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The bottom of the inner quarter panel brace on the left side of my car has seen better days. I fabricated a lower portion on the right side and I have to admit it came out pretty good. However, it was very time consuming and took a few tries before I came up with a patch that was suitable to me (even though this panel cannot be seen once the quarter panel is welded in place). I know they make patch panels for coupes, now here is my question; Will the lower 2 inches of that panel fit a convertible?? I have studied the pictures of the aftermarket panel shown on Heartbeat City's website (BDY-1528) and think it might do the trick, but have hesitated on purchasing until I can get some input from anyone who has some experience. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

boston14

I need some help on how to recondition my rear axle frame rail bumpers. They are actually in pretty good condition (rubber is still pliable and there are no cuts, splits, or dry rot).  But the color and overall appearance is dirty looking.  Should I wash in soapy water?  Then should they be treated with something?  I know they should not be shiney.  I would appreciate any answers.  Thanks.

At this point in my restoration, I am currently installing a new complete trunk floor in my 1969 RS/SS convertible.  After removing the bolts for the lower portion of the upper shock bracket, cutting the welds and removing the upper steel mounting braces,  I found some kind of sealant under the brackets around the hole openings. UPC 4 B3 calls it cement  60a.  I can't tell from looking what it is.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.

I need input from you all again.  I would like to know the finish on the carb. return spring bracket that mounts at the coil on a 1969 L48 engine.  This bracket is shown in the 1969 Assembly Manual under UPC L48 A3.  My bracket is currently painted orange, but I don't think that that is correct.  Since the bracket is shown in the assembly manual with a part # 3930791, it was added to the engine on the assembly line, so therefore I believe orange is wrong.  Am I correct in assuming the the bracket was painted black, or phosphated either light grey, dark grey, or black?  Also, what color was the carb. return spring? Was it light brown as Heartbeat City suggests? Or was it some other color. Your help will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Hey guys, I am now in the process of restoring my RS headlight vacuum hoses.  I am looking for some help in deciding to try to clean up and restore my hoses, or to buy reproduction.  The reproduction hoses I have seen have several problems with them.  First, the large size hoses only have 3 ribs on them not 5 like my originals. Second, the diameters are off.  They are a bit small.  My original check valve has Trico logo on it and the filter has AC on it.  I have found the AC filters, but not the Trico check valve.  The reproduction tie straps used on the hoses do not have enough lock ridges on them and are too hard (my originals are softer, almost rubbery).  The reproduction straps also have an extra knob on them about an inch or so from the slotted end.  These incorrect straps appear to be the same as the ones AMK sells.  Now for the questions.  First, does anyone make a hose set that is like the originals (or very close).  Second, I am posting a picture of my hoses, are they able to be restored?  If so, what process is needed to bring them back to life?  Thanks for listening, any help will be greatly appreciated. 

I am at the point in the restoration of my car that I need some input from you.  My fan shroud looks a little rough.  There is no damage to the plastic, but, it just looks dull and dirty and has some writing on it.  I just had my radiator restored with a new core w/proper upper and lower header bars, using the original tanks and brackets. The full gloss paint looks really good and I would hate to put a shabby looking shroud on it.  This is the original shroud and any suggestions from you guys would be greatly appreciated.

I need some ideas on how to clean my Turbo 350 transmission case.  I have read what I could find on the subject, but need more input.  The transmission is original to the car and had never been out until I removed it for restoration.  I blocked all the openings and pressure washed all the major grime and road dirt off of it. After 44 years, it was pretty filthy.  The case is still very dirty looking and stained. Some say that glass beading will clean it, but will leave the texture on the aluminum wrong.  One guy says to blast it with walnut shells. What did you guys with the top show cars do, or have done, to give your transmissions that just off the assembly line look? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

My 1969 ragtop  is an 11D (early) car.  I am in the process of a complete subframe restoration.  Does anyone know a vendor that carries the sleeves and clamps (AIM UPC3  A5) for the sway bar that go just inboard of the sway bar bushings and brackets?  Here are a couple of pictures of my sway bar.  Thanks.


boston14

Late last year (2010),  I rebuilt the engine for my car (1969 RS/SS 350 Convt.).  The block had to be bored .030 over and I had it hot tanked as part of the clean up process.  I rebuilt it back stock.    When I painted the engine, I put a piece of masking tape over the numbers pad.  After painting,  I removed the tape and everything looked good.  I bagged the engine and there it has sat on the engine stand for about 6 months.  I am still restoring the rest of the car, but had to take the bag off the engine to bolt on my newly acquired and rebuilt starter (1108420).  After installing the starter and brace, I was looking over the engine and noticed the numbers pad was covered in rust.  The weather has been really damp and rainy here in Kentucky.   Now here's the question;  What can I use to clean off the surface rust, and what should I use to protect it from rusting again.  Thanks.

boston14

I am attempting to determine the useage of the two different sized flywheels or flex plates in L48s.  They can be identified without any disassembly by the starter drive housing.  The smaller 153 tooth flywheel - flex plate had starter drive housings with the starter to block mounting bolts in a straight line.  The larger 168 tooth flywheel - flex plate used the housing with offset mounting bolts.  Please give the year, build date, transmission, and flywheel - flex plate size.  Your information on this topic will be appreciated.  Thanks.

boston14


My car;
1969
11D
THM350
153 tooth (12 inch) flex plate

I am in the process of restoring my 1969 RS/SS 350 Convert, and am currently doing the front sub frame and rear axle asm.  My front springs still had the original tags on them but they was covered completely with dirt and undercoating.  I was able to carefully remove one and gently clean it so I could read the numbers and letters.  It reads   EM  3955712.  Which is correct according to the spring chart for the options I have.  The rear spring tags are missing.  The rear end is original to the car (12 bolt 3.07 Posi code BR) and has 5 leafs.  According to the spring chart,  should the rears be BF or BN tags?  The option weight is over the 16 lbs listed in the chart.  Also, I cannot find any vendors who list these tags neither front nor rear.  In another post, someone mentioned ECS, do they make tags not listed on their site?  Any help would be appreciated.

boston14

I installed and sized new bushings (.005" clearance) in my distributor (1111489 - L48 Automatic).  Does anyone know what kind of grease was used in the lubricating cavity?  The service manual says "fill housing lubricating cavity with proper compound" but fails to mention what type of grease that is.  The old stuff was almost hard and kind of looks like old caked wheel bearing grease.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.


boston14

I am putting the finishing touches on my engine.  My car is a 1969 RS/SS 350 (L48 engine) convertible with a THM350 (M38).  While going through the boxes of my original engine parts I put up several years ago, I found two oil caps.  They are both "S" caps but the designs are a little different.  I have stripped the paint off them and would like to know which cap is correct (if any).  I have searched this forum but did not find a definitive answer.  Any help would be appreciated.  I know there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on this site and I would really like to hear from you.  Thanks.

When I bought my car from the original owner back in 1975, it was about 95% or so original.  The car is a 1969 RS/SS 350 convertible with a THM350 trans.  However, one of the items that had been replaced was the starter. I need to know for sure what starter came with the car and if it had an aluminum or iron nose on it. The starter on it now is a 1108352 with an aluminum nose (I think that is an Oldsmobile starter).  Is it supposed to have an 1108338??  If so, which nose did it have? Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

boston14

I bought this set of french locks, GM part # 14081241, from my local Chevrolet dealer this week. The good news is that they are not stainless steel .  The bad news is they have dimples .  Are they showable or laughable?  Any comments or suggestions about these locks is welcome. 

boston14

I am in the process of doing a total restoration to my 1969 RS/SS 350 Convertible and I need some input as to what to do with the Fisher Body tag. Should I remove it to restore the firewall? and then refinish the tag, Or do I tape it off and work around it? Or do I leave it attached, strip it and paint it with the rest of the firewall? What is the proper way to do this? Thanks.


boston14
1969 RS/SS 350 Convertible

I am finally in the process of restoring my 69 RS/SS 350 convertible after owning it 33 years.  I have a question about the exhaust manifolds.  I removed them from the car today and tried to read the numbers on them. I know they are original as I purchased the car from the first owner. The car spent it's first eight years in New England and the manifold numbers are very difficult (if not impossible) to read.  Can anyone tell me what the numbers are supposed to be and if they would keep these manifolds or try to find a less pitted set. Thanks.

boston14

1969 RS/SS 350 Convertible

My Fisher Body tag is dated 11D. Looking at a 1968 calendar, November 1, 1968 was a friday. Would that be considered as week 11A? Making 11D the 18th through the 22nd? or is 11D the next week, November 25th trough the 29th? Any help would be appreciated. I am tring to put together a chronological assembly of my car based in all of the casting and production dates of the parts. I am lucky enough to have all the original parts except the starter. Thank you.

boston14
1969 RS/SS 350 Convertible

I found 8N371919 saginaw 4 speed transmission with the original bell housing bolted to it in my barn.

I have a question about the spoiler mounting holes in the rear deck of a 1969 Camaro. I bought my 1969 Convert. SS/RS 350 auto car from the original owner in 1977( I know this because I remember when he got it as a high school graduation present). I drove it about a year and then put it in the garage where it has sit for 32 years. I am finally in the process of restoring it after all these years. I have been researching the car and all of its components on this site as well as in books and other sites. It has a Fisher body date of 11D and the VIN dates it around Dec. 2-5. Now for the question........ Through my research, I have found that the original owner must have added the spoilers to the car or at least replaced the rear one  because it has the wider late model rear spoiler. Are the mounting holes the same for the early and late spoilers? This would make it much simpler to put the correct spoiler on the car. Thanks.

I am new to this group and would like a little information from you guys that are so knowledgable.  My friend and I have very similar 1969 SS Camaros. Except one is a Conv. and one is a Coupe. One has a Tonawanda engine coded T1120HB and the other has a Flint engine coded V1113HB. One is a 386 block dated K 8 8, and the other is a 388 block dated K 12 8. VI numbers date the cars to the First week in Dec. 1968, and the last week in Nov. 1968.  Could this be correct? Or is something wrong here?  Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.