Need help with my Day 3 project

[Gossamer427]

Hi guys,
I know this is the Day 2 forum, but I’m shooting for a little later than that. I’m trying to build what someone from say late ‘70s through early ‘80s would have if he was wanting to be the baddest guy on the street. The only caveat is I know a lot of those mods were pretty tacky so I’m trying to avoid those. Right now, what I’ve got are big and little satin Auto Drags, Hurst V-Gate shifter, Moroso valve covers (blue soon to be gold), Lakewood ladder bars and driveshaft loop, Holly blue electric fuel pump with braided line and red and blue fittings and big orange Fram fuel filter. I’m going to make an orange NMW battery box out of a competition engineering box for the trunk. On the rear end I’ve got a Mr Gasket aluminum cover. My questions are this:

1. Will my plain 5” Autometer monster tach look right in the car? It was one of the first things I bought for it when I was a kid in the mid 90s. Did they have them way back then?

2. My gas tank needs replaced. Would anyone have put a fuel cell in the trunk of a wicked street car back then or would that look out of place for what I’m trying to do?

3. What was a common shock absorber then? I don’t want to run air shocks. Were Lakewood 90-10 shocks available?

4. What about mufflers? I don’t like the sound of glasspacks. What would my options have been back then?

5. Will an old MSD 6al box look correct? I know the big yellow Accel coil and dual point distributor was the hot thing then but I got a good deal on the MSD and I’d like to use it if it won’t look too out of place.

Thanks in advance for any advice you guys have. I know a lot of you were lucky enough to build your cars during this time period so hopefully I can get some good ideas.

[big gear head]

I had a set of Hush Thrush header mufflers on my '67 SS396 Chevelle in the early '80s. I wanted a set of the Moroso valve covers, but had to use a set of Ansens that I got off of another engine. The old Accell 8mm Super Stock plug wires were the only thing I could find then, and they were junk. I didn't know any better. I think the MSD box was becoming popular then. The red fuel cell was all I can remember from that time. Some people added the lower sump to the stock gas tank. I did that to a '70 Z28 years ago.

In the late '80s and early '90s I bought a MDS6T for my Camaro with an external rev limiter, a set of Auto Meter gauges and Monster tach, JAZ fuel cell, Milodon valve covers and air filter, Competition Engineering adjustable front shocks, Flow Master mufflers and Center Line Pro Stock wheels. I was using Taylor spiro pro wires by this time. Much of that is still on my car.

[novadude]

I would say putting a sump in the stock tank would be appropriate. 1980s time-frame stuff would include:

Braided hose with the red and blue fittings (including the fake covers for water hoses)

A taller stance (front and rear) was still popular in the 1980s (at least in western PA)

Mickey Thompson rear tires with the "dog bone" tread

Torker manifold with the "twisted" carb mounting

70s vega / Camaro 4-spoke steering wheels were popular (same a 71 Chevelle optional sport wheel)

Blackjack aluminum-sprayed headers

Street car would have a cassette stereo with EQ / amp combo hanging under dash, and probably speakers hacked into door panels or kick panels

A lot of guys had the exhaust pipes exiting in front of the rear tires (dumping it under car would not pass PA inspection)

[bbbentley]

1) yes, Autometer “monster tachs” were the rage during this time
2) yes, saw many a fuel cell in “pro street” cars, not out of place.
3) many brands of 90-10s by the late 70s Gabriel, Bilstein, Koni all made them.
4) glass packs have never gone out of style. But by the 80s, glass packs were passe. Turbo mufflers were the choice of serious street bruisers.
5) yes, MSD box would look correct.
Your research should concentrate on what emerged in the late 70s , known as “pro street”. Making a street car look like a pro stock class “ doorslammer”. Low profile tunnel (smaller plenum)rams with a pr. of dominators. Manufacturers even marketed “street” tunnel rams then. Tubbing ( yuck), wall to wall meats on the rear, wheelie bars, B&M’s quicksilver auto shifter.

[day2killa]

A great place to look is on Facebook, there are some great groups that concentrate on this, (Back in the day muscle cars) (street machines) (80's street machines) (the street machine era)

[NorCam]

Love that Chevelle. I think you're on the right course with much of what you have listed. I like the sump idea over that of a fuel cell myself (fuel cell was more pro street). Maybe hang a large fuel filter back there too. Ladder bars rock on those cars and that's spot on there. I think you're OK with an older MSD. Perhaps a dual point and good wires to finish things off in the engine bay? Tach...definitely Autometer and you gotta have a shift light too.

You can find a good set of 692 Turbo Mufflers or a set of Corvair Turbo's on eBay from time to time. They were the rage for good flowing and excellent sounding mufflers back in the day. Keep us posted on your project as you move along. Nothing wrong with Day III either.

[Bernhard]

I would say no to the fuel cell never liked the look myself.
New stock tank would be my vote.
sump added to stock tank not a big fan of this look but it was common. Fast cars ran this setup.
Auto meter gauges with hood mounted fuel and oil.
I would use a standard auto meter tach with no shift light.
Centerline rims are a must have and you have that box checked
Holly fuel pump yes
Aftermarket period correct intake.
Ladder bars were on the way out in the late 70's air bags, boxed control arms,no hop bars were in.

factory hoses with original clamps and or worm clamps except for the fuel line
fuel line was braided. Some guys went all in on with the braided line. They were more show than all out quick street cars.
Chrome hinges and shroud cover were in.
Valve covers M/T never go out of style
Moroso water pump drive was in as well as cool cans.
Larger alt pulley Moroso or factory.

Your Chevelle is very cool build.

[Gossamer427]

I really didn’t want to cut the trunk floor for a cell so I’m glad to hear a sumped original tank would look appropriate. Do my fuel system components look at least kind of correct? How about my Victor Jr manifold? When were those introduced? I have this old Torker but I put the Vic Jr on before I decided on how to do the car. Is the pulley I have the one Bernhard was referring to? I replaced it with a Z/28 deep groove but it’s an easy swap. I also have the M/T valve covers but the crinkle finish is flaking off. I got the idea for the gold Moroso s from pictures of Lee Shepherds pro stock camaro. The tach in the picture is the first thing I bought for that car years ago.

The Corvair turbo mufflers interest me. Were they fairly aggressive sounding? How about my Olds steering wheel? I like it better than the 3 spoke Chevy wheel.

Keep the opinions coming everyone!

[Gossamer427]

One more question: What should I do about a fan? I ran the car years ago with an electric fan which did nothing to keep the temp under control. I’m going to drive the wheels off of this thing when it’s back together and I don’t want any problems. Is it going to look dumb with all of these hot rod parts but a stock 772 fan and clutch? Will that setup work while shifting at 6500 or am I going to hurt something? I think flex fans used to be popular but I’ve heard stories about blades flinging off at high RPMs which I’d like to avoid. The only hole in my hood I want is for tunnel ram eventually.

[big gear head]

The fuel system looks fine. Pretty much the same thing that I have. I've got 2 of those Moroso pulleys in the shelf that I ran many years ago. I'm using a stock type chrome pulley now, and I haven't had any problems with it at 7000 RPMs. I'm running a Holley Strip Dominator on mine that I bought around 1988. Victor should be fine. The Torker would probably fit better with a early '70s build. The clutch fan should be fine and I would use it over a flex fan. My old flex fan is now on the shelf. They are not much good for cooling. I've got 2 electric fans on mine now, but not exactly period correct.