1973 Chevelle Laguna PT build (aka Bad Buzz)

[sr73bu]

Hi Guys! I've been posting on a few other forums for a awhile and have no idea why i'm finally getting around to post on here now... i'm a long time lurker...lol

I've been working on my 73 Chevelle for the past 15 years (i'll be 30 in Feb.) but made the transition to Pro Touring about 3 years ago after I finished my degree in Industrial Design and settled in a house/garage of my own.

Before/during College I worked at a collision/hot rod shop... With help from my friends, I've done all of the work in my garage including the bodywork, but not the paint.

The car is pretty basic and will undergo further mods as the years go by, but this is what its currently set up with:

-SBC 350, comp 286 Magnum cam, World products Sportsman 2 heads, holley 650dp, no name headers and side exit exhaust-(my current project)
-t56 6 speed from a 06 gto/Hurst shifter
- 4.10 posi rear
- Hotchkis Rear Upper (adj.)/Lower CA's
-Poly bushings throughout
-AGR 12:1 steering box w/ matching pump
-Helwig sway bars
-lowering springs/ kyb shocks
-Wildwood 13" slotted rotors with 6 piston calipers/ rear drums (lol)
- Forgeline zx3r's 17x9.5 front w/ Nitto 285/40/17 and 17x11 rear w/Nitto 315/35/17

The car is pretty basic, but its fun to drive, here is what it looks like currently:

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB033309web.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB033313web.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB033315web.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6604.jpg

on the road coarse at NJMP

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/2012_run_to_the_shore_road_course096.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6391.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6198.jpg

Fresh out of paint

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6057.jpg

During the re-build

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/P2202136.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_4384.jpg

Bad Buzz circa 2001- 2009 (before I torn it apart)

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_4258_1.jpg

I'll post a few updates soon, as i'm currently working on a side exit exhaust and have a few other plans for the winter.... I'll also post a few links to my feature on Bangshift.com and Big Muscle (video)...

Enjoy!.. awesome forum BTW! :lateral:

-Sean

[coolwelder62]

Wow!!! Very cool.I love these body style's.:thumbsup:

[Eleanor's Nemesis]

very, very cool car. In 1985 I bought a '73 Chevelle Laguna 454. The car was a heap-literally couldnt haul anything in the trunk, or what was left of the trunk,lol. I thought the interior of those cars was neat-captains chairs and everything.
Congrats on building something different!

[InfernalVortex]

Is this your car? I loved it when I saw it on youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Gaewg3RepU

That IS your car right? Looks like you finally got rid of the the heavy Soft 8's. I've been thinking about running a set of 17x9 soft 8s myself just so I can get a nice, wide 17 inch autocrss wheel for cheap, but the weight scares me off. Did you notice a big difference?

Either way, LOVE the car. It's got an awesome design philosophy and style.

[waynieZ]

Welcome to Lat-g The car came out great. Nice work.

[214Chevy]

Wow!!:wow: I always wondered what an 73 Chevelle would look like all fixed up. Nice!!:thumbsup:

['64 Droptop]

That is real nice. You don't get to see many of those.

[Flash68]

Welcome Sean -- great to have you over here... what a nice fresh change for a car. You made that thing so killer. So well done! :thumbsup:

[camcojb]

Welcome to the site. My cousin had one of those, but it didn't look anywhere near as good as yours does. :thumbsup:

[Rick D]

Very cool, I had a 73 back when I was 15 it was dark green. My neighbor gave me the car, it had a 350 that didn't run (cracked block) so I tried to fix it but we were moving from in the city of Chicago to the burbs so it had to go. :(

Love the way this one looks great job!! :thumbsup:

[Ron in SoCal]

Great job Sean! I really like the wheel upgrade ... :thumbsup:

[WSSix]

Love the paint scheme you went with, Sean. Congrats on getting everything together.

[sr73bu]

Thanks for the warm welcome and all the compliments guys :lateral: ! I'll be posting some pics of my new exhaust set up soon...:thumbsup:

-Sean

[Payton King]

Brings back lots of memories. My first car was a 74 Laguna S-3.

[BanditDave]

Man, I love how much tire you got under her.

Where in jersey are ya???? You gotta be really close to me going to njmsp.

Great car man!!!

Dave

[fleetus macmullitz]

Speaking of lurking...only the strong would survive seeing you in that beast lurking behind them in their rear view mirror. :_paranoid


:D

[FathomGreen69]

Sweet Laguna! Goes great with the back issues of PHR that I've been reading. Love these body styles and the cool swiveling captains chairs.

[sr73bu]

Thanks for the comments guys!

Side Exit Exhaust is on.....

I'm loving the sound, but my nieghbors probably don't..LOL

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB113159.jpg

FTW...:thumbsup:
http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/th_003.jpg (http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/003.mp4)


I'm trying to muffle the sound slightly... so I ended up giving these a shot (Car Chemistry Header inserts).... I thought I would bolt these in, but in the end, cut the flange off, drilled a hole in the collector and spot welded the baffles in place... I've yet to run the car, but i hope these take some of the "edge" off of the sound....

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB143164.jpg

I'll post another video WITH the baffles, not sure if they will make any difference at this point though..

-Sean

[tones2SS]

Wow, great car Sean. Love the transformation. Good job.

[214Chevy]

Also, forgot to mention how I love the blacked out tail panel. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[FETorino]

on the road coarse at NJMP

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/2012_run_to_the_shore_road_course096.jpg



http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6198.jpg


During the re-build

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/P2202136.jpg



-Sean

Nice to see something different. Looks really good in action.:thumbsup:

I'm loving the under hood treatment.:D :woot:

[Flash68]

Thanks for the comments guys!

Side Exit Exhaust is on.....

I'm loving the sound, but my nieghbors probably don't..LOL

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB113159.jpg



Did you make those or are they Nascar or related take offs? I have a single side exit boom tube and also put in the Car Chemistry inserts and it was mean and nasty still beyond all get out. Curious to see if you a before and after reduction much.

[sr73bu]

Thanks Rob!... Love that Torino!!!


Dave- I found the exhaust on ebay, I'm thinking its a 90's NASCAR style exhaust or so I was told by the seller.... I had to cut it up and re-weld quite a bit to make it work, but it fits pretty nice now...

I actually drove the car on a 4 hour roadtrip yesterday... the baffles helped to take the "edge" off, but thats about it..LOL...I do love the sound, the baffles added some "crisp-ness" and helped get back some of my lowend power.

cruising in 6th gear for a majority of the drive really wasn't too bad (around 2500 rpm)... its the 3000-6500 pulls that really ring your ears, but its a frigg'n hot rod right?? screw tailpipes (watch me eat those words next year, LOL)

-Sean

[WSSix]

Looks wicked Sean. If or when you get tired of the exhaust sound level, you could always go with Spintech in order to keep the side exit style. I think Magnaflow also offers a similar style muffler that would facilitate side exit. Both would sound great in my opinion. Glad you're out enjoying the car. :thumbsup:

[gnx7]

great build!

What headlights are those?

What does the car weigh with a full tank of fuel and no driver?

[sr73bu]

great build!

What headlights are those?

What does the car weigh with a full tank of fuel and no driver?

Thanks!

Sorry for the late response... started some winter projects around the house...

I ordered the headlights a few years ago from OPG... they use more modern bulbs like Sylvania Silverstars 9004? not sure on the part number.....

The car weights 3850 without me in it...lol... add another 220lbs for me..and its just over 4000lbs... i have made some changes since I last wieghed it...including a fiberglass hood that is much lighter than the stock one, bucket seats and lighter wheels.... the car is still a tank though...:lol:

-Sean

[Steve Chryssos]

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB033309web.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB033313web.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/PB033315web.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6604.jpg

on the road coarse at NJMP

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/2012_run_to_the_shore_road_course096.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6391.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6198.jpg

Fresh out of paint

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_6057.jpg

During the re-build

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/P2202136.jpg

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_4384.jpg

Bad Buzz circa 2001- 2009 (before I torn it apart)

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af165/sr73bu/IMG_4258_1.jpg
-Sean

I'm quoting you just so that we can see the pictures again. Very cool car! :thumbsup:

[legend]

great car man

where did you study Industrial Design? and do you work as a designer now?

I'm a UK designer and lecturer in ID so I'm always interested how things are elsewhere

[sr73bu]

Thanks Again Guys! :lateral:


great car man

where did you study Industrial Design? and do you work as a designer now?

I'm a UK designer and lecturer in ID so I'm always interested how things are elsewhere

Hi Legend... I studied at Kean University here in NJ... I've worked for Ingersol Rand, a few food packaging design firms as a conceptual contractor and i've been with a Corrugated display company for the past 5 years designing Point of Purchase displays aka cardboard displays..lol.. I do enjoy this field as I get to sketch, present new concepts and engineer displays from various materials. How do you like lecturering? I've recently been asked to teach a sketching class at a school in Philly a few nights a week and may consider it... if i can find time..lol

-Sean

[legend]

Lecturing is great apart from the assesment of the work.

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/lds/ I'm here

I teach a lot of the sketching, thing is you have to link it to 3D hands on modelling for them to grasp that they are describing geometry, not just making pictures. So we do sketching and styrofoam at the same time

[Zspoiler]

They are a neglected body style ,and you hardly see them on the road any more. And when I do I remember them being run in NASCAR.Back in the day ,when they actual "Stock" cars not the cookie cutter cars of today.