After posting some questions in the body forum, I was encouraged to start a build thread. Here we go!
Here is my unmolested original 69 SS.
Here is my unmolested original 69 SS.
69 rustbucket rebirth
350sshugger
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Aloha Matt, Haven't been to Team Camaro site in a while busy doing other hobbies. I decided to look at your build site and a lot of old and fun memories came back when I was working on my 1969, my first build ever, my first attempt at body work ever, all the metal replaced to include full quarters the only part not replaced was the roof just a small patch on the upper front windshield and for a car with a vinyl top I was lucky. I also took a bit of time with the quarter, I must of had them mounted then removed about 10 to 15 times. Matt, the one advice I have and I know I'm not a body man is to don't forget to fit that trunk lid. Good luck and enjoy your project I know I did and I wish I had another one to work on.:beers::thumbsup:
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Very nice car Bobbie! I hope mine turns out that well. Thanks for sharing :thumbsup: Hey, how many years did it take you?
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Took the Camaro out for a drive yesterday.......
For a shell on a first-gen-jig, the 6x12 utility trailer from uhaul works perfect. Couldn't have been any better.
Here it is in the new home.
Probably won't be much work for the next 3 months while we finish building my parents house and get them moved.
For a shell on a first-gen-jig, the 6x12 utility trailer from uhaul works perfect. Couldn't have been any better.
Here it is in the new home.
Probably won't be much work for the next 3 months while we finish building my parents house and get them moved.
Aloha Matt, I'm sorry I did not reply sooner. I got the car in 1983 I did not do any major work on the car until 1995, the car was shipped to the Big Island in Hawaii in a stripped and not painted condition and it sat in a garage for 7 years we have one Daughter and getting her through High School, Collage and Married Off was first on the list. The car was shipped to Oahu and finally completed and taken on it's first drive in 2012. So to answer your question 29 years and that's including a court case over a messed up paint job but that's another story. Your doing a very good job, please enjoy the experience if I had an opportunity to do another one I would love to. Looking at your photos and your progress brings a smile to my face and good memories working on my car. Press on. Aloha
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It is......but needs help to be functional. I'm the only gearhead in the family so I need to get it up to snuff. Big plans for insulating, lighting, recepticles for welder and air compressor, running a functional air system, finishing concrete with sealer and so on. Bad part is it takes time away from the Camaro.
It was the single most nerve racking part of the move. I sat in the passenger seat and watched the whole way while we bounced around on the worst roads in the nation. But made it in one piece, it really couldn't have gone any better.
Thanks Bobbie, I am enjoying the journey. I will be elated if it looks as good as yours when I'm done. I'm already going through withdrawals.....need to get the parents house finished and get them out so I can get working on it again!
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Not a chance of having enough room for bodywork, and jonesing to do something. So I started looking at my long block I picked up.
I picked up a 6.0 lq4 truck engine on craiglist a year or so ago. I ditched the exhaust manifolds since they won't be reused and noticed that the valves were pretty clean. And then I pulled out original spark plugs that still have good life left. I don't know why it was pulled but it appears to have less than 100,000 miles on it. Then I pulled off the valve cover and that looked great too!
Pulled the cylinder head off and really it's pretty clean.
You can still see the cross hatch in the cylinders.
I had grand illusions of turning this into a 408 stroker with main studs and all the works.....but this looks so nice I can probably clean it up and not have to do any machine work on the block. I have a hot tank at work, so this rebuild just became much cheaper. I have a set of LS2 floating rods, so I'll get a new set of flat top pistons and have a shop balance the assembly and that's probably all I will have to farm out! Nice to have something turn out cheaper than expected for once! :hurray:
I picked up a 6.0 lq4 truck engine on craiglist a year or so ago. I ditched the exhaust manifolds since they won't be reused and noticed that the valves were pretty clean. And then I pulled out original spark plugs that still have good life left. I don't know why it was pulled but it appears to have less than 100,000 miles on it. Then I pulled off the valve cover and that looked great too!
Pulled the cylinder head off and really it's pretty clean.
You can still see the cross hatch in the cylinders.
I had grand illusions of turning this into a 408 stroker with main studs and all the works.....but this looks so nice I can probably clean it up and not have to do any machine work on the block. I have a hot tank at work, so this rebuild just became much cheaper. I have a set of LS2 floating rods, so I'll get a new set of flat top pistons and have a shop balance the assembly and that's probably all I will have to farm out! Nice to have something turn out cheaper than expected for once! :hurray:
Nice! Maybe it was from a wreck?
Nice.. I just finished an LS rebuild.
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Depending the year of the exhaust manifolds they work great for a turbo application. Hopefully you did throw them away..
Depending the year of the exhaust manifolds they work great for a turbo application. Hopefully you did throw them away..
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That is exactly my guess. The guy I bought it from had a collection of long blocks from a widow that he was helping her get rid of, so he didn't know the story behind it. It turned over nice and had good compression so I took it. Looks like I came out good on this one.
I know you're an engine master Darrell, I think you and I would get along well as engines are what I love most. This will be my first LS build though; and I have some parts questions for you. :thumbsup:
Manifolds are behind the shed. I had no idea the turbo guys like them, thanks for the tip. I will put them on Craigslist with the oil pan and LQ4 rods/Pistons when I'm ready. :beers:
Im not sure I am an "engine master". But I do enjoy building them. Like I said there are a couple different styles of 6.0L manifolds. The ones without the egr ports are the ones a lot of guys look for. But regardless, anyone looking for a budget turbo hot side parts usually find a set of manifolds.
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Hello friends. I'm still alive and kicking, but have done nothing to the camaro. My parents home is 99% complete and I started moving their stuff on Monday. It looks like I won't be able to clear enough room in the garage until dad builds his pole barn in the spring. Frustrating but that's the way life goes. It will be a good workspace eventually, just going to take some time.
We've had our first snow of the year. My family has owned this farm since it's establishment in the 1870's. Everything you see in the photo is my property, and there is another field behind the woods in the distance. I am blessed to be the caretaker for another generation, and hopefully my son after me.
-Matt
We've had our first snow of the year. My family has owned this farm since it's establishment in the 1870's. Everything you see in the photo is my property, and there is another field behind the woods in the distance. I am blessed to be the caretaker for another generation, and hopefully my son after me.
-Matt
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Uh oh.....
Things have gone much better and moved much more quickly than expected. Maybe Camaro work soon! :hurray:
Things have gone much better and moved much more quickly than expected. Maybe Camaro work soon! :hurray:
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Almost there! Sooooo much work the last few weeks.
Need to run some electrical for welding recepticles and I'm going to correctly plumb the air system with copper for my permanent install. I'm aching to get back working on the Camaro!
Need to run some electrical for welding recepticles and I'm going to correctly plumb the air system with copper for my permanent install. I'm aching to get back working on the Camaro!
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Looks like you're making progress, Matt. Nice to be able to step out on your porch and own all you see.
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Thanks Dave. I'll take you up on it, but I am a long ways from that work yet. :sad:
Thanks to both of you for the compliments. I really am just looking forward to being able to work in a warm space during the winter! Too many years of freezing while laying on my back. Not to mention the condensation issues that would rust my tools while they were stored in the box.
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