Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

I am guessing all Bucket seats on Malibus' and SS cars had the block medallions.
Don't remember for sure.
This seat was out of a Pontiac B-Body as they did NOT have that option in the A- Body Chevelle.
If I remember the Blue temporary bench seat had them also.
Ron wanted to commandeer them, I vetoed it.

The dash already had too much "bling"

This stuff is really fun when things start coming together.

Karl

Ron must have been giddy with excitement after that drive...

more ambition than brains wrote:

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Still need to Ziebart frame and 1/4 panels.

Karl

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Karl, I'm curious why the frame and 1/4 panels need to go be Ziebarted since it won't be driven in inclement weather I'm guessing?

Seat looks pretty good in car.
Going back for headliner and carpet this week, hopefully.

Love the Strato Bench! Perfect seat for an El Camino.

Looks sporty with the armrest down, but with practicality of having room for a 3rd person if ever needed.

Here ya go, Stan. About the same as shipping alone would be for the Strato.
https://classicconsoles.com/product/bd-drinkster-bench-seat-console/

Thanks for your interest in this stuff, it is fun.

Looks like an Oldsmobile B-Body seat

Curious to know if it has the lock button in the center of the backrest.
Rare with the headrests.
Probably an OK price considering the current markets and the limited production of the seat.

Maybe some beanbag chairs would be more affordable.

Ours was 66 Pontiac B-Body as stated.
I have seen or owned two others.
Mine, 68 Caprice full power, sold with a car package several years ago.
The other was a 67 Caprice I picked up in Woodbury and delivered to a guy out East when I was on one of my road trips years ago.

G-Body ElCaminos had some split bench/armrest options.

Plan on setting Blue Elky body back on frame this weekend. Ron plans on attacking that project as my $$ (cash flow) allows.

Wiring, need to buy Vintage air A/c unit or similar, probably going Dakota Digital on Dash Cluster.

Still need to refabricate Cadillac center console and shift cable for 700R4.

Plenty to do.

Sold LT-4 Vette yesterday, ITZHIZZ collector plate is now registered to Blue Elky. Traditional ITZHERZ plate still on 2010 Blue Camaro.

Waiting on Metro Upholstery to clear up schedule for balance of white Elky interior install.

Just keep chugging along.

Karl

I love that blue color!    But then I'm partial to blue cars.

That's one Elky that I'd be proud to drive.  

More progress Blue Elky.

Made a trip to Dillon radiator in Rochester to pick up cooling module for the Elky.

Switching to Big, Aluminum, Spaal fans.

My stock recored radiator ended up in white Elky. Ron was busy this week also, doors are going together, we replaced vent window seals, he assembled all glass, and misc. window hardware. Regulators are installed also window belt trim.

Pictures

Starting to resemble a car.

Working diligently on interior.

Seats and console from 1991 Cadillac Eldorado, my late wife Vickie had one, and we really liked the size and comfort of seats.

They are similar to the stock Astro Buckets in appearance.

Mounting brackets for Chevelle buckets were modified to fit seats and floor, console brackets were harvested and modified to fit floor.

3-point seat belts from 80s square body Blazer.

I had also purchased and scrapped a wrecked 91 Eldorado with Black interior to supplement the blue ones I kept when we disposed of Vickies' 91 Eldorado.

Multiple wiring harnesses were also acquired, and one set modified and rewired to work.

Power switches from 80s Gm.

Multiple spares for everything scavenged from U-Pull in Rosemount, I was a frequent flyer for several years.

Now cut and extend console slightly and figure out shift cable.

Eldorado was front wheel drive, overdrive, Elky is 700R4, should be interesting.

As you know this vehicle has been in process for now, 30 years, as it was started in the winter 30 years ago.

We remember this, as it was taken apart about the same time my first Grandchild was born, she turns 30 this month.

Also need to make a decision on leather upholstery, or not

It has been at least 20 years since the seats were fitted and wiring built.

Had to dig through 7 different storage Tubs and boxes to find all the pieces.

Total Easter Egg Hunt, as this stuff has all been repacked and moved several times.

30 years is a LOOOOOOONG time.  Thanks to Ron and his significant efforts things are on the move.

Weekly and bi-weekly orders for odds and ends required to assemble this project.

Engine was even in Biskwik for a while.

A couple more pictures:

One of my cats guarding the new brake booster.  one fender downstairs and unwrapped after 4-5 years

Ready for summer heat?  Don’t  know if this is relevant or not.  But a TC member said I should lay the inner fender up on the tire before I bolt up the front fender instead of trying to roll it in after fender is in place.

Thanks Karl.  When Mitch and I took the fenders off the core support,etc was left on.  Hood, bumper and valance were removed.  I thought that might be. The best way to get things back where they came from factors, except I had to try an adjust the door since I had the lower driver hinge was being replace.

My adjustments are not that great, but pretty close to where they were from the factory.  I don’t think the factory did a good job.  Once I get the dash in and wiring hooked up and front bumper on the car should be drivable.

The update harness set is spade fuses and circuits for power windows, locks, vintage air, stereos with boosters, 1 wire alternator, electronic ignition, electric fans, direct wire for headlights, etc, etc, way more circuits than I needed, but I started with almost nothing. The wires are NOT terminated and are extra long to run hidden under carpet, etc. The fuse block is the same size as the '68 up and the hole in the firewall will need to be enlarged, comes with a pattern to mark the cut. Fairly good directions, maybe have improved in the 7-8 years since I bought mine for the '66. VERY complete set up with new ignition cylinder, headlight and wiper switches.... more than I can recall.

Looking good !

As for the converter, that will depend on the rear axle ratio. If it is 3.08, you aren't going to want a lock up, if 3.31, maybe. Anything deeper, yes, use the lock up.

I can only relate the following to my 200r4 about eliminating the lock up circuit in the trans. No idea if the 700 is similar. You may want to bring this up with Duane.

This is, also, mainly an issue while towing my camper. BUT I found that at 70 on a longer drive without the trailer on the freeway, the fluid would heat slowly, and  still creep up near critical. With the trailer, I kept having the trans fluid overheat quickly and I finally learned that with out the lock up circuit, the amount of fluid going to the cooler is very limited. I had John convert it back and bought a lockup converter from him for an '86-7 GN, which has a higher stall speed than normal use too. It is around 1,800-2,000, which you may never feel as a Sunday driver. Normal driving has it engaging at lower rpm.

I then had Chris P remove the 3.08 gears and install 3.42. This allowed the lock up to be used at speeds over 40 mph in overdrive. 

I control the speed at which the convertor will lock with a B&M converter controller. There are other methods which claim to allow the converter to automatically lock by vacuum or load, but no experience with them. 10 years ago they all seemed to be problematic yet and only worked in overdrive. Hopefully that has changed, for the better.

The controller, also, allows me to use and control the converter to lock up in 2nd and 3rd gears, if shifted into them manually. This essentially, gives me a 7 speed transmission to keep the rpm where I need it for trailering in hills with the converter locked and sufficient fluid flowing to the external cooler to keep the trans temp down. Yes, I have an external cooler almost the same size as the radiator, but the radiators on these '37-38 cars is rather small for today's engines/transmissions...(hint)

So, after reading all the unrelated trailering blather, the bottom line is, talk with Duane about  whether eliminating the lock up circuit on the 700 will restrict fluid to the cooler and whether this will be an issue for your intended driving...

Playing with center console. 

Goal, Power seat switches on console, control boxes for Dakota digital dash in lower front of console.

Extending console to make room and close out most of front.

After console is mocked up will figure out shifter cabling.

Using 26 ga. material to fabricate, after cardboard templates cut out.

Then change mind re-engineer and use more metal.

Attaching with two-part adhesive, rivets and a couple of screws.

Also, adding a couple of mount brackets inside.

Getting closer. 

As you may have guessed, as usual, many spares, parted out 2 1991 Eldorados and several trips to U-PULL a few years ago.

Never have enough inventory.

Here we go:

-- Edited by more ambition than brains on Sunday 5th of May 2024 09:47:03 AM

Maybe just buy a Lokar shifter and cable and custom fabricate the entire console, rather than trying to modify an existing one ? You could plan better for the switches to be on top, rather than on the side..

Or build a better console to work with the factory shifter and position indicator. that would allow you to move the shifter fore/aft as needed/wanted too.

Just tossing the idea out to consider. I know a guy who could help building the final product, once you have it planned out.