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May 27th 2002 First off I've renamed the Elky. It's now called Frankenstein. The main reason for this is due to all the parts from different cars that are going into it's rebirth. An LT1 from an Impala, a power accessory bracket from a Corvette, a center console from a Monte Carlo, electric fans & a gear shifter from a Camaro, etc. Somehow it just seems to fit. For about a week now I've been slowly putting the front end of Frankenstein back together. I still have a few days left to complete it. It doesn't look to bad if I say so myself. Definitely better then when it was just faded paint and rust. Most everything is painted black now, radiator support, radiator, AC condenser, and the whole head lamp assembly area. I also installed new polyurethane bushing on the radiator support bracket and plan bit by bit doing the rest of the frame to body bushings as I work on the car over time. Unfortunately I was sent the wrong bolts for the bushings and I'm waiting for the correct ones to show up. But that's not slowing the rebuild down. I'm also working on the gauge cluster for the new setup. The original mechanical speedometer will not work with the new transmission and all the rest of the gauges were idiot lights. The new setup will have silver faced gauges with tach, fuel, amp, speedo in the main cluster and water temp, tranny temp and oil pressure in a gauge pod on the drivers A pillar. The biggest problem has been trying to get the gauges in the main cluster. It's not a very big area for the few that are going in there. I've prototyped a gauge layout from Plexiglas. I think it will work, now I have to get some aluminum and make one for real with all the minor 'adjustments' that I need for them to look right. Then I need to make up a wiring harness for it to connect them to the car. Fun, fun, fun. I'll try and get pictures of the front end and the prototype gauges up in the next few days. |
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June 2nd 2002 The front of the Elky is just about as far as it is going to go for now. I just have to reinstall the bumper and that will be it. I'm not going to put the grille or the headlight bezels in until the engine is installed. They're not needed and may just get in the way. The electric water pump is about 95% complete. I just have to silicon the pump to the housing and get a 160 degree thermostat and that's it. |
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July 12th 2002 The gauge cluster is starting to come along. I was finally able to get the main portion cut correctly. The first one I cut had two of the gauge holes too close and the gauges hit each other. So I had to make a second one. Then down to a fabrication shop to have the pieces welded. I think it came out good. A few days at a polishers and WOW. I wish I could keep it that way but I know it won't stay polished without a lot of up keep. I have polished billet wheels on my Camaro and need to polish them every week or two and I don't want to have to do that with the cluster. So next week it gets anodized black. I've also gutted the interior with the exception of the dash. There was some rust but not really that bad. But the rust did go through the floor pan in 3 spots. They are smaller then an 1/8 inch but I will have to patch them with some bondo before I paint the floor pan with rust inhibitor and paint to protect it. One thing I did do when I removed the bench seat was I took the passenger seat out my Camaro and tried it the El Camino for fit and looks. It may sit just a little low but not much. I have the extra brackets that are needed for installing bucket seats into the Elky and one on each side of the car of the existing brackets will need to be adjusted but I think that's the style seat I'll install. So if I can get my hands on some Firebird or Corvette seats that's what I'll install down the road. |
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Aug 6th 2002 The gauge cluster is ready for me to start wiring it up now. I got it back from the Anodizing place and while it's not as shiny as I wanted I'm still very happy with it. The slightly duller look goes well with the Silver gauges that I'm installing. So now it's time to get to work on them. I've also solved what I'm going to do about seats in Frankenstein. I was able to get my hands on seats from a '98 Trans Am. Just what I was wanting, the drivers' side is even power! The back seats will probably become a couch in my front room, but who cares about them. I also have the exhaust mufflers for the Elky. I found a place called Sweet-Thunder that makes chambered exhaust systems. This is similar to what I have on my Camaro. I bought 2 of their 24 inch units. I'm hoping this will give the car a good sound and make it a little quieter then the Camaro. I don't think the neighborhood would like me to own 2 loud cars. |
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Aug 25th 2002 The gauge cluster is wired up and mounted in the gauge pod. I need to mount it in the dash and finish wiring it up. Hopefully I'll get it done within the next 2 weeks. I did have to take the water pump back apart and do some grinding to the inside of it. The electric water pump impeller was hitting on the inside of the pump. I talked with Mark who is building my engine and he said it would be 2-3 more weeks before it's ready. So because I'm stupid I decided to pull the front A-arms off of the car. I'm going to sand blast them and paint them. Then they will get new polyurethane bushings and be reinstalled. I've had the bushings and new ball joints for a while. I got them when I was trying to get the Elky running better but then one thing lead to another and the car sat for a few years. I hadn't planned on doing this now but at least when the car gets back on the road it will have a good ride. I've also decided on the wheels I'm going to get, if I don't change my mind again! They are replica wheels for the Z06 Corvette. I found a place locally that say they have them for the same year Monte Carlo and Malibu, if so then they will fit the Elky. Now I just have to decide on the tires. |
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Oct 7th 2002 The motor has taken longer then Mark thought it would. But that's OK because the suspension has taken longer then I thought also. Maybe they'll both be done at the same time. I've just about got the front suspension done. Stripped and painted the front portion of the frame that I can reach with the old motor still there. A-Arms are in place but I'm not going to torque them down until Frankenstein is back on the ground. I went ahead and painted the calipers even though I hope to replace them within a few months of getting it back on the road. Don't want Franky looking too bad when it's on the road. I also got the body mounts replaced. If your doing any kind of a restoration to an older car I would highly recommend doing this. Just look at the pictures of the old and new ones to answer why. That's about it for now. |
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Oct 18th 2002 Finally got the Suspension done today and the car is back on the ground. I still need to bleed the front brakes but that's minor. And get a front end alignment done. The car must sit 3 inches higher with the new springs. These are stock height springs it's just that the original ones were that wasted. I've also been working on the brackets for the new center console and the Camaro floor shifter. I still have a couple of more to do. Then I can go the fabrication shop that welded my gauge cluster to get them welded to the transmission hump. Unfortunately to get the shifter to work, for now at least, I'm not going to be able to use some of the normal safety features. On the shifter I had to remove the feature that makes you press the brake to put the car in gear. I do this automatically so I'm not too worried about that. Also I can't use the feature that stops you from removing the key if you turn the car off with it in anything but park. I WILL have the lock out to keep you from starting the car in gear so I don't have to worry about that. Oh, I also had to buy a new oil pan and oil pickup for the motor. In shipping the original one was crushed. Never going for stock I upgraded to a Moroso 6 quart oil pan and pickup. With the oil cooler I figure the car will hold 7 to 7 1/2 quarts of oil. |
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