[Rich69RS/SS]

Exhaust, when I bought the car it came with a set of Mr Gasket headers (how's that for vintage) and glasspacks. I wanted to go with iron manifolds but I would have to buy a system (muffler shop) to use the manifolds. I wire brushed, sanded then washed the headers and mufflers then shot them with some flat black BBQ paint (had it in the garage stuff works). Bought header gaskets , bolt kit, collector gaskets and some auto parts store 45 degree down turn pipes tips total cost about $50 bucks. Now it sounds like I'm back in High school. The spark plug wires and looms came off the race car when I switched over to newer stuff and just sitting in a box (still good).

[Rich69RS/SS]

Originally Posted by Rich69RS/SS

I thought about that too (painting it black) but I think at a distance it'll look more like 67 parking lights (I'll shoot a picture and post it) but I can always pop them out and paint them.

Here's the shot from a distance...

[Rich69RS/SS]

I thought I'd give a update on my Low Buck 67. After driving it around the block a few times the rear main seal started to leak (bad) after all the time the 307 was in the Ventura sitting (years) it didn't surprise me so I bit the bullet and tore it apart. When I dropped the pan (rod and main bearings looked good) the bolt for the rear main was sitting in the pan, it broke off. Now be easy on me guys but this is what I did.
The bolt broke off up in the block so my choices were take the whole thing apart (engine out) and and take it to a machine shop and have it drilled out. Since it's a old 307 and I'm not building a hot rod so pulling the engine was not a option. I could try to drill out the bolt from under the car but with a torqued in broke off bolt good luck with that just a mess turning onto a bigger mess. So I did this, the bolt broke off up inside the block so I has a little bit of room to work. Got a 1/2" grade 8 bolt then took my rear main cap over to my buddy and he drilled out the main cap so a 1/2" tap would slide in. Bolted the main cap to the block and the hole acted like a pilot hole to tap the block for the bigger bolt, after tapping then cleaning the hole I reinstalled the main and torqued it (and all the other bolts) to specs. Changed the rear seal out put it all back together and everything is fine runs great with no more rear main seal leak.


I also installed a new repo fan shroud for better cooling, It fit good but the lower aftermarket clips didn't work so I drilled and used screws instead of clips. Next up is sanding and painting the car, I'm looking at the Summit kit single stage Pacific Blue, looks close to the stock Marina Blue color. Looks like everybody has some good build projects going for this year. Thanks Rich.

[68rs406]

I am really picky about stuff like that and usually step into the "over do it" category. But... with what you re doing why not do it like you did? It's a 307, and not a race car, whats the worst that can happen, you have to pull it and fix it anyway? I say nice work Rich!

How much bolt went into the threaded hole you made? I was always taught you needed a minimum of the cross section of the bolt width deep in the threads, if you have that I bet you never have an issue.

I have seen much worse doen and work, people don't realize how little it takes for a motor to survive awhile. We have thrown pistons in the race car in the pits after a nitrous meltdown (I believe you were there to see it once in person in fact Rich ) and then went and made a pass and the motor stayed alive, making in the 1400+ horse power range. They won't live long in a race car thrown together like that, but when all you need is a couple of passes (or in your case a low demand driver) it will work.

I love this build, this shows people thinking about doing it themselves how reasonably easy it really is. Awesome.

[Rich69RS/SS]

Hey Sean how ya doin'? By my precise measurements (eyeball-drill bit) I have about 3/4" of tapped threads in the block. I used two taps first was a tapered craftsman then I found a more blunt faced tap to get a few more threads to the broke off bolt. When I put it all back together and put the torque wrench to it I was waiting for the "it doesn't feel right" feeling. But it went down tight and clicked the wrench the little guy on my shoulder said stop don't press your luck. You have your Camaro done yet and any racing plans for this year. Thanks Rich

[68rs406]

I think you are good to go Rich! It's torqued so it should be just fine!

My motor is all done, just doing some preparation for it between the fenders now. I hope to have it between the fenders in the next couple of weeks. I have really been moving slow on it though, work and projects around the house have been eating into my time, but I will finish it for summer come hell or high water.
I hope to do some bracket racing this year with it NA, kind of spend the summer dialing it in for the blower maybe next winter, or sooner, we'll see.

Trevor is having quite a bit done to his Vette and I'm hoping he will be ready to go race this year, money has been tighter so it's taking a little longer for him, but that may actually be a good thing.
I'll have to post up some pictures of it, he painted it a burnt orange color and changed up the hood and front end, no more hood scoop since it's running a F3R now. Looks pretty sweet.

[Rich69RS/SS]

Thought I'd give a update on the project. I was getting ready to prep the car for body and paint but I thought it would be a good time to change the heater blower motor. I unbolted the right fender to get to the blower and cover then take out the heater assembly. Glad I took it apart because it was a cruddy rusty mess. I cleaned, sanded, painted and resealed everything I could get to.


The old heater core I had tested it leaked so I hit Autozone and bought one for a 72 Pontiac Ventura, cheaper then one for a 67 Camaro. If I could give some words of wisdom to the young guys "pre fit everything before installing". Like my old job trained me to do you always install it like you have to come back and work on it. I had to notch the cover a little bit so the heater assembly would be a snap to take out and install if it ever leaks.

Now when I got the car the 67 heater control was in a box (no cables) so I cleaned it and lubed everything. Now all I had was the heater assembly from the Ventura so why not use the whole thing. I was surprised that the defrost duct bolted up to the original screw holes in the Camaro but came up 1/2" short from the dash openings . I got some hardware store door weatherstripping and glued it to the duct and put the other strip up on the bottom side of the dash for a tight seal. The cables off the Ventura also worked but I had to make a small bracket for the temp door and now everything works fine with the 67 controls. That Ventura just keeps giving stuff to use. I'll get the cable star locks before I install the heater. Keeping it low buck the blower motor, heater core, weatherstripping, glue and paint came to about $80 bucks not bad for a complete heating and defrost system.

[Rich69RS/SS]

Back to back updates, I thought it would be a good time to fix the cancer on the fender before bolting it back on. So this is my first try at a patch.

I made a patch from some of the old Ventura scrap panels I had, then marked the opening and taped off.

Took a cut off wheel cut out the cancer then cleaned and primered the opening. Fit the patch and stitch welded it in then grind it down, I'll put some filler on it when I'm doing bodywork. Hey for my first patch ever I'll take it but I'm not ready to hang a quarter panel yet.

[Yates]

Practice makes perfect! looking good!

[c6matt]

wow, looks good..

[Joe Harrison]

I have some nice 67 grill signal lights you can have for $20.00 plus shipping for both. Bulb contacts should be part of your front light harness. They do not have bulbs or lenses. Do you need heater control cables? or a 67 blower motor? I know I have a blower motor....not sure about cables. I have some other basic little bits and pieces all from my 67. Let me know what you might be looking for.....stuff will be cheap.

[Rich69RS/SS]

It's been awhile but I'm working on it. I sanded and epoxy primered it. The body needs a bunch of work so I decided to shoot it one color and worry about it later. I thought I'm building a beater not a show car so build it and stop letting stuff (it needs the right rear quarter replaced) hang me up. Looks a lot better in one color so I'm back on track to get it done and driving.

[Rich69RS/SS]

Update on my Low Buck 67...The frontend is bolted together and done. I also painted the parking lights shiny metal backing black, looks a lot better to me. But still looking for a set of parking lights at the right price. Joe I emailed you awhile back.


I took apart cleaned and painted the taillights. Door weatherstripping works great for the lens gaskets. Street rod boys say painting the inside white makes them brighter.


The taillights and bumper are bolted in ready to go. I bought a rear bumper off Craigslist (cheap) it's pitted but shines up real good and is straight. My old bumper was just too beat up to use.



I also rebuilt the dash gauges (new light bulbs) then painted all inside metal semi gloss black (I had a can of paint in the garage). I'll shoot some pictures and post them when the inside of the car is clean. Next up weatherstripping then install window glass.