Topics

1

General Discussion / Magazine Article - Thanks!

« on: May 30, 2014, 04:24:13 PM »

Just figured I'd share this with you all here since the site and the people I have met through this site really played a large part in identifying and my work on the car. The knowledge here is invaluable and there was no way I would have been able to muddle through this without your help! Below is a link to a recent magazine article that came our about my Camaro. Starts on page 20:

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Oli.../carsandparts/

Enjoy and thanks again for the continued support!

2

Maintenance / Good God In Heaven ... Please Help Me With These Brakes!!

« on: August 29, 2008, 01:45:46 AM »

I don't know what else to do or where else to turn anymore.  I have a '69 and after 5+ years of restoring this blasted beast, it wants to fight me to the bitter end!  I have replaced EVERYTHING in the brake system.  Some parts several times.  This is the deal:

All new brake lines - complete front to back.
All new brake hoses
New Front Calipers
New Power Booster
Re-built Original Master Cylinder
Original Proportioning Valve
Original Distribution Block
Long Rod in the Power Booster to the Master

I think that covers everything.  This is an original Big Block Car and original front disc brake car.  The problem I'm having is with the front disc brakes.  What was happening is that I had to pump the brake pedal 6 times before the front brakes would actually grab enough to stop the wheel.  Each pump of the pedal added a bit more restance ... the about 6 pumps of the pedal is what it took before you could not spin the wheel.

I switched out the repro master cylinder and repro proportioning valve and installed a original master cylinder (re-built) and the original proportioning valve.  Now it is 3 pumps of the brake pedal to completely stop the front wheel.  Better, but still not quite right.  I have bleed the master cylinder and the front brakes a million times and the fluid comes out in a nice steady stream ... No air at all.
The back Drums have never been an issue and work fine.

So I'm done here.  I have nothing left to try.  I'm out of bullets.  If anybody out there that is a brake expert and has any advise at all ... I'm all ears.
Thanks in advance for any and all help.

3

Restoration / Automatic Trans dating ...

« on: August 26, 2008, 02:42:43 AM »

How far back did the dates of the transmissions go from the build dates on the 1st gens - 1969 in particular?  Did it matter if it was a th350, th400 or a power glide?  I'm guess that Chevy had tranys pre-built and ready ahead of the cars being built ... But how far ahead were the tranys from the car assembly dates?

4

Maintenance / Console gauges problems

« on: August 15, 2008, 01:51:22 AM »

Ok, here is my situation ... I have a new wire harness, new gauges new bulbs, pretty much new everything in my original console. I'm having two issues (that I'm aware of) and I'm sure getting tired of taking the console apart, especially since the seats are in the car.

1.) Temp gauge not working - new wiring new temp sensor. I think eventually this one will get figured out since it is really only one wire, but please feel free to comment.

2.) This is the one that really has me stumped. There are four gage pods, each with it's own light bulb. 2 of them seem to be working normally. But the lower 2 pods the lights "glow" when the ignition key is turned to the ON position. The others do not. But when you pull the lights switch to on, they all (4) come on bright.

I'm thinking that I must have a short some where in maybe a ground. Does anyone have pictures of the wiring of the console gages? Is there some sort "felt" washer that I'm missing?  Also, do both of the metal mounting plates need be grounded?  Right now I have the black ground wire that is coming from the harness grounded to the rear plate.  There is no ground on the front plate (the ones "glowing") as I would have thought that the black harness groung might have taken care of that too.
When I put this all together, I just had a pile of parts and no instructions. But it seem like it should be pretty straight forward.

Oh, one more thing ... I also have a low fuel sensor warning in this. Could that maybe some issue.

I'm scratching my head ...

5

Maintenance / 1969 Front Disc Brake (caliper) problems

« on: April 24, 2008, 03:52:09 PM »

I have been fight front disc brake issues for the last 2 weeks. It seems that whenever I step on the brakes the fronts go into line lock and I'm done. If I release the presure by backing off the bleeder valves, they seem to let loose, but then as soon as I hit the brake again ... Line Locked! The Master Cylinder, the power booster, all the lines & hoses have are all rebuilt or brand new. The back brakes work perfectly. I just replaced the propurtioning valve as sort of a last resort hoping that would fix the problem (another $100 down the drain)... to no avail. So all that I have left are the calipers themselfs. They are the orginals and have not been rebuilt. I just seems odd that both of them would be bad and behaving excatly the same. But it's the last piece that I have to replace.

Any thoughts on this? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

6

Restoration / Under Coating

« on: April 19, 2008, 12:16:45 PM »

The rear wheel wells of my '69 are undercoated.  I didn't need to replace them as they are in fine shape as where the rear 1/4's.  So my question is this ... If the rears are undercoated ... then should the front wheel wells also be undercoated?  I had to replace one front wheel well and the other on is now also bear.  I was considering undercoating them to match the rear and also to help quite the stones that will be kicked up in there.  I was also thinking that the stones would chip the paint and would eventually start to rust.  But at the same time I'm trying to keep the car as original as possible and factory like.  Any advise?  Thanks in advance.

7

Originality / Under Hood Light For Cowl Hood - '69

« on: April 19, 2008, 12:08:13 PM »

Was there an option to have an under the hood light in 1969 with a cowl induction, a cowl hood and the molded insulation?  I can see the AIM where the light(s) placement would be on a SS car or a car with a flat hood, even on a car with a 396, but can't find anything about a car with Cowl Induction.  I can't seem to figure where a light would go in sort of setup without hitting anything when the hood was closed ... Other then maybe over by the master cylinder ... which would be a pretty useless place to put it.

Is it possible that a light under the hood on a Cowl Induction, Cowl Hood with molded insulation and BB car in 1969 wasn't an option?
Thanks.

8

Originality / Z87 Option on BB with Cowl Induction

« on: March 20, 2008, 04:29:29 AM »

Looking at the AIM it appears that in 1969 cars that came with the Z87 option got lights under the hood as part of the package.  Small Block V8's (and I'm assuming L6's) had 2 lights under the hood were as the Big Blocks got only one light under the hood and it place in a little different place then either of the 2 lights that came with SB.

Now what about BB cars that came with the Cowl Hood or Cowl Induction.  Did they not get a under the Hood light as part of this package? I can't see were one would put said single light under the hood of a BB Cowl Induction car.  Can some answer this question?  If an under the hood light did fit in there somewhere ... any pics?

Thanks in advance for any and all information.

9

Originality / Question on COPO Tires - 1969

« on: March 11, 2008, 04:40:16 PM »

I know that in 1969 the COPO Camaros came with RWL 14x7 Tires.  Back then there were 2 manufactures that GM used for these tires, Goodyear and Firestone ... Was there a certain brand tire that was used on the COPO cars?  The reason I ask is that my spare (still mounted on the original XT rim) is a F70-14 Wide Oval Firestone tire (see pics below).  Some suggested to me that the COPO's only came with Goodyear RWL tires in '69.  Since I'm not really sure, I figured I better check this out with guys who know far more then I do on this subject matter.  So what's the deal ... do I go out and get four more Firestone Wide ovals to match my spare ... or do I need to go look at Goodyear's (who no longer seem to know how to make a tire - see NASCAR pull out )






Thanks in advance for the info.

10

Originality / 9561 Exhaust System Choices

« on: January 11, 2008, 06:57:52 PM »

Seems to me (after some research) that for the 1969 9561 COPO, one really had only 2 choices of exhaust systems.  Either the Chambered Dual Exhaust or the Deep Tone Dual Exhaust with a single muffler in front of the trunk.  Ordering a dual exhaust with dual resinators does seem to have been an option.  Is this true, or am I just making this up?

11

Restoration / Transmission detailing question

« on: July 23, 2007, 09:38:30 PM »

When the TH400 bolted up to big block engine in a Camaro back in 1969, how was it detailed, i.e. colors? I have heard that it was just the natural alumium and not that Chevy engine Orange. Is that true for the bell housing and pan too?  My TH400 is 100% natural (gray bear metal) and would like to detail it correctly. I have already done my rear which came out great in natural coat and since have learned that it should have been paint ALL black. So Now I have to redo that!!!    I don't want to make the same mistake on the tranny. Any help as always, is appreciated (on the rear and the tranny).