[87ls5.3]

what kind of work you doing, Joe? body, mechanical, or both?

Ray, pretty much both but I'm getting away from the paint end, too much dust and EPA crap to deal with. Just doing random jobs now but getting too busy and looking for a bigger shop. Pulled a motor out of an Equinox tonight stabbing the new one tomorrow. Then finishing out a 74 240Z LS1 swap and getting him on the road.

We have a lot goin on and working on our project 93 Ford Ranger getting a 3 valve 5.4 supercharged mod motor. Hopefully we can get into the 9's and maybe make a name for ourselves locally. My Mustang project is gonna be a part of it too. Hope it gets in the 10's. Probably going to take the ElCo too, pretty sure it will get into the 12's.

Such is life and having fun! Thanks for asking!

Joe

 

[Karadjgne]

An LS in a 240Z? That's... !!!
I'd have thought the rotary from an RX-7 would be a good upgrade lol.

 

[Jeem68]

After a year of looking for a "reasonable" price for a re-spray of my 68's paint, I finally found someone willing and able to do it for less than $10k. So this weekend I'm stripping off the chrome to have it done at the end of the month. There are precious few painters left in my area, willing to bypass insurance jobs, and take on a restoration. After many 15-40k estimates, I had given up, but this talented young pup stepped up 'cause he loves El Caminos!!! Hope springs eternal... View attachment 152099

Update...got the 1st pics of the start of stripping her down...the roof has some bad spots, and I'm thinking of shaving off the drip rails? Any thoughts? I want to shave off the door handles, and put in poppers. Lots of work ahead, so here goes...

 

[elcodude]

Update...got the 1st pics of the start of stripping her down...the roof has some bad spots, and I'm thinking of shaving off the drip rails? Any thoughts? I want to shave off the door handles, and put in poppers. Lots of work ahead, so here goes...

It's your ride and you can do whatever you want. That being said, shaving the drip rails and door handles is going to add time & cost to the build - and most likely create more issues down the road - so keep that in mind. Personally I think the '68 will have more character in a stock configuration. It was a very clean looking Elco before.

 

[Hat Trick]

Make sure you can get to the battery. If it dies you don’t get in. External hood opener or post to charge from.
Tom

 

[Jeem68]

Yea, I saw Ian Roussel's version on the Corvair he did. Purely just a mechanical button to pop the door. Very clean. However, after talking to the wife, she said she loves the old style handles, and I would have to open her door for her if I changed it, (nails issue) soooo, looks like that's a NOT. I've de-chromed a lot of her already, (wheel well trim, rocker moldings, tailgate trim, antenna, etc.) and was thinking of flush mounted trimless glass, and no gutters to smooth out the roof line. I've seen the gutter trim painted, not a fan. It won't see rain, so it's really an esthetic change. Just running body options over in my mind, as this will be the last paintjob she ever sees...trimming back the rear wheel wells so I can run 10's in the back, (only need 1/4") and pulling the glass to get to the rust at the A pillar and dash top. Onward - Upward!!

 

[78 Elk]

Update on the Snip EFI computer . I called Hollley today and it will take 8 weeks to get it back.

 

[any4xx]

Update on the Sniper EFI. I called Holly today and it will take 8 weeks to get it back.

Ugh…. When I bought mine I bought it through Summit Racing. When it didn’t work Summit had me another one in about two days. I DID have to order a second one and they credited me for that once I returned the defective one.

 

[78 Elk]

I bought mine through my friends that owned a NAPA store. They have now closed the store down so they could retire. That’s the reason the shop where the 78 El Camino is now sent it back to Holley.

 

[Caballero Joe]

Tough break. Sorry to hear about that.

 

[78 Elk]

I called Holley again today, I would be called when they ship the package out and they would email the shop that it shipped. So I will have to wait and see.

 

[Karadjgne]

You'd think that with as big a decline in the need for carbs or TBI as there has happened over the last decade, carb companies like Holley would be all over the customer service, trying to get your issues resolved Yesterday, especially considering just how much you paid for it in the first place. Snipers aren't cheap.

 

[ghawk]

Yea, I saw Ian Roussel's version on the Corvair he did. Purely just a mechanical button to pop the door. Very clean. However, after talking to the wife, she said she loves the old style handles, and I would have to open her door for her if I changed it, (nails issue) soooo, looks like that's a NOT. I've de-chromed a lot of her already, (wheel well trim, rocker moldings, tailgate trim, antenna, etc.) and was thinking of flush mounted trimless glass, and no gutters to smooth out the roof line. I've seen the gutter trim painted, not a fan. It won't see rain, so it's really an esthetic change. Just running body options over in my mind, as this will be the last paintjob she ever sees...trimming back the rear wheel wells so I can run 10's in the back, (only need 1/4") and pulling the glass to get to the rust at the A pillar and dash top. Onward - Upward!!

I shaved the drip rails off my 70, lots of work but I am not a fan either.

 

[84Pacecar]

Today I removed the drivers seat. I separated top from bottom and removed the seat covers. Did really well until I got to removing the headrest from the seat back. Might need a hint here? I don’t force anything. Called Stock Interiors. Seems they do not make exact replicas of original covers? Has anyone bought and installed a set by this vendor? My original covers have an additional 1/4” of foam sewn into the fabric of the center section where the pleats are. Do the after market replacements have this additional foam, or is it just fabric?

84Pacecar
Vermont “where the wild things are “

 

[Karadjgne]

Just the covers have additional foam, for the pleats etc. The foam crushes at the sewn areas, leaving it free, between. That's what gives a pleat it's roundness. That applies to any cover with sewn areas, even if they are wide.

 

[elcodude]

Changed the oil & filter, replaced the shorty spark plugs with the new pass through socket set I bought, (seriously- a 1.5 hour job with headers) and replaced the distributor cap and rotor. Then took my Elco out of the storage unit, and drove around the facility about four laps to get everything loosened up and flowing. It has been locked up for almost 7 months.

 

[Karadjgne]

It has been locked up for almost 7 months.

Sacrilege! 😭🤣

 

[cyberray]

I finally got out to mine this past weekend and got it started after about 7 months. after 5 minutes of grey/blue smoke while idling and getting it warmed up, I decided to gun it and you would have thought I was lighting up the rear tires (that or fogging the neighborhood for mosquitoes)

made another step forward in converting the flood Caballero to a trailer. had my sawzall with a demo blade in it with me so I managed to cut across the rear floorpans so I can remove the front half of the cab, which already have the roof cut off.

 

[84Pacecar]

Just the covers have additional foam, for the pleats etc. The foam crushes at the sewn areas, leaving it free, between. That's what gives a pleat it's roundness. That applies to any cover with sewn areas, even if they are wide.

Thanks. Good to know. Would be nice to see some of their work, and hear from folks who have done the installation. For $750. It would be reassuring. Delivery time is 3 months! Are they that busy?

 

[Karadjgne]

3 months isn't bad. Gotta figure they don't keep a giant warehouse full of foams to fit all seats, so for some seats the foams will be special ordered/bought from companies they deal with according to their quality and fitment standards etc. Which can take time. They'll also need to to any frame repairs, strengthening, re-webbing, re-springing, tracks etc.

Now you could hit up a local mom&pop upholstery shop, who will do a great job of reskinning the seats, cheaper, and in less time, but that's a simple reskin and will look awesome, but doesn't include sag or seat repair, frame straightening, latch fixes etc.

Besides, there's always other stuff needed to be done, so 3 months isn't going to hurt that bad anyway. Usually.