'73 Chevelle SS Wagon (local find)

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

fast 99

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
Posts
1,589
Reaction score
2,150
Location
Spokane, Washington
First Name
Brian
Truck Year
81,85
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
350
That's about 2 hours away, tempting.

Purchased a 74 Elcamino for parts. Got it home and decided to drive it for the summer. Optioned with PW PS PB PDL 454 AC everything but an SS. Like it so much fixed the rust and painted it. Owned it for 10 years but had to sell for financial reasons. Even though it was a low HP 454 was hard to keep rear tires on it. Was a fun pickup, miss it.

Those S3 Lagunas were heavy, tried to pick up one end of a front bumper laying in a field, couldn't do it. Had to weight about as much as a small block.
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,964
Reaction score
23,479
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
That's about 2 hours away, tempting.

Purchased a 74 Elcamino for parts. Got it home and decided to drive it for the summer. Optioned with PW PS PB PDL 454 AC everything but an SS. Like it so much fixed the rust and painted it. Owned it for 10 years but had to sell for financial reasons. Even though it was a low HP 454 was hard to keep rear tires on it. Was a fun pickup, miss it.

Those S3 Lagunas were heavy, tried to pick up one end of a front bumper laying in a field, couldn't do it. Had to weight about as much as a small block.

Oh yeah, I've picked up one of those Laguna front ends before. It's unbelievable how heavy they are. I think only those that have tried to lift one will understand, lol.
 

fast 99

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
Posts
1,589
Reaction score
2,150
Location
Spokane, Washington
First Name
Brian
Truck Year
81,85
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
350
Had a buddy named Chuck with a 77 Elco/ Laguna nose. 6 inch rod 350 with Dynomax race bullets, f-slow.
Had a friend with a 350 powered G body 78 up Elcamino. I raced him once with the 74 elcamino, it was very close. Actually, looked into installing a 454 in the later Elcamino. Only real issue was heater box interference and there was an aftermarket one available. Just never did it.
 

REVINKEVIN

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Posts
36
Reaction score
133
Location
Sugar Land Texas
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
406
Hey. I read through most of this post. I can attest that the stock Laguna noses are very heavy. I think the one on my car was over 150lbs. I swapped it out for a fiberglass nose. I know some people on another site that know all about the 73-77 GM cars. My friend has about 10 of them. Here’s a picture of my “76 S3. It has a 496BBC, TREMEC 6-speed, and a bunch of other things. Cheers.
You must be registered for see images attach
 

REVINKEVIN

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2019
Posts
36
Reaction score
133
Location
Sugar Land Texas
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
406
Oh, thanks for the likes. Here’s some big block inspiration if you like. Here’s a link to some very knowledgeable folks about this generation of cars. I know that at least one guy has a car like yours. Cheers.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,964
Reaction score
23,479
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
For those folks that aren't aware, G3GM.com is much like here, but the focus is 70's GM midsized cars obviously.
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,964
Reaction score
23,479
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
Long time, no update. Mostly because literally nothing has happened recently. Like, at all. I think it was last fall maybe, I changed the trans fluid and filter, only to discover that the servo seal was leaking. The leak has since slowed, but I still need to fix it. All I've been doing is firing it up from time to time, whenever I need to open up that spot in the garage. The car has been popping and banging and running rich.

So that brings us to today. I wanted to install the dual point Accel dizzy that @Rusty Nail had sent me. Unfortunately... I don't know where it is, lol. I'm pretty sure it's still packed in a box somewhere, probably in the house. I had it in the house at the old place, and I don't remember putting it with the garage stuff at the new place. So as a temporary solution, I went through my tub of HEI stuff and put together a relatively new-ish HEI setup for the car. Including an old set of 8.8 wires that I think may have been on my '88 Burb 10+ years ago. Only one boot needed replaced.

You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach


@Rusty Nail here's the electronic Accel dizzy I can finally send you now. The car runs much better now, but I don't think the dizzy had anything to do with it. The plug wires were garbage.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,964
Reaction score
23,479
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
I'm still setting timing with the 70's light that my dad gave me.
You must be registered for see images attach


Still keep it in the box too.

You must be registered for see images attach


The tag says it was 39 bucks I think.
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,964
Reaction score
23,479
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
The car does still have an off idle stumble/hesitation. Certainly seems like the accelerator pump is to blame. However it is also very prevalent at road speed, so it may be the carb itself. Maybe I'll go though it again.
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
41,856
Posts
903,624
Members
33,370
Latest member
mitchell1128
Top