Messages

121

Restoration / '67 Beige Vinyl Top

« on: October 02, 2012, 09:11:56 PM »

All,

Looking for pics of any Camaros out there with the Beige Vinyl top.  SMS sent me a sample and declares this to be the original.  It is darker than I imagined but believe it would still work out nicely with the Sierra Fawn color of the car.  I have included a scan of the sample and would really appreciate any pictures of recent '67 restorations with the Biege Vinyl top. 

Thanks,

122

Restoration / Re: vinyl top

« on: October 02, 2012, 06:26:16 PM »

It looks like I am heading down this same path with SMS.  The sent me the swatch and it was just plain beige.  I put it up against a strip of original paint that I still have on the interior of the rocker panels to aid in color matching down the road and it does look good.

Can you pass me the picture of your beige vinyl top?  They too, assured me via paperwork that it is correct, but it came in darker than I expected.  The original top had already been torn off when I got the car.  Small chips still remained around the corners and they were definitely light by half than this swatch.  I suppose it could be due to sun.

The car did have the black bb stripe.  The top almost matches the body color which is an interesting effect that I wasn't expecting.

Thanks,

123

Decoding/Numbers / VIN on a Powerglide

« on: October 02, 2012, 01:05:30 AM »

All, trying to deduce the year of my Powerglide.  The pan stamp indicates it is a 1970 (C0R03N).  I am trying to find a partial VIN somewhere on the tranny to determine if the pan was just replaced.

I can find no VIN on the driver's side upper portion or the passenger side lower portion, no evidence whatsoever.

I found out that the tranny had been worked on at some point as a manual valve body was noted upon the most recent rebuild.

Since there is no VIN, can I deduce that this likely could have been a '66 Powerglide that had a later model pan installed when work was done on the tranny?

I read also that it was common to have no VIN stamped on Powerglides then.  Would '70 Powerglides have VIN for sure as they did get more meticulous about this sort of thing as time went on. If '70 Powerglides had partial VINs any idea where they would be?

Thanks.

124

Restoration / Driveshaft Paint

« on: October 01, 2012, 05:38:48 PM »

In searching the threads for finishing my 12-bolt.  Can I assumet the driveshaft, minus the joints at either end, should be semi-gloss black?

125

Restoration / Re: Resto Advice

« on: September 30, 2012, 01:38:39 PM »

Hey, something to think about as I already installed the new 3:73 posi in the 12 bolt. I might run with the powerglide for a while though as I had it rebuilt with a 2,500 stall converter already.

126

Restoration / Re: Gold Interior

« on: September 30, 2012, 12:11:27 PM »

Wow.  No bites on this one.  Unless I hear otherwise, I will be going with a satin finish on the dash, seat backs and rear arm rest extensions, then semi-gloss on tops of the doors, rear sides and rear deck.

127

Restoration / Re: Resto Advice

« on: September 30, 2012, 12:09:00 PM »

Thanks very much.  I broke up the Hotchkis system, keeping front and rear drop springs, but swapped the sway bars for Helwig sway bars and saved around $600, then ordered the front disk brake system only, matching the '69 disk brake system.  That should do it for upgrades.  Chose to stick with the original Power Steering that came with the car instead of going with any new rack and pinion setup.

128

Restoration / Re: Wiring Harness

« on: September 30, 2012, 04:08:27 AM »

Very nice.  Thank you.

129

Restoration / Re: Wiring Harness

« on: September 30, 2012, 02:47:25 AM »

Really glad I chatted with you all.  Thanks so much.

130

Restoration / Re: Wiring Harness

« on: September 29, 2012, 11:54:03 AM »

Thanks to every one on this, particularly you Chick, I wouldn't have thought of that.

131

Restoration / Re: Resto Advice

« on: September 29, 2012, 11:53:09 AM »

All, Thanks very much.  Really appreciate it.  It is a tough line knowing what is 'right' in what situations regarding these cars, keeping in mind that fun is key yet wanting to do nothing to devalue them.  Again, really appreciate it.

132

Restoration / Resto Advice

« on: September 28, 2012, 06:40:52 PM »

I have touched on this before, but as I am at the point of pulling the trigger so to speak and start shelling the cash...

In chatting with you all over the past months,

I have chosen to keep the car to exactly match the trim tag.  I do have a correctly coded SS350 with the car (six weeks after car was built). First engine was blown in the 70s.  I have the original 12-bolt and a '70 powerglide.

I was going to:
1) Upgrade suspension to Hotchkis Total Vehicle System
2) Upgrade to new four-wheel power disc brakes
3) Upgrade to new rack and pinion steering
4) Upgrade to tach and gage package from standard console car.

I plan to keep all original parts.

Thoughts about this strategy?

Due to non-matching numbers, intend to enjoy the car, local shows, etc...

133

Restoration / Re: Wiring Harness

« on: September 28, 2012, 06:00:44 PM »

Now here comes the ignorance... L48... where does that show up?  Is it the option on the Window Sticker?

Don't see an L48 on my car anywhere, only the 4P

Where is the best place to post pics?  I only saw the option when I started a thread, but no option when a thread is already started.

134

Restoration / Re: Wiring Harness

« on: September 28, 2012, 05:00:03 PM »

Thanks a million!

135

Restoration / Re: Wiring Harness

« on: September 28, 2012, 04:21:42 PM »

Pete, You have helped me in the past.  I have the original 12 bolt and thought I had the original tranny.  It is a Powerglide, but the stamp is C0R03N, indicating at least the pan is probably a '70.  Can't locate a VIN, but did locate a circular number in the casing, looking like a clock dial on the driver's side casing, stamped '66'.  Don't know what that does for me.

I did pull the frame off and can get at the tranny from all sides and just can't find any numbers on it besides the pan stamp and all the patents.

Is the L48 a big block?

The engine is correctly coded "MV" - Powerglide with smog equipment and built six weeks after.  Folks here have told me that the car to this engine is still out there but I am at a bit of a loss as to where to find it.

I toyed with the idea of putting newer suspension, brakes and steering components, to really enjoy it, saving all the old parts, but think I will go for as much of a resto as I can and just get it on the street sooner.

I did upgrade the 3:31 non-posi 12-bolt unit to 3:73 posi (kept the old gears) and did have the tranny rebuilt, taking the original torque converter to a 2,500 stall with a shift kit.  The engine had 2:02 heads already cut and I have had it completely rebuilt as well.

The engine was date stamped six weeks later, Dec 31, 66 at the same plant as the car, chrome oil tube.

I figured that since it wasn't a numbers matching car, I could drift a bit out of the lanes of strict restoration and enjoy it too, while presenting a definite original RS/SS.  Sierra Fawn with Beige Vinyl top and black bumble stripe is pretty rare.

Console car but no gages.  Thought of keeping all the old stuff and converting to a console/gage car too.

Dressing up with torque thrust or American rims from the era.