My Build. LE2, full suspension, big brakes.

[95ImpySS]

Figured I’d update everyone on my favorite forum as to the happenings of my LT1. As well as show off a tad bit ;)

I have owned my 1995 Chevy Caprice Classic, 9c1 for 6 years now. It’s an ex police cruiser that at one point was poorly cloned out into an Impala SS. Over the years the exterior has gone through many stages of disarray and black rattle cans. But where the outside suffered, the inner workings got pampered. I have gone through 5, 4l60e’s, 2 rear ends, 3 posi units, 2 sets of springs, and more sets of brakes than I can recall. In January of 2011 I decided to pull the engine and rebuild it on the cheap. All in preparation of a road trip to watch some top fuel drag racing. A couple thousand dollars and a few months lost. The rebuild was a total failure and the car sat engine less for 9 months.

Fast foreword to January 2012… The year of credit card debt ;). After BadBlackZee so kindly donated the LT1 we pulled from his Camaro, my B body would see mods once again. Off to the machine shop it went to get tooled. Shot peened, baked, punched .030 over, align honed mains and cam bores and ARP studs and rod bolts. Heads were sent out to Lloyd Elliot to become LE2’s and be matched up to a custom LE grind cam. 224/230 .573/.568 110 LSA.

I then picked up a set of Hotchkiss upper and lower rear trailing arms. Dick Miller Racing triangulation links to help my wet noodle of a rear frame. And a set of Rustic Racing tubular upper and lower front A arms. A Hotchkiss rear sway bar and a second gen F body front sway bar. Then a level 3 CPT 4l60e behind a Precision Industries 2800 stall triple disk converter. I am also finally able to install my Kore3 325mm C5 Z06 front brake upgrade. It has spend the past 2 years looking pretty in cardboard boxes.

Now, considerably over budget and in the middle of March. Most of the parts are finally coming together. I sandblasted everything I could fit in my cabinet and painted everything with POR-15. Stuff is not cheap by anyone’s standards. But it goes on sooooo smooth and it’s as tough as nails. Anyway, there’s many little things I am forgetting that add up to numbers I don’t want to think about right now. So, on to the pics!!!


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00328.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00331.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00333.jpg LE Port Work!

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00335.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00372.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00323.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00343.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00378.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00366.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00365.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00376.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00381.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00388.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00389.jpg

[joelster]

That engine compartment looks excellent! When will you be ready to fire it up?

[95ImpySS]

Thanks, I am hoping to have it started by mid April. I still have to plumb a few oil coolers, as well as paint the front clip.

[1badz]

Looks amazing Brad. I have some pretty cool shots I will send you that I took here and there throughout it. Wish I was around more, but you know my situation :/

[94ta383]

Looks great bud, nice work

[Fixxer99TA]

Very nice, I like to see the time spent on making everything spotless too...

But I have to ask, what car project doesnt eventually go overbudget? :D

[95ImpySS]

Thanks guys. Car is slowly coming together. Taking much longer than expected but its turning out better than anticipated. Post up them pics Mano. I've been too busy trying to complete it to take many pictures. Plug wires and accessory bracket should be on this evening. I'll take a few more pics.

[86LT1]

That motor bay looks flawless man, everything is coming together really well! good luck on the rest of your build

[1badz]

Everything is ridiculously flawless on this thing...

9008

[JCzNova]

Beautiful job coming together! That POR-15 is amazing stuff. Use quite a bit of it in the military.

[1badz]

This kid is probably one of the biggest perfectionists I know. When the car is complete inside/out it will be a damn shame to do anything else but put it in a museum/art exhibition.

[95ImpySS]

This kid is probably one of the biggest perfectionists I know. When the car is complete inside/out it will be a damn shame to do anything else but put it in a museum/art exhibition.

Ha ha. It's almost museum quality.

Got some more parts on the engine. Front sway bar back on. As well as installed the brakes for real this time. Clearance is TIGHT!!

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00397.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00398.jpg

[polycerebrum]

damn brado, that's sexy!

[1badz]

damn brado, that's sexy!


Frank?!!?!?!?!??!?!??!? :shiner:

[79LT1Monte]

Pics like that make me want to spend so time and pull mine apart and make it look good. Hope to see it at the Shootout!

[polycerebrum]

yea man-o, what's good!?!?

[1badz]

yea man-o, what's good!?!?

Post up an intro thread you noob

[95ImpySS]

Made some progress...

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00412.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00414.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00415.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00410.jpg

[1badz]

bad to the bone meng

[95ImpySS]

Finally got the rest of the front clip parts sandblasted and painted. Many thanks to my brother who took the parts to get blasted for me. PROGRESS!!!!!!!!

Hoping to have this beast fired up in 8 days.

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00418.jpg
Everything hung up to dry. Its quite the maze during painting days.

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00419.jpg
Glossy glossy

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00422.jpg
Picture does no justice to how deep the black is. Por-15 goes on soooo smooth.

[95ImpySS]

Just to give the few of you following this thread an idea of the attention to detail going into this build....

These are most of the bolts that hold the front clip on... sandblasted
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00425.jpg

Then painted...
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00427.jpg

[95ImpySS]

Another update. Made some serious progress this past weekend. Got some of the front clip on. Torqued down all the suspension bolts, and bled the brakes. Right on schedual for SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY first start!!

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00430.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00431.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00433.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00432.jpg

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00435.jpg

[AdamG]

Impressive work and level of detail to say the least.

[Cheloz28]

Awesome work, did you have the intake sand blasted? To lay a coat of POR 15 do you have to prep it like you would paint?


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

[1badz]

In case you guys were wondering what WINNING looked like....

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b10/greeksnowboarder/WP_001098.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b10/greeksnowboarder/WP_001090.jpg

[95ImpySS]

Been a little wile since I posted. But made some progress. Fired it up on Saturday. Ran pretty decent, needed a valve lash adjustment and a tune pretty badly.

Just finished up the coolers up front.
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00450.jpg

Trans filter installed.
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00453.jpg

And 2 new Zirgo Ultra High Performance Fans. Rated at 2,785CFM MAX. These things move some air .http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00454.jpg

Hoping to take it for a spin this Saturday evening.

[95ImpySS]

Its ALIVE!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZCr0nVx8xM

Looking good after a speed wax wipe down.
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00464.jpg

[firebird_1995]

looking good man!

[sick70malibu]

Looks awesome! I would never have expected a land yacht like that to sound that mean lol

[95ImpySS]

Thanks for the comments everyone. Car is moving along. Working on wiring up the many fans, temp switches, lights and relays. Waiting on a tune in my email then its back to the streets. I'll try to get a more detailed video after I get it on the road again.

[95ImpySS]

Alignment done. Minor adjustment issues. But everything is buttoned up under the hood. Ugly bumper is back on.
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2%20Impala%20SS%20Build/DSC00472.jpg

[1badz]

I say never ever paint the car. That way people will be like "oh"... Then you pop the hood and they soil their pants. Helluva sleeper!!!

[95ImpySS]

Haha, Funny story. When I took the car to Pep Boys (yeah I know, not my first choice) to get aligned. No tech wanted to work on the car Because "it looks like a piece of shit" But once a tech finally went out to get the car. Everyone was in awe lol. Tech fired it up and almost pooped himself when it fired up. Still open x pipe lol. Needless to say, it attracted a crowd :)

[sick70malibu]

Haha, Funny story. When I took the car to Pep Boys (yeah I know, not my first choice) to get aligned. No tech wanted to work on the car Because "it looks like a piece of shit" But once a tech finally went out to get the car. Everyone was in awe lol. Tech fired it up and almost pooped himself when it fired up. Still open x pipe lol. Needless to say, it attracted a crowd :)

I love when that happens. My stepdads Bel Air does the same thing. People don't expect the 600hp fuel injected 502 to be lurking under the hood...

Sent from my HTC Rezound using Tapatalk 2

[79LT1Monte]

nice, now you need to get some track videos.

[KLaBZ28]

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2 Impala SS Build/DSC00372.jpg


http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2 Impala SS Build/DSC00389.jpg


How did you get that natural Aluminum look for the intake? Aluminum color paint or sandblast/clear. I really dig that with the black fins and fuel rails...
Car is looking good!

[Fixxer99TA]

How did you get that natural Aluminum look for the intake? Aluminum color paint or sandblast/clear. I really dig that with the black fins and fuel rails...
Car is looking good!

Prolly just sandblasted or its brand spankin new..

But, Id like to know myself... Looks awsome

[1badz]

It was painted with POR-15 silver IIRC. Correct me if I am wrong Brad

[KLaBZ28]

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i428/95ImpySS/LE2 Impala SS Build/DSC00389.jpg


Now that just looks flawless...

[95ImpySS]

I guess I need to update this thread haha.

The intake was sandblasted, then sprayed with POR-15 Engine Enamel, Aluminum color. http://www.por15.com/ENGINE-ENAMEL/productinfo/EEPA/
The rails were hand painted with a tiny brush, using POR-15 Black Coat.

UPDATE:

I have been tinkering on the car almost non stop. I got the Dynomax VT's on. They are alright. Not drone free with a stall. But cruising on the highway is quite pleasant compared to other exh systems I have had on the car. Fixing random things, then fixing the other things that pop up after I fix something else. Fix one thing, 5 others pop up. That's what I get for letting the car sit more than a year. Evil LT1 gods. On top of nonstop repairing things. I'm waiting on another re-tune achieving a whopping 10MPG (car is pig rich :( ) I have leaned the car out my self, but I'm not the best tuner :)

My daily driver decided to shred its serpentine belt, and then take out the timing belt. (mostly my fault for neglecting it) So I have resorted to driving my Impala every day. 420 miles a week is getting pretty pricey in this 93 octane only car. Fixed the A/C system only to have the compressor crap out 2 weeks later, filling the freshly cleaned system with metal. :/. New parts on the way. Throwing more money at it.

I took the car to a local shop for their dyno day. Car made 350WHP and 342WFtLb's on a so/so base line tune. Car breaks up around 5500 RPM. More power to be had. Saving up for a dyno tune, crossing my fingers this email tuner can get the car right until then.

Here is the video taken at the shop. Car puked a bunch of oil/rubber smelling smoke at the end of the last pull. Dunno WTF it was all about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKoBNUkW5Wo

Soon as I find my camera I will add some pictures of the finished exhaust system and a video of the Dynomax VT's after a few miles of driving.

Thanks for the love LTx Community.

[KLaBZ28]

Thats wild. I'm gonna have to get some of that POR when I do mine. You still gonna tow with it?

[95ImpySS]

Yeah. I plan to tow some things. A friend has a car that's not too street able. And I plan to tow him to the closest 1/4 mile track one day. Other than that I planned to pull my boat and Nova with it but both of those need to go by by. It wont be towing too often.

POR-15 is pricey but great stuff. Very tough. Goes on easy and levels out great. I don't recommend the aerosol versions or brushing it on. Its really tricky to get it smooth with a brush.

[KLaBZ28]

Yeah I was gonna do dull Aluminum engine spray on my intake to get that look but wondered about the quality of it.

[95ImpySS]

I guess its update time lol. So much going on I can’t keep up with all that I’ve done lately.

I took it to a dyno day at a local shop. Car made 350 WHP and 342LbFt on a base line tune.

Dyno Sheet here:
http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/...S/scan0001.jpg

Had to start the pull pretty high in the RPM’s because I didn’t have time to modify the trans tables to have it hold 2nd gear the hole time. Couldn’t beat 3 pulls on the Dynojet for $40

Dyno Video Here:

http://youtu.be/tKoBNUkW5Wo

For some reason the engine falls on its face in the 5400-5800RPM range, then comes back strong. Tune is way off IMO. Car runs rich struggles for idle etc. Trying to sort out a stainless steel braided A/C line kit to get the A/C working before it goes to a dyno tuner.

I have installed a MSD Digital 6 which seems to have helped the car out big time. Not as rich at idle crisper sounding engine through out the powerband. I then changed the pulgs out from NGK TR55's to AutoLite 103's and closed the gap to .035". Which helped the car out so much. runs considerably better. Still rich, but that is the tunes fault. Car is living in the shop until the A/C is done and I install (hopefully the final) set of O2 sensors.

After about 1500 miles the front springs started to sag. Was riding on bump stops and hitting the fender during turns. I installed a set of Eibach (AKA, QA1) springs and Koni single adjustable shocks. Ride is MUCH improved. The rear of the car actually feels like its attached to the car. Might take it to an autocross event soon to wipe out some cones. First time at an event like that. Should be interesting to see how both my driving and the car stack up to Miata’s, Mustangs and RX7’s. Fingers crossed not to come in dead last Kicking my self for not dropping the frame and boxing it in. Suppose to be the best handling mod you can do. I was pretty close. Live and learn lol.

Spent a ton on header gaskets trying to get them to seal. (which didnt help my email tuner, sorry :( ) Ended up taking the headers to the machine shop to get the flanges milled. They were WAAAAAAY out of whack. They took off a little over 1/8" of the flange. FlowTech quality right there. So far so good. Still sealed 850 miles later. I changed the spark plugs from NGK TR55's to AutoLite 103's and closed the gap down to .035. Runs so much better now. Pulls really hard, idles better, and somewhat remedied the high rpm hiccup.

Finally got around to wiring a few new sirens on the car as well as a few more sensors. The brain took a crap. Old Clifford 10.5x Matrix has been good for the past 6+ years. Settled on a new Viper system that I will install soon. Hopefully get my air horns re-installed as well. I fixed my daily so the car can take a rest and get some much needed TLC.

Car is in desperate need of a detailing. Maybe this weekend :). Track videos and time coming. I promise.

[95ImpySS]

For now, Video of me beating on the car with crappy (I DO NOT RECOMMEND) Dynomax VT mufflers.


http://youtu.be/LMGAkRkShF8

[carmichaeljcr]

nice job Brad! can,t wait to see finished ,those are some great modivation pictures for me to kept busy on my new project,the orangecrate lol.thanks for the info on the cam im going to save and get the gm 847 im hooked on it.i have a comp 280h layin under the bench out of my 2nd gen camaro,it was a good cam to about 6800 rpm,i want more air speed,higher rpms is what it takes for this old fart,cant afford a turbo yet,mabe 1 day,stay intouch bro and stop by sometime,Thanks again
12906

[95ImpySS]

Small update here. Got the car dyno tuned a few months ago. On the way home from the tuner my $2500 tranny lost 3rd gear. I limped it home in 2nd and there it sits. I take it out around town on short city drives, to the parts stores, grab food etc. Trying keep it running and healthy. As everyone knows, if it sits it will break more than in use. I finalized my alarm install, added another siren hidden in the rear, as well as 60watt strobes in the front and rear. Tied into the alarm to help raise as much attention as it can when the alarm is going off. They can also be turned on remotely by the alarms key fob.

Short video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaMLtIJ2DOk&feature=share&list=UUj4pc5Pn-ZwLYUhxXTBzg6A

I also re did my crank case ventilation plumbing. The cheap valve cover breathers I had before leaked oil where the parts were crimped together. I purchased a billet aluminum breather and plumbed it into the intake elbow to stop oil seepage and add better air flow to the crank case. Pics coming soon.

Now, do I build another 4l60E, or do it right like I should have in the beginning and put a T56 in?

[blackbird1084]

Who built the tranny?

[95ImpySS]

Who built the tranny?

I purchased it used from an Impala SS Forum member. He said it was built by Shane at CPT transmissions and it had 600Km (roughly 375)on it. I tried contacting Shane on the Impala Forums but hes been out of the building game for a wile and ignored me. Tranny looked and worked great when I got it. I put about 2000 miles on it before I noticed 3rd gear feeling funny. By about 5000 I knew something was wrong. According to the impala guys, the email tuner I used didn't up the trans pressure tables to adjust for a 52mm TB and that caused it to slip the whole time. I really cant say what killed it. But I got a little over 5k miles on it and some dyno time. 1st and 2nd are solid, and if I accelerate up to 50-60mph, pop it in 3rd, and just barely hold the throttle it will hold speed. No acceleration in 3rd, or the engine will just rev up.


Few more pics of current mods.

17052

17053

[1badz]

It's looking real purty Brad!!! Post up some pics/vids of the Nova in the lounge ;)

[dtrott383]

That is awesome man..... where did you get your valve covers and headers they look like long tube headers if I'm not mistaking???

[dtrott383]

that thing looks awesome if you don't mind me asking where did you get the valve covers and headers they look like long tube headers

[6 speed impy]

Very Nice. How is that right side valve cover clearance to the alternator with those covers?? Or did you persuade the cover or trim the alt??

Mike

[popo8]

Very nice!!! Keep the progress and pics comin. 6 speed impy is ir guy to copy off if u want flawless. You should see his ride!

[95ImpySS]

The valve covers are Proform covers off summit. They fit fine with no modification of the alternator or brackets. If I had an F body accessory bracket then some grinding of the alternator would be needed. Installed the same set on a friend's 383 Camaro and had to do some grinding. If you have bing roller rockers you will have to gut the baffles inside the valve covers to make room for the rockers. I used moroso rubber grommets with a baffle to help block oil from the PCV system. Only issue with these covers is I cannot find a set of plugs that do not leak or fall out after a few hundred miles of driving.

The headers I had on the car in the previous pics were a set of Flow Tech afterburner's. They were absolute junk and constantly leaked/needed bolts retightened. After the welds cracked I bit the bullet and purchased a set of Clear Image Automotive 2nd generation Tri Y's. Best decision yet. No leaks, look great and never come loose like the Flow Tech. I will say car sounded better with the flow techs but I'll take functionality over sound.

[95ImpySS]

Don't think I've updated in a wile. Car now has a 6 speed T56 and billet flywheel in it. After my pricey 500 WHP 4l60 died I decided that no one can build a 4l60 and swapped in a T56. No issues at all except it's a bear to drive with the cam ground for a 3600 rpm stall auto. Much rather change a clutch every now and again than a multi thousand dollar automatic. Besides manual transmissions are more fun and reliable. I swapped in a big Be Cool Radiator and stock fans. Need to fix a CFM issue now causing the ac to shut off on high pressure when stopped at lighta. So the be cool may be coming out if I can't fit better fans on it. Fixed my broken power seats and preparing for a quick plasti dip job as soon as I ether fix my opti issues or convert to a carburetor and proper distributor. LT1 Fun. Almost as much as a boat lol.