[Unreal]

Originally Posted by ambrola

A body shop man of 40 years told me that NOS is still for sale for a reason, it was bad metal in the day? Kinda makes since??

I've heard that story before, and it may be true for product culled from the line. However, GM continued to make replacement parts for years after the model year, so it can't be true for all NOS parts.

There are some parts that I think the repop looks better than NOS (emblems, headlight bezels are two examples) but most are not nearly as good. I'll take NOS over repop anytime.

Can't speak first hand to body panels as I'm no bodyman, but there are lots and lots of threads on this forum about the extra work to get a good fit with repop sheetmetal. Again, I'll take NOS over repop anytime.

[ambrola]

You are proably right UNREAL. But what do yoou do in Dennis's case. To get the car down to the point that you can actualy see what body work needs to be done, you have to media blast the car? Then you know what you have??

[69Z28-RS]

*Sometimes* the 'NOS' of today, were actually 'returns' from yesteryear... so there is some truth to what is said, but not always. You have to examine the NOS parts as well as any part to determine condition, but I'd take used original, or NOS parts over reproduction any day!!

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by ambrola

You are proably right UNREAL. But what do yoou do in Dennis's case. To get the car down to the point that you can actualy see what body work needs to be done, you have to media blast the car? Then you know what you have??

Take the fenders, hood, deck lid, doors off and chemical strip. Do it in less than a day. Much less expensive. A person can examine the underside, around windows, under carpet etc. to get a handle on where there is rot is hiding. Is there paint blistered? Don't assume you need all NOS parts. Some make sense, some do not.

I have to laugh at old wife tales like the NOS story.

[ambrola]

Thats why I say sell the car unlesss you are ready to put a small fortune in it. I can't imagine trying to buy all NOS parts for a restore??

[69Z28-RS]

I have an original '69 Z28/RS... I bought boxes of NOS (new) parts from GM back in the '70's when I bought the car.. The car has been sitting in my garage for the past....28 yrs but I plan to use NO reproduction parts as long as I can find original parts (good used, restorable, or NOS). I do not plan to 'restore' my car, but to 'preserve' it..

I've worked with Camaros, Corvettes, and '55-57 Classic Chevys for the past 40 yrs, and I've seen many many crappy reproduction parts. Sometimes they look good initially but after only a year or two on the car, the repro looks worse than the 40 yr old GM part you removed to install it!!

Gary

[68DaveV]

Originally Posted by 69Z28-RS

Sometimes they look good initially but after only a year or two on the car, the repro looks worse than the 40 yr old GM part you removed to install it!!

Gary

My carpet (less than 2 years old) resembles that remark.

[new2camaro]

True the car sat out in the weather since the 80's without the side and back windows. But It's really amazing that the car doesn't have much rust. The trunk floor has two structure grooves that my screw driver went through while cleaning out the trunk of stored crap. The very bottem of the rear fender has rot caused by that being the low corner. It was sitting on a slope. Theres surface rust on the under side of the section in front of the deck lid but thats about it. I'm not looking for much. The only rearon that I wouldn't patch panel the fender is the amount of work on the inside to hide the weld from sight and courious fingers. Replace the Quater and hade no welds visable. Glass needs to be replaced no mater who has it. Interior has to have carpet nd a headliner. Drive it dull paint and all. Dennis

[ambrola]

All I am saying is that to truly determine the extent of rust, you have to take the car down and blast or dip. Rust hides in places you can't see. You have a wonderful car, and it should be brought back to life, but I can tell you from experence it gets costly.
I have 40 thousand in my resto, and thats using repro parts?

[ambrola]

Originally Posted by 69Z28-RS

I have an original '69 Z28/RS... I bought boxes of NOS (new) parts from GM back in the '70's when I bought the car.. The car has been sitting in my garage for the past....28 yrs but I plan to use NO reproduction parts as long as I can find original parts (good used, restorable, or NOS). I do not plan to 'restore' my car, but to 'preserve' it..

Gary

Gary,
After 28 years will you ever put the car back??

[dubs68camaro]

Looks like you found that in Eastern Oregon. I just filed a stolen car report 2 weeks ago. I will drop the charges if you just give me my car back! lol

[new2camaro]

Originally Posted by dubs68camaro

Looks like you found that in Eastern Oregon. I just filed a stolen car report 2 weeks ago. I will drop the charges if you just give me my car back! lol

I assumed you didn't want it , after all it was in the weeds 30 feet behind your house for all these years. You had your chance.

[Jerry@CHP]

Regarding the Pelkington glass. The side glass does not fit well at all and it's much thinner than original glass. It's not cut and shaped properly. It's all imported and on my last CHP order, the rear glass was on national back order for six months. I gave up. Customer service is not good.

I do have another vendor who is much better. Call me if interested, 410-781-0418.

Jerry

[new2camaro]

Originally Posted by Jerry@CHP

Regarding the Pelkington glass. The side glass does not fit well at all and it's much thinner than original glass. It's not cut and shaped properly. It's all imported and on my last CHP order, the rear glass was on national back order for six months. I gave up. Customer service is not good.

I do have another vendor who is much better. Call me if interested, 410-781-0418.

Jerry

Hey Jerry .Thanks for keeping an eye on this thread. I got your reply back from the email I sent . Thanks. Today I mailed a check for both your books. As my name states I am new to camaros, I have learned alot in the past three weeks but I have alot to learn yet. The problem with this car is I'm really enjoying having it and want to keep it--but I don't want to screw IT up or the VALUE of it up. I tried to call you this morning and got no answer. I'll call in the morning around 10:30 your time. Dennis

[69Z28-RS]

Originally Posted by ambrola

Gary,

After 28 years will you ever put the car back??

Put it back 'where'?? *G* on the road? Yes, I've pulled the original 302 engine and built a '70 350LT1 engine for it. I'm very close to firing it up that way and beginning to drive it some once more.. (I rebuilt the 302 in the late '70's using 11.5:1 pistons and had trouble getting good gas - that was the original reason I quit driving it). The 302 has to be 'wound up' to make power, which is a danger (*to my driver's license and pocket book on the street).. Of course, recently, reading this forum, I'm beginning to think I should pull the 350 and reinstall the original engine..

Here's links to a couple of photos:

http://www.knology.net/~corvettes/Z28_frtqtr.jpg
http://www.knology.net/~corvettes/Z28_rear.jpg

Gary