plan_20020624

June 24 , 2002

I've been slow updating this site. The last time I sat down to do so, the interface for the memory cards from my digital camera to my notebook misbehaved and I found myself reinstalling the OS on the notebook. Its been several weeks since that happened, and it was just today that I realized I have a serial cord and don't have to worry about blowing my system up just to download pictures.

Current plan remains to drive the thing, at least until fall. I now have a Chevrolet 350 and 350 Turbo for it, but they will almost certainly need some work. I'm told the car was driven to where I found it, but that was in 1991, and the car is a 1973. I'm thinking that Stu and I will do one of those inexpensive rebuild kits over the winter, and perform the swap in the spring.

Worst case is that I'm not happy with the motor, and therefore swap it into my pickup, and do a better job getting that one ready for the sub.

I'm still debating suspension options. There is a kit that will adapt the disk brakes from a early to mid-seventies midsize Chevy to the straight axle under my sub. Well that 350 described above is in a '73 Chevelle, and I think we can conclude it has the right parts. So right now I'm thinking about adapting those brakes, and probably also the rear end, with its modern drum brakes at the same time I put in the V-8.

This is definitely an option I'm thinking about...

I'm also back to the frame swap idea. Though with a twist. The '73 Chevelle has a perimeter frame, meaning that just back of the firewall, running back to just in front of the rear wheel well, the frame runs along the outside edge of the car. You can actually see the frame from the side. This frame is therefore much too wide for the sub (by about 18 inches). However, instead of grafting the front frame clip to the original frame, and then modifying the rear suspension too, I could take the wide part out of the Chevelle's frame, replace it with rectangular steel tube, and have a modern suspension at both ends.

I think this is another crazy idea that's unlikely to happen, but after crawling around under my pickup I see some significant issues that make shortening that frame a difficult process. The Chevelle is the right length, just too long.

A more likely approach is to move the rear end, and front brakes, along with the motor, transmission and power steering. But stay tuned, because I'm no where near done changing my mind.

Last updated: December 31, 2006