Took the camaro for it's first drive down the block yesterday, it was pretty exciting. I was pretty nervous, but everything went well, didn't need the fire extinguisher and didn't have to push it home.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/mmorrison/68%20Camaro/th_MVI_1280.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v59/mmorrison/68%20Camaro/?action=view&current=MVI_1280.flv)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/mmorrison/68%20Camaro/th_MVI_1282.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v59/mmorrison/68%20Camaro/?action=view&current=MVI_1282.flv)

You can hear an exhaust leak from the passenger side header, need to get that fixed and also trim the tailpipes, kinda loud but I think it sounds okay. Can't get quite the full effect from computer speakers, though...

Looks great, a lot of fun taking the first drive.

Looks and sounds very good! Have fun!!

Congrats Mike!!! Sounds good and beautiful blue...awesome.

I know exactly how you feel. It wasn't long ago I took my lil 250 67 for it's first drive. About 5 miles. I had just got it running and wasn't sure how it would perform on the open road, but I was excited to FINALLY drive it. It made the trip with no problems. Congrats and your car is beautiful!

Man thats sounded great. What size tires u got? I was waiting for the burnout.

Thanks guys!

Man thats sounded great. What size tires u got? I was waiting for the burnout.

The tires are 275/40/17's on the back, on 9.5" wheels, on the front they are 235/45/17's, 8" wheels. Right after I turned around at the end of the road, in between the videos, I did get on it a bit, left a little rubber behind. Then I remembered I'd loosened off the rear suspension to allow it to settle a few months ago and hadn't remembered to re-tighten it. Thankfully nothing bad happened. I was so freaked out actually driving the thing I didn't even notice how it handles or rides. I have most of the Hotchkis TVS except the rear bar, and the Hotchkis/Bilstein shocks. I'd really like to tighten up the suspension and take it out again today but it's raining.

Mike - congrats -- the first ride is always a good one!!!!!

Congrats Mike. Very nice car!:thumbsup:

Congrats man!:thumbsup:....I remember my first test drive....I made sure I had my cell phone and my AAA towing card however they lost and I won!:yes::hurray:

Very nice! Love Lemans blue and it sits nice,too. Congrats.

You have an awesome ride there Mike :thumbsup:. Keep the shinny side up, congrats! :beers:

I'm set on yellow for my '68 project but everytime I see a blue '68 my mind starts to wonder. love that color. LOL, I like that his buddy was ready with the fire extenguisher.

Thanks everyone! I really can't wait to get the rest of the trim and interior done, and start driving it on a regular basis. Yeah, that was my idea with the fire extinguisher, can't be too careful! Thankfully it wasn't needed.

Hi Mike,

Just read your post.
You've done a great job on the 68:yes:.Seems like just yesterday it was in the small garage in Barrie. You must be on cloud nine. You always remember the first ride:D:D:D.
We really got to get our cars together this summer. Interior's still out on mine but hopefully I'll be back on the road soon. Congrats on your car and keep the pictures coming:beers::thumbsup:

Thanks Steve. Yeah, there still is a fair bit of work to be done on mine before it's actually officially on the road, but I'm definitely hoping to get it done soon. I still have to do the interior in mine too, but I do have almost all the parts. It would be very cool to get our cars together this summer.

That's awsome....congrats!

Great job Mike. Is that an 11in booster you have there? Any valve cover clearance issues?

Thanks! Still giddy even now two days later... yes, that is an 11 inch booster. It's very close but it does clear. I have the valve covers with the slant at the back for clearance, but I'm not sure that's actually "correct" for a camaro - might be a vette thing. It's the stock booster with the stock valve covers, engine mounts, etc., so it's pretty much the way GM would have done it, although with all repro parts there's probably a bit of luck in there too. With taller valve covers there's no way an 11" booster would fit, as far as I can see.

That's what I figured. Thanks. :beers:

I remember that day in my car. Funny I still feel that way, and its been 4 years. I never would have thought at that time I would have taken the car from Chicago to Yellowstone (and back) but after two summers of building up faith with no problems my wife daughter met sevral Team Camaro folks there. Thanks again for that Jim M.

Good job ,love the color :thumbsup:,mine was last may 25th ,enjoy I still have a smile on my face ,hope you will too ....,Happy motoring :beers:to nite i will have a Bud Lite for you,then a couple for me

I remember that day in my car. Funny I still feel that way, and its been 4 years. I never would have thought at that time I would have taken the car from Chicago to Yellowstone (and back) but after two summers of building up faith with no problems my wife daughter met sevral Team Camaro folks there. Thanks again for that Jim M.

Chicago to Yellowstone... that must've been quite a trip. I can't imagine taking the car that far. Of course, until Saturday, I could hardly imagine taking it to the end of the road...

Good job ,love the color :thumbsup:,mine was last may 25th ,enjoy I still have a smile on my face ,hope you will too ....,Happy motoring :beers:to nite i will have a Bud Lite for you,then a couple for me

Yes, I am still smiling. Yours looks beautiful in the pics in your sig, looks to be a similar blue, maybe a bit darker?

Hey Mike nice job! I go up to Orillia once in a while on Friday nights for the cruise in by the Home Depot let me know if you plan on heading up there and I'll make a point of being there.

Hey Steve, I head up there almost every Friday, just as a spectator so far, though (it's only 5 mins from my house). It will probably be later this summer before my camaro is actually ready to go... I'll be sure to keep an eye out for your car there.

Hey Mike fellow canuck. What seats do you have with those headrests? Also what wheels are those? Your car looks great. I am building a 68 as well and those 2 things really jumped out at me. Do you have a page with more pics?

Hey Mike I checked out your pictures. Are they all of the same car?

Hey Mike fellow canuck. What seats do you have with those headrests? Also what wheels are those? Your car looks great. I am building a 68 as well and those 2 things really jumped out at me. Do you have a page with more pics?

Hey Mike I checked out your pictures. Are they all of the same car?

Yes, they are all the same car.... it has come a fair ways since I started it in '99. This is a pic of it when I first got it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/mmorrison/68%20Camaro/Camaro_Sept_99.jpg


Hey Mike fellow canuck. What seats do you have with those headrests? Also what wheels are those? Your car looks great. I am building a 68 as well and those 2 things really jumped out at me. Do you have a page with more pics?

The seats are Procar Rally, I bought them from Jegs because of their reasonable shipping to Canada. They prepay the duty and brokerage and somehow it seems to end up much cheaper than it would normally if paid on delivery.
http://www.jegs.com/i/Scat/942/80-1000-51L/10002/-1
They also need adapter brackets to mount to the stock bolt locations. They were cheaper than rebuilding the factory seats, and are much more comfortable and have great side support. They do sit a bit high, the height is comfortable, but if you look where my head is in the video, I might have trouble once I get the headliner in. I'm 6'0".

The wheels are Vintage Wheel Works V45's, 17x9.5" in back with 5.5" of backspacing, 17x8" in front with 4.5" of backspacing. I got a really good deal on them, if I had the option I would have gone with 4.75" backspacing in the front. The 4.5" puts the wheel a quarter inch too far outboard, it's very very close to rubbing on the fender lip, I replaced the fender bolts with button head ones, so far it's been okay. I really like these wheels, VWW is a smaller company and builds their wheels in the 'States, instead of having them made offshore. I think they are a very good quality wheel, and have more of a "vintage" look to them with the media blasted centers than a fully polished wheel like the TTII's, in my opinion.

lol, didnt even take the stickers off the tires. letting the world now its new.

Hey Mike how did you strip the paint off your car.

Beautiful car, love the color. I'm getting close to taking my first ride, and I can't wait!!

Beautiful car Mike!! I love the stance and the wheels/tires on it!!

Yes, I am still smiling. Yours looks beautiful in the pics in your sig, looks to be a similar blue, maybe a bit darker?[/QUOTE

You are correct a little darker,cause back in 1995 when we painted her(stock Lemans blue paint code U2 ),my pal talked me into after a few :beers: he added a touch of pearl to the clear ,15 yrs later kinda wish we didn't ,but oh well...Congrats again & enjoy safe Happy Motoring Mike



]

lol, didnt even take the stickers off the tires. letting the world now its new.

Yeah, I'd forgotten those were on there, actually... I took it all the way around the block last week, they're pretty much gone now

Hey Mike how did you strip the paint off your car.

I can't take credit for the stripping/bodywork/paint myself, but it was all stripped with a DA, no media blasting or chemical stripping except the cowl panel was chemically stripped because the louvers are pretty hard to get at by hand.

Beautiful car, love the color. I'm getting close to taking my first ride, and I can't wait!!

Thanks! The first ride is pretty exciting, I was so nervous it took about half an hour afterwards when I'd calmed down for it to sink in that it had actually happened. After that I was pretty giddy.

Beautiful car Mike!! I love the stance and the wheels/tires on it!!

Thanks - I'm pretty happy with the way the stance and wheels/tires turned out. It's got the Hotchkis springs but I had to put a 1" block in the back to bring it down a bit further. I was nervous about the wheels and tires rubbing but so far it seems to be okay

You are correct a little darker,cause back in 1995 when we painted her(stock Lemans blue paint code U2 ),my pal talked me into after a few :beers: he added a touch of pearl to the clear ,15 yrs later kinda wish we didn't ,but oh well...Congrats again & enjoy safe Happy Motoring Mike

Thanks Jerome, your paint looks awesome in the pictures, sounds like the pearl might be a neat effect, probably "pops" a bit more in the sun than it would otherwise.

All I can say is WOW! NICE job Mike. Its been a long time since I have stopped in to check on what's been going on but seeing your progress makes it worth it! I have 3 months left here in England and then I am off to Vegas for few years which is great for finishing my car and getting to enjoy my first ride. Maybe one of these days we can meet up some where and roll 'em together. Words can't express my anticipation to get back stateside! Again, GREAT job! That car looks and sounds MEAN!

Hey, thanks Adrian! You've been away for quite a while, we at home are deeply in debt to those of you that sacrifice so much for the service of your country. The 3 months will fly by for you, I'm sure, and the weather in Vegas should be perfect for cruising! You don't have too much further to go on your car, if I remember correctly, you were just weeks away from finishing when you were sent away. I'm sure you'll have it done in no time. A bit far to get our cars together, but strange things have happened!

WOW MIKE!
AWESOME!!! Sounds awesome and looks awesome! GREAT JOB!:thumbsup::beers:

Thanks Tony! I've been falling behind on it lately, no time this summer, and the weather has been less than motivating. Started going on it again last week, got the drip rail moldings on, back bumper, rear wheel lip moldings, and have been messing around with the door handles/latches trying to get them to work better. I've been having a hard time with the rocker moldings, although there are quite a few helpful threads on here about them. I still have to install the complete interior and all the weatherstripping, I was supposed to have it done by now. Still hoping to have it officially on the road by the end of the summer, though. I was planning on trailering it up to the local Downtown Orillia car show on Aug. 15th, since it's not licensed yet, but without any interior I'm starting to think it's not worth it, I might have to wait till next year's show.

Congrats!!!!!

Thanks Spooky!:D