need advice on doing a correct show car Camaro restoration

[GI JOE]

  Hello everyone:  Yes I am back, too many tours, & too much time has past and now with my Camaro's I must get-er done... but where did I leave off??? 

Anyways my days as US Army Paratrooper are coming to an end and I may now (hopefully) be able to continue and complete my Camaro restoration projects...  (and finally attend a national show with my Camaro and share in the fun).

So I am looking to you guys to help and advise me on what to read, what to consider, what to do and not do, paint and plating finishes, where to purchase, etc, etc, for restoring my car to the correct show car level.  As a younger man I used to be a mechanic and a drag racer so I believe I can still do all of those mechanical parts... but advice is still welcome.  One thing I have realized is that the auto technology is pretty advanced now but some parts are not as good as OEM and it maybe not be easy to do this or find the parts.... But I am shooting for the OEM restoration Show car if budgets allow me.... I think I would have one of you subject matter experts do my car for me and take out the guess work on my part but I think doing the resto yourself is the best part, (I hope I don't regret saying this..LOL  )....  Also I know very little about trailers and that end of it...  so I hope this thread will start off from the basics, work through the car from start to finish.  In the mean time I will continue to read CRG and learn...  I have stored my BB Camaros for years...time has flown by so quickly...but i am doing this for the love of these cars and hopefully I'll be able to drive my Camaro s again.

Thanks,  SFC GI JOE   

[IZRSSS]

Log into the Camaro Nationals website and educate yourself on the different levels of competition and decide what your goal/goals are. They have an excellent description of the requirements for each level. Click on the upper left…”class info (A.C.A. site)". http://www.camaronationals.org/

In addition, there is one member on here that I’ve admired for his tireless and sometimes over-the-top anal approach of restoring his car. I have talked to him a time or two and you can sense his passion for the hobby from the get go. You might even be able to give him a ring if you hit a snag, but be prepared because he’ll talk your ear off…but its well worth it  ! Here is his project (37pgs worth & still counting);
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=182584

Ken Lucas's work on First Gens is second to none. I have contacted him on occasion and he has always helped out. As with Chick, give him a call or email and I'm certain he'll help you out as well. http://www.lucas-restorations.com/

And last but certainly not least; plug in your questions here and you'll get straight up, no nonsense advise, and more importantly, it's accurate!

Thanks for your service!      

[lakeholme]

GI Joe, welcome home. Thanks for your service!

If you are going to be asking specific questions about your restoration, then put the basic info about you car in each and every post.  Take a look at Marty's signature and my personal text.  Marty's signature tells you a lot about his unique 69, including the fact that he has his POP.  My personal text tells you year, motor, transmission.  That helps you get the right answer from the "expert on your specific question" and saves them a lot of time.

As to reading, as far as I'm concerned Ed is the "librarian".  Read his starting list in this post:
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=40.0

X2 to what Marty says about the Camaro Nationals website.  It will get you started in the right direction and is one of the best sources for starting to understand Camaro specific judging.

And, as always, document and label everything... and post pictures of what you are asking about here at CRG.

[GI JOE]

Thanks Marty and Phill,

This is some excellent advice.  I have updated my profile signature....   

[68camaroz28]

In addition, there is one member on here that I've admired for his tireless and sometimes over-the-top anal approach of restoring his car. I have talked to him a time or two and you can sense his passion for the hobby from the get go. You might even be able to give him a ring if you hit a snag, but be prepared because he’ll talk your ear off…but its well worth it  ! Here is his project (37pgs worth & still counting);
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=182584

Ken Lucas's work on First Gens is second to none. I have contacted him on occasion and he has always helped out. As with Chick, give him a call or email and I'm certain he'll help you out as well. http://www.lucas-restorations.com/

And last but certainly not least; plug in your questions here and you'll get straight up, no nonsense advise, and more importantly, it's accurate!

Thanks for your service!     

Wow, thanks Marty as that is a real compliment from someone I greatly respect. By the way, you can talk up a storm as well don't you know....
As Marty stated GIJOE, #1, thank you for your service!
One thing for sure review what you have, what might be needed, and decide to what depth resto you want to go. If your 68 & 69 are unmolested you can have a ball investigatingating and documenting many things like paint marks. Save everything as in many cases little things like a rubber grease cover with the GM part # can be re-used and as Phillip mentioned, bag it/tag it. The thread Marty listed on our 68Z resto has I think a lot of info on what NOS parts and/or repro parts are correct or not along with many details on our restoration. Just be prepared as depending on the level it can become quite costly, hence the suggestion to decide the depth of restoration. This is a great site but team camaro also has a lot of great areas to review. One that comes quickly to miind is their 'body shop' and 'build projects'. Lots to review Joe so sit back and take your time taking it in! The more prepared or knowledgable you are the better end result.......
Good luck and keep in touch,

[IZRSSS]

By the way, you can talk up a storm as well don't you know....

 

[firstgenaddict]

Two L78 M22 4.10 cars... wow! Do you know if either of them were drag raced? Or street raced?

[GI JOE]

Yes the 69 was drag raced for part of its life and both were street raced.  I was trying to locate some film footage of CT dragway but the guy who posted never replied... so I keep looking... my 69 was named the Speed Buggy, typical pen striping, etc.  Car is 79 w/wht stripe & top, Blk Int.

[GI JOE]

Here is a photo from the 1st owner.

[firstgenaddict]

Extremely nice color combo... The white sets the car off and you never see the white walls with the simulated mag covers....