Messages

331

General Discussion / Re: NOS sheet metal prices

« on: February 20, 2007, 02:57:48 PM »

I agree with what has been said about original sheetmetal being the best way to go.  Anyone want to offer some sources for getting some?  Thanks for the help

Used stuff tends to turn up at swap mets more often than other places but sometimes is in questionable condition.  Places like GM Sport Salvage in San Jose CA often will have it but they are usually pricey...not as pricey as say NOS but still pricey.  Seems like the best source I've run into is whole parts cars...but then you either have to need the whole car or deal with gettng rid of what's left.  For firebirds there are places like Frank's Pontiacs in Ramona CA who sells a lot of used panels...I've not run into any Camaro specific dealers but they must be out there.  Perhaos a palce liek Memory Lane in LA or Orange county (forget which) might have something.

332

General Discussion / Re: 302 replacement piston options

« on: February 19, 2007, 09:08:58 PM »

Jerry,

the low mileage and short duration of opertating run time (as in not commuting) was essentially my friend's position.  You are only the second person I've run into who holds the same opinion.  My machine shop (as seperate from my friend who does the hihg end head work) refuses to install hardened seats in a 2.02 head for exactly the same reason you state above. 

Your response raises another question for me.  You suggest runing a colder thermostat to keep combustion temperatures down...at 160 wouldn't excesive piston slap be a consideration?  I always thought that forged aluminum pistons required at least 180 to expand to the appropriate size.  Is that another non-issue for you?

I know next to nothing about the engines that you prep for the street but the numbers you throw up with Old Reliable speak for themselves so I am all ears.  (and yes, I realize that street and race applications create two distinctly different engine environments) 

333

Decoding/Numbers / Re: 67 L30 Intake, Carb, Heads Date Codes

« on: February 18, 2007, 11:27:33 PM »

I have several sets of heads.  I would be willing to let a set go if it works with your car.  I don't recall dates off hand but can look tomorrow for you.  LMK

334

General Discussion / Re: Vinyl or Not?

« on: February 18, 2007, 02:35:13 AM »

I don't really like the vinyl tops look but I agree with others..if the car had it from the factory  then replace it.  I also agree that it is a very 60-70's look so kinda goes with the cars.  The green SS below had a lot of rot from the vinyl but since the car is numbers matching we took it back to the original appearance (and took a lot of grief from friends for "ruining" a perfectly good fathom green paint job )...but not all vinyl roofs rot.  The '69 GTO has it's original vinyl roof in place and started in wet Seatttle (Olympia to be specific) and then moved to Alaska.

In case Sam is looking...the SS is an LA built car that spent its entire life in CA and had very rusty quarters and rear window channel.

Bottom line...we don't treat these cars as they were treated when new and daily drivers so vinyl roofs are not real weak spots any longer.  It comes down to originality and preference on appearance in my book.

335

General Discussion / Re: 302 replacement piston options

« on: February 18, 2007, 02:14:04 AM »

...DO NOT let your machine shop talk you into installing hardended valve seats.  You don't need to and you run the risk of breaking into the water jackets when doing so....Jerry

I am intrigued by your comment.  Is the risk of hitting the water jacket your only concern here?  Or do you have other concerns too?  How do you deal with seat degredation without leaded fuel?  Or do you not see this as a problem?  I have a good friend locally who used to crew for NHRA top fuel cars and now runs a cylinder head porting and flow service and maintains several nostalgia dragsters - he also doesn't think that the hardened seats are "ALL THAT" but he is in the minority for sure.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

336

General Discussion / Re: NOS sheet metal prices

« on: February 18, 2007, 02:04:22 AM »

Thanks for all of the input and offers to help locate sheet metal.  Actually, I was not looking to buy any NOS panels.  In 2001 I bought a bunch of of NOS sheet metal ( two std frnt fenders, RH coupe quarter panel, tail panel and front lower valance) as insurance for our two '69s or in case I built another one.  Based on the opinions expressed above maybe I made a mistake . 

So six years later and they are just sitting under my house ( I have a man high "crawl" space at one end) and I was considering selling them to make some storage room and take the money to help push forward on our '67 convertible and my '70 Z.  I didn't really know what price to ask (and couldn't or rather wouldn't believe the asking prices at Heartbeat) and  I did not want to make it look like a fishing expedition on the forum (especially since I am a little fuzzy on the selling of parts on the CRG forum - PY and NastyZ28 have specific places to sell and trade things).   So now I have a better idea of valuation in the real world and some very informative opinions on the qaulity and desirability of NOS sheetmetal.

To sam:  I hear what you are saying but I see a lot of rusty California cars right here in San Diego County (and a lot when I lived in the Bay area).  Certainly better than the rust belt or back home (Anchoarge, AK) but neglect and a lot of years are neglect and a lot of years even for cars coming out of the southern california desert.  Good used sheet metal is where ever you find it I suppose.

337

General Discussion / Re: NOS sheet metal prices

« on: February 14, 2007, 03:45:50 AM »

thanks JKZ27...input appreciated

338

General Discussion / Re: NOS sheet metal prices

« on: February 13, 2007, 02:41:50 PM »

Thanks Fiveforty - Thats significantly less than heartbeat city...which is what I expected.  I  bought NOS fenders  in '98 (from the only person I could find who had them) and they cost $1500/pr  plus freight.  I looked at prices pretty hard in 2001when I bought a second pair but haven't really looked since.  I'll keep researching.

339

General Discussion / NOS sheet metal prices

« on: February 13, 2007, 03:40:55 AM »

I need some input form the members of the forum.  I haven't looked at NOS sheetmetal in about 6 years so I have no idea what the market is doing.  What sort fo prices are coupe quarter panels and standard front fenders fetching?  What about tail panels and front lower valances?  I see the kind of numbers Jim at Heartbeat City asks but find it a littel hard to believe that they are actually being purchased at those rates.  I should mention it is for a '69 coupe

340

General Discussion / Re: Another question for the pros.... Redline tires from Diamond Back Tire Company.

« on: January 28, 2007, 05:40:32 PM »

I have two sets of Diamond backs redline tires and I am very pleased. .  I heard notihing but bad about coker (their p[roduct and their customer service) so I looked at Diamond back...those guys are super nice, are real enthusiasts and worked hard to make sure I got  the right tire for my application and that I understood their product and what I was getting.  On the practical side...the tires are everything one would expect from modern production radials but wiht teh look of red lines.  Here is a so so shot of my '69 GTO wearing Dimaond back redlines ...I also have a seet mounted up for my '67 Cmaro Convertible but the are stored in a shed waiting to go on the car.

341

Decoding/Numbers / Re: Cam Options?

« on: January 11, 2007, 12:27:36 AM »

Sometimes you can get the same sound out of the 346 cam if you tighten the valves down to about .022".  What we've found in our dyno testing research is that you lose cylinder pressure when installing a higher lift camshaft such as the 140 so there are trade offs.  Bigger is not necessarily better all the time.  The 140 uses a lot of fuel on the street too.

Jerry    

When I first got my Z back in '84 I read about the offroad cam and when I rebuilt the motor in '85 I bought the Crane Blueprint version of the "140" cam and stuck it in (well , had the machine shop stick it in)...more lift, more duration..had to be better right?  With stock compression, stock exhaust manifolds and the stock intake and carb it sounded wicked at idle (everyone thought I was running headers)and at full throttle.  But boy oh boy did it suck fuel (jsut like Jerry said) and off the line it couldn't get out of it's own way (didn't help that the car had 3.07:1 gearing either)...and abolutely no vacuum at idle.  In '98 I changed the gearing to 3.55:1 and that made it more enjoyable to drive around.  In 2003 (after years of procrastination) I decided to crossram it...and read Wayne Guinn's books.  The crossram in combination with Stahl headers final made that cam wake up (Just as Guinn said...it is a package deal, it was all meant to work together)...now it runs very hard, is more enjoable to drive (except when cold) but still sucks fuel like nobody's business ;-)

342

Decoding/Numbers / Re: 67 rear axle codes

« on: January 11, 2007, 12:07:32 AM »

Thanks Ed.  I wonder why the BP code for '67 is not commonly referenced?  I even ended up over at Camaros.net after posting and didn't find it there either.  Out of curiousity how did you happen by it?

 

343

Decoding/Numbers / 67 rear axle codes

« on: January 10, 2007, 10:05:31 PM »

Just yanked out and cleaned up the rear axle form my '67 convertible.  It is coded BP 0425 G whihc matches the POP I have for the car.  My problem is that I cannot find BP as a code for '67 rear axles in a camaro...at least not in colvins book or this site.  Any thoughts?

344

General Discussion / Re: Seat belt question for KurtS

« on: September 22, 2006, 03:00:09 PM »

Thanks Kurt

345

Originality / Re: Muncie dating.

« on: September 20, 2006, 11:37:48 PM »

thanks anyway John...this one is drilled and tapped so that picqued my interest enough to ask the question