Author Topic: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny  (Read 12990 times)

68SixBangerRS

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69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« on: November 06, 2016, 04:41:03 AM »
Hey All...I have been on the lookout for a good 3-speed Saginaw tranny and a 3-on-the-tree steering column for my '69 Camaro coupe (Ol' Snake Eyes).  I found what I was looking for on CL-Chicago...the original 3-speed and steering column from a '69 Firebird convertible from Arizona for $300 (I love cheap 6-cylinder parts that no one else wants).  A couple of days ago I drove from Columbus to an hour NW of the Chicago metro area to pick up the parts and see what else the guy had to sell.  He is in the process of swapping the rare OHC6 (base engine with a 1-barrel) with the oddball 3-on-the-tree for a ZZ4 SBC crate motor with a 700R4 (the same as nearly every other 1st Gen Camaro and F-bird).  I was really glad he was making that swap as it provided the trans and steering column I needed to restore my car.  Yesterday I invited my good buddy Tim over to help me yank out the frozen original 250 from my '69, and install the nice running '70 Nova 250 (that I obtained from a CL-Detroit ad for $350) and the 3-speed.  We power-washed the nasty engine compartment and the replacement engine and trans while we were at it.  It took less that 2 hours to install the new engine.  I hope to have Snake Eyes running very soon.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2016, 05:07:11 AM by 68SixBangerRS »

68SixBangerRS

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2016, 04:58:51 AM »
A few more photos...I heard you guys like photos.  8)

KevinW

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2016, 11:54:20 AM »
Nice, I drove a 67 camaro with a 6cyl and 3 speed on the floor, it was very peppy! You planning on rebuilding the original engine eventually? 

KevinW

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2016, 11:58:02 AM »
Also, are you keeping the FC wheels? If so, I should have 2 more for you to complete the set, let me know the dates of the ones you have.

68SixBangerRS

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2016, 12:55:04 PM »
Nice to hear from you, Kevin.  Yes, I'm planning to rebuild the original 250 six (coded "BE" for a manual trans), and maybe I'll add the 307 pistons to juice it up a bit.  I agree with you that the Chevy sixes are peppy...more than capable of keeping up with today's traffic.  It absolutely kills me that there is so little interest in 1st Gen Camaro sixes (and F-birds), but it-is-what-it-is.  Whenever I see some older dude (like me) driving a restored $40k musclecar that gets 10 mpg, I never see him doing burnouts or power-shifting thru the gears. The days of ripping thru the gears in a musclecar are long gone...they are now just rolling pieces of art.  The few classic musclecars I see actually being driven are driven like six cylinders...slow and steady, so doesn't it make sense to restore a six cylinder Camaro with its original drivetrain?  My current plans are to get Snake Eyes (so named because it was full of snakeskins from Rat Snakes) driveable and then cruise around with it in all its hideous glory.  I may even take it to the Camaro Nats next year just for laughs...I guarantee it'll be the only six with a 3-on-the-tree shifter there.

I appreciate the offer of the two FC coded wheels.  I already have two sets (which no one wants because they're for drum brakes), but I may be interested in having a couple of correctly-coded ones.  My car was built 09C of 1969.  Where are the date codes found on FC wheels?
« Last Edit: November 06, 2016, 02:25:03 PM by 68SixBangerRS »

KevinW

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2016, 01:45:38 PM »
The dates are in the normal spot around the valve stem. :) http://www.camaros.org/suspen.shtml#Wheels

KevinW

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2016, 01:48:13 PM »
My car (4 wheel power drum brakes) is a 10B of 68, so if you have early wheels and I have later, we can do a swap :D I'm in NJ, you? 

68SixBangerRS

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2016, 02:26:59 PM »
I'm in the Columbus metro area.  I will see what dates I have and PM you.

HustleRussell

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2016, 10:41:02 PM »
Snake man. I'm really liking your 250 CID project. Keep on posting those pics.
Russ 
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69 SS

KurtS

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2016, 04:43:40 AM »
I think you got really lucky with that column linkage. That's hard to find.
Kurt S
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68SixBangerRS

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #10 on: November 08, 2016, 05:03:07 AM »
Kurt and Russ...it's nice to hear from you both. I jumped on the trans and 3-on-the-tree shift parts as soon as I found them.  One of these days that stuff might actually be sought after when everyone realizes how rare those cars are.  Russ, I noticed the tunnel area around your Tremec swap is rather open.  I have a perfect 1st Gen trans tunnel with a floor shift hole that I will donate to your project...you pay for the shipping (what a freakin' deal!!!).  We have the two nicest hillbilly cars on here.  I'm also glad you are resurrecting your '68 RS with six cylinder power.

HustleRussell

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2016, 12:14:05 AM »
Snake man thanks for offer. But the whole floor is rusted out. So I'm planning on replacing floor with a complete one piece. A Camaro store is a few miles down the road. "Southern Camaro". However I do have a clearance issue with air cleaner.
Russ 
68 RS
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KevinW

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2016, 11:06:49 PM »

I appreciate the offer of the two FC coded wheels.  I already have two sets (which no one wants because they're for drum brakes), but I may be interested in having a couple of correctly-coded ones.  My car was built 09C of 1969.  Where are the date codes found on FC wheels?

OK, finally got out to the shed, I have a set of 4 hugger orange FC wheels with K-1-9, 8th month (Aug), with a 5 on the other side of valve hole, stamped really close to the hole.  So it could be Aug 5, 15 or 25 :)

68SixBangerRS

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #13 on: November 12, 2016, 06:23:01 AM »
Hey Kevin...I have 9 FC coded wheels...one from my 02B '68 RS rust bucket, and two matched sets.  One matched set is still painted lovely Frost Green and the wheels are in phenomenally good shape (from a NJ '69 with a 307 that was being made into yet another SS because it had an X11 cowl tag code...boring!).  The other set I believe are 'from a '68 and have been painted primer gray.  I have looked at all of the wheels and can't find any date codes around the valve holes, so I will lightly sand around the holes and see if any date codes are visible.  The "FC" stamps are large and very visible on all of the wheels.  I am interested in your Aug '69 dated wheels for my Sept. '69 car. 

KevinW

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Re: 69 Firebird OHC6 donates its 3-speed tranny
« Reply #14 on: November 12, 2016, 11:47:07 AM »
Yes, I have two other wheels with high paint build that I cannot see the letters.  I have some Oct of 68 wheels that will work for my car, but if I can get some late Sep ones that would be better. Luck sanding :) 

 

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