Ep. 5 - 70 Chevelle Restoration- Front End Rebuild
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- Welcome to the Soole Garage! This is episode #5 on my 70 Chevelle restoration. In this video I explain and show how to rebuild the front end. I install new tubular upper and lower control arms, new coil springs, and do a front disk brake conversion. I hope you enjoy and thanks for watching! Don't forget to subscribe to make sure you don't miss the next episode!
I’m probably going to use these videos to build my own some day as a chevelle 70 is my dream car
This will definetly help on my 71 Chevelle project. I've come here for all of my visual questions that i've had in the past. I am not a mechanic, but i have learned alot. Thank You Sir.
Excellent explanation of how to pack a bearing with grease. Ahhh. The lost arts.
Really appreciate it, and especially the part about your Dad. My Dad was a Hot Rodder. I grew up in the back of a 39 Ford Sedan, 31 Model Coupe in the Rumble Seat, and when I was in high school, he bought a 53 F-100. The only thing Ford on it, is the body. LOL It sits on an A Body frame, and has an LT1. He passed away, and I have it now. My sister has his 39. I have control arm bushings bad on both sides and the springs are shot. I have done a lot of work on it, and have pretty much rebuilt my Jeep. Grew up in the garage with him, and at car shows every weekend. I'd never tackled this job before though, but after finding your video, you echoed my Dad's exact words. Never be afraid to try!
Thanks for the tips!
You are so welcome and thanks for sharing your story about your Dad.
My father was like yours. I learned so much from him. Unfortunately, he passed far to early just as I was starting my truck project. I parked it and forgot about it as it was stored in my mom's garage. Today I will be taking my truck out of the trailer it's been in for the last 2 years and putting it in my garage to work on it. I miss my dad dearly. Cherish your time with him.
I really appreciate your note. I do enjoy spending time with my dad and I’m always amazed how much knowledge he has. I’m glad your project is underway good luck with it
@@soolegarage 70 Chevelle is one of my favorites.
Great video James. You do a great job of describing what you are doing in the video. I look forward to more of your videos. You are so correct about your father Marty. Besides being one of the nicest men to walk the face of this earth, he KNOWS cars and fabrication and painting and and and. Good Job James
I was searching for 1970 Chevelle restoration project and saw your channel clicked and watch all your videos. You Sir got yourself a new sub.. I'm about to do the same with my 1970 Chevelle body off and do the cleaning up the frame and new suspension..I got the time to do it now. Since shelter in is in affect ( California) . Cheers
great video!!! Im going to use this to start on my 66 Chevelle project. Frame is powdercoated and ready.
Thanks, I love the 66 chevelle.
Great video. In the process of rebuilding the suspension on my 68 Chevelle.
Thank you for the detailed videos! About to do the same install on my 68 Cutlass and these videos are very helpful!
Thanks for the comment, I sold a 69 cutlass about a year ago and really wish I would have kept it.
Thank you for the tutorial, I’m actually doing the same on my 66 impala, and your instructions will well guide me, just had trouble with my upper tubular control arms, they have a slight angle so I positioned them pointing towards the back since the lower control arms also have that slight angle.
Sorry I missed this comment, did you get your control arms working good? I rebuilt a 65 Impala years back and loved that car, wish I still had it.
@@soolegarage yes thank you, I haven’t driven the car yet, but everything seems to be fine so far,
Thank you. you make me want to try to do these things.
Awesome restoration Your chevelle frame it looks like it's new from the factory
You pack bearings the same way I learned and you're sure grease is inside the rollers.
Great video. Thank u
You are welcome glad you liked it.
Nice video, I am wondering about that "disk brake grease". I have been using Kendall Super blue for years, only issue is for my boat trailer it isn't waterproof. You didn't show greasing new ball joints nor cleaning brake components, bearings being cleaned which is a good idea. Rotors and bearings often are coated with something to prevent rust. When adjusting wheel bearing try rotating rotor while tightening nut to preload, then back off and come back to point where there is least amount of play without preload and still get cotter key in. Idea is grease needs to be squished out of space between bearings and races, spindles all of which should have had generous amount coating them during assembly. If you leave any dry you risk galling before "grease film" develops during operation. Even doing that, it's still a good idea to double check bearing adjustment and torque on front suspension fasteners after driving a few miles to the alignment shop where caster, camber and toe should be adjusted. Those should be part of prealignment but sometimes are overlooked by techs in a hurry to get job finished.
That is all great advice, I needed you around during assembly. I also agree with not overlooking anything. Thanks I appreciate it.
Finally a full video of your restoration journey not this time laps videos😂👌✌💯Subscribed
Thanks, I really appreciate your comment, thanks for checking out my project.
Nice, shout out to you dad also. Now can you adopt me and teach me everything you know dad? lol
I've watched you video a few times. You never show how you got the lower fork of your spring compressor out of spring. I just did this this weekend and had to use a prybar to compress the spring to loosen it enough to get the fork out. And then I had to enlarge the shock mount hole of the lower control arm to get the rest of the compressor out. It was a real drag. I'm going to get a different compressor for the other side. The tool I used was a rental. Great video!
3:10 when installing the upper control arms did you use the metal lock nuts? Is there another option here? Nylon perhaps? I’m fine with the single use nuts, but really don’t like breaking my bolts due to galling when trying to take off the upper control arms!
hi, this is celeste
Hi Celeste, how are you?
Nicely done. Nice to hear you still reach out to your father for tips. Maybe I missed it, but where did you reference for torque specs? I always want to use them, and never can find them. ~P
I have a 70 chevelle assembly manual (got it on ebay) with gives torque specs but most often when I don't want to dig through the book I do a google search for torque specs with my phone and a bunch of good sites and information come up that are reliable.
What size bolt did you use on the top control arm ?? Please
Pretty sure they are 7/16 x 2 -1/4" long, grade 8
Those cars didn’t have front shocks , thats crazy.
You showed me everything except putting the shocks on
I thought the video was getting to long so I left that out, sorry. Installing shocks is not to bad. basically one bolt holding the top and two bolts holding the bottom of the shock in place under the lower control arm. You may have to jack the car up to get the shock to drop out.
I'm enjoying this series very much!! I've heard the the ball joints that come with the speed sport control arms may be a weak spot in their design. Did you consider replacing them with more robust or taller ball joints? 🤔
How hard should the spindles be to turn when brand new? I’m working on a 72 El Co and mine are extremely hard to move
Where did you purchase the spring compressor?
Are there spring isolators in the control arms already?
I know I’m a year late but I like your content but one question how are your Speedway Control arms working for you ? Thanks
Honestly I’ve been very impressed with them, and would recommend them. Soon as I get this Chevelle painted I will put a lot more miles on it
I really enjoy your series on the Chevelle. I am currently doing a body off pro touring build to my 68 Cutlass convertible down the road, in Loveland. I too am going to use a Speedway front suspension/disc brake conversion setup. Did you get spindles with your kit? Did you go with standard ride height? 1" or 2" drop?
Thanks for watching, I went with the standard set up with new spindles also. I don’t have a ton of miles on it yet but I do really like it.
Also, since your so close let me know when you finish I would love to check out your 68 Cutlas.
Is there a reason you chose that system? What size tires on the car?
I need to pick your brain if I can, I have a 71 Malibu that I am making into a Pro Street. Its getting a Oldsmobile blown 455 and turbo 400 transmission, my question for you is with your set-up how much room do you have from oil pan to the road ? I want to buy the same speedway kit but I am concerned about spring and shock strength with that much weight. What are your thoughts on this if I can ask your opinion. Update i just ordered the same kit but my rotors are drilled and slotted. Funny how the parts are coming in from West Virginia Arizona and Nebraska. Looking forward to getting this put together.
Hi Chuck, I have no complaints with the speedway kit, seems strong but I have not gotten to aggressive with it yet. My oil pan sits 6 inches off the road, my headers have 4 1/2 inches of clearance. My 454 would be similar Weight to yours. Maybe a tad lighter?
@@soolegarage well I have the old parts removed as of last night going to give it a solid cleaning and paint. After removing the rotten fuel linesand brake lines. Noticed the only real difference is my kit came with cool over shocks. Be a first for me doing full on brakes on any of my rides.
What’s a good source for torque specs on theses cars?
I have a 70 chevelle assembly manual that I get most of my torque specs from. Although I find myself getting online often and searching for specific specs for front end, rear control arms, etc, and can usually find what I am looking for.
@@soolegarage thanks 👍🏽
Would you recommend this kit and other than the dust shield were there zny other issues ?
No other issues, I really like the kit and was impressed with installation and performance.
What moog springs did you use for the front and rear? Thanks
Hi I purchased front and rear springs from ground up SS396. Front springs were for a big block engine without air-conditioning, 70-72 chevelle. Rear springs were for big block 68-72 chevelle. Both front and rear springs were Moog brand and designed to give me factory ride height. Both have worked out great.
@@soolegarage ok great! Thank you for responding. I just turned on notifications so I didn’t see your response haha. Also, we were watching the video when you installed the exhaust. What system and part numbers did you use for exhaust and headers? Thanks again!
@@feliciamahan2137 I installed flow tech headers purchased them for speedway motors.
What control arms are those? Do you recommend them?
Speedway motors upper and lower control arms. So far so good easy install. Yes I would recommend them.
@@soolegarage are they any different from the ones on eBay? They look extremely similar? I am scared of having them break while driving
@@chineseempanada420 I did look at the ones on Ebay, they definitely look similar but have different part manufacturer numbers. tempting but I would trust the Speedway control arms. And I know Speedway stands behind their products.
torque specs are not needed