Project Wrong Way Regal Wagon

[zeth hale]

So I haven't had as much progress as I'd like but we are now mostly into the new house. Got a bunch of new parts, link lifters new knock sensors grommets and hardware, new gaskets new cam plate new side main bolts. Been really busy with moving but have also been helping my friend and old landlord finish his LS swap into a c10 whole thing done outside in the dirt no garage ( aside from paint) now that's inspiration

 

[zeth hale]

So I got all my crap packed into the garage with my brothers stuff (bought new house from my brother) I made a little progress last night scraped the seal surface of the block and tonight I brought home a die grinder and nyloc surfacer from work so I plan to get that done. Also got some Brad Penn 30w break in oil to soak the new lifters and with any luck ill be putting the cam in tomorrow

Kinda second guessing the idea of using the shaved intake. Just haven't got the ambition to finish it cause I'm wanting to run aftermarket instead. I guess if you guys got experience with an ls aftermarket intake let me know your opinions

But I did manage to get the valley cover on and grommets with new knock sensors, also finally got my side main bolts bolted in

And cleaned up my thread bores for the arp studs

 

[zeth hale]

So I found a wagon finally bought for cheaper 400$ with a blown up v6 not worth saving unfortunately it's pretty rough on the bottom but good enough to steal the roof off

 

[zeth hale]

So I stole the tires off the old parts wagon, regal had 2 flats on the rear and these at least hold air
Don't know if I mentioned this on the thread but the regal had hydro's on it at one point

So got the tires all changed over found out there is a total of one coil spring under the car. I had partly thought about steeling the springs from under the wagon but decided against it partly because I know I'm going coil over in the rear and didn't feel like it was worth it to pull springs just for ease of moving. As a few of you may have read I don't like to do things the cookie cutter, or inside the box. Right now I'm heavily thinking on buying a drop out front end for a c4 can pick one up locally for 500$ complete. So that may end up the direction I go

my thoughts are I'd be leaps and bounds ahead to go with this for better geometry, more adjustability better brakes and lighter with use of a rack. Track width is only 1 inch wider IIRC plus my front end is completely womped out. I guess I'd like some feedback, besides saying it'll be alot of work as this whole car will be alot of work and I'm not afraid to put in time on it


But I did give the whole car a good once over body is super solid like I had thought but does have rust in rear of floor pans should be easy fix with body off

 

[Opie Knievel]

Wow!! Very cool project. I really like this.

If you can get that Vette front suspension for $500 and it's in good shape, that sounds like a good price to me. If you know how to swap it right and make it work, I'd say that would be a really cool setup. Nobody else will have an LS powered, 2 door Regal Wagon with a Corvette front suspension.

How is the rear gate gonna be designed? 1 piece Lift gate, 2 piece - half lift, half tail gate, barn door, single hinged door, or some other custom idea that you come up with?

I'm really looking forward to seeing this build progress. Keep us updated! If you haven't already, you should start a thread about your Truckburban in the Non G Projects forum. I would follow it if you did and I'd say I wouldn't be the only one. I love watching projects that are unique. I love when someone with the talent for this kinda work really puts their heart into it and creates something really special. I think both of your projects are cool, unique and ambitious. Keep up the good work!

 

[zeth hale]

Wow!! Very cool project. I really like this.

If you can get that Vette front suspension for $500 and it's in good shape, that sounds like a good price to me. If you know how to swap it right and make it work, I'd say that would be a really cool setup. Nobody else will have an LS powered, 2 door Regal Wagon with a Corvette front suspension.

How is the rear gate gonna be designed? 1 piece Lift gate, 2 piece - half lift, half tail gate, barn door, single hinged door, or some other custom idea that you come up with?

I'm really looking forward to seeing this build progress. Keep us updated! If you haven't already, you should start a thread about your Truckburban in the Non G Projects forum. I would follow it if you did and I'd say I wouldn't be the only one. I love watching projects that are unique. I love when someone with the talent for this kinda work really puts their heart into it and creates something really special. I think both of your projects are cool, unique and ambitious. Keep up the good work!

For the rear gate I plan to build an enclosed gate kinda like a hatch back as I said before I'm keeping the regal coup tail lights. I'm not really a big fan of the hinged glass that these wagons have from factory so weather I build a one off out of metal or build a buck and lay fiberglass might also be the way I go,(either way it'll have lexan, because race car haha). Not to certain yet. The motor is what I'm really trying to finish but just moved into my new house and I think at Christmas I'll probably gift myself a new MIG welder. Lol then I can get rolling on the chopping/grafting of the top and all the chassis work.

And thank you for the words on my suburban it's been back burnered for some time now but soon I'll have this shuffling of parts in order so that I can build the motor for it. Long story short it's getting a p pump 24 valve cummins motor, I'm swapping in a 4bt in my DD and ripping the injection system off the tired old 12 valve to put on my other motor. Yes, I have a problem....

 

[Opie Knievel]

That'll be one cool truck. I really think you should do a build thread on it. How much power are you wanting to make with that Cummins? I took some diesel classes and built an 855 Cummins a few years ago.

 

[zeth hale]

That'll be one cool truck. I really think you should do a build thread on it. How much power are you wanting to make with that Cummins? I took some diesel classes and built an 855 Cumminsa few years ago.

For the 24 valve I'll be happy around 450-500 HP at the wheels that'll be around 900 ft lbs. I hope. I'll probably just end up with a 188 cam cheap set of towing compounds and a set of arp studs with some 5x18 injectors or so.
I work on semis for a living I wish we still worked on 855 and big cam motors so much simpler then today's junk.

When I start back in on the truck I'll post something up. Just trying to get things ready for winter right now

 

[Opie Knievel]

Good deal. You shouldn't have any trouble at all making that kind of power.

I know what you mean about these newer big trucks. They're getting complicated just like cars. Everything is computer controlled.

 

[zeth hale]

Well I got a couple things done girlfriend wanted me to cut up trees before she got back from vacation cut both down in a long day

Got one bay in the garage cleaned out and got the regal pushed in. Pulled the hood and started to strip all the excess weight. Will probably pull body off to box frame. But it's pretty tight in a 2 car Garage