Dukes72 Sport Coupe

Dukes72 · 04-26-2009, 02:14:19 PM

Finally going to start my project thread. I have been around trying to learn more and help with what I know, but have not revealed my project to everyone.

Bought the car back in January of 2007 while searching for a camper. Was home for a single Sunday from work and drove 3 hours to pick it up. I have always wanted one of these cars while growing up and found one I thought was fair enough in price.

The car was pretty much unmolested when I bought her. Original 350 and TH350 were sitting on the ground next to it. I had a spare 350 laying around I tossed into the car. New RR brake line and brake cylinder, first and last time my wife helped bleed brakes, the car was going down the road. Front end seems to handle pretty well.

I am in no hurry to get this into super shape as there are many hobbies I enjoy and have a 10 month old daughter.

It needs plenty of body work. No floor or trunk pans from what I have looked at. Some work on the frame rails. I have some experience in rust from my old 76 Chevy truck.

I will add what has been done and pics of the worst of the car later on. These pics are about 1 year old.

Picture from the ad:

After engine and trans install:

POS71RS · 04-26-2009, 02:26:35 PM

Good looking start!

olstyle · 04-26-2009, 02:41:33 PM

Looks like a good solid car.

Dukes72 · 04-26-2009, 03:05:33 PM

Thanks guys!

The Plan.
My current plan is to build a solid street machine. Pro-touring might be a good way to describe my final goal, but it is too soon to nail that label down. For now I will call it a "race inspired daily driveable street machine." I already have a drag racing machine and don't intend this car to be built for drag racing. I have some desire to get into road course racing, but time will tell. For now, I want to get the car into a trustworthy driver. I think it is there, but I have not drove it my 45 mile round trip to work yet. I have not fully evaluated the front suspension and that is my last area to look over. I just got the AM radio back to rock out state last weekend.

I want to paint BC/CC of the original color, Placer Gold, with black Z stripes. Kind of considering the 1970 gold.... I also want to add front chin spoiler and the larger three piece spoiler on the back. I originally wanted a one piece, but have since learned the three piece has much better down force on the rear.

The interior is black and camel colored. I picked up some real nice rear seats for cheap, but they are black. So I need to decide on the interior one of these days.

The block is a 96 vintage block. I know nothing of the cam (bought a whole 78 truck with a rod knocking and put new crank and bearings back in and parted the truck back in 2001). It currently is FT, but roller is nagging at me for the future. I think the heads are smog era. I might put on some 70 vintage LT1 heads I have laying around that have 2.02/1.94 valves just for fun. The carb was another one I had laying around and used through high school. Holley list 4118, but might downsize to an avenger. Intake is the wieland xcellerator.

I will go to overdrive trans sometime. I am dreaming of a T56, but doubt that will happen anytime soon for finance reasons. I have a spare 700R4 laying around (can't remember what model year), but want to look closely at the 200R4. Then sometime in the future re-visit the T56.

Current rear is original at 2.73:1. Will eventually go posi at ??? ratio.

Wow, what a post. More pics of updates so far to come- including the American Thunder kit freshly installed a few weeks ago.

Teamchevy · 04-26-2009, 06:31:21 PM

Jon

Looks like a great find. Can't wait to see some more progress pics!

Dave

Dukes72 · 05-01-2009, 05:01:03 PM

So far I have only showed the good and OK. Here are a few pics of the not so good.

Ls1smlblck · 05-01-2009, 10:56:03 PM

not a bad start

scrapmetal · 05-01-2009, 11:31:25 PM

Bitchen

brooksman9 · 05-02-2009, 02:41:44 AM

A little effort but all very fixable. Look forward to watching your build. Good luck with it. I'm always watching for 72's thinking I will spot my old one. Not yet.

Dukes72 · 05-17-2009, 01:08:18 PM

Late last summer I took care of a few more things. Some wheels I can live with for now, picked up straight rust free drivers door and front fenders. One fender is filler free, the other has just barely any.
Over winter, I switched to U14 cluster and tossed a 150mph speedo I had laying around.

More metal.

Picked up a clean backseat for cheap. It will work for now.

Dukes72 · 05-17-2009, 01:13:38 PM

About fall of 2008 I found some time to see how the pass fender will fit. I was surprised to see the lower front cowl was still pretty solid.

Old fender bottom

Impressing the neighbors

KaraLs1 · 05-17-2009, 06:31:41 PM

That is an awesome start. I AM GOING TO LOVE following this project!

72BIGBLOCK · 06-17-2009, 02:45:39 PM

Showing some great progress there. Looks exactly like my camaro except mine is blue.

Dukes72 · 06-17-2009, 04:17:42 PM

Thanks for all of the positive remarks!

I have many more updates and too little time to post them. So far, you folks are up to speed on what was done by the end of last summer. There is still a handful of details I am working as time permits.

POS71RS · 06-17-2009, 05:31:17 PM

So is that the original paint on there?.. kinda looks that way. That's awesome, way better than fighting through layers of caca to find surprises.