69 Chevelle, 5.3, S480
69 Chevelle, 5.3, S480 So about 10 years ago I acquired a 69 Chevelle that my grandpa had for years. It was a beautiful baby **** green color so I immediately had it painted, but it sat painted silver with blue stripes for the next 8 or 9 years with a running 427 BB in it. I never got very interested in it for some reason, until I did the 2012 and 2013 HRPT in other vehicles and finally decieded to do the 2014 HRPT in the chevelle, so the project started.
How it was when I started:
I ordered a bunch of parts for the LS swap, started out as just wanting a stock 5.3/4L60 setup that cruised down the highway nicely. Yeah well....you know how that goes.
After making everything fit, it finally started and I could start ironing out all the bugs. Got it tuned and made the 5 hour journey to San Antonio, Tx to see my brother, kinda as a test drive for the planned upcoming power tour. I had no issues whatsoever, even got to take the grandpa for a ride while I was there.
At my brothers house
Taking the grandpa for a ride, lol.
Before the power tour started I had a list of things to do to get ready, went through the 12 bolt and added an Eaton posi and moser axles, ordered an FLT stage 7 4L60E, stuck with the 60E because I didn't want to cut the tunnel, wildwood brakes all the way around. Added a vintage air AC system and a retrosound radio. Finally it was ready for the power tour.
How it was when I started:
I ordered a bunch of parts for the LS swap, started out as just wanting a stock 5.3/4L60 setup that cruised down the highway nicely. Yeah well....you know how that goes.
After making everything fit, it finally started and I could start ironing out all the bugs. Got it tuned and made the 5 hour journey to San Antonio, Tx to see my brother, kinda as a test drive for the planned upcoming power tour. I had no issues whatsoever, even got to take the grandpa for a ride while I was there.
At my brothers house
Taking the grandpa for a ride, lol.
Before the power tour started I had a list of things to do to get ready, went through the 12 bolt and added an Eaton posi and moser axles, ordered an FLT stage 7 4L60E, stuck with the 60E because I didn't want to cut the tunnel, wildwood brakes all the way around. Added a vintage air AC system and a retrosound radio. Finally it was ready for the power tour.
My brother and I both took our cars on the power tour, he was building a 69 turbo 6.0 Camaro at the same time I was doing the chevelle. We met in Dallas and started our 1400 mile trip to Zmax Dragway in Charlotte. It rained...a lot...
But we did finally make it there
We had a great time, both cars did great. We both drove almost 5000 miles in that 10 day stretch with the only issue being somebody trying to steal my brothers 69 Camaro in Nashville, busted window and key switch, but they didn't get the car. We found a new key switch locally that got us on the road and had a window overnighted to the next hotel where we got that fixed and was as good as new. We got to go to Cedar Point amusement park and stayed at Hotel Breakers
At some point I decided that a set of new mustang engine covers would be a good idea on the power tour, so I ordered a set and I was surprised at how many people actually believed it was a turbo coyote motor, got lots of reactions, good and bad!!
We were able to find the American Pickers place
Somewhere in Ohio a Hot Rod magazine suburban started taking videos/pics of the car. Here's the picture they took
And here's the pic I took of them, lol.
I even made the cut for the video they put together for day 6 in ohio. All in all both of our cars did great, we had a great time, drove a lot of miles in two old cars with a few thousand other people doing the same thing. Cant wait til next year.
But we did finally make it there
We had a great time, both cars did great. We both drove almost 5000 miles in that 10 day stretch with the only issue being somebody trying to steal my brothers 69 Camaro in Nashville, busted window and key switch, but they didn't get the car. We found a new key switch locally that got us on the road and had a window overnighted to the next hotel where we got that fixed and was as good as new. We got to go to Cedar Point amusement park and stayed at Hotel Breakers
At some point I decided that a set of new mustang engine covers would be a good idea on the power tour, so I ordered a set and I was surprised at how many people actually believed it was a turbo coyote motor, got lots of reactions, good and bad!!
We were able to find the American Pickers place
Somewhere in Ohio a Hot Rod magazine suburban started taking videos/pics of the car. Here's the picture they took
And here's the pic I took of them, lol.
I even made the cut for the video they put together for day 6 in ohio. All in all both of our cars did great, we had a great time, drove a lot of miles in two old cars with a few thousand other people doing the same thing. Cant wait til next year.
Biggest issue was I had to move the motor as far back as it would go in order to make the turbo fit between the radiator and the motor itself, so the hot side hit the crossmember, had to notch it on that side, which I was hoping to not have to do.
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