Restoration projects can be amazingly fun when you find all the parts you’re looking for and adding them along goes smoothly. Unfortunately, resto projects can also be maddeningly frustrating when you can’t find what you need, leaving you backed against the wall and stuck. Now imagine when this happens to your daily driver and you’re left without transportation; it makes things even worse. The best thing to do is to plan your upgrades like we did in this restoration tech. We knew that we wanted to do this project over a weekend, so we needed to get everything in hand before tackling the project.

In this month’s web exclusive, we decided to show you the best way to add a tilt chromed steering column to your classic. Aside from modernizing the car and adding comfort, this addition also dresses up the interior of the car by giving it some extra luxury and style as well. Today, there are several steering columns out on the market, but we opted to use one of the staple figures in our industry − ididit. Who did it? “I did it.” That was the answer that Ken Callison constantly told people whenever he would set up a booth, and the name stuck from there. From its inception in a humble two car garage, the company has now grown into a full blown company with almost 40 employees.

Cadillac is the brand that has long been associated with luxury, style, performance, and of course cutting edge technology. Since the car maker’s inception in 1902, Cadillac has defined American luxury and become a leader within the car manufacturings industry. The cars symbolize the American Dream and some of the most popular and enduring models were developed in the 1960s. It was in this decade that designers like William “Bill” Mitchell introduced the clean look and sharply defined features seen in other GM makes like the Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick Riviera desighned cars. He felt that each GM division should have an “image car;” an automobile that captured the spirit and thrill of driving. The Corvette Stingray, front-wheel drive Oldsmobile Toronado and the classic Cadillac El Dorado were born from this vision.

Have you ever tried parking a car without power steering or with an older style gearbox? If you have, you know that a modern dual combination is golden in comparison to the manual setup. Believe it or not, the first power steering system on an automobile was apparently installed over a century ago by a man with the last name of Fitts. While not much is known about him, we do know that today we wouldn’t dare own a car that lacked his innovation of power steering.

This month in Saul’s Shop Talk, we paid a visit to Energy Suspension in San Clemente, CA. This top-notch company has been in the bushing business for years. They make several items, including body mounts, bump stops, control arm bushings, and even tie rod and ball joint boots, just to name a few. Energy Suspension is also known for their chrome motor and transmission mounts, which always seem to find their way into our Lowriders!

With the summer heat coming up, get ready because it’s time to keep your car running cool with a few basic concepts. One of these key ideas are for you to replace your water pump, a preventive maintenance measure that will help keep your car running at a cool temperature. We stopped and talked with the good people at Edelbrock, and they offered up a few pointers to help dissipate the heat that is sometimes created from the chrome plating we Lowriders like to add to our engines. They also told us that overheating is usually caused by the water/fluids not flowing fast enough throughout the engine, and this can occur during stop and go traffic or when sitting at idle when cruising.

An often misunderstood concept within car building is that of sound deadening. Many often ask me, “Why should I add sound deadening to my ride?” The answer is simple. If you want to enjoy the benefits that include eliminating road noise, keeping the engine heat away from the interior, and eliminating the rattling that loud bass can produce, then sound deadening is a must for your project. If this sounds like your build, then it may be time for you to invest in some Dynamat sound deadening material.

Serpentine Pully kits have been around for years, and the explosion felt in the aftermarket industry has certainly made an impact on the market, leaving consumers puzzled as to which products they can trust to get the job done on their dream builds. Look no further than industry leader March Performance as they have become the go-to manufacturer for quality serpentine kits. The company, based out of Florida, has 25 years of experience in automotive performance products, and they can help you get the right parts the first time. With a vast selection and applications to choose from, they emphasize that making the best product choices will be up to a builder’s individual preference and style when it comes time to pick a system’s components. Rest assured that whatever your needs might be, this is one company that has it all.

This month we took a drive out to Santa Paula, California where we paid a visit with ARP Fasteners (Automotive Racing Products). ARP has been around for years and their products can be seen on some of today’s top built vehicles. This last SEMA had one of the best looking vehicles of the show; a 1973 Pontiac Firebird built by Detroit Speed. The build on this car was so clean it looked straight out of the factory, and upon closer look, we realized how they had gotten the build looking so perfect. They were using ARP bolts and fasteners.

Attention to detail will make or break an engine compartment, and manufacturers like Lokar have stepped up to the plate to help you go the extra mile with your build. For over two decades, Lokar has manufactured products of the highest quality, exceeding industry standards while raising the bar for quality products and leading the way for a better automotive aftermarket. They have dedicated themselves to providing all customers with original and innovative products. This dedication has translated into an unwavering reputation that the company prides itself upon; a reputation that customers remind them of every day.

One of the most essential components of a classic auto build is reworking the car’s brakes and suspension. Obviously the weight of these metal beasts is far heavier than today’s plastic and fiberglass models, so ensuring a safe, smooth ride should always be a priority for any classic. When I started working on this Caprice, I figured the overhaul of the brakes and suspension would be a quick and easy process. I assumed I could just go through the old suspension and stock components, but after looking at the car, boy was I wrong! I did some research and found two key players that could help with my dilemma, so I’m bringing them to you this month. I called upon Ride-Tech and CPP to assist in the buildup of the front suspension and brake upgrade. You’ll remember last month, we upgraded the steering by using a CPP steering box and tie rod components. This month, we finished off the front suspension by adding RideTech tubular arms and integrating CPP’s calipers for braking.

Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is one of the best parts of any build. Knowing you’re close to finishing a significant upgrade or restoration can be insanely gratifying and we are happy to bring your some closure to our LS3 engine install! A few issues back, we began our prep work on this part of our project, and if you’ll remember we figured out the height for the custom motor mounts, solved our pulley situation, changed out the factory oil pan to replace it with a Holley aftermarket model, and installed a Be Cool radiator to keep the engine running cool. In this issue, we pull out the engine one last time in order to marry it to the 4L80E Gearstar Performance transmission. While the engine was pulled out, we took advantage of the situation and shaved the firewall to clean up the engine compartment, allowing us to do the final mock up.

In this month’s Shop Talk, we pay a visit to one of our biggest supporters, and a company that has been with us for over 15 years, Diablo Wheels. The company started off as a retailer, and quickly cemented their legacy as one of the industry’s top wheel manufacturers.

We had the pleasure of visiting Currie Enterprises of Anaheim, CA., a few months back, and those who know about this vaunted company know why we were honored to take a tour. For those not familiar, Currie has been in business since 1959, and the company started off in a garage as most successful businesses do. Their rise to automotive prominence came quickly, and they are known in the automotive industry for building some of the strongest rear-ends for all automotive needs. So strong in fact, that we just had to put one under our ‘70 Caprice! The security and peace of mind you can get by adding one to your ride is unparalleled, and they are certainly the go-to destination for rear end suspension reinforcement for your build. The Currie housings are so strong that you will no longer worry about battery weight wearing down the axle bearings and losing them while you’re driving. The Fab-9 housing is also strong enough to take any amount of torque our LS3 could throw at it, without jeopardizing a smooth ride.

Lowrider builds rarely stay the same for long. Inevitably, new technology and ideas get into our heads as we spend hours in our respective garages analyzing our builds to the point of nausea. We are always looking for ways to improve and update our rides, and love integrating the newest technology whenever possible. This Caprice is a great example of that, because it had only been together for a few weeks before the lack of custom sounds and the clacking, squeaking noises of old school dumps were sorely missed. Clearly, it was time to gut the whole trunk and start over and design a clean audio and hydraulic system that could cap off the build. A simple, yet functional design was in order for this stock color car.

Our goal with my shop talk series has been to keep you builders out there updated with the latest parts, tools, and tricks of the trade when it comes to getting down in your garage. I feel it a part of my responsibility to also get you better acquainted with some of the better and more reputable shops and auto parts suppliers as well. For this month’s column, Lowrider paid a visit to CFR Performance of Ontario, CA

The drive shaft is such a crucial piece to the drive train, yet many builders seem to overlook maintaining it on older models. This drive shaft makes your rear end spin and if you have a weak link, rest assured your car will be going nowhere! Hydraulics further complicate things and if your car is over-locked, you can push your drive shaft into the rear end and transmission damaging either one or in some cases both. Winding up with one of these cases usually means that the owner has not taken steps to know how to order and purchase the proper drive shaft for their car. In this month's web exclusive, we called up Dynotech, who seem to have the easiest system set up to order a drive shaft. They showed us the form they offer builders to download and fill out, in the execution of buying the proper drive shaft. It was as simple as one, two, three. First we filled out the measuring form, second we called in our order, and third we waited for the mail to show up. When the parcel service showed up, our drive shaft was here, cut to order, balanced, and ready to be installed. Now follow along as we order and install our Dynotech driveshaft for our 1970 Caprice project.

Today, we look at installing a GM Performance LS3 into a 1970 Chevrolet Caprice. Removing the stock motor and transmission will shave several hundred pounds of weight as you replace your old drivetrain that can weigh as much as 850 pounds combined. With modern technology, you will have efficiency, power, and the reliability of a new car.

Sometimes getting the right wheel and tire fitment to your dream ride is harder than it looks, and trying to tuck wire wheels into a classic is a prime example. In order to get the look you need, you usually have to shorten the rear end, especially if you are looking to use a 14x7 wire wheel. Those Impala owners out there looking to rock the skirts also need to take this modification into consideration as well. This month, we are going to show you how the axles and housing need to be shortened in order to achieve these looks.

In this month’s Shop Talk, we visited Classic Performance Products out of Anaheim, CA., because this company is the number one source for steering, braking, and suspension, accessories. We last visited with CPP a few years back, and upon this visit, we were amazed to see how much they’ve grown over the years. Since that first visit, the company has expanded into a newer building which has been progressed into a full manufacturing facility to help CPP keep up with the high demands of its customers needs.

Over the years, my family tool box has grown from a fishing tackle box with a handful of tools to a decent collection, which has taken me a number of years to accumulate. Obviously, they are a prized possession to me as they are my lifeline as a car builder and you can never have too many tools since you never know which ones you’ll need from project to project. As I mentioned, this collection certainly didn’t grow overnight, but I understood the importance of being prepared for any build. Needless to say, I’ve taken every opportunity possible to increase my collection. Of course this has not been without sacrifice as we all know how expensive it is to set up our own garages. Many of us have learned the hard way that you get what you pay for when it comes to tools, but thankfully, a few manufacturers have stepped up with some items that posses more bang for our proverbial buck. These tools are not only effective; they are actually affordable, too.

The future of steering is uncertain, as some manufacturers have already tried fly-by-wire technology, which is designed to allow cars to be more efficient in maneuvering. This electronic steering technology is still in its infancy stages and one day might be used in future builds. With modern technology progressing at such a high rate, manufacturers like Classic Performance Products of Anaheim, CA., have stepped to the plate to bring out products that can help to modernize the classic cars that we drive today. CPP was the first to make their own gear-boxes, as they saw the need to create their own designs that provided modern benefits for the older vehicles.

Engine upgrades are definitely not new territory for Lowriders. Since the beginning, we’ve searched for ways to dress up every aspect of our classic rides, and under the hood is no exception. When it comes to chrome engine parts, we are the kings of bling, as we bolt up as much as we can to keep our engines looking good, cool and our performance top notch. The first engine upgrade on most of our respective lists is to modify the carburetor and intake. This key upgrade can not only improve the look of your engine compartment in a very short time, it can also improve the performance and engine efficiency of your Lowrider. We decided to go back to basics in this month’s column and install a new intake on a 350 GM Performance crate motor. This install took only a few of hours, as we used the Edelbrock Performer Air-gap Endura-shine manifold. This award-winning design incorporates the same race-winning technology with a show quality finish that’s been widely used on a variety of Edelbrock intakes. The air-gap design features an open air space that separates the runners from the hot engine oil, resulting in a cooler, denser charge for more power. RPM Air-Gap manifolds are modeled after Performer RPM intakes for high performance street power from 1500-to-6500 rpm, and the new Performer Air-Gap manifolds are ideal for street performance from idle-to-5500 rpm. Now follow along, as we install this Edelbrock intake and carb combination on this crate small block 350.

As we open up the Lowrider Garage this month, we welcome “the power of blue.” Yes, this is the color of melting metal. We received a visit from the crew at Miller Electric. Their expert staff brought out a collection of their newest innovations to help us stay ahead of the curve with the latest in metal fabrication products and tools.

The inception of GM Performance Parts started in the late 1960’s when a then-27-year-old Ernie Callard was invited to a high-level GM Directors meeting to discuss the factory support needed for various Trans Am racing teams. The directors themselves had two concerns: Where do they store the parts, and how do they ship the parts? Above all, Callard was instructed to never run out of parts for the GM teams. With those directions, Callard was put in charge of a new line of high performance GM Parts. Initially, the parts were planned to be “no code” parts so that no one could track what they were, where they were going, or who finally received them. Ahead of his time, Callard had a slightly different idea: “I told them, ‘Let’s put a number on the parts. Let’s sell them! Let’s make these parts available to anyone who wants them for their own cars!’” The GM executives agreed, and Callard found himself in the high performance parts business. Although it’s doubtful that he knew it at the time, Callard’s early concepts of high performance part numbering, configuration, packaging, and distribution initiated the concept of a “crate engine,” while simultaneously laying the groundwork for what are known today as GM Performance Parts.