Thread: indeFAB's El Camino

Alrighty then, (rubbing hands) Finally time for a new build thread. I, as many others have been thru a-lot in the last few years and long story short. I still ain't rich. WTF!? lol, Anyhow since I'm not rich I designed a race program I can realistically put together. Its gonna be a little while before things really get rolling but there's a-lot I can do with what I have collected so far before dropping G's on parts. So here we go.

The Race Truck - 82 El Camino, LS1/T400
I have been designing the truck for over a year. I really wanted to build a sleeper, a rat rod, and a race truck. So this will be a bit of all three. I Just couldn't figure out what class to build for. Shortcourse or desert, SNORE or BITD blah blah blah. After reading the recent 1450 threads I'm over speculating. Time to get up in the mix! Its intended to be a LO0RRS open V8 and 1400 class build. Everything is going to be custom since you obviously cant get anything for an el camino.

On with the updates.

The body and The Heart.

2000LS1, getting converted to a 770cfm holley offroad carb, victor jr intake, MSD 6010 box (allows laptop tuning on a carb!) maybe a little cam and headwork, and I plan to build the headers. carbed setup is actually about a grand less than FI so if I can make it work well thats the plan. It will also greatly reduce troubleshooting time in event of ignition or fuel supply failure during races. My goal with this first motor combo is a reliable 450hp with a smooth , almost flat power curve for driveability. Later the plan is move up to a spec class

Stock motor is stripped and ready to be yanked, just waiting to get the last of my crap from Tahoe. (T-100 motors and engine hoist) then I can pull the tired V6.
Stripped all interior. I won't be doing much more than prep and weight removal until I move it inside the shop.

more pics and updates as work continues.

this is going to be very interesting!!!! subscribed!

Didn't do much today, just messed around mocking up some tires at the desired TW and blocked her close to intended RH. Then I Took a few photos for inspiration during down times. =)
I took a couple of the front suspension and engine bay for kicks too. cant have too many pics in a build thread. Looking at the front end I could actually build a decent 2wd kit. but the frame and everything else really need a diet so I'm going to give it one...

the stock front end and engine.

this is cool man! subscribed!

yessss!!! i used to own an 81 and always thought they would make a cool offroad toy, with the rear susp setup and a-arms in the front.. this is gona be good!!

There was one that raced out in Plaster City a year or 2 ago. Not sure if it was built by Autofab, but it did have big Autofab stickers on it.

I am a big fan of unusual projects like this. What is your plan for fenders and bodywork?

^all custom. Got some sheetmetal experience and a real good grasp on moldmaking. The originals will be metal so I can let em rust rat rod stylee. Before ever driving I will use the originals for making molds. If you have ever seen "two lane blacktop" I got inspired by that movie to build the sleeper. (Same car as the main in American Grafitti) I'm gonna do a tilt-nose if I can pull it off too, as well as some bodywork trickery in th rear area. Man I searched forever trying to find a built one. Oh well guess I'm not the first. But I have a feeling this one will be like no other.

looks like theres a good amount of space in that engine bay.

Garrett

Originally Posted by Inde-Fab

^all custom. Got some sheetmetal experience and a real good grasp on moldmaking.

I have the same problem as you. Can you come down and help me with mine? j/k

yes nice space in the engine bay for sure. Took the front clip off today. now theres really some room up there...

Scott F - what problem is that? no fenders? What kinda vehicle?

I decided I will likely just make the originals outta glass since I'm more handy with it and its a faster process. I wanted to properly murder out a build so I guess this is it. You gotta have a real rod to pull off the rusty rat look anyway.

Originally Posted by Travisfab

There was one that raced out in Plaster City a year or 2 ago. Not sure if it was built by Autofab, but it did have big Autofab stickers on it.

that one is raced by autofab. it also raced the norra race last year

So bad ass!

busy makin money but I ripped the rest of the dash out today. Im losing sleep over an el camino. didn't think I would ever say that. Anybody got pics of autofabs el camino? It would be cool to see the only other one I have hear of. It would be really cool to see footage of the 2 racing side by side. =)

im assuming this is the autofab one. hope it helps

Didnt know you had a thread dave!
Subscribed.

btw it was good talking to you today on the phone. I will get over there soon i am sure...possibly tommorow afternoon.

Thanks 5.0 those pics are pretty cool. I'm glad its not the same bodystyle tho. This one is gonna be the OG Gbody Elk TT. Got my cherry picker and the toyota motors from Tahoe yesterday. Game on!

I also have a couple toyota items to clear out - 96 T100 2wd trans and 1996 3.4 shortblock. Both under 100k miles

PM for a deal.

Likewise Marshall, I will be there all day for sure. Roll thru!

so much for being the first. At anything. I give up. boo hoo.

yeah right.
Thats still not even close to what I'm shooting for.
But it is pretty cool, and gives me one to call out for a photo-sesh when mines ready. =)

are you gonna link it by they way? from the pictures it doesnt look like either of those are linked. so you technicly could be the frist to do that

haha yeah. as stated in my first post. its being built for TT classes. So its gonna be a backyard bare-bones open class truck. Yes, back-halved, and completely custom from the firewall forward too. Not quite a full centerlinked J-arm setup, but pretty close =)

Pretty sure the autofab one is a ford ranchero

sorry i couldnt make it over yesteday...i was beat dead tired.

Committed.

Finished getting the front half stripped inside and out.

is that one of those hard to find home depot engine stands?

haha, yeah. Nothing but the best. lol

Spent some time figuring out how things will play out.
If everything goes right tomorrow's gonna be a big day =)

so sweet haha way to break the mold

Thanks, I'm stoked to do something this original, and getting to keep it is even better =) Off to the shop. Hopefully today goes as planned.

Updates!!!??

saweeeet build!

Damn what a day.
Started by chopping the front of my dream truck off.

Then I moved it close enough to come up with a solid plan for transplant into its new home =)

finally I put the front end to bed in the shop.
another big day tomorrow.

Pretty sure the autofab one is a ford ranchero[/QUOTE]

Nope. It's an El Camino.

I never really looked that close, but I see the early 70's in the rear section/taillights. I wonder if they put the shoebox nova clip on. I have never seen a camino with that front end, but Im no chev guru
It's got smoke stacks for gawd sakes. Not my bag. I'm over being the first to build one.

Just trying to build one thats legit by todays standards. If its the first at something - neat
I still havn't seen any glass bodywork on any other camino builds...