My old 69 Camaro

[Torrey72]

So this is my old blue 69. I have had this car for about 15 years or so. I have too many projects so it got lost on the way I guess. But now is as good a time as any to make it into something worth driving. It started a few weeks ago when I recycled an old truck for scrap. To get the truck on the car dolly I had to unlock the steering wheel. The problem with that was the Camaro keys were on the key ring and I forgot to pull them out before I scraped it... Oops. Ok, so I went and logged onto Rick's Camaro and picked up a new lock set. But when I did that I got distracted by all the shiny new parts I could buy. Hum... well ok. It wouldn't hurt if I buy a new package tray and maybe new door panels would look good too. I do have that 69 non-PRNDL tilt column I planed on putting in some day. Seeing how I have to tear into the column anyway. A center floor shift console would be nice to go with that factory horse shoe shifter I have laying around somewhere. Come to think of it. A floor shifter would be wasted on the 250 and power glide that it has in it now? WE will see how this goes.

-Torrey

[NONHOG]

No denying the classic good looks of a 69 Camaro! however my mind races about that Jeep in the picture. I'm thinking back to my childhood Tonka's.

keeping the 6?

[Brad]

Hey, perhaps you need a boost. I could bring my '68 6 cyl Camaro over for some inspiration! Perhaps we'd both benefit- I've been thinkin' about selling mine.

[Frizzle Fry]

I know how that goes. What part of the PNW are you in?

[Torrey72]

NONHOG, I’ve decided to keep the 6. But, I am not going to keep it in the car for now. The numbers match the car so it will have to hangout in a dusty corner in the shop. I might rebuild it with the kids for fun some time. The 327 you see in front of the Camaro on the stand is one I built some years ago. I ran it for about 3000 miles or so in a 63 Impala I once had. It is full of a bunch of go fast goodies. like Forged crank, 10.5:1 Keith Black pistons, Stainless valves, ported heads. 224-234 split duration cam, hi volume oil pump… It ought to be a big performance improvement over the 6. I also have a freshly built TH350 that will go in too. I don’t have an answer about the rear end yet. I’d like to find a 12 bolt and add 4.11 gears. Originals are going for about $2,000. The 8.2 10 bolt will have to do for now.

BRAD, I’d like to see your 68 some time. Don't never sell it. You will only regret it someday. Per ounce, first Gen Camaros are going up in price faster than Gold. Oh, and the 250. It’s not gone for good. But it will have to watch from the bleachers for a while. Even the original powerglide and wiring harness will be saved.

FRIZZLE FRY, I’m about 40 miles north of Portland.

I’ll Post more pic's, when I get more progress done.

[Dieselwrencher]

That is a very nice car for getting lost and setting around out side. That just goes to show the difference in the climates I guess. This should be a cool build, good luck with it. What's the deal with the silver 69 sitting next to it?

[NONHOG]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

What's the deal with the silver 69 sitting next to it?

Oh I'll answer, hes going to give it to my kid who wants a 69 Camaro for his 1st. As long as he gets a B+ average.

[Torrey72]

Sorry, not much progress lately. Battlefield 3 came out last week. If you are under 40 you'll understand. I did get a box as big as a piano full of parts though. I will get started as soon as I drive my wife crazy from sitting around playing games all day. As for the silver Camaro. It was rust in the shape of a car. I made it go away.

[fryer1979]

I'm in, love the first gen F-bodies. I need to get my yard looking like that with cool projects waiting.....

[Torrey72]

It seems that I never get time to work on anything. But I managed to get started. I pulled the non-tilt PNRDL column out and replaced it with a factory tilt floor shift one. I also installed a factory floor shifter. I bought the shifter and column out of a Nova. Nova’s have a lot of the same goodies without the outrageous price tag. Some parts yards really need to learn how to cross-reference parts. My wallet thanks their lack of knowledge. I posted a pic of the floor measurements for anyone wanting to put one in their car. The center console is new from Rick’s Camaro.

[Torrey72]

I pulled the 250 out, added small block mounts, and cleaned up the bay. The 327 is going in.

[Torrey72]

I would really like a 12bolt but new or used they go for 2K. Keeping the weak 8.2 in the car is a bad idea so I settled for an 8.5 10 Bolt. It’s from a 73 Nova so it is a direct bolt in. 8.5 ten bolts are nearly as strong as 12 bolts and the price is more reasonable. It will have 3.90 gears with a Powertrax Lock right.

[Torrey72]

Some more progress. The 327 and TH350 are in and mostly hooked up and the rear is coming along. I’m waiting for an “inch” pound torque wrench to come in the mail so I can set the pinion bearing load on the new 3.90 gears. Then I’ll drop in the Richmond Lock-Right I picked up for it. I’m debating on cleaning up the rusty springs or use the mono springs under the car. The mono is best for drag racing when used with something like a Competition Engineering Slide-A-Link or the multi is better for road racing.

[Torrey72]

Just got a new member of the family. He is a 7 week old Australian Heeler we named Bandit.

[northern 85]

Very cool bandit matches my camaro! Great job on the console install

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice work! That 8.5 should do the job, for now.

[Torrey72]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Very nice work! That 8.5 should do the job, for now.

Thanks, I hope it will hold up, but I will do my best to kill it. I'm interested to see how the Lock right holds up to bracket racing.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Torrey72

Thanks, I hope it will hold up, but I will do my best to kill it. I'm interested to see how the Lock right holds up to bracket racing.

I have a friend that had a lock right in a ford 9" in a 78 F-150 4x4 with 33's and a 4 speed. It had a stout 351c and he drove that truck like he stole it. The lock right never broke.

[Torrey72]

Progress creeps along slowly, I never have time to get out to the shop. The gears are set up finally. Then I drove in new axle bearings and dropped in the lock-right. The 3.90 posi rear is finally done. I’m not happy with how pitted the multi leaf springs are from rust so I’m going to use the mono leafs with a 1” lower block to make up the difference.

Tip of the day:
The red you see in the case is Insulating epoxy Enamel used on electrical motor windings. I use it in anything that is cast iron like Engines, transfer cases and rear ends. It seals in casting sand if there is any. It prevents rust and aids in oil drainage to the oil pan in engines. It also looks good. It’s durability is unreal. I’ve had engine blocks hot tanked with this in them and it just laughed at the caustic cleaner. 20 years ago when I started using it. My machinist was impressed and asked me what the paint was. He couldn’t believe anything would hold up to hot tanking. It does, and the next time I open up this rear end. The paint will look as good as the day I painted it on.

[Dieselwrencher]

That stuff is awesome! Where can you get it at? It seems hard to come by lately?

[Torrey72]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That stuff is awesome! Where can you get it at? It seems hard to come by lately?

If you google "Red glyptal" you will find it.

[northern 85]

That looks great!

[Torrey72]

I got it together enough to start it up and drive it. I was impatient and dropped in the distributer and static timed it without pulling the valve cover to locate TDC on the compression stroke. Of course I was 180 out and all I did is shoot 4’ flames out of the carb. So I pulled the cover to do it right. The rear end is not in yet and The exhaust is only open header. It was a fun drive. I frightened the neighbors, it’s a little loud.

[northern 85]

Congrats Shes alive again

[Torrey72]

Originally Posted by northern 85

Congrats Shes alive again

Thanks, She needs more work but now I feel an end is in sight. It will be a long time till it looks as good as yours