First test drive yesterday. Oh yeah. It's faster.
I sure like these Super Hemi Turbo Mufflers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFoBqRdrZO4
I sure like these Super Hemi Turbo Mufflers.
Header and Pypes 2 1/2" X-pipe system install on Elky w/LT1
- Thread starter roger1
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Aside from blowing off your driver's door panel, did you have any new issues finishing the installation? 
BTW, that sounds killer. Any problem with droning at highway speeds? I'm concerned about the noise, dumping behind the wheels rather than under the bumper. I recognize that the trade-off is departure angle clearance...
Anyway, congrats! What's next?
Cheers - Gary
PS Pardon my newbie ignorance, but what does "choo choo" refer to?
BTW, that sounds killer. Any problem with droning at highway speeds? I'm concerned about the noise, dumping behind the wheels rather than under the bumper. I recognize that the trade-off is departure angle clearance...
Anyway, congrats! What's next?
Cheers - Gary
PS Pardon my newbie ignorance, but what does "choo choo" refer to?
Thanks Gary.
No Drone at all. I used these same long case Super Hemi Turbo mufflers on my '55 Bel Air too. I liked them so much, it's what I wanted for my Elky too. They are very well liked by many over on the trifive forum where I found out about them. My Bel Air has a little different sound though because it has an H-pipe instead of the X-pipe. It's amazing how that makes so much difference in the quality of the sound.
As far as behind the rear wheels or under the rear bumper exits, I really don't find any difference at all with how loud they are. My Bel Air has straight tailpipes exiting under the bumper. I just chose the side exits for the El Camino because I just think that style fits the car better aesthetically.
I'm thinking next will be a rebuild of the front end. Everything is original and the car has 80K miles on it. The springs are OK but I want to go with new ball joints, control arm bushings and tie-rod ends. I think I will stay with stock rubber and get Napa Premium ones. I think they are even better than Moog. I also want to get a good set of monotube shocks for it. I may go with the ones that RideTech has that are adjustable.
And btw, I'm changing the interior to black and will also be changing the exterior to white. The dash is already done and I've been experimenting what I want to do with the door panels. That's why I have that one upper you saw removed.
Choo Choo SS El Caminos were made from '83 to '87. The cars were sent from the factory to Choo Choo Customs in Tennessee for installation of all the special trim treatments. I've been told that I have one of the first 20 made of these cars and that the published production number for 1983 is actually much lower.
http://autocool.com/necoa_org/Choo-Choo_Facts.htm
No Drone at all. I used these same long case Super Hemi Turbo mufflers on my '55 Bel Air too. I liked them so much, it's what I wanted for my Elky too. They are very well liked by many over on the trifive forum where I found out about them. My Bel Air has a little different sound though because it has an H-pipe instead of the X-pipe. It's amazing how that makes so much difference in the quality of the sound.
As far as behind the rear wheels or under the rear bumper exits, I really don't find any difference at all with how loud they are. My Bel Air has straight tailpipes exiting under the bumper. I just chose the side exits for the El Camino because I just think that style fits the car better aesthetically.
I'm thinking next will be a rebuild of the front end. Everything is original and the car has 80K miles on it. The springs are OK but I want to go with new ball joints, control arm bushings and tie-rod ends. I think I will stay with stock rubber and get Napa Premium ones. I think they are even better than Moog. I also want to get a good set of monotube shocks for it. I may go with the ones that RideTech has that are adjustable.
And btw, I'm changing the interior to black and will also be changing the exterior to white. The dash is already done and I've been experimenting what I want to do with the door panels. That's why I have that one upper you saw removed.
Choo Choo SS El Caminos were made from '83 to '87. The cars were sent from the factory to Choo Choo Customs in Tennessee for installation of all the special trim treatments. I've been told that I have one of the first 20 made of these cars and that the published production number for 1983 is actually much lower.
http://autocool.com/necoa_org/Choo-Choo_Facts.htm
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Hey Joe.
When I saw this car being neglected parked on a street, I had to knock on their door and ask if it was for sale. It was the daughter of the original owner that I talked too. Her father had passed away and she wanted to keep the car but it was deteriorating and she knew it didn't make sense to keep it. So she said yes, if you are interested, it is for sale. I loved the car but didn't love the black. It was totally original except for the wheels. The originals had been stolen at some point and were replaced with ones with ordinary hub caps.
I re-painted the car in 1999 but kept it the original color because I didn't want to do the door-jambs and other stuff. I didn't want to re-do the interior then either. So now I'm going to make myself as happy as I can be with the car since I've decided I just love it too much to consider selling it.
Anyway, I don't think I meet the criteria of the "never go back" statement since I didn't choose the color in the first place.
When I saw this car being neglected parked on a street, I had to knock on their door and ask if it was for sale. It was the daughter of the original owner that I talked too. Her father had passed away and she wanted to keep the car but it was deteriorating and she knew it didn't make sense to keep it. So she said yes, if you are interested, it is for sale. I loved the car but didn't love the black. It was totally original except for the wheels. The originals had been stolen at some point and were replaced with ones with ordinary hub caps.
I re-painted the car in 1999 but kept it the original color because I didn't want to do the door-jambs and other stuff. I didn't want to re-do the interior then either. So now I'm going to make myself as happy as I can be with the car since I've decided I just love it too much to consider selling it.
Anyway, I don't think I meet the criteria of the "never go back" statement since I didn't choose the color in the first place.
Roger,
Thanks for the info on the noise/drone. Funny about how the H-pipe and X-pipe are so different in the sound they produce.
Cool deal you're renewing the front end next. According to my Elco's CarFax report, my odo has gone around once and it's showing 35K now so its front suspension may be in need of some refreshing. It's nice of you to lead the way.
While you're at it, I've been looking for reports on the Delphi 600 steering gear box. It's allegedly as good as rack and pinion and is the reason virtually no one has gone to the trouble to develop an R&P kit for g-bodies. It's available in 12.7:1 and 14:1 ratios, which are both quicker than the stock 16:1. So it'd be keen if you'd put one of these on your rehab parts list coz I think you'd really like it.
There's nothing in this for me, of course, I'm just thinking of what's best for your Elco.
Cheers - Gary
Thanks for the info on the noise/drone. Funny about how the H-pipe and X-pipe are so different in the sound they produce.
Cool deal you're renewing the front end next. According to my Elco's CarFax report, my odo has gone around once and it's showing 35K now so its front suspension may be in need of some refreshing. It's nice of you to lead the way.
While you're at it, I've been looking for reports on the Delphi 600 steering gear box. It's allegedly as good as rack and pinion and is the reason virtually no one has gone to the trouble to develop an R&P kit for g-bodies. It's available in 12.7:1 and 14:1 ratios, which are both quicker than the stock 16:1. So it'd be keen if you'd put one of these on your rehab parts list coz I think you'd really like it.
There's nothing in this for me, of course, I'm just thinking of what's best for your Elco.
Cheers - Gary
Cool story Roger, you probably know that was another sort of joke I referenced that's always been going around. Whatever color you choose, I'm sure it'll look good enough to make most jealous. I've seen a few white ones look pretty classy, transmission Mike's with the black stripes being one.
Are you thinking of SPI pure white, or something with a little pearl in it?
Are you thinking of SPI pure white, or something with a little pearl in it?
With 80K miles and 34 year age, my control arm bushings are noticeably worn visually but they aren't coming apart yet. I figure this is a good time to do those as well as the ball joints, idler arm and tie rod ends.Roger,
Thanks for the info on the noise/drone. Funny about how the H-pipe and X-pipe are so different in the sound they produce.
Cool deal you're renewing the front end next. According to my Elco's CarFax report, my odo has gone around once and it's showing 35K now so its front suspension may be in need of some refreshing. It's nice of you to lead the way.
While you're at it, I've been looking for reports on the Delphi 600 steering gear box. It's allegedly as good as rack and pinion and is the reason virtually no one has gone to the trouble to develop an R&P kit for g-bodies. It's available in 12.7:1 and 14:1 ratios, which are both quicker than the stock 16:1. So it'd be keen if you'd put one of these on your rehab parts list coz I think you'd really like it.
There's nothing in this for me, of course, I'm just thinking of what's best for your Elco.
Cheers - Gary
I upgraded the steering box to a 12:1 ratio back in 1998 (26K miles ago) when I put the LT1 engine in. I got it from AGR. I also got the P/S pump from them. I burned the original one up when I first ran the car without a fluid cooler. I bought a small B&M cooler and mounted it horizontally under the radiator core support. I've got a larger B&M cooler mounted right beside it for the engine oil cooler. I'm only cooling the transmission with the radiator.
Also, a couple of years ago I upgraded to the Jeep style lower steering shaft with the U-joint. Those make a BIG difference.
Thanks and keep up your suggestions. I'm doing a project thread over HERE but I will continue to make new threads on this site on specific jobs like I did with this exhaust system thread.
Yeah, you probably remember seeing on my project thread that I was thinking about black hood stripes. I think it would look cool. I also posted there about using 16" Trans AM/GNX cars that have black centers with aluminum rims.
No pearl. I'd rather keep it more original looking.
I didn't know SPI offered a pure white. That would be great and I would definitely use that. I love the way their polyurethane sprays. I knew they had 2 or 3 reds and black but never heard they had white. Do you know if it's a single-stage or bc/cc? With white, I would think most would prefer single-stage.
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