1966 El Camino Body + 2004 Envoy AWD Chassis Project (Part 1)
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- čas přidán 10. 03. 2022
- At CE Performance Crate Engines, we go big, or we gone home. Unless it's a 329 cu.in. 500+ HP crate engine!
This beloved 1966 Chevrolet El Camino has rich and meaningful history with CE Performance Crate Engines. So, after over 20 years of being parked, it's time to get her back on the road!
When you combine Skill, Imagination, Organization, with WHAT IF....look what you get....a restored classic that has a whole new grip on things. You guys are having way too much FUN.
The world should take note and follow suit! Maybe this bad boy will show up at the 22 Dream Cruise!
Thank you for commenting Mike! I appreciate it so much.
Wow it's great to see this project coming along nicely
Thank you! It’s starting to look like something :)
Awesome build.
Thank you! Unfortunately, working for everyone else I seldom get to work on my own project. In other words, it’s stuck on the back burner!
Extra cool build! New sub, thanks for sharing this!
Hey thanks for that! It’s a very slow build because it’s my own. Working for others always gets in the way :(
Little by little…
That’s going to be awesome! Can’t wait to see it on the road. Makes me want to do my C10 like that. 😁🤘
Hey, thanks for commenting :)
It’s my own project so naturally it’s going to take a good while to get done. Paying jobs always get in the way!
This is awesome!
Thank you very much! I appreciate that :)
Great build had this same plans in the works for a 61 C10. so thank for the for shur it will work. My question is how did the steering linkage work if your that far ?
Hey thanks for commenting :)
Haven’t got to the steering yet but it’s looking pretty straight forward in the scheme of things!
i have a 1977 toyota hilux ,i want to doe that chassis swap and ls motor for the hilux
Great job how much did it cost for the bulid
Well it’s still a work in progress. So far, other than the purchase of the Envoy parts vehicle, it’s been just the minimal cost of the box tubing and my own labour (but it’s my own vehicle and I’m not keeping track!)
Any updates on how this project is going?
Hey, thanks for asking! We now have a new steel bed floor made for it with a true factory look. Unfortunately nothing else in quite a while. It’s my own car and there always seems to be “paying jobs” getting attention, or should I say “getting in the way of my fun!”
Did you have to lower the engine? or is the engine sitting in the factory location of the envoy frame? very awesome build !!
Hello and thank you! The engine, transmission and transfer case are in the stock position and will remain there. I’m currently working on this again and recently extended the rear of the frame about 9” to reach the rear mount locations on the ElCamino body. The extensions I built bolt into the factory Envoy provision for it’s trailer hitch. They extensions are also what the bumper attaches to and it will become my new trailer hitch frame. Thanks for commenting!
@@ceperformance thank you replying! it really did appear much lower so I'm glad that it didn't need to be lowered. can't wait to see another video I have watched (part 1) 20x over passed year lol as I'm panning to do this to a 72 scamp. I believe I will lose most of my trunk but thats fine with me I can't wait to see what you have done there. I really do appreciate part 1. thank you. Is this build on another platform such as instagram??? this will upset a lot of mopar people but I just want to drive it and be realible so I'm going your route in the end. good luck on your progress!! :)
Oh wow, really? That’s funny. I’m happy you’re interested! Thanks for commenting :)
Did you pick the Envoy because of some knowledge about the factory frame, that you knew would be a PLUS, or was it a random AWD kind of pick? Especially the part where you took out a big chunk?
I’ve planned on using an Envoy or TrailBlazer for my 1951 Chevy pickup for quite a while and then I decided to take on the ElCamino project first.
The AWD has interested me for a long time. The modern suspension, brakes, EFI, Air Condition etc, will really enhance this old Chevy! It will be a performance built engine I do for it (550 HP or so). The short wheelbase Envoy is much to short so I picked the XL because it is easier to shorten than to stretch!
@@ceperformance I got to see the Typhoon's and Cyclones while they were under development, at my local drag strip, and at the test facility, before release for sale. Impressive, even in the wet.
This project should be a blast with all the creature comforts.
I’m really looking forward to it! It’s a slow process for me because it’s my own vehicle and I need to fit it in between customer’s jobs… the paying work! Thanks for commenting :)
Wow! This is a very cool project car! The sway bars and such that you mentioned are so heavy duty probably because that body is a lot more top heavy than the EC is? If so, it should handle WAY more gooder than the Envoy I would think so anyway?
So, are you going to install one of your short stroke big bore creations in the bad boy? Sticking with the LS platform because that's what that frame came with a 349/6.2 block/4.8 crank in your build list would be ok? But a sbc 400 block with a 283 stroke to get to 327 cid would be perfect so you don't have to change those awesome 327 badges on the EC body!
A sbc 400 block that has a .040" overbore with a 3.00" stroke would be perfect 326.987 cid, rounded up because it's so close to 327 is just right. At 1.556 HP per cube like your 329 was would still be 509 HP out of a 327 cid! Even if you took the squeeze down to 11:1 and ran a bit more mild cam to be able to run cheaper gas you would still probably be 450 or more HP using the same heads I would guess anyway?
Go with longer rods though this time if you go this way, maybe a set of 6.300" or 6.400" rods this time for a higher rod ratio? I think if you get that ratio over 2:1 it may help even more to stave off detonation and maybe you can run lower grade fuel with the 12:1 you had on the 329? The 6.400" rods would give you a sweet 2.133:1 ratio which would make it dwell even longer at TDC.(not sure if that would be good or bad though? Not sure if anyone alive knows either?)
Say WHAT? A de-stroked 400, less inches, to make more power...that's just CRAZY TALK.
You guys crack me up! Thanks for the encouragement :)
For this project we’re definitely staying with an LS power plant. That’s obviously what the Envoy came with. Everything fits! But being an engine builder, I’m going to build something unique for it. More info to come!
@@mikef-gi2dg
To make more power per cubic inch, not necessarily more total power. Take a look at some of the smaller cubic inch builds on this channel to see what I am referencing, some great builds he did.
Uncle Tony did an episode a few weeks ago talking about how much energy the explosion pushes the piston down in the bore before it starts losing energy and it was done before the crank moved 90 degrees. The shorter stroke engines are a bit better at making more power per cid because they have the ability to push the crank closer to that 90 degree mark before the charge starts losing energy.
In addition of the ability to make more power per cubic inch, that can be expanded on even further by raising the compression ratio with a mild-ish cam without detonating when running a longer rod ratio. The sbc 400 block with a 307/327 stroke(3.250") crank build this channel did was IIRC 11:1 compression and ran 87 octane fuel that made 435 HP and 440 ft lbs of torque! I'm sure those numbers could of been a bit more if it was 12:1 or even 13:1 and run on premium pump gas?
The dwell at TDC with the higher rod ratio helps keep the engine out of detonation with the higher compression ratio. When running a shorter stroke the block doesn't need to be clearanced, you don't have to run a small base circle cam, the piston speed is reduced and so on.....
Plus these smaller cid engines would be just the ticket today where the gas prices are heading. That torque curb with the mild-ish cam would hit about 300 ft lbs by 2,500 RPM! With a highway gear and overdrive it would sip the gas cruising down the freeway @1,500 RPM in O/D @ 70 mph.
That’s an excellent description of the benefits we’ve seen with some of our short stroke builds. Thank you very much for sharing!
Mike f and I have been talking quite a bit lately and I think his previous comment might have been a bit of tongue in cheek :) He’s a believer is these builds too!
@@ceperformance
I did not know that, cool. Well what I wrote may wake up some others that see those comments? Plus comments help your channel grow, just trying to help.
I understand your splicing the frame back as it was originally, but with the corrosive environment that your located in due to the excessive salt used on your roads.
Don't you think that a simple diamond shaped fish plate on each side of the connection wouldn't be a bit of nice insurance down the road a ways.
Would add any noticeable weight, but would guarantee that you have no problems years from now.
As I understand it typically frames up in the northern areas are only good for 10 to 15 years, and by then they are like swiss cheese.
Just wondering is all, are do you expect to put the old girl in storage for 7 or 8 months out of the year as I hear some many do up in your part of the country?
Kinda defeats the awd aspect doesn't it if you were to put it in hibernation instead of take advantage of the awd characteristics.
Unless of course you plan on racing it, but then that drivetrain wouldn't standup to any real power.
Why not a Denali, and the 6.0 awd system with it 464 hp at the flex plate, with that light of body it would definitely be a nice little ride.
Especially if you dropped the blower off Escalade on top of it, with a little port work.
Sleeper turn smoker in nanosecond for sure.
I apologize for being so long winded, but comes with old age in some of us.
Thanks for your time and I do like the idea behind it all the way.
Awaiting next video on follow up
Thank you for commenting! It’s much appreciated :)
Where I live the weather is actually quite mild but it does rain a fair bit! Not much snow really and salt on the roads maybe a month or two per year.
I appreciate your advice on the frame splice. Maybe plates are a good idea!
This will be a performance build but not raced much (most likely). Just fun on the street and some road trips. Maybe a drag-n-drive event would be fun!
@@ceperformance is the platform you choose up to the task at hand, as GM made better suited for such things as higher horsepower in it's lineup that I believe are superior to that of the more commonly bought models.
As for the fish plates, why chance it when it's really not much more effort to insure structural integrity is my thinking.
Shot a laser level down the frame vertically bottom and sides, and your good to go do whatever you want without worry of misalignment or breking the frame in half.
I can definitely see the smiles when ya'll get it on the road, and you ease by some one in your ture crossover vehicle.
That got confused whether it was a sedan, station wagon pickup are muscle car.
I like your choice as the 2nd generation body style the best myself.
Growing up that was my dream truck, 327 muncie 4 speed and 12 bolt 373 posi, preferably in the light blue color of the day.
Close as I got was 1970 C10 with 1963 Corvette 327, 1969 Z28 muncie 4 speed, and since the truck was a camper special it came with the 12 bolt rear differential.
Ran really good for pushing a concrete block into the wind, but saving grace was those trucks were just bulky looking not much weight for they're size.
But I always wonder what my little mouse setup would have been like in the el cimino of those years.
Good luck, and I look forward to more detailed videos to follow on your build, as you've peaked my interest for sure.
I believe the chassis is way overkill for what I’m doing actually. The transmission and transfer case might be the weak links but… don’t know the limit until it’s pushed! We’ll see, and fix as needed :)
The ‘66 is my favourite 60’s body although one day I’d love to build a 1959.
I love the early C10’s too! There were many of those in my family growing up.
@@ceperformance love the flat fins myself, enjoy your ride.
Build break rebuild, the never ending cycle of a man, and his hot rod.
Have A Great Day and a Better Tomorrow