16
Maintenance / Re: Which plugs and wires?
« on: July 19, 2007, 07:50:14 PM »
Sorry, I guess I wasn't as clear as I should've been. I run my plugs at a .045" but I'm also using a 40KV aftermarket coil.
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17
Maintenance / Re: Which plugs and wires?
« on: July 18, 2007, 09:42:48 PM »
The Mallory unit, although a Hi Energy Ignition type distributor, is not the same as a GM HEI distributor, which has the coil in the cap and is considerably larger in diameter than either the old points or Mallory Unilite distributor. The Unilite uses an external coil (similar to the stock unit) although a 40KV or better coil is recommended. If you're talking about the Unilite (red cap type) then you can gap the plugs around .040" to .045" versus .035" for the points type distributor. I have a Mallory Unilite distributor (small red cap type) that I bought back in the 80's when they 1st came out. At the time I was drag racing a Camaro so I didn't get a vaccuum advance with it. You can dial in mechanical advance with the stepped key supplied with the unit. It's been on top of several engines and has a bit over a hundred thousand (yes 100K miles +) miles on it. The only part I've had to replace (besides the cap and rotor) was the electronics unit when it burnt out at around 60,000 + miles. I always gap the plugs at .045" and have never had a problem. You can use any plug wire, although a solid copper core wire will interfer with radio reception.
The Pertronix unit fits under the stock cap on the stock distributor, replacing the points. I've installed this on several cars for customers that wanted a "stock" appearing ignition. It works really well and is not very expensive.
The Pertronix unit fits under the stock cap on the stock distributor, replacing the points. I've installed this on several cars for customers that wanted a "stock" appearing ignition. It works really well and is not very expensive.
18
General Discussion / Re: I need LOTS and LOTS of pics for the CRG homepage.
« on: July 18, 2007, 08:03:24 PM »
How about some cars that are in, say, a state of disrepair or under construction? I know the front page has always had some dynamite cars but how about an occasional change?
19
General Discussion / Re: bad for our hobby?
« on: July 17, 2007, 11:31:54 PM »
Since I never intend to advertise my car as other than what it is and since I did ALL of the mechanical work to it I have no qualms stating that it's a CLONE of a 396 RS/SS car. I bought it when they could be bought dirt cheap 20+ years ago and started changing things to what I wanted since it had no engine or tranny. I even scored a 67 12 bolt in the yard back in the early 80's. Although it's no doubt a 327 2V/PG car, it does have PDB, Tinted windows all around (1st line E), PW (1st line X - this is why I bought it in the 1st place), PS, Tilt steering wheel, 797-Z interior (Parchment/Black delux) and K-K exterior (Emerald Turquoise), a very unusual combination. If I hadn't had this car this long I doubt I would be able to get in at this time. If I ever sell it (probably not, it's like part of the family) it will be without the intention of selling an original, but then I'm honest in that respect. I feel sorry for the folks that got (or will get) ripped off buying something that isn't. Caveat Emptor was never truer than in this hobby.
20
General Discussion / Re: Camaro orders
« on: July 17, 2007, 11:08:10 PM »Dealers ordered cars for stock, fleet or individual customers.That and the 1st gas crisis in 73 is what allowed me at 19 to purchase a used 69 SS 396/325 with just over 40,xxx for $600 off of a used car lot. Spun a bearing racing it and took it to the boneyard. Who knew back then what it would be worth now.
Units ordered for stock were carefully ordered to be affordable and have broad appeal; I'm sure Chevy provided guidelines. I have all the 1st gen Camaro paperwork for a local dealer: 6 cylinder cars were usually manual trans with floor shift, 8 cylinders automatic with power steering and AM radio, ww tires & wheelcovers; maybe style trim and a console. Few had a/c. This dealer had only 10 Z/28s and some SS Camaros but no 396s.
BTW for every dealer that liked Hi-Performance cars there were probably 10 that wanted nothing to do with them. They had limited appeal, were an insurance and finance problem. Many were stripped of parts on the lot or stolen from dealerships. The fun continued after the sale with many returning with blown engine/trans/axle not always cheerfully covered under warranty.
By the early '70s a used '60s muscle car was nearly worthless as a trade-in.
21
General Discussion / Re: Split rotors
« on: July 17, 2007, 11:02:31 PM »
I used 1 piece rotors on my 67 which has the original 4 piston calipers. I'd have to look but I think I got them from Vette brakes in Florida when I had them rebuild and resleeve the calipers. This was about 10 years ago. I had no clearance issues at all.
22
Originality / Re: Steel seat back panels
« on: May 21, 2007, 08:52:35 PM »
I had an 03A car that had metal backs and an 04A car that had plastic backs. Both were 67 deluxe interior cars from LA. I always wondered when the change occured.
23
General Discussion / Re: What was the top Camaro? SS or Z/28
« on: May 14, 2007, 08:14:23 PM »
For a nicely optioned (power windows and A/C for instance) car it was hard to beat a 396/325 car. Not bad stop light to stop light (with the right tranny and gears) and you could order options to your hearts delight. It just depends on what you wanted: Brutal acceleration and handling (Z28), just brutal acceleration (396/375 and all COPO cars) or a semi-brutal cruiser with creature comforts (396/325). As we all know, back in the day ALL of these combos were available if you checked the right boxes.
24
General Discussion / Re: Found Camaros, Not For Sale...
« on: May 09, 2007, 11:01:15 PM »
Not exactly a "found in a barn" Camaro story but I'm sure you can all relate. In the mid 80's I was looking for a Hemi car to resto. I'd already been through several A & F body cars as well as a few Mustangs and Chargers. A friend told me about a Hemi car that he had had a friend tell him about as he was into Mopars. I got the guys address and went to see the car. No answer at the door so I look over the fence and see a shape under a tarp. It has a small sailboat on top of it. Seing no dogs and being rather curious I try the gate. It's unlocked so I proceed to check it out. Holy Smokes! It's a 66 Plymouth Satellite with, you guessed it, a 426 Hemi under the hood. AND it's a convertible to boot. The top was gone, the interior had seen better days and there was grass growing up thru the engine compartment. But it was all there.
I tried in vain to get ahold of the guy. I had no phone number for him and, as it turns out, he worked nights and I worked days. About 3 months later we crossed paths. I asked him about the car and got the, "I'm the original owner, I intend to restore it some day and no it's not for sale." I offered him everything short of my 1st born son but he wouldn't part with the car. I did get his phone number though.
Well I kept my eye out for it and about a year later I noticed that it's gone. I called the guy and asked him where it went. Turns out the dealer that sold the car to him wanted to find out the where abouts of the rarest car his dealership had ever sold with the intent of buying the car back for his collection of musclecars. Apparently the guy made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Some days that's just how it goes.
I tried in vain to get ahold of the guy. I had no phone number for him and, as it turns out, he worked nights and I worked days. About 3 months later we crossed paths. I asked him about the car and got the, "I'm the original owner, I intend to restore it some day and no it's not for sale." I offered him everything short of my 1st born son but he wouldn't part with the car. I did get his phone number though.
Well I kept my eye out for it and about a year later I noticed that it's gone. I called the guy and asked him where it went. Turns out the dealer that sold the car to him wanted to find out the where abouts of the rarest car his dealership had ever sold with the intent of buying the car back for his collection of musclecars. Apparently the guy made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
Some days that's just how it goes.
25
Decoding/Numbers / Re: Is this vin in the CRG database?
« on: May 09, 2007, 08:37:26 PM »
He's still using CRG as a source of verification. I gather he thinks it's a "Real Z" because someone stuck a Z28 emblem on the grill. I really wonder about some folks.
26
Decoding/Numbers / Re: VIN / Cowl Tag Discrepencies
« on: May 09, 2007, 08:13:11 PM »
The car hasn't been restored it's been restified. The headlight doors are misaligned; RS trim along the bottom is misaligned; it has a late model (69 and up) alternator location and tall water pump; it's missing the plugs in the trunk; the wires in the trunk are misrouted; it's not even an original floor shift manual tranny car (no hump in the tranny tunnel); missing part of the rear bumper; missing the screws that hold down the cover for the filler neck and the metal shield that goes over the rubber boot isn't even there; lots of parts are the incorrect color; and don't even get me started on what a hatchet job they did to the dash.
There are other things. For instance, the vents in the dash on the left and right side indicate either A/C for 67 or a 68 body with Astro-Ventilation was actually used. I also noticed the shot of the door tag (67 only VIN) shows it's an LA car while the cowl tag shows it's a Norwood car; it's missing the covers for the frame on the seats and the seats were poorly covered; it should be Granada Gold exterior (G-G) with Gold standard buckets (709-Z); it's not even an RS (no L in the 3rd position) These are just the most obvious.
There are other things. For instance, the vents in the dash on the left and right side indicate either A/C for 67 or a 68 body with Astro-Ventilation was actually used. I also noticed the shot of the door tag (67 only VIN) shows it's an LA car while the cowl tag shows it's a Norwood car; it's missing the covers for the frame on the seats and the seats were poorly covered; it should be Granada Gold exterior (G-G) with Gold standard buckets (709-Z); it's not even an RS (no L in the 3rd position) These are just the most obvious.
27
Mild Modifications / Re: Switching from a pwrglide to a TH350
« on: October 23, 2006, 09:16:08 PM »
Swap is a piece of cake. I've done it to several cars. The only major part you need to find is the shifter linkage.
28
General Discussion / Re: Can a Saginaw 4 speed be built to handle Big Block horse power?
« on: June 16, 2006, 08:24:31 PM »
Saginaw behind a BB? Back in the day I tore one up behind a 327 
. Bad idea.
. Bad idea.
29
Restoration / Re: 4 Piston Caliper Rebuild
« on: June 08, 2006, 10:06:19 PM »
Like most of the rest of these guys I sent my cores to Vette Brakes back in 1995/6 for sleeving/rebuilding. Haven't had any problems with them since.
30
Mild Modifications / Re: 350 Won't Start???
« on: June 08, 2006, 09:59:40 PM »
Try this with the distributor:
1 - Disconnect high tension lead (the middle wire in the cap).
2 - Remove #1 cylinder spark plug.
3 - Place finger over hole that spark plug was in.
4 - Turn the engine over, feeling for pressure in the spark plug hole.
5 - Stop motor when pressure develops. This will be close to #1 cylinder firing.
6 - Check balancer wheel mark. Turn engine over BY HAND (use a breaker bar) and align the mark with 8 deg BTDC.
7 - Remove the distributor cap. Now you can check the position of the rotor on the distributor.
8 - If it's pointing sort of close to the front of the car (actually closer to the #1 plug than straight ahead) then you're in the ball park.
9 - If it's pointing towards the firewall then you're 180 degrees out and will need to remove the distributor and realign.
10 - To realign the distributor:
10A - Remove hold down and pull distributor from the block.
10B - Look in the hole and insure that the oil pump drive shaft slot is pointing front to back. If not...
10C - Align the shaft slot front to back using a long straight blade screwdriver.
10D - Orient the distributor with the vacuum advance canister pointing towards the left front corner of the car.
10E - Turn the rotor approximately 15 degrees CCW.
10F - Drop the distributor into the block. The gear should engage the cam gear and the tang on the distributor should engage the oil pump driveshaft. It may take a few tries.
Now that you've got the distributor in correctly you should:
11 - Reattach distributor hold down.
12 - Put the cap back on.
13 - Reconnect and wires that were disconnected.
14 - Assemble timing light and any another devices that will be required to set timing (dwell tach, etc.).
15 - Turn the key to the "ON" position. DO NOT start car!
16 - Rotate the distributor back and/or forth untill the timing light blinks. Get it as close as possible.
Now, you can start the car after tightening down the hold down sufficiently to keep the distributor from rotating. Furhter adjust timing and dwell to specs. Note: This assumes that you have the points properly gapped and that you have the vacuum advance hose disconnected.
1 - Disconnect high tension lead (the middle wire in the cap).
2 - Remove #1 cylinder spark plug.
3 - Place finger over hole that spark plug was in.
4 - Turn the engine over, feeling for pressure in the spark plug hole.
5 - Stop motor when pressure develops. This will be close to #1 cylinder firing.
6 - Check balancer wheel mark. Turn engine over BY HAND (use a breaker bar) and align the mark with 8 deg BTDC.
7 - Remove the distributor cap. Now you can check the position of the rotor on the distributor.
8 - If it's pointing sort of close to the front of the car (actually closer to the #1 plug than straight ahead) then you're in the ball park.
9 - If it's pointing towards the firewall then you're 180 degrees out and will need to remove the distributor and realign.
10 - To realign the distributor:
10A - Remove hold down and pull distributor from the block.
10B - Look in the hole and insure that the oil pump drive shaft slot is pointing front to back. If not...
10C - Align the shaft slot front to back using a long straight blade screwdriver.
10D - Orient the distributor with the vacuum advance canister pointing towards the left front corner of the car.
10E - Turn the rotor approximately 15 degrees CCW.
10F - Drop the distributor into the block. The gear should engage the cam gear and the tang on the distributor should engage the oil pump driveshaft. It may take a few tries.
Now that you've got the distributor in correctly you should:
11 - Reattach distributor hold down.
12 - Put the cap back on.
13 - Reconnect and wires that were disconnected.
14 - Assemble timing light and any another devices that will be required to set timing (dwell tach, etc.).
15 - Turn the key to the "ON" position. DO NOT start car!
16 - Rotate the distributor back and/or forth untill the timing light blinks. Get it as close as possible.
Now, you can start the car after tightening down the hold down sufficiently to keep the distributor from rotating. Furhter adjust timing and dwell to specs. Note: This assumes that you have the points properly gapped and that you have the vacuum advance hose disconnected.