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Looking for help restoring my 73 EL CAMINO SS


Looking for help restoring my 73 EL CAMINO SS
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Erik responded to
Looking for help restoring my 73 EL CAMINO SS on 12/18/2010 10:11 am
I am the owner of a 1973 CHEVY EL CAMINO SS. I picked up this bone stock car on Dec. 5 2010. It has a late 80's vintage 350 sbc and a TH350 trans. It has the swivel buckets but no floor console yet.
This is the first year for the 4th gen. El Camino. I love these since they are the largest body style.
I purchased this vehicle for $8500.00 and am in the process of restoring the interior, busting the rust under the car, and putting some goodies in it to make it my own.

I have replaced the entire suspension front to back with PST's best front end POLYGRAPHITE kit, PST springs at all 4 corners, KYB Gas Adjust shocks all around, PST Pro Touring 1 5/16" front sway bar, PST GMAX 1" rear sway bar( they had no rear sway bar from the factory.), a complete set of PST POLYGRAPHITE rear control arm bushings, and a new Close ratio steering box.

I had the outer body repaired and painted in a 1 stage Black satin paint and applied a year correct SS stripe kit.
Safelite replaced the cracked windshield with a correct replacement that has an internal radio antenna.
My next step is to replace the floor pans and de-rust the underside of the car.

I am planning to put a new 350 SBC 335hp./375ft.lb. Turn Key crate motor from Phoenix Engine Rebuilders,
install a new posi unit from Strange and change the gear from the stock 2.72 to a more fun 3.08, install a Summit Racing Rear disc brake conversion kit, SSBC drilled/slotted rotors, and dual piston caliper upgrade kit for the front disc brakes, install a new updated wiring harness from Painless, replace all of the stock gauges with a set from Autometer, A set of 5 spoke 15in. wheels from ION ALLOY, install a B&M ratchet floor shifter, put in an original floor console , new headliner, new carpet, new dash, door panels, restore the swivel buckets, upgrade the headlights to cool blue xenon conversion units, upgrade the marker, brake, and turn signal lamps to LED, replace the rear bumper with a roll pan, and remove the stock mounts on the front bumper to tuck it into the body, shave the door handles and convert to old school style suicide doors. All chrome will be blacked out to match the satin black body, windows will be tinted, all weatherstripping will be replaced, and a stereo will be installed as the final step in this process.

This is not going to be a weekend warrior, or a trailer queen. This will be my daily driver. I hope to get this done in the next 12-18 months. I want to be able to hand this car down to my 9 year old son when he comes of age. But I want to have some fun with it first.

I am looking for product donations to help my project along and if possible, the expert labor of people who do this kind of work for a living.


Posts: 5
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Michael responded to
Looking for help restoring my 73 EL CAMINO SS on 01/15/2011 11:41 am
Let me know if you have any questions, I have built a few cars myself, I am not in the position to donate any parts simply because I don't have any.
But I will offer you whatever advice or experience that I have buddy.


Posts: 5
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Alex responded to
Looking for help restoring my 73 EL CAMINO SS on 01/07/2012 01:44 am
Same as above - I managed a muscle car restoration shop here in Southern CA for numerous years - also an ASE certified Master Auto Tech... if you have any questions feel free to post them up.


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