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ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 9.90 Renegade Racing series

244K views 2K replies 124 participants last post by  rosco15 
#1 ·
Well, I have decided to Post a thread to follow the building of my 1964 Chevelle 300 (2 door sedan) dual purpose (Heads up and Bracket car) race car. I will be documenting what it takes to build a Mid to High 9 second race car from a rolling chassis to a finished race car and then slow it down, to run the Renegade Racing Associations NEW 10.50 Heads Up class (Renegaderacingassociation.com). This car will also be my 9 second Bracket car, that I race the No Box class with. It will be raced in the North East Ohio area @ Norwalk/Summit Motorsport Park, Thompsons, Dragway 42 and Quakercity.

History: I bought the car in October 2009 from a guy in Boston as a rolling chassis, no motor, no trans. He pulled them for the sale. I paid WAY under $8,000 for it, because I looked long and hard for a new car. I found it on RacingJunk after I sold my 1981 Tube chassis Camaro on Ebay. I lucked out because the previous owner was a body man and he was proud to send me 20+ pics of it, inside and out, including underneath of it, while it was on a lift! I received WAY more value for the money I paid, because I was patient and diligent and I was able to talk him down a bit.

I am a big guy (6'2" 350+) and I was looking for a car that was larger than my 81 tube chassis Camaro, which I did not fit inside so I sold it, or my 67 Tube chassis Camaro (The Original ArkAngel), 1927T altered or my 1968 Chevelle 2 door sedan that I had previously.

Here are the specs as I received the car:
1964 Chevelle 300 2 door sedan. RARE Original V8 car (5411 model code) ONLY 4,593 MADE.

The Previous owner had (and removed for the sale) a BBC 496 w/ Brodix heads and a Glide.
He said it ran 9.60-9.70 (1/4) @ 3050 lbs w/o driver.

Body:
Fiberglass Cowl Hood, Fenders, Bumpers and Trunk lid. Stock roll up windows. New quarters. ALL Stock trim reinstalled. Sonic Blue paint.

Interior:
Stock floors cutout and steel PLATE floors installed.
Cage has every bar to Cert to 25.3 but I don't know if it will. We will see.
Stock instrument panel (cut up) w/aluminum guage insert installed.
1- JAZ type molded Hi back racing seat.
Current (RCI?) 5-point harness seat belt.
B&M Pro stick (T-handle??) for a Glide w/Aluminum cover and cable.
Roll cage mounted switch panel (6 switches).
Autometer Monster tach w/memory.
Autometer Ultralite 2-5/8" Oil Pressure and Water temp guage.
Small Autometer Ultralite Volt meter
Outside cowl mounted Autometer 2 5/8 ultralite fuel pressure guage
Oldschool Wooden steering wheel
Fire extinguisher

Chassis: Stock front suspension with Moroso frt springs and Drag shocks (I forget the brand).
Backhalved w/4 link and Track bar.
Chassis Engineering (old school) Adjustable coil overs (they look new).
12-Bolt rear. Strange axles. Strange Housing ends (therefore no c-clip eliminators) Strange spool. Richmond 4.88 gears. Welded pumpkin.
Stock rear Drum brakes
Stock "newer" Chevelle front Disc brakes w/linelock

Rims and Tires:
Weld Drag Stars, 14x5" frt. 14x12" rr.
M/T Frt tires 3.5"
M/T rear tires 13x31"

Trunk compartment:
Aluminum 5 Gallon fuel cell (blue).
Red top Optima battery
Aluminum trunk floor panels
B/G 280 Fuel pump and filter
Blue 5/8 Line to the front fuel regulator and then dual line to the carb

Engine compartment:
Aluminum motor plate
Becool Radiator and electric fan
Overflow tank
Hooker Super Comp Headers


Electronics: MSD 7AL-2
MSD starter saver,
MSD 2-step,
MSD Pro Power Coil,
Relays etcet.

I will post pics:
 
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#197 · (Edited)
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

I trashed the old aluminum electronics mounting plate and bought this 16 guage 12"x 12" steel plate from Home Depot for $10. I rounded off and trimmed the sharp corners using a Jig saw and a grinding stone in a drill to smooth the rough edges, because my 3 year old and girlfriend will be riding in the car thru the pits and I do not want them to get cut on it.

Before:


After trimming:
 
#198 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

I went looking for the Terminal Blocks/strips or Junction blocks/strips at Advance Auto Parts and they did not have them. Neither did Napa (they wanted to order them for $23 EACH!!!!!!) Auto Parts. I called Summit and they didnt have them either. I then went to Radio Shack and they DID have them for $3.19 each. I bought 3 of them.

Here is a pic of them:
 
#200 · (Edited)
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

I will start on the rest of the wiring tomorow and this weekend and I hope to make good progress while the weather is good.
Also I decided to post a pic of how the car looks while I am working on it. Most of the time you see the after pics. Heres what it looks like while I am working on it:

 
#205 · (Edited)
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

Thanks 68 nova 10.5 and that is a great compliment Preacher's kid! It is grea motivation when all the hard work is appreciated and hopefully someone learns from my mistakes and my experiences! I did misspeak a few posts back and this will be my THIRD car I wired from front to back. Here is a pic of the first car. My 27t Altered, "The BleachBox Hero."

 
#206 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

The Plan: (as 68 nova 10.5 says) I will be making a mock-up of the wiring harness using clothesline. It is easier than wasting wire by making mistakes and having to start over with new wire. Clothesline is cheaper to make mistakes with.

There will be 3 systems/harnesses that I have to make:
The first will be The engine compartment/front harness.

The second will be The Instrument panel/dash harness.

The third will be The overhead switch panel.

The rear harness was pretty much done and in place when I bought the car.
The overhead panel is partially complete "as bought"and it is "fused" by the manufacturer.
 
#207 · (Edited)
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

After I complete the mock-up harness and I have everything to length, I will lay it out and build the actual wiring harness's on the ground, by laying each individual wire, using the wiring diagram, on top of the mock up harness. It is slow and tedious work, but if I do it right, it will come out nice and precise.
I will then loosely mount the harness and mock it up in place. Once I am satisfied, I will add the terminal ends and connect them to the "loads/components". I will test the system and then finally turn each component on after I test it. This is the safest way and all it takes is a Ohmmeter to test continuity....BEFORE TURNING THE SYSTEM ON.
THIS IS THE PLAN!
 
#208 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

I did not spend any time this evening on the wiring..... I did spend a couple hours FINALLY washing down, oiling up and bagging my engine block and when I get a minute, I will drop it off at V's HOUSE OF HORSEPOWER, The Official Engine Builder of Summit Motorsports Park!
I was supposed to do it about a month ago, but I decided to wait until I was close to having everything else done, so that once I get it back from V's I would be virtually ready to assemble it (I dont want it sitting around, bare block, in my damp garage that seems to leak everytime it rains) and drop it right in. That time is approaching....FAST!
 
#223 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

Thanks Denn.... 10.50 racers get used to this view!
Easy there big boy, this is Index racing! You don't want to be taking all that stripe! LOL!!!!
 
#212 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

I dropped my Block of at Ronnie V's House of Horsepower (Isn't that the coolest name for a Race engine shop you have ever heard!) today, The Official Engine Builder of Summit Motorsports Park.... I love the way that sounds!

Anyways, I spent most of the day planning and mounting the electronics on the electronics panel that I fabricated. I left a little extra space in case I need to ad any thing later.
Here is how it turned out:

 
#213 · (Edited)
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

I will mount the Electronics plate on rubber pads, on the passenger side foot board. I will also mount a "grounding stud" to use as a ground near the plate. I am thinking about hinging the plate so that it can swing up to be serviced. What do you guys think?
 
#215 · (Edited)
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

LOL. I spend enough time working on it and at the job and with the girlfriend and son, to fill out 18 hours, of a 24 hour day! What you don't see is my 3 year old working with me in the garage every day! I have to watch my son FIRST and work on the car SECOND. I am not in a hurry to finish, but I am working hard, just about everyday, to finish. I know your just busting on me, but once the car is done it still wont be fifnished because I have a 10 year plan, for THIS car!

Oh yeh I only post AFTER I am done working on the car. I take pics as I go along, which I have always done for years. I had tons of them, but my laptop crashed a few months ago (before I started this build thred) and the pics are on it!
 
#217 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

BADMONTE- YOU HAVE NEREVE MR I NEED 2-3 PEOPLE TO PUT MY ENGINE IN :smt097;)
 
#219 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

Today I ripped out all the old wiring that will not be used. I also use new clothes line to make a mock-up of the front engine compartment harness, from the electronics plate, to everything electric in the engine compartment except the Ignition wiring. That includes the headlights, which is mandatory to race with the Renegades.

I also labeled all the wiring that will be reused, including the overhead switch panel and the rear trunk harness. Finally I know where and what everything is, wiring wise, in the car. I am still trying to figure out why the electric fuel pump has two 40 amp relays wired together????

Here is the wiring that I ripped out:
 
#221 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

Ahhhh great input! Thanks for the info. It had a Barry Grant 280 in it, when I bought it from Dave though. I bought a Magnafuel ProStar 500 to put in it, so that works out perfect! Keep a eye on your PM's cause if I have anymore questions I will PM you or keep a eye on this thread. Thanks!

 
#222 ·
Re: ArkAngel 64 Chevelle build for 10.50 Renegade Racing series

The front mock-up harness is completed and next I will remove it and lay it on the ground and starting from the Electronics panel end, I will layout each circuit. They will be held together loosely with zip ties, so I can slide the wire for the circuit in it, until I have all the circuits in the new harness. Once that is done, I will install the harness mounts using the dozen plus pics I took of the mock-up harness. Last, but not least, I will install the Terminal ends. Then it will be on to the next harness until it is completed.

 
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