Messages

61

General Discussion / Re: How long have you owned your Camaro?

« on: March 01, 2014, 04:58:49 AM »

  I got my '68 in May of 1983 and have owned it since. I got a '68 for graduation in 1975, totalled it in 1980, and just had to have another one. I've gone through a couple of paint jobs, a lot of engines and transmissions, then let it sit outside, which is the worst thing you can do. A few years ago I took it completely apart to do a frame-up and fix everything that was worn, broke or rusted. It's now completely restored except for the paint job, which will be done this spring. It's time to drive that sucker again. Long live the 1st-Gens.

62

General Discussion / Re: 69 Z/28 Barn Find??

« on: January 27, 2014, 05:41:39 AM »

  I knew a guy who found a '69 Z/28 in the late '70s. It was advertised in the paper as a 1969 Chevrolet 2-door sedan. An old woman was selling it. Her son had been killed in Vietnam and it had sat in an old carshed for years. He answered the ad and she led him out behind her house and opened the doors and there sat a 1969 Z/28 with 32,000 miles on it--completely original. Dark red with black stripes and cowl hood. He gave her $1200 for it, got it running, and drove it away. But the story didn't end happily. One night he was winding the 302 out and lost control and wrapped the thing around a telephone pole at over 100 mph. He survived but the car was completely destroyed. What a shame.

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Restoration / Re: Mult-Leaf Springs or Single for 1967 L30M20? - That is the question.

« on: January 23, 2014, 02:52:28 AM »

  Single-leaf springs are fine as long as they aren't subjected to wheel hop. Many high-horsepower cars have run single-leafs with no problem--some drag racers actually prefer them over multi-leafs. The '67s didn't have staggered shocks which compounded the problem with the single-leaf springs. Without traction bars the single-leafs would literally bend into an S-shape then snap back, causing violent wheel hop. After enough abuse they would break. The problem wasn't with the single-leaf springs themselves, but with the lack of any traction control to stop the windup on hard acceleration from a standing start. Some '67s had a traction arm that was supposed to help, but the only real solution was slapper-type traction bars or ladder bars. Hope this helps and good luck!

 

64

General Discussion / Re: First test drive!

« on: January 16, 2014, 08:13:19 AM »

sweet ride! ^5

65

Restoration / Re: who do you all get body parts from?

« on: January 14, 2014, 04:50:46 AM »

  Beware Goodmark stuff. I had to replace both doors and fenders, and their products didn't even match each other as far as contour lines and door-to-fender gaps. It's been said many times before but it's worth saying again: if you can find NOS parts, get them. They'll be pricey, but the headaches saved versus aftermarket crap will be worth it. And it's not just body parts--half of the stuff out there advertised as exact reproduction isn't anywhere near exact. For example, the "exact reproduction" '68 heater controls have lettering that isn't even close to factory. Some SS gas caps won't twist on with the SS level. If you can find it and afford it, get NOS.

66

General Discussion / Re: PF35 Oil Filter

« on: January 14, 2014, 04:29:46 AM »

  In general, the PF25 was considered a passenger car filter, the PF35 was a truck filter. Rick's Camaros sells both, but they're expensive. Hope this helps.

67

General Discussion / Re: 68 Camaro rear park brake cables

« on: January 14, 2014, 04:19:17 AM »

  My original cables are wound with a spiral spring. As I understand it, all were made this way. There is an inner tube core with the spring on the outside. The cable from the parking brake pedal and both rear cables are spring-wound. Presumably this keeps the inner tube from kinking where they have to bend and curve, especially the front one. Hope this helps.

68

General Discussion / Re: Supposedly 302 Mustang 'Barn Find'

« on: January 07, 2014, 09:26:39 AM »

  I call b-s. Any car that has sat in a shed like that for 40 years would be covered in 1/4" of dust, the tires would be dry-rotted and flat, and the bright trim would be oxidized or dull, unless it was stainless steel. Chrome would be rusted or pitted. Unless this car was in an a very arid state with no humidity or wind I can't see it. No car looks that good after 40 years unless it's been tweaked first.

69

Mild Modifications / Re: rear end upgrade 1969

« on: January 05, 2014, 05:15:55 AM »

  Moser sells a brand-new 12-bolt that is a drop-in. You can order it with any spring perches you want, almost any gear ratio and with C-clip eliminators. They're stronger than the original 12-bolts and come with positraction. Downside is they're rather pricey. As for traction bars, Competition Engineering sells an excellent set with J-bolts and the snubber contacts the front spring eye. They eliminate any wheel hop and actually help plant the rear tires on launch. Rick's Camaros sells rebuilt original 12-bolts, too. Hope this helps and good luck!

70

Maintenance / Re: speed warning buzzer

« on: December 28, 2013, 06:14:03 AM »

Thank you kindly!

71

Maintenance / speed warning buzzer

« on: December 27, 2013, 06:42:23 AM »

  I bought a new speedometer for my '68 and it has the speed warning needle. I'd like to make it functional, but no one offers the buzzer that goes on the back of the instrument cluster. Does anyone know of a late-model buzzer or chime that I can adapt to it? Since it won't be original, I don't really care what it fits. I'd just like the thing to buzz when it exceeds the set speed. Thanks.

72

General Discussion / Re: starting my resto

« on: December 25, 2013, 09:30:25 AM »

  rs327 is so right--buy the parts as you need them! These projects can stretch into months and even years, and the repro industry is always improving. New and better parts are coming out everyday as the demand becomes greater for parts that actually fit and work as the OEM pieces did. A good example: the heater control panel. My car's heater control had 2 broken levers, one that was pot metal and almost impossible to repair. So I bought a new unit that was an "exact GM reproduction". The fit and finish was virtually identical, but compared to the original control panel, the repro lettering on the thing wasn't even close. I had to drill out the rivets and take a brand-new unit apart just to change the lens. There are the little things that drive you nuts.
  You'll learn as you go and it's fun and exciting. If I can help in any way feel free to message me. I'm sure the others feel the same. This is all about keeping our beloved 1st-Gens around forever. I've owned my '68 for 30 years now. I got it in May of 1983 when I was 25 years old. Over the years I've raced it, neglected it and cursed it, but the love affair remains and now I pamper it. Just the other day I was driving it to town and a guy in a new Camaro came up beside me, honked his horn, and grinned ear-to-ear and gave a thumbs-up. That makes it all worthwhile. Folks, we own history.

73

Maintenance / Re: Rockchester Quadrajet vendor suggestions

« on: December 25, 2013, 05:20:20 AM »

 Toss the Q-Jet into a trash can and get a Holley Spread-bore.... lol            you won't be sorry. Good luck.

74

General Discussion / Re: starting my resto

« on: December 24, 2013, 08:14:30 AM »

  Yes.......it cannot be overstated enough........as you disassemble the car put EVERYTHING in Zip-Loc bags or boxes and LABEL them. No matter what you think, there will be bolts and screws and parts where you will forget where they go. I also took my '68 completely apart and when the time came to reassemble it the labeled bags were invaluable. Put as much as possible in the same place as well--try and store everything in one location and do it by category--fuel, brakes, interior....etc.
  An Assembly Instruction Manual ( AIM ) is also invaluable. There are a surprising number of parts you can still get through GM, although they will likely be pricey. Some will be 'replacement' parts and not NOS too, so that's a consideration. It helped me to get all the catalogs I could.....i.e.   Rick's, NPD, Ground-Up   etc and study the parts they selll and what is correct and what is not. If you can get NOS parts, GET THEM. Half of the reproduction stuff is not GM quality and it won't fit quite right--especially sheetmetal.
  Good luck and welcome to the world of taking a car apart and putting it back together again. It's not that hard if you do your homework. Knowledge is everything. Hope this helps.

75

Mild Modifications / Re: 8.2 10 bolt differential

« on: December 20, 2013, 08:23:34 AM »

   An 8.2 10-bolt can take a lot of abuse, but torque killls them. There is a reason why Chevy put a 12-bolt behind their more powerful engines. As long as the tires don't hook but spin, a 10-bolt will live. Once you get into the 12-second range with good tires, a 10-bolt is a time bomb. 10-bolts are notorious for ripping the spring mounts out of the axle tubes if you don't fully weld the mounts. I have the original 10-bolt I ran under my car for years and it's still intact, but once I stepped up to adult horsepower I got a 12-bolt. If you're in the 12s you're on the ragged edge. Good luck and I hope this helps.