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Project 68 "Old School"

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#21 ·
sixd8rs said:
Thanks for the compliments guys! I will try and get some new pics up soon. Crazy thing is I felt that everything was close enough for me to start unclamping and screwing and start welding. The trunk pan was the first thing I welded in. I would consider getting a different trunk pan but I now have the inner tubs welded in and the rear filler panel. Kinda hoped as I went along that the fitments that were close were going to get better as I welded. Just cant worry about it now and gotta keep movin forward and do what it takes to get it together.

Brian, I was wondering about the trunk drop offs. I have them screwed on to the trunk and clamped to the wheelhouses. If I take my trunk pan back further with probably a plate, the area of the drop off that wraps around to the tail will be short as well. It will probably be easier to pull them back to the pan and extend them at the front flange. Whata ya think?

Ed, What college did you go to?

Tim, I tried to save my rails but when the quarters were put on back in the early 80's they brazed them down in the rail. I ruined them getting that braze out. The roof skin was rotted out as well at the windshield. As you know it just continues to snowball.
Your project is comming along well!
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Post some pics of the trunk fit up. It would be easier to under stand your fit up problems.
 
Discussion starter · #23 ·
Thats about 10 mins. away Ed. Any pics of that 68 L-78? If your in the area stop by sometime.

Here are a couple pics of the problem with the trunk pan. I can screw the quarter to the back of the drop off and it helps but the bumper seam just doesnt pull in enough. I have already taken a rubber mallet and beat this thing in. Its actually closer than before. I think a plate back here like Terry did is going to be the trick. Didnt grab any pics from the passenger side. Gonna try and space the tail pan out with some washers tonight untill I pick up some plate. Need to see how much better the tail pan fits to the quarters. You can also see the filler panel is flush with the back of the trunk.
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Couple pics of the tub getting welded in.
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#25 ·
sixd8rs said:
Thats about 10 mins. away Ed. Any pics of that 68 L-78? If your in the area stop by sometime.
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Here's a link to my Photobucket account- follow the albums on the left side to see pics by topic:

http://s254.photobucket.com/albums/hh110/edjjr/1968 Camaro/

Haven't been back in that area since the mid 90's, but if I do I'll keep you in mind.

Keep up the progress pics- I am at the same point as you in my project (one piece trunk, tail panel, wheelhouses, quarter panel). :yes:
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
Ok, getting somewhere now. I just ran out and added some washers equal to about 3/16" and put them between the trunk and the pan. Its getting closer. I think I can split the bumper seam on the quarter panel on the driver side and work it in to match the seam on the tail pan. The passenger side fits better but will need some hammer and dolly work.
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Couple shots of the rear deck seams, Panel is just laying there and not clamped. Had to cut the lip in the corners some and square the corners better. Did some dolly work a couple weeks ago in the quarter trunk gutter. Still gotta touch it up a bit.
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Discussion starter · #27 · (Edited)
Cool! Thought you were at McDaniel now. Nice BB car to restore. Have you set any panels on it yet?
Back in 85-86 or so I picked up a BB 68 Red in color in Montgomery county for $50. No Joke!! I drove by it almost every day and you could barely see the front fender on the car as you drove by. It was behind this womans house. I was young and had just got my first 68 camaro and needed parts for it. I stopped and asked her about it and she said if I could get it out of her back yard I could have it. I gave her $50. I remember it had sat there for so long that the rockers were flush with the ground and rotted thru. It was her sons car who was doing alot of time in jail. She couldnt find a title to it. I brought it home and took the parts I needed and took it to the junk yard. Had no motor or trans in it. I remember those heater hose locations though. I would kill for that car now! Just didnt know a thing about them then or what it would be worth in the future.
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
Just a little update. I got some time today to work on the car. I made some new brackets with a brake we have at work so that I could fasten the trunk lid hinges back to the new tubs. Got a little carried away welding them. they will never go anywhere thats for sure.
I didnt get any pics but I welded the outter wheelhousings on as well. I think the next thing to do is fasten the deck lid on and check my gaps and fitment. If they are good I can prime everything that needs it and start seam sealing. Then weld this sucker together......I hope its that easy.
Couple pics of the brackets.
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#30 ·
sixd8rs said:
Been using a 3m weld thru primer II in a can. Its the silver color you may see in some of those pics.
Click to expand...

I use the same stuff, it seems to work pretty well so far...

Nice work so far man! I hope that I don't run into the same problem with the 1/4's as you and Cheby2 did, but I am sure that i am going to! So all he did was add a 3/16" plate to the aft flange of the trunk floor and that was enough to line it up?

Were there any other fitment issues with the quarters/trunk lid/tail pan?
 
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Discussion starter · #31 ·
Hey Stephen, As long as you didnt install a complete trunk you should be ok. The complete trunks seem to be the problem. They are a little short for the 68's. I added a plate to the back of mine like Terry did and it helped alot. I may even add another. I tell ya, it seems like every inch of the metal needed to be tweeked on this thing. I think the driver quarter to tail pan fitment is bad on all of them in the trunk weatherstrip area. On all 4 corners.
 
Discussion starter · #32 ·
I had the day off today and spent most of it cleaning up the back half of this monster so I could get it in epoxy before my seam sealer gets here. I finally feel like I am getting somewhere...yeeehaaa! I hope the next time I set the sheetmetal on, it will be the last time. Going to order some kind of heat shield to put up in the roof. I know there is Dynamat. Does anyone recommend another type? What are your thoughts on glueing the roof panel in the drip rail areas?
Couple pics of todays work.

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Discussion starter · #33 ·
A bit off topic but I have this photo in my garage of my 67 Chevy2 from back in high school. I took a picture of the picture with my digital. I was 17. That was 20 years ago. I just have to show it off.
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#34 ·
Dan

The back half is looking awesome! That must be rewarding seeing it all come to fruition in the epoxy primer.

What epoxy primer did you use? I just ordered Sherwin Williams DP800 Dimension epoxy primer. The local SW store gave me a deal on a "gallon kit" that will mix to approx. 1 1/5 gallons sprayable product. It was $134 out the door. Is that good? and have you heard good/bad about Sherwin Williams epoxy primer.
 
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#35 ·
sixd8rs said:
I had the day off today and spent most of it cleaning up the back half of this monster so I could get it in epoxy before my seam sealer gets here. I finally feel like I am getting somewhere...yeeehaaa! I hope the next time I set the sheetmetal on, it will be the last time. Going to order some kind of heat shield to put up in the roof. I know there is Dynamat. Does anyone recommend another type? What are your thoughts on glueing the roof panel in the drip rail areas?
Couple pics of todays work.

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Dan,

just a helpful note, if you don't already know.... I noticed in these photos that you are missing those little quarter panel supports that sit just under the roof rails at the rear corners. Do you plan on re-installing new ones? I have mine still intact in the car, but they need repairs/etc... I know they are repro'd for $40 per pair, but aren't they simple enough to fab up yourself or even make better ones that have a stronger attachment point? Just that tiny tab doesn't even seem like it would help at all honestly. Who knows?

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Discussion starter · #36 ·
I used the PPG DP40. Its Grey/Green, I think DP90 is Black. 1/2 Gallon with the activator and a gallon of degreaser was about $200 if I recall.
I think those quarter clips were removed back in the 80's when the quarters were replaced then. I dont remember taking them off. I dont think they are on my blue car either. I probably should get a set them. Looks like it keeps the quarter tight to the support that the drip rail attaches to. Same support this bracket attaches to. Do you know what the notches in the bottom of this barcket are for? Something to do with the glass maybe? I have noticed my quarters are not real tight to this support. I bet these brackets would help this problem.
Thanks for pointing this out.
 
#37 ·
I see that all of you guys are sing the DP series epoxy primers but I am wondering why they told me to use the NCP271.... Which i did and it is pretty good so far as I can tell...
 
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#38 ·
Dan, your car is looking sweet! Did you have many problems aligning panels other than the trunk floor? Are you doing the weld through primers or just scuffing the areas to be plugged? Not trying to be nosy, I am just starting to make plans on reassembly. I gotta say, you do damn nice work! You are right up there with terrys car. Jeff
 
#39 ·
sixd8rs said:
I used the PPG DP40. Its Grey/Green, I think DP90 is Black. 1/2 Gallon with the activator and a gallon of degreaser was about $200 if I recall.
I think those quarter clips were removed back in the 80's when the quarters were replaced then. I dont remember taking them off. I dont think they are on my blue car either. I probably should get a set them. Looks like it keeps the quarter tight to the support that the drip rail attaches to. Same support this bracket attaches to. Do you know what the notches in the bottom of this barcket are for? Something to do with the glass maybe? I have noticed my quarters are not real tight to this support. I bet these brackets would help this problem.
Thanks for pointing this out.
Click to expand...
Dan

The notches along the bottom are just for strength--not function. This just gets spot welded to the quarter in three spots, and tacked to the roof rail in one tiny spot. It doesn't look very useful, but I guess they installed it at the factory for a reason. Speak to Bob, he's got them on-line on ebay now, or just PM him. I may just buy a new set too... mine are pretty trashed from being drilled through and twisted up.
 
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#40 ·
On the quarter supports, they help stiffen the quarter to glass area and cut down on the "torque cracks" seen so often on first gens that have had quarters replaced. If you stare at the front of your quarter when you shut the door aggressively, you'll notice that the front of the quarter moves inward alot. This constant back and forth movement is exaggerated with the absence of the supports being discussed. They were put there by GM for this reason. If you look at first gens that have had quarters (and the support removed & never replaced), there will generally be cracks running from under the very end of the drip rail into the corner of the quarter. Glad they are now being repopped. Even if you did not go the repro route, it would be a good idea to fab up some strips to make the area more rigid. They add enough support to cut down on the movement,and help to prolong the integrity of the quarter. FWIW, the repops are fairly thick. Not sure if they are standard gauge, or beefed up from what GM used originally, but they are definitely thicker than the sheetmetal, and are tough to bend.
 
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sixd8rs
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