Will this work?
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Lockport IL.
Will this work?
I have a 77 w/ 104k on body & drive train. Motor is a L48. My thinking was to put in a 375 - 400 Hp crate engine in it but of course you can't stop there. Next is trans, drive shaft work, change rear end, exhaust, etc...... By the time I'm done, I've re did everything on the car. I started adding up all the costs & it would be easy to dump 15-20K into it. I haven't added body work & paint to this. I like the body style but at the end of the day, it's still a 77 w/ very little re sale value. I'll never get out what I put in which is OK, it will still be fun to drive. My question is this.
I found a dealer on e bay who has late model rolling drive train chassis's which are 100% complete from radiator to exhaust pipes w/ everything in between. The one I found is a 01 LS1 w/ 11K miles on it. The 77 has a 98" wheel base. The 01 has a 104.5 wheel base. This is the only difference I can find. The tire track is only 2" wider on the 01 but I'm sure I can find different tires that will fit. The cost for this rolling chassis is 1/3rd the cost of piecing it out & everything, brakes, suspension, motor, exhaust, etc....... would be upgraded. Does this have a chance at working for me?
I found a dealer on e bay who has late model rolling drive train chassis's which are 100% complete from radiator to exhaust pipes w/ everything in between. The one I found is a 01 LS1 w/ 11K miles on it. The 77 has a 98" wheel base. The 01 has a 104.5 wheel base. This is the only difference I can find. The tire track is only 2" wider on the 01 but I'm sure I can find different tires that will fit. The cost for this rolling chassis is 1/3rd the cost of piecing it out & everything, brakes, suspension, motor, exhaust, etc....... would be upgraded. Does this have a chance at working for me?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,362
Likes: 5
From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Major refab - are you good at that? Watch some of the things done to the Jay Leno hot rods or watch some of the hot rodding shows that show these major projects.
If you are good with a torch and can measure things to make 'em true then sure, why not?
OTOH, I grew up building hot rods & building my motor was no big deal for me. I had a trans shop build the Turbo 350 my way, and I put in a stall convertor behind my stroker. I love driving it because it was built by me and to my specs. It's more my style than the major fabrication required to do what you are saying.
If you are good with a torch and can measure things to make 'em true then sure, why not?
OTOH, I grew up building hot rods & building my motor was no big deal for me. I had a trans shop build the Turbo 350 my way, and I put in a stall convertor behind my stroker. I love driving it because it was built by me and to my specs. It's more my style than the major fabrication required to do what you are saying.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Lockport IL.
Fab doesn't scare me. We do fabrication here at the shop & have cut a few trucks up to make them something else. I see what they do on TV & it's fairly simple fab, level, square, plumb. If I could dial it all in, do you think it would be just dropping the body on or are we talking "MAJOR"
reconstruction?
reconstruction?
