'73 Chevelle SS Wagon (local find)

[bucket]

I was also surprised how clean the inside of the fuel tank looks. And how nice the rubber fuel hoses seem to be. Then I realized, the car was parked before all the local stations started mixing ethanol in the gasoline.

 

[78C10BigTen]

Not yet, still have to put the carb on it. But all the underneath stuff is done or at least checked out. Even the brake lines look good. Right now at least it can sit there and look pretty with it's shiny wheels.

Just wonderin how you were movin it. That post seemed like it was moveable.

 

[bucket]

Nope, I simply pulled the trailer over that way and rolled it off the trailer. Two of my boys helped me roll it into it's parking spot.

 

[skysurfer]

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Is there supposed to be a wide chrome trim around the door windows? It looks strange to me that all the other glass is trimmed out and nothing on the doors.

 

[78C10BigTen]

Is there supposed to be a wide chrome trim around the door windows? It looks strange to me that all the other glass is trimmed out and nothing on the doors.

Good point! Didnt notice till you pointed it out.

 

[bucket]

Is there supposed to be a wide chrome trim around the door windows? It looks strange to me that all the other glass is trimmed out and nothing on the doors.

That's just how they were. Wide trim around the stationary glass and thin trim around the 'pillarless' door glass.

I actually have a plan for that styling oversight. The wide trim has a crease about midway through that would make a good border to blackout half of each piece. So just the outside perimeter of the trim would be left exposed, giving the effect of narrow trim.

 

[mcarlo86]

Lol, I think that's how most people have felt about the '73-'77 cars. It takes a special kind of person to like them I guess.

Those cars are definitely an acquired taste, but they do grow on you the more you look at them. I have never seen an SS wagon like that before and it is awesome to see it being resurrected.

 

[Derick C.]

I like this car.

 

[bucket]

Nope, it's not running yet (still needs the carb put on) but I'm home for a few days due to weather so maybe it will run soon. Today I decided to do a little more preventative maintenance before trying to fire it up. I'm replacing the belts, replaced the thermostat and I removed the smog pump. The pump felt like it was wanting to lock up. The alternator feels ok when it spins.

With the alternator flopped out of they way, I was able to get a good look at the engine stamping. It is indeed the original engine to the car.

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[bucket]

Well hot damn, it runs!

This here was before the initial fire up, with the carb on and most everything buttoned up.

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In addition to the little filter in the carb, I added a larger capacity filter on the inlet side of the pump, to catch any trash that may be in the tank.

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With power hooked up, one of the first things I checked for operation was that 8-track radio. @AuroraGirl has one just like it.

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That didn't go so well, lol. That radio clearly is not happy about life. It turns on and lights up, but there's an ungodly screeching that emits from the dash speaker. The fm converter didn't seem to do much besides change the pitch of the screeching.

But anyway, after filling the fuel bowl, I cranked it over (with fire extinguisher ready to go) to see what happened and I swear that sucker fired right to life in just half a revolution. It ran really well too and as an added bonus, the choke even worked properly. Yay!! Lol.

In about the first minute, the alternator started trying to lock up and it also wasn't charging. So I swapped it out with one of my spare 10si's and started it up again. No more squealing belt and it was charging too. Brake pedal is very low, but no lines popped when I mashed it. Drive and reverse both went right in. The car stopped on it's own. Not well or quickly, but it stopped.

So it ran, it moved, it steered and it turned. Good enough for me! I took it down the road and back and it was only about a mile, but I loved every second of it.

So here it is after it's first trip on the road in nearly 25 years:

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[animal]

Awesome

 

[Vbb199]

Im amazed it still shifts and runs, those old hydromatic transmissions in OEM config are so impressive

They can sit for 10+ years and just go go go

Rebuilds= a couple years and its junk

 

[bucket]

There's a long list of items that are a known issue now. The biggest of which is the fan clutch is obviously wore out and the rear shocks basically seize up after just a few little bumps. It was sorta like riding in a lowered Honda after about a 1/4 mile of road travel. Oh and I'm evidently missing a little clip or sleeve or something for the throttle cable, so it will stay on the ball stud.

Things that don't work:
Blower motor
Windshield wipers
Right turn signals (think it's the switch)
Bright light indicator (I don't even know where it is)
Turn signal indicators (don't know where these are supposed to be either)
Hatch release solenoid
Fuel gauge
Generator light

All in all, about what you would expect from a car that's been sitting for decades.

 

[bucket]

I got a new shop vac a few days ago, the Chevelle got to be it's first task.

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That front seat is very uncomfortable. That old brittle vinyl is very pokey. Also the steering wheel is sticky, much like the truck steering wheels do. And the radio knobs are probably the stickiest radio knobs I've ever felt.

 

[78C10BigTen]

I got a new shop vac a few days ago, the Chevelle got to be it's first task.

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That front seat is very uncomfortable. That old brittle vinyl is very pokey. Also the steering wheel is sticky, much like the truck steering wheels do. And the radio knobs are probably the stickiest radio knobs I've ever felt.

Interior actually looks pretty clean!