Topics

31

Maintenance / 7029202 Q jet secondary well fix

« on: August 16, 2015, 04:54:03 PM »

For all of us with Rochester Q jets, here's a simple procedure you can accomplish over an hour or so with common hand tools that will effectively fix your leaking or potentially leak-prone secondary well plugs.

Disassemble the carb, remove the throttle plate from the body, and follow the steps as shown in the pics. This really appealed to my automotive therapy needs for the weekend -

Regards,
Steve

32

Restoration / 68 armrest base recovery

« on: May 03, 2015, 11:08:49 PM »

For those of you that are as needy as I am, I thought I might share a pic or two of my super cheap armrest bases I'm putting together for my 68 Z. The current armrests are '69's, probably repops, so I jumped on a pair of '68's at a local swap meet. Only real problem presenting itself was the horrible rattle can black paint job on top of the original gold bases. I should have taken before pics - I've seen brushed house paint give a better look.

Mr. Cheap to the rescue - most of us know how brake fluid removes paint from your car if you're unlucky enough to spill any (as I found out in '73 on the fender of my newly purchased X77). A good bath in brake fluid produced the desired results (as the pics show) with a minimal effort and cost, also without damaging the parent plastic. Tips - do it outdoors in bright sunlight - it accelerates the blistering of the paint, lifting it off the surface fairly quickly. Brushing it several times during the process with an old paint brush helps to dislodge loose paint an help the fluid to penetrate remaining old paint. Remember to wear gloves and eye protection when undertaking this -

It doesn't hurt the plastic base, either grain or features - rinsing in hot soapy water removes any remaining fluid and paint particles - very little is left.

Why do this ? I hate repro parts. I have $5.00 in the pair, plus the cost of brake fluid (about $0.50 cents worth). Add the cost of primer and vinyl spray, and I'm still way ahead, plus I don't have to drill holes for the trim - 68 originals are punched.

I'll post the finished part pics when I'm done - 

33

Maintenance / Fuel system health opinion

« on: April 12, 2015, 04:41:44 PM »

I decided to rework the fuel pump to carb fuel lines on the (L48) Z11 which were mangled by the former owner, when I discovered the frame to pump line(s) were originals, both dated 11/23/68 and should have been replaced a long time ago, I decided to rebuild the carb and pump/replace the old gas out of the tank.

Hooked my old Holley electric up to the frame line and pulled all the gas I could pump out of the tank through the line, which had a see through fuel filter attached - the pic is what the filter trapped. I have to assume this trash came out of the lines (as the pickup strainer should still be in place). Opinions ? think it's excessive ? With the new repro filter and the bronze Rochester carb filter in place, I think anything else that might come loose can be filtered out before reaching the carb.

I wasn't too unhappy with the end result - after all, 46 years is a long time to expose the tank and system to dirt, crud and neglect. Keep on plugging, or pull the tank and replace ? I'm leaning towards leaving it as is until a "have to" shows up -

Regards,
Steve

34

General Discussion / Garage Find '69 HO Z

« on: March 18, 2015, 02:06:16 AM »

If I can get this link to work, check out the "garage find" from an article in Hot Rod (as linked by MSN)

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/autos-midsize/rare-finds-1969-chevy-camaro-z-28/ar-BBhlhL6


If it's been posted before, remind me -

35

6-cylinder Camaros / 1967 Camaro vert 6

« on: January 03, 2015, 04:07:33 AM »

If I can get this link to paste, here's one that popped up on Craig's -

http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/4820524432.html

Pretty good looking car, if it's not a scam -

Regards,
Steve

36

General Discussion / 1968 Chevrolet Camaro / Chevrolet document

« on: August 11, 2014, 02:40:37 AM »

For your viewing enjoyment - the excerpts from this manual ( titled "1968 Chevy Camaro") were sent to rare396bronze in 1993, in response to an inquiry he placed with Chevrolet Customer Assistance concerning info on his '68. I've never seen this previously, so we thought we might post it for viewing. Hopefully the pic size is legible -  it makes for interesting reading -

Regards,
Steve

37

General Discussion / 68 low fuel warning

« on: April 27, 2014, 03:08:28 AM »

I think this has probably been answered 300 times, but I couldn't locate an exact answer when I searched. I disassembled my 68 Z console tonight, and found the gauge wiring to be completely intact, including the low fuel warning module. My questions - were all D55 gauge cars equipped with the low fuel module ? Or optional ? Is the indicator light on the dash panel or gauge package ? I was pleased to find everything there, and hooked, although I was bummed to find the console itself looks like the aftermath of the Siege at Leningrad. Everything that can be broken is broken, with the (thankful) exception of the gauge package.

Now all I have to do is restore it - the work never ends. 

38

General Discussion / Pic posting problems ?

« on: April 21, 2014, 03:19:44 AM »

I have posted many pics on this forum, but I have never run into this before - after repeated tries to post a 476 kb pic, the error message tells me the max file size is 200 kb, which I don't think has changed from 500 kb. What gives ? Antone else had the same problem ?

39

1968 - Orphans / 18N448650 engine block

« on: April 19, 2014, 06:53:25 PM »

Anyone seen 18N448650 ? In the database ? I have your original block on hand -

40

1969 - Orphans / 124379N641261 documentation

« on: March 07, 2014, 04:13:07 AM »

I didn't know this car had been sold and moved from the area until I Googled the VIN. I have dealer invoice, MSO, title copies back to original owner in '69. Knew the car back to '86, drove it in '89 before I moved from the area where the car owner and I lived.

Documents released only to verfied current car owner -

Regards

41

Originality / Tanks, cores and a question

« on: February 26, 2014, 04:00:30 AM »

After reading a recent topic about fan clutches, I decided to research my radiators on my cars to make sure of numbers and originality.

Here's what I found, all Harrison radiators (thank goodness):

June '68 built 1968 Z Left tank IH Right tank OD. Date code "E". 21" three row core.
Dec. '68 built 1969 L78 Left tank IH Right tank OD. Date code "L". 23" three row core. *
Jan. '69 built 1969 Z Left tank IH Right tank CB. Date code "A". 21" three row core.
March '69 built 1969 Z11 Left tank IH Right tank OF. Date code "A". 21" three row core. A/C car.

The L78 is the question. There is no visual evidence of this radiator ever being re-cored, definitely a 23" three row, dated correctly for the car, yet the tank codes (in my estimation) should be IL and OO. Doesn't appear as if this was a small block recore, tanks and upper and lower core brackets are correct, manual trans tanks, too. Tag removed by someone right before the car was purchased.

Comments ? Opinions ? All are welcome -

Regards,
Steve

42

Restoration / L48/M35 ZL2 air cleaner finish opinion

« on: July 08, 2013, 02:16:56 AM »

Gentlemen,

   Please check out the following pics and give me an opinion on the finish - too dull, or close ? I selected the paint based on an NOS ZL2 manual cleaner that I have - I have seen finishes on other cars run the gamut from patent leather shoe gloss to flat. This particular paint is Dupli Color gloss black, and it turned out a close match to my NOS cleaner.

   I welcome all opinions - just don't get too brutal. This was my first air cleaner restocreation -

Regards,
Steve

43

Restoration / Radiator tag restoration

« on: January 28, 2013, 01:22:14 AM »

After a couple of comments on the Originality section about recoring radiators, I decided to dig up the radiator tag for my Z11 L48 auto w/ A/C (UR code) and try to salvage it. Radiator tags are so extremely thin material, (you've probably noticed) that I was afarid to bead blast it without shredding it to pieces or blowing holes in it, plus removing too much material (see before pics). As I have not been able to find a repop UR tag yet, I tried something that really does work - electrolytic rust removal. A couple of hours in a plastic bucket hooked up to a battery charger can work miracles (as far as I'm concerned). Just thought I might share a few pics of before and after treatment - I have not bead blasted the tag, and may not, as a light coat of primer should finish this up before paint. Dirt cheap, and works surprisingly well, especially for tightwads like me with less-than-no-budget to work from. No holes, stamped number is plainly visible, traces of original paint remained in the crevices behind the rust.

Regards,
Steve

44

General Discussion / 1969 NOS ZL-1 engine possibility ?

« on: January 08, 2013, 04:47:15 AM »

Anyone posted this one yet ? Seems unlikely, or could be the recast block/heads - if I had $38K to spare, I'd call -

http://nashville.craigslist.org/pts/3442234069.html

Regards,
Steve

45

1969 - Orphans / Orphaned block 19N571318

« on: August 06, 2012, 12:25:50 AM »

Attention 19N571318 Camaro owner - your block is taking up space on my engine stand.