Team Camaro Tech banner

68 Vert stored 21 years

257K views 1K replies 117 participants last post by  NashvilleCat 
#1 ·
No stranger to old cars, drag racing or turning wrenches. Am very active on Team Chevelle. I have been looking for a nice 68 for some time. All the finished cars I've seen are 'not me' in color, finish, options, modifications, ideas of what right looks like....and all are way over priced! 'Project' cars were much abused, apart, money pits, etc. I found this 'TWEENER the other week. Seller listed it as 68 SS Convertible in the ad title yet went on to say 327/automatic.... I sent a pretty blunt note (no number listed or i would have called) and to my surprise, I got a call from the seller a few days later, "Hey smart guy...this is LLLLLLL with the Camaro. Seems you know a lot about these. I called you first..... ......" She got the car in 1980 after HS, her baby. She parked it 21 years ago in her garage.

Needless to say, I got there quick as we could coordinate a date and time. She had already washed most of the "Barn Find" off the car. A deal was made...she wanted a good owner, I guess I qualified. I dragged it home FRI a week ago. Needs at least qtr skins, driver side toe pan and dvr side rear passenger foot metal.



gotta love the paint over bondo


Has the 'born-with' 327/210 "ME" block, though someone swapped on 1964 Power Pack heads. I have not checked the Glide's ID yet. Have found the remains of two mice so far in the front of the car



Interior shot. Has a working Power Top




Diff is 10-bolt with 2.73 (can't find the code but the count the revolutions method used to determine ratio) and posi, posi sticker in the trunk. J Code Rallye Green, 2 for black soft top, with 712 black std interior. Console. Bumperguards on NICE bumpers. Rear mount antenna.

Low quality repaint. POS non-correct 1969-type hockey stick stripe

I traded away the rusty APPLIANCE wheels and tires hard enough to turn a sharp-edged knife for some aftermarket 14" rally wheels and somewhat newer roller tires until something definite is resolved in the wheel and tire department. I am more of a gearhead than a 'numbers' guy. I spent a few hours on it SAT a week ago. Got it running:beers:, will spare you the details unless you really want to know. As it was tail-in the garage, I turned it around SUN to address the brakes, or lack there of. First time under its own power in 21 years. :D Normal 4-wheel drum brakes. Rears were near mint, fronts well done, master cyl shot. I sell auto parts so new MC, 4 wheel cyls, 3 new soft lines, new front drums and shoes. Front stuff is already on this SAT and SUN evenings. After this, complete lube and diff fluid change.

I plan a road test to figure out what's what before deciding what way to go with this. Upon start-up, observed a steady drip from the rear main. Nice crusty residue on the pan shoe this problem existed before the engine was parked. It is not getting any better. Some regular well-used 327 engine sounds lead me to think a basic refreshening is in order. Moderation in my underhood activities will observed. This will be a cruiser. Looking at 'Day 2' looks here. Probable upgrade to 327/4 bbl status. The single exhaust blew a rats nest out as well as lots of metal flakes onto the garage floor. She will get a dual exhaust. We'll see how I like the Glide and 2.73 gears.....she'll be Emily Post polite, everybody else will go first! I want some road time before the rains come in only a few short weeks. Do some major work on the beast this winter.

I like the J Code paint. Wifey is trying to talk me into a white deluxe interior and white top with more chrome and the white later type stripe. I agree, would be a stunner. Probably put some nice tires on my 15x7 Monte Rallys, 215/70s or there about.Maybe other wheels. IF this was a high option car, would dare not change a thing....but as a mostly base vert....thinking tasteful upgrades would add to the looks and value....comments appreciated!
 
See less See more
4
#879 ·
interesting development this morning
Teacher Joe has a 307/PG 68 Nova at home. He brought the cross member in for me.
NOT a 68 PG/TH350 unit at all, no sir! It is a 3964816, 70-74 Camaro 4-spd th350 unit

http://www.camarocentral.com/1970_1974_Transmission_Crossmember_for_4_Speed_p/tra-104mu.htm

Cross width works, two bolt holes line up, trans mount lines up, just must drill other holes. Good news is that the EXHAUST clears by a country mile now at the cross member. With this accomplished by 9am, I was able to rotate the pipe section that would be a resonator in front of the axle, brought up the pipe overall. Small jack pressure on the dvr front pipe brought the back end of the head pipe up. X BRACE now fits without mods to the hangers. This is the 2.25" z-28 set-up. Must force the back end of the dvr pipe further into the pipe/resonator a tad at some point.

The 2004R has a big pan. Aft of the main sump is a small 2nd sump. This 2nd sump does hit the X Member, so will have to notch the X-member Tomorrow teacher Joe will bring his plasma cutter in. Need all of 1/2" clearancing
 
#880 ·
As mentioned, exhaust clears well. Have everything to fit above the tunnel brace. This morning I cut some chunks out of the top of the #816 cross member this morning. Back of trans sump clears easily now. I am finishing a little trough for the trans pan rail, dvr side right after lunch,,,,slightly off alignment. Will then fab some replacement metal from the cut outs and weld in

Gotta get done
 
#883 ·
here is the crossmember



clearanced (and then some)



off to the dvr side, right in the pic, is clearance for pan rail and bolts. May cut the island off between the two sectioned openings. Center opening needs channel to bring the vert back wall straight down. Not too big a project. Just time I do not have.

exhaust sitting up. At this point it might have been quicker to cut on the exhaust, sigh. all this work, headers and aftermarket exhaust woulda been far easier!



random shot of the car, quite a bit of dust daily

 
#884 ·
You may as well cut out that last little section of cross-member so you can create a nice simple clean-looking patch there. (instead of two patches)
(whoops!-- I just re-read you are aware of that....) :) Nice work! :)

Looking nice though... Great progress! (jealous here!):yes: :D
 
#886 ·
some pics of CROSSMEMBER WARS

center lump between the openings cut off



little welding action



much later, big notch is so the pan can come off easier if needed





2004R have looooong pan



will remove the Engine and Trans to shoot the firewall and add a few parts. Naturally will paint the crossmember at that time. Am looking at the stencils and such before lunch. Consulting my references re striping details and low body blackout this weekend. Going PEARL with the stripes. NOT!!!! :eek:



 
#888 ·
You should have left that little cross-member hump between the cutouts on! ;)Just kidding...:D Looking good... Make sure to get deep penetration there now! Crank it up! :beers:
 
#889 ·
Cut out the stencils. Wondering how much over my head I done got myself
Ordered the full stencil, wondering if I shoulda got the kit with the rear part decals.

Now to lay the stripes with the parts on or off the car...
How far over the edges?
Looking for nice close-up pics
 
#890 ·
You are better off with the stencils ;)
The last few decals were had really poor vinyl quality and did not want to lay down following the curves well. Material seems close in thickness as earlier stuff, but was w-a-y stiffer :confused:
I could use some mild heat on one to assist - but ... the heat was hard to control without damaging material or causing excessive stretch :( Used sun to 'soak' the other side and had car body very warm, it helped, but still a b1tch ...

Nick (DaytonaYellow...) has been fighting these too and did very nice job of painting them :yes:
Link to his thread - http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=217852
He may be able to give you some good input!
 
#893 ·
yes, emblem holes are drilled. hmm, more challenges. You are saying between the VERTICAL parts of the stripe I presume?

trial fit, the gap in the nose stencil closes when applied, matches the header stencil 9so it seems)





even though a stencil, that white is POPPING against the Rallye Green
 
#894 ·
Just shot the firewall, inner fenders etc before lunch.
Maybe get the engine and trans back into the Camaro before the big FRI afternoon clean-up. TIC TIC TIC, time running out
 
#895 ·
All you have to do is use the stencil as a guide like Nick said, then freehand it. Stabilo pencils can be used for marking locations if needed. Once you cut an buff the stripe there will be hardly any edge, contrary to what many say. Wax cannot build up on an edge that has been properly finished, nor can you catch your nail on it.
 
#896 ·
I give myself a B on the firewall blackout. Had it back taped yet still got a few darn near hard edges. BUT she looks pretty good. Pic right after the spray, should be less glossy by MONDAY



We saw a RG 68 SS 396 at the park car show today. My spouse was looking closely. The metal in the paint looked huge. Also metal or pearl in the D90 stripe. She'll really really like my car after today's viewing. She has only seen mine in pictures these last few months. She wants me to get a cloth top, believe white is not available in cloth. We'll see. She does not care for REDLines with the RG paint. Thinking a WHITE parade boot
 
#898 ·
Tony,

I'll put some more pics up today
Firewall, inners, rad support got BaseCoat black, dries semi gloss.
The dash has primer now, will get a flat black directly, today or tomorrow

I have a small paint lift the front edge of the passenger door and a small contact area to take care of. Darn door moved, helper's "tight" was not tight. Then the fenders go back on
 
#899 ·
Basecoat is not a stand alone product. If you are forced to use it, basecoat hardener will enhance it's durability. Clear it with flattenend clear, use SEM Trim Black(1K) instead or any number of flattened single stages. Dash top is zero glass with texture additive. SEM texture coating can also be used but must be topcoated. I've posted pictures of it. Doors often hit the inside structure. When gaps are tight, material must be removed from brace area for additional clearance. Often it's not noticed untill the door is opened and paint is torn off.
 
#901 ·
painted the dash plate, mounted the inners to the fenders, tossed them on this afternoon







the passenger inner was difficult to fit. The front part has issues...or is it the fender? The lower end pulls over with some effort, but I am wondering...other side lined up nicely



I skipped a bunch of very logical steps here but must hurry, get the stripes on, and get the car out of the shop by very early next week
 
#904 ·
HEY Tim! Where have you been?

More setbacks this morning. FIRST, the Big Death Sentence: With the end of the quarter looming, both shop teachers want YEARLY CLEAN-UP starting tomorrow morning.

I got the nose parts on OK. Loosened all the passenger inner fender bolts and the gap shown above diminished a bit, easy to pull the bottom over for a good fit. Bumper brackets on, fender extensions, front bumper brackets, lower valence too. Added the header, loose fit now. Closing the door to fender gap on the passenger side, I lost focus for .5 sec and opened the door and took a front edge strike on the back of the fender. Already addressing this with brush and dabs of paint, like other previous hit I fixed yesterday. The driver side is waaay too close when opening, big gap when closed. Was fine before paint. Grrrrr, Worked through break, mandatory shop closure for lunch...

So, looks like I will have to make some, er, arrangement to get the stripes on. Maybe take it home without stripes vs rush and possibly BOTCH this. :eek: Teach says I gotta help on the clean-up, no playing favorite. And summer hours, 230pm flee, has not helped one bit! Other quarters, I could stay late...715am til clean-up just before 6pm on non-work evenings.

anyway, here we are as of lunch time



 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top