Volume One, Chapter 4

Goals have been set.  Now is the time to take a look at the project and see if our budget will fit.  We will make an itemized list of the parts we might anticipate needing.  This list will have an estimated price for each item.  You should estimate high to give some added cushion.  We didn’t go too crazy when estimating prices.  We’ve been browsing the catalogs and e-bay for several months anticipating this phase, therefore whatever price came to mind is what we put in.  It’s a work in progress so if you forget a few items don’t worry it’ll get added later.

While this list is being compiled we’ll also address the ‘Snowball List’.  During disassembly we kept a list of items we would like to address if time and money allowed.  The snowball list can range from dream to reality and can include items you know are way out of budget.  That’s OK; some of the items can be competed later on in another project.  Here’s our list:

· Install Aftermarket Air Conditioning
· Replace cracked Fan Shroud
· Clean and paint engine bay
· Rebuild Transmission
· Replace Torque Converter
· Replace Radiator
· New Transmission Cooler Lines
· Recondition Battery Tray
· Re-route Shifter Cable

Right off the bat, we can strike the air conditioning due to the expense.  It will be a good project for next winter.  The fan shroud is relatively inexpensive and with the old a/c system removed the damaged old shroud is very visible, so we’ll replace that.  Cleaning and painting anything that doesn’t require it being sent out to a pro is always permissible as the costs are low and many gear-heads have the supplies needed on hand therefore the budget impact is minimal.  The transmission is our car is running strong.  We would like a good rebuild to ensure it will live nicely behind the big block but rebuilding the transmission at this stage would crush our budget.  Instead of the rebuild we will replace the front and rear seals, the selector shaft seal, and install a new pan with drain.  These items will stop our current leaks and won’t break the bank.  We are passing on the rebuild so we’ll hope get some added insurance by replacing the torque converter.  Our current converter is an inexpensive local item with questionable reliability.  It also stalls a bit high for our new mill so we’ll seek out a brand name converter that we’ll feel more comfortable about behind a larger displacement engine.  The transmission cooler lines work, we’d like to replace them for better routing and a cleaner look.  It’s something that we can do without issue at a later time so we won’t let this item affect our budget.  When we removed the battery, the tray was starting to rust.  As stated above with minimal cost we’ll clean up and re-paint anything we can do at home.  Re-routing of the cable is a no-brainer.  Cost is nothing and it makes sense to address routing issues with wires, cables, and linkages whenever you need to.

With the Snowball List addressed we can move on to making our initial parts list and see where we stand.  Remember this is just a guide, so don’t go nuts at this point if you’re in the red.  When evaluating the list, items that are already purchased are indicated by listing the source on the spreadsheet.  If no source is listed it’s an estimated price only.

We are in the red already!  No one said it was going to be easy right?  While we do need to be concerned what the bottom line is, we shouldn’t get excessively worried about those red numbers at this stage.

It’s finally time to start buying parts.  We will outline some steps you can take to try to save some money on each item.  Starting with parts you will use first check the price at the local parts store.  Use that price as your baseline.  Second, search the on-line or mail order superstores for the item or it equivalent.  Third, compare prices while keeping an eye at on-line, local, and club classifieds.  Sometimes you may hit it just right and the part you’re intending to buy pops up in the classifieds at a reduced rate.  The fourth and final step is to look at the item itself and see if there are comparable items you can purchase that will accomplish the same goal at less expense.  We don’t want to confuse anyone here; we’re not talking about sacrificing quality for cost.  Consider this example we have run into:  a one-piece rubber performance oil pan gasket for this swap comes in at $39.99.  On-line auction or mail order, that’s the best price we could find, on the flip side we can use a coated cork stock replacement gasket at less than half the price.  Both will seal up the pan and the stocker will get us closer to the budgetary goal.  The same issue can be found in many of the parts, especially performance parts use where a stock or lower performance item will have no detrimental effect on the project and its primary goal of a reliable cruiser.  Remember the goal and steer clear of the marketing madness of the high priced ultra-high-performance items that would be overkill for the goal and over-budget for the project.

In the next article will look at the parts we purchased.  What the cost was and if we saved any money.  We’ll also address any negative issues that may have come up thus far.  Soon we will have a good idea on how the budget is working out and we can start with machine work and engine assembly.  Reliability, performance, good looks, and budget are words that are not often found together.  Weather we break the bank or save it; we’ll be giving it our best shot as the Long Island Chevelles Car Club continues in its efforts to ‘Bring the Hobbyist back to the Hobby’.  LIC