73GMCSprint
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2007
- Messages
- 1,132
- Location
- Southern UT, USA
- Car(s)
- 1973 GMC Sprint, Buick 455/TH400; 1994 Jeep XJ 4.0
I don't know why I've never bothered to make a thread for this car, as long as I've been hanging around here.
It's a 1973 GMC Sprint (badge engineered El Camino if it wasn't obvious) that I've owned since either 2000 or 2001. It has a Buick 455 from an Electra (previous owner did the swap) with a TH400 behind it. Not too many mods but it has a mild Poston cam (good luck finding one of those now) and Kenne Bell long tube headers (yes, Kenne Bell used to be one of the big names in Buick performance parts).
Once upon a time I started doing body work but med school, residency, and life got in the way so that's all gone to hell in the time it's been sitting.
It's been sitting and rotting for about 8 1/2 years now, since my first year of med school, and it's time to get it back on the road. I guess that's the reason for finally posting it up. If I remember to take some pictures I'll try to document the progress here.
Here it is in all its "beauty."
The 455, minus most of the black widow webs, wasp nests, and squirrel leavings.
Proof. Other than the cracked dash and a couple of disintegrated trim parts, the interior is in surprisingly good condition.
More proof.
So far I've cleaned the spider webs, wasp nests, piles of pecan shells left by squirrels, etc. out of the engine bay. Shockingly, I haven't found any squirrel-chewed wires. Yesterday I rebuilt the Quadrajet. Today I put it back on and replaced most of the vacuum lines. I've picked up some other replacement lines and a new battery.
Next up is to replace fluids and belts. Then I'll prime the oiling system (Buick engines WILL destroy the front lobes on the cam if you don't prime them when they've been sitting too long), and try to start it. Hopefully that will be this weekend, and hopefully it doesn't just blow up.
The tires hold air but I'm sure they're sun-rotted. I won't bother replacing them until I know it will run.
As you can see, it needs a lot of body work. I'll get it on the road before I do much there. there are a couple of places that need attention to stop progression of existing rust, but I won't be doing much beyond that at least until after summer. Body work in 100-110+ degree heat sucks ass.
There are a lot of things I'd like to do it eventually, but it should be an decent driver until I get around to it.
It's a 1973 GMC Sprint (badge engineered El Camino if it wasn't obvious) that I've owned since either 2000 or 2001. It has a Buick 455 from an Electra (previous owner did the swap) with a TH400 behind it. Not too many mods but it has a mild Poston cam (good luck finding one of those now) and Kenne Bell long tube headers (yes, Kenne Bell used to be one of the big names in Buick performance parts).
Once upon a time I started doing body work but med school, residency, and life got in the way so that's all gone to hell in the time it's been sitting.
It's been sitting and rotting for about 8 1/2 years now, since my first year of med school, and it's time to get it back on the road. I guess that's the reason for finally posting it up. If I remember to take some pictures I'll try to document the progress here.
Here it is in all its "beauty."
The 455, minus most of the black widow webs, wasp nests, and squirrel leavings.
Proof. Other than the cracked dash and a couple of disintegrated trim parts, the interior is in surprisingly good condition.
More proof.
So far I've cleaned the spider webs, wasp nests, piles of pecan shells left by squirrels, etc. out of the engine bay. Shockingly, I haven't found any squirrel-chewed wires. Yesterday I rebuilt the Quadrajet. Today I put it back on and replaced most of the vacuum lines. I've picked up some other replacement lines and a new battery.
Next up is to replace fluids and belts. Then I'll prime the oiling system (Buick engines WILL destroy the front lobes on the cam if you don't prime them when they've been sitting too long), and try to start it. Hopefully that will be this weekend, and hopefully it doesn't just blow up.
The tires hold air but I'm sure they're sun-rotted. I won't bother replacing them until I know it will run.
As you can see, it needs a lot of body work. I'll get it on the road before I do much there. there are a couple of places that need attention to stop progression of existing rust, but I won't be doing much beyond that at least until after summer. Body work in 100-110+ degree heat sucks ass.
There are a lot of things I'd like to do it eventually, but it should be an decent driver until I get around to it.
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