[Sleepy-69]

After a long hiatus from the Camaro resto biz, I've jumped back in, skull first. Here are some observations of then and now:

1. Boy, it's good to work with the ol 9/16's and 5/8's instead of 10 or 12mm.
2. The braintrust at WD-40 still hasn't figured out a design that keeps their straw attached to the squirter.
3. It's easier to change out leaf springs on my 69 than to swap water pumps on my wife's Saturn.
4. Radials dramatically improve the ride of 1st Gens.
5. Only Camaros that had spoilers survived the years...an oddity.
6. Hard to imagine only about a third of the 1st Gens had factory A/C. 99% had heaters. What if Detroit was in Central Texas?
7. Only SS's and Z-28's survived the years. I did see a rare blue-bowtie 69 car. Kind of cool!
8. Rick's, Year One, Classic, NPD,..sure makes it easy...keeps me out of the boneyards.
9. 350 Chevy originally designed for a 67 C, is still the best damn engine ever developed!
10. Clutches are much improved...easier on my quads.
11. Much more emphasis on suspension and brakes these days...back in the day, the quarter mile was all that mattered.
12. Eaton still makes the best posi units. Hurst is still tops for the Muncie's. BFG's still look great!
13. Body paint is much improved.
14. Quadrajets are now considered great carbs. They weren't back in the day.
15. What ever happened to Cragers and slot mags?
16. What's with 16 & 17 inch wheels? Looks like they'd easily melt on launch with very little side wall...(but what do I know).
17. Roller cams and roller lifters for the street?
18. Nitro?
19. 2.5 and 3 inch exhaust pipes? 2.25 was all you needed back in the day, and only a few shops had the tooling for anything bigger than 2 inch.
20. Aluminum heads? Only Big Daddy and a couple of other guys had alum heads.
21. When buying parts, I ask for the old guy...you know the one...the guy who smiles when you tell him the application.
22. What's a "frame off" restoration? It's impossible with a Camaro!...unless some genuis wants to reweld the whole car back together...that would look good.
23. There's more cowl hoods made today than Detroit made in the 60's.
24. Cherrys are now almost impossible to find 25. Lastly, crusin-n-boozin's no longer cool...but boy was it fun!

That's it from a middle-aged born-again C-man.

[Rob.Canada]

Hey sleepy 69,
Welcome back
Cragers - yes
Aluminum slots- yuck
my 68 survived without a spoiler
still can't find a WD40 straw when needed'
40 somthing, feeling like I am 20 again
Rob

[DjD]

Good list!!

26. The stink bug look was left in the past

------------------
...Dennis
'69 RS Convertible w/SS trim
'96 Z28SS #1679 of 2410
"The Club"

[This message has been edited by DjD (edited 06-25-2001).]

[KevinW]

Sleepy, I agree 100% with all the above. I too am back with it after a little hiatus.

you forgot one.
27. 90% of all first gens had the Z/28 stripes painted on from the factory!

(include mine ) Next repaint will fix that!

Kevin

------------------
69' SS-350 Convert, M20, 3.55 posi. Totally Disassembled & in boxes (I'm working on it!)
69'(Hugger Orange -originally, Burgundy now) Z-21 Convert 327/PG, Driver

[rojo]

Me too with the stripes (but I like 'em) and I do have the blue Bow-Tie on the front and rear. Mine is one of the rare unbadged Z/28's.

Good observations Sleepy.

------------------
Robert

'69 getting better every day... (every pay day)

[This message has been edited by rojo (edited 06-25-2001).]

[Tim Meredith]

"CRAGER SS" getting some.

TIM

[chris 67 rag]

I am also 40 something. have owned several camaros. my newest adventure is a 67 ragtop,502 4-speed. this is probably the 3rd time I "got back into it". its hard with young family of 3 boys and a not so interested in cars wife. But the kids are really starting to show an interest.should make it alot easier.good luck with your projects, I love reading about all of them, chris

[Tim Meredith]

Oh yes I too am 40 something.

TIM

[RickD]

Two years ago I 'got back into it'. Skipped right over the 40's. How about those tinted headlights? ( # 28).

------------------
Rick Dorion
69 RS Conv,355,M20,4.10's

[chris 67 rag]

RickD, are you referring to the tinted headlight craze of the 60's? I wasn't old enough to drive but my uncle use to take me and my brother to atco dragway on wed. nights and i remember tinted headlights, lots of them. must be the same? chris

[4 speed]

hey TIM,
Iam going with the cragar S/S's also!!!
and have a standard grill, very rare
and probably have a case of half full cans of DW40,someone should sell those straws, I am still pushing 40 won't be long before I am pulling it

------------------
camaro's for ever!!!
67 327 11:1 4spd.
70 454 400thm 10 posi
my 70 454 camaro

[OLD GUY]

Ah, yes, "Quadrajunk" and Ansen slotted mags, the smell AMACO 102 gas, "Cool Cans", M&H's and the noise a clutch makes when it hits the flywheel at 6000 rpm!

OLD GUY

------------------
99 Camaro SS pewter A4
69 Z/28 white, original

[John Doyle]

I'm done with my 17" TT II's, my car had Cragar SS's when I bought it & I want 'em back!

Good list! It got me reminiscing of the mid '70's and...

Flex fans
Hooker headers & turbo mufflers
Gabriel Hi-jackers or shackles
Goodyear L-60 15's
8 tracks & Led Zeppelin I
Drive-ins

JD

[Sleepy-69]

JD...you've brought a tear to my eye. Good to hear from middle-aged! What memories!

[memcgraw]

There must be a lot of us. I'm 42 and started a resto of the 67 ragtop I drove in high school. I had visions of a 12 month project that has extended now to 2.5 years.....but I'm getting close!! My wife is very patient, there is just a line (imaginary) on the garage floor that I dare not cross with car stuff.

I love working on the car....and I have a lot more money to put into it than I did when I was 16. Back then it was slotted mags, 60 series tires...and Gabrial Hi-Jackers!!!

I would assume this all qualifies as one of those "mid life things"

Mark M.