where are our updates ,youre slipping .Hope all is well with you .

[smokenjoep01]

Got the car back Friday. Man they really did a great Job. Everywhere I stop, I'm asked who painted it. It looks wet!
The updated tubular control arms/swaybar with corrected geometry are terrific. I'm going out to the shop now and apply the heavy Chevy graphics. And drive it!!!!!! Thank you again to all of you that gave help/ suggestions, parts etc. thank you
Couple quick pictures.
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/05f73d12944d86f3a2d771be3c5cb0a5.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/d5bcf797e2737a4ad790def7a51236e8.jpg

[shadowgray396]

Looks good, glad to see you got it back.

[smokenjoep01]

Couple more pictures
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/288581302b1160865d141050b7bd0210.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/0eeffadbc770b615b3d12429a36e47cb.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/4f0661441c93aab714412549b4816e6f.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/33b839dc367e4966f9acb54ecabccf2a.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/bf1d089d9c95bd5280b4585746115fb3.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/6137b1e1fdbc474b2485166fed66b8d4.jpg

[smokenjoep01]

And
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/0fdd7c21e2480cb3cdb26a7a6cf7527a.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/33f6fe33c562b750ac630fd4e65739d8.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/06/546cadbf3b290ad503623f0eea5d249e.jpg

[Quadracer392]

Glad to see it's back together, looks awesome man!! Hopefully you get to enjoy it some before winter sets in.

[flash]

Looks very nice ,AGAIN .

[shadowgray396]

So does the wife get to drive it? Lol

[carpoor]

Nice! Glad you got it back in better than new shape.

[smokenjoep01]

Winter don't set in here in coastal NC
Wife refuses to drive it. Says it has demons. Made it easy for me.
Body shop did not plug my blower motor in. I cant feel or see a terminal it connects to. Anybody have a picture of the blow motor so I could reference the terminal location??

[chevymaher]

This is one of mine. It is a 68 but should be the same. Yellow line is fender. It is under it as you know. Red arrow is the positive terminal. Make sure it is grounded well to. http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee363/chevymaher/blowermptor_zps6ea607e4.jpg

[smokenjoep01]

Thanks for the photo.
My next question is what are these parts called and how do I figure out there location??http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/03/2933666885c790d1b10181c26edb085b.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/03/7b3e60d396458fc9b031f27a6bb46e5a.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/11/03/717232f3b70ef6209b804bc95bdf5984.jpg

[Quadracer392]

Those look to me like the trim you glue the headliner to around the outside edge. I'm not sure how to figure out where they go besides trying to fit them in place.

[smokenjoep01]

Those look to me like the trim you glue the headliner to around the outside edge. I'm not sure how to figure out where they go besides trying to fit them in place.


Any photos of them installed?

[carpoor]

Headliner tack strips. I'll try to get a picture of my father's 72' this afternoon.

[shadowgray396]

Found a few pictures. The tack stips have holes the fit along the edge. The will match up to the holes.

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy58/shadowgray/2014-11-05_205546_zps678ebe60.png (http://s777.photobucket.com/user/shadowgray/media/2014-11-05_205546_zps678ebe60.png.html)

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy58/shadowgray/RearBackPanel_zps1f2035bc.jpg (http://s777.photobucket.com/user/shadowgray/media/RearBackPanel_zps1f2035bc.jpg.html)

http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy58/shadowgray/2014-11-05_201744_zpsfb57bc6c.png (http://s777.photobucket.com/user/shadowgray/media/2014-11-05_201744_zpsfb57bc6c.png.html)

[smokenjoep01]

Found a few pictures. The tack stips have holes the fit along the edge. The will match up to the holes.



http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy58/shadowgray/2014-11-05_205546_zps678ebe60.png (http://s777.photobucket.com/user/shadowgray/media/2014-11-05_205546_zps678ebe60.png.html)



http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy58/shadowgray/RearBackPanel_zps1f2035bc.jpg (http://s777.photobucket.com/user/shadowgray/media/RearBackPanel_zps1f2035bc.jpg.html)



http://i777.photobucket.com/albums/yy58/shadowgray/2014-11-05_201744_zpsfb57bc6c.png (http://s777.photobucket.com/user/shadowgray/media/2014-11-05_201744_zpsfb57bc6c.png.html)


Your always there for me!😊

[shadowgray396]

Try to help when I can.

[smokenjoep01]

Merry Christmas yall. Extra special thank you to everyone that has helped me along the way. Still chipping away at my interior.
Going to be 60 and sunny tomorrow, so the Chevelle will be driven to work

[flash]

Worse than work for me tomorrow ,will be after Christmas shopping .

[smokenjoep01]

Hello everybody!! It's been a while since my last post. Been enjoying my Chevelle . It's mostly finished , just need to charge up the A/C!!
Been doing a little racing on my Harley VRod too. Just not enough time to enjoy all my toys.
I will post some up dated photos of the car. In the mean time ride with me on the Dragbike
http://youtu.be/INRSvG6gsHM

[flash]

Wow ,that looked very fast ,wondered what you were up up lately .

[smokenjoep01]

Hey gang! I'm lost again. Trying to get a stock steering wheel installed on my 72. When I sit it down on the steering shaft and snug nut, its bottoming out and will not turn. There is a small spring that looks like a valve spring under the steering wheel. but nothing else. And Ideas, suggestions or pictures?

[shadowgray396]

Do you have all theses parts?

[smokenjoep01]

Howdy all. Been a loooong time. Still need to get my steering wheel installed. And get my air ducts fitted. Had to confirm that my air controller and air conditioning/heat was all coming out as intended.

[flash]

I have wondered what you were up to.