Goodmark Chevelle - Part 10

This month we are going to concentrate on tying up some of the loose ends in order to get the Chevelle ready for glass, upholstery, and a few licks on the nose (code for: flames on the front end). Even though it is a milestone to have the entire body and chassis together, there is still a large amount of work to be done before the car will be ready to make its maiden voyage down the road. In the last segment we saw most of the interior wiring being completed and the installation of the gauges and stereo, which must all be done before bolting the doors on. The main idea there is to wait to mount the doors until parts like the dash and wiring are done and out of the way so you aren't trying to work around them. The same goes for the front group (fenders, core support, hood, and so on) not being installed until the engine, wiring, and fluid lines have been bolted in place for the last time. The best reason behind this is (of course) to protect the fresh paint from the inevitable OOPS! It's going to happen and should be expected knowing that when the car is done and running down the street, most little chips and dings can be touched up. In the case of the Goodmark Chevelle, if there was an OOPS, no one would ever know.

We are also going to backtrack for a minute and go over some of the smaller tasks that were omitted because of time and page space. To be more specific, we will go over prepping the brake rotors, calipers, and miscellaneous brake system parts. Since these pieces generally come in raw form, they usually need specific paint in the right areas to prevent the unwanted elements from prematurely rusting or corroding the beauty of brand-new parts.

There are only a few more stories left to showcase the finer points of the Goodmark Chevelle before you see a full feature of the completed car and learn how you can enter the contest to win this beauty in an upcoming issue of SUPER CHEVY magazine. So keep an eye out for this hot machine on the '02 Super Chevy Show tour and don't be afraid to get up close and personal. Who knows, you may be the lucky one who gets to drive her home.

Now might be a good time to...        read full caption Now might be a good time to talk about the wheels, since we are getting one e-mail after the other wanting info on the Daisys. All four wheels are American Racing 200S (or Daisys as most of us know them) 17x8 inchers with a 4-inch back spacing. The tires are BFGoodrich 245/45ZR17 on all four corners. The combination of wheels and disc brakes give the Chevelle a definite classic muscle feel with today's high-tech, big-window-wheel look.

Behind the Americans is the...        read full caption Behind the Americans is the Master Power disc brake system. Before these and many other brake parts were installed, most needed some paint for protection against the elements.

All brake pad and bearing...        read full caption All brake pad and bearing surfaces were masked off before a few coats of O.E.M. Paints' Fast Cast Grey were applied.

In fact, the entire brake...        read full caption In fact, the entire brake system, including the master cylinder and brake pedal, was sprayed with the same finish. The Fast Cast paint is an extremely durable protection against water, oil, and road tar and leaves a clean, raw look on these parts.

Before the rest of the engine...        read full caption Before the rest of the engine wire loom could be installed, the Pro-Form high-torque starter needed to be bolted in. These starters not only look good but also deliver 40-50 percent more torque.

Speaking of engine loom, check...        read full caption Speaking of engine loom, check out the engine side of the grommet used to transfer the wiring from the interior to the engine. Clean, simple, and hidden is the idea, and that's just what we got.

The new Goodmark radiator...        read full caption The new Goodmark radiator core support and polished radiator, from U.S. Radiator, were next on the list to install and plumb in the hopes of bolting the front fenders and hood to the car. Again, hooking up the wiring and bolting the engine components on before the sheetmetal is mounted will save you the aggravation of dropping, scratching, or nicking your fresh paint.

Another part that will need...        read full caption Another part that will need to be handled before the front fenders go on is the door installation and alignment. This takes two people, no more, no less. Align the door to the rear quarter and rocker. The front fender has enough adjustment to align with the door, rather than the other way around.

Notice in the door to rocker...        read full caption Notice in the door to rocker area: Craig is using a paint stir stick to create a perfect gap. It also helps support the front of the door while adjusting. If you don't have a body panel gap gauge, stir sticks are great for aligning any panel because of their thickness and the fact that they are usually wooden, which acts as a buffer to protect the paint.

A small amount of Windex works...        read full caption A small amount of Windex works great as a lubricant for installing rubber stops that push-in. The Windex cleans beautifully after you're done as well. All door rubber and weatherstripping was furnished by Soffseal.

We are really close to mounting...        read full caption We are really close to mounting the front fenders and hood with all of the smaller jobs, such as wiring, plumbing lines and hoses, and bolting the components onto the engine, now being completed.