67 Camaro Build

[Lokin4AReason]

Any dimensions on the jig ? I have two novas im considering doing some work on besides the truck i have .

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

oh yeah...youll wonder how you ever got by without a rotisserie...sure makes life easy

Ha, easy is good, I like easy! Feel the same way about our compressor and 4 post lift, used to build stuff without them but as time goes by, I just can’t imagine not having these tools. I did think about just building the rotisserie but at this time it was more about time savings. This project has been on the back burner for a long time.

Originally Posted by Lokin4AReason

Any dimensions on the jig ? I have two novas im considering doing some work on besides the truck i have .

Started with research on the mounting points for our car, once the measurements were found used that to draw a rough plan and create a materials list. Mainly just 2x3 & 2x2 .120 wall tube with bar stock for the riser tops and we utilized used factory shackles and old bushings to attach the rear. Here’s what we used to start building ours.

Under Body Specs 67 thru 69 Camaro and Firebird Unibody Dimensions.
These measurements are modified from Fisher Body Specs, to correct printed errors in the Fisher Body manual. All measurements are center to center unless otherwise noted. The car must be set up on a level surface, for accurate measurements. A Tram Gauge is recommended for accurate results. Factory Tolerance plus or minus 1/8 inch. Note: Your car may measure out differently. This is due to a difference in measuring methods used. Most important is that the car is square and level to its self.

Horizontal Dimensions:
A = 38 1/4"
B = 35 1/4"
C = 54 3/16"
D = 44 9/16"
E = 33 3/4"
F = 76"
G = 65 1/4"
H = 33 1/2"
I = 55 3/16"
J = 66 11/16"
K = 43 7/8"
L = 44 7/8"

Vertical Dimensions:
a = 11 15/16"
b = 12 9/16"
c = 13 13/16"
d = 9 1/8"
e = 6 15/16"
f = 18 7/16"
g = 15 11/16"

Measurement Notes:
1. Center of Master Gauge hole outboard of firewall body mount
2. Center rear sub-frame to body mount hole
3. Center at rear edge of 1" gauge hole
4. Center of Master Gauge hole in bottom of frame rail
5. Inboard edge of frame rail, at centerline of rear shackle bolt hole (Figure 2)
6. Centerline of lower outboard bumper bolt holes
A. Location f: Lower surface of rail at axle housing centerline
B. Location g: Inboard edge of frame rail, at centerline of rear shackle bolt hole (Figure 2)

Makes a great steel cart also!

[7dee2]

Time to build 1st gen mounts, Whirly Jig did supply some plans for a heavy-duty front mount (you’re on your own for the back). They recommend that you create 4 mounting points for the front and 4 for the rear saying that’ll allow the front to rear tie pipes to be removed for a clear work floor area when stationary. Thinking since transporting the new car is probably going to be one of its first jobs that the 4-mount bracketry is probably a good idea to distribute the weight a little also.

[7dee2]

The front mounts can go straight on but the rear has the rear valance area to deal with. Here are some early pics of the process used to build our rear mounts.

[7dee2]

Making them adjustable for several reasons, ease of setup, more room for body/paint work, possibly build other extensions for other projects.

[7dee2]

Here’s the whole shebang, thinking this will work perfecto for our purposes! Did end up shorting the front to rear tie pipes for more maneuverability in our tight space.

[rgunlock]

Looks like that will do the job and come in dang handy!

[7dee2]

You betcha Rick, it has and continues to be dang handy for handling the new body.

Put the old body back on our cart/jiggy dealio after those last pics, we’re ready to take delivery of the new RDS body (eta was still months out ). Digging this tool with all the accessories it makes it easy for a one-man operation if needed. Another nice feature is a tow bar that attaches to the receiver tubes on either end so you can pull it or back it like a trailer. We haven’t needed that yet but I’m sure we'll use it eventually. Saw these pics on Whirly Jig’s web site that sold us on the mobility, made one of the little hand dolly things with the supplied hard wheels to help move the ends around, pretty slick.

[7dee2]

I’m guessing the new car itch just had to result in a new car scratch, so right after the rotisserie mounts were done it was time to get on a plane. Mrs. 7dee2 likes her sedans, me not so much but there is one I’d like to own. Together we decided that a very, very low mileage Red Hot (her color) 2017 Chevrolet SS would be just the ticket (?). After searching the country, we found our car at a Chevrolet dealership in Sand Springs, OK. They picked us up at the Tulsa airport and took us straight to the dealership. After a quick inspection (needed to be sure it hadn’t been wrecked) with only 269 miles and a full tank of gas we were off, road trip back to Bountiful, UT.

Here are a few pics of the new car after we got back and later last summer with the local Holden FB Group at the Eaglewood Festival of Speed car show.

[mjensen]

Oh how I love the SS! Nice snag!

[7dee2]

Thanks Mike, we both really enjoy the car.

Lots of folks say “Oh, it’s an SS, SS what, Camaro, Chevelle, Impala”? It’s an SS….

[7dee2]

Yep, you guessed it, at this point (if I’d been updating this thread ) we were still waiting for the new body to be built so my attention moved to our shorty C10 project. This project also had been left in bare steel way to long but did fair a little bit better than the old Camaro body did during the same time frame.

Here are some before & after links from our K30 build thread that covers the same C10 gap & seal job at CBR.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...postcount=1183
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...postcount=1194

[Clyde65]

Love that c30!

[7dee2]

Thanks Clyde, me too! Broke it out of storage yesterday with only 1200 miles showing, I'm thinking it needs to be driven.

[7dee2]

Time for an update, seemed like forever but the day finally arrived (9/5/18, one-year anniversary today) that our Real Deal Steel 67 Camaro body shell was shipping. At that point we were just a little over the projected completion date but not bad. One delay for RDS was trying to find a carrier from Florida to Utah, apparently, it was proving pretty difficult but one was found and here are some pics of them loading the body.

Oh yes, we were over the moon excited!

[rgunlock]

I can feel the excitement building all the way down here!

[mongocanfly]

Quit teasing us..!!!

[7dee2]

You know as my wife says it’s not all Butterflies & Puppies!

After a week or so and no progress reports from the driver I lit a fire under Joe (RDS) for some updates. What came back was disturbing for both of us. Before the transporter even got out of the area the trailer experienced an axle fire which destroyed the trailer and several other vehicles! Our Camaro was way up in the nose (front) of the trailer and suffered very minor if any real damage. I won’t go into all the details but RDS did everything they could to fix this. Here are some pics 3 weeks later that Joe & Randy sent us from an impound yard once they’d arrived onsite to retrieve our car. The shell was taken back to their shop and thoroughly inspected for any damage.

[rgunlock]

Geez, what were the chances? Sorry to hear about the setback, but sounds like RDS is doing what they can to make it right for you.

[mongocanfly]

dang it boy..!!!!!!..sounds like something that would happen to me....

[7dee2]

Just lucky I guess!


A couple of days later RDS had it looking good as new, these pics were sent for our approval. Still had a transporter problem though, how to get it from Florida to Utah? At this point, I was resolved to rent a truck and go after it myself, not a cheap solution but I’m usually always up for a road trip!

What happened next was a complete surprise.

[7dee2]

As luck would have it a good friend of mine Cody Carrico (Enswell Speed & Fab) who has been kind enough to let us use his business address for the “Khaleesi, Mother of the Dragons” Camaro project. Not only do they have a forklift, w/fork extensions at their disposal to help take delivery of the huge palletized shell but plenty of help to assist in mounting it to our rotisserie if need be.

After telling him about our troubles and my solution he said that they just happened to have a transporter in the area and that just maybe, we could squeeze the shell on their trailer somehow? Couldn’t believe my luck, they were picking up this very cool, very long, slammed 2-ton GMC, and a replica 67 Corvette! Cody had the brilliant idea that our car could possibly piggyback on the frame rails of the GMC. One thing led to another and with some skilled loading by Randy (RDS) our car was on its way! Yippy Skippy!

[mongocanfly]

That's kinda like a transporter transporter...

[7dee2]

Once the car arrived here in Utah we found out what new games our ”Bad Mojo” Camaro project shell was playing. Started off when the transport driver got into a tight spot at a hotel, resulting in a shattered back window from over jackknifing the trailer. The replica Corvette did not escape damage either, the trailer ramps did find their way into the back of that car. Last but not least the poor GMC did manage to kiss the front of the trailer where the winch mount did a number on it’s very rare and expensive to replace grill. Side note if anyone is interested the GMC it is available for purchase here. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...6187925376273/

Finally, new shell on our rotisserie ready to make the short trip home, what a path of destruction!

Many, many thanks to Cody Carrico, Enswell Speed & Fab, and their crew for the help you guys are the best!

[rgunlock]

Glad you got it home in 1 piece!