Classic Car / Hot Rod repair?

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  • chale127

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 5, 2008
    2,616
    Brooklyn, MD
    I am partial to the '68 Camaro model year. Like the look and not big on the simulated vents of a '69 or the 1/4 window on the '67.

    Hoping to one day get a '68 RS/SS to go with my '66 Mustang Convertible

    Dave

    dad and I restored my mom's '68 she bought used in '69 from Andersen in Baltimore 327-275 with a good ol powerslide and front 4 piston vette brakes from the factory
     

    GTOGUNNER

    IANAL, PATRIOT PICKET!!
    Patriot Picket
    Dec 16, 2010
    5,492
    Carroll County!
    This thread is so timely for me as I was just discussing, yesterday as a matter of fact, my GTO project that has been in the garage for 30years. Had a Restoration guy take a glance, now I think I am going to pay for the work as I haven't gotten into the mood to start the project myself.
    AR15Dave and I took an Auto-body class years ago, I haven't done much with what I learned, but it looks like Dave has done some.
    Time for a professional!
     

    LoneRanger

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Dec 22, 2009
    4,759
    This thread is so timely for me as I was just discussing, yesterday as a matter of fact, my GTO project that has been in the garage for 30years. Had a Restoration guy take a glance, now I think I am going to pay for the work as I haven't gotten into the mood to start the project myself.
    AR15Dave and I took an Auto-body class years ago, I haven't done much with what I learned, but it looks like Dave has done some.
    Time for a professional!

    What year GTO....
     

    GTOGUNNER

    IANAL, PATRIOT PICKET!!
    Patriot Picket
    Dec 16, 2010
    5,492
    Carroll County!
    cool....66-67.....some of the best looking cars ever....how bad a shape is it in?

    Had rust spots when I bought it back in '76.. I was 19 and only drove the hell outta it.
    Its just beat on the exterior. Had 60's body work done on the pass door, good floors, rust around the front windshield and rear window.
    Well worth fixing!
     

    LoneRanger

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Dec 22, 2009
    4,759
    Had rust spots when I bought it back in '76.. I was 19 and only drove the hell outta it.
    Its just beat on the exterior. Had 60's body work done on the pass door, good floors, rust around the front windshield and rear window.
    Well worth fixing!

    Absolutely worth fixing!! Window frame rust was one of the weak spots on that body style....especially around the back window....I'm done patch panels before but have always been leery of tackling window frame rust...even though my brother has done it and tells me it's not that difficult...

    4 speed car or automatic car??
     

    Bigfoot21075

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 3, 2008
    1,404
    Elkridge, MD
    I talked to a few of the above suggested, most are pretty receptive to the idea. I have all the parts already. One said they do not work on cars that old any more and suggested http://www.grahamsautoservice.com/contact.html in GLen Burnie. I will call them as well. I would think it could be done in a day maybe two unless other parts are needed.

    After that all I have to do is install some of the new dash trim I bought, then it should be done! My goal was to sell it by June, as long as it is a nice reliable cruiser it should not be hard to sell, I think the '64 Impala's are still popular cars.
     

    GTOGUNNER

    IANAL, PATRIOT PICKET!!
    Patriot Picket
    Dec 16, 2010
    5,492
    Carroll County!
    0022.jpg
    [/URL][/IMG]
     

    LoneRanger

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Dec 22, 2009
    4,759
    I talked to a few of the above suggested, most are pretty receptive to the idea. I have all the parts already. One said they do not work on cars that old any more and suggested http://www.grahamsautoservice.com/contact.html in GLen Burnie. I will call them as well. I would think it could be done in a day maybe two unless other parts are needed.

    After that all I have to do is install some of the new dash trim I bought, then it should be done! My goal was to sell it by June, as long as it is a nice reliable cruiser it should not be hard to sell, I think the '64 Impala's are still popular cars.

    They are still immensely popular cars!! You should have no problem selling it...especially since I believe you said it was a rag top....

    I've owned 2 of them in the past...actually was looking for one when I bought my current hobby car.....

    You mentioned dual quads yesterday....it's not a 409 car is it? What exactly needs to be done to it that is only a days work?
     

    Bigfoot21075

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 3, 2008
    1,404
    Elkridge, MD
    They are still immensely popular cars!! You should have no problem selling it...especially since I believe you said it was a rag top....

    I've owned 2 of them in the past...actually was looking for one when I bought my current hobby car.....

    You mentioned dual quads yesterday....it's not a 409 car is it? What exactly needs to be done to it that is only a days work?

    Yes, it is a ragtop. It is a 409, 4 speed with the dual quads. It is not originally an SS though (someone added all of the SS trim and interior somewhere along the line), and I think it was originally a 340 horse 409 4 speed and not the 425 that it is now, so it is a regular transmission and not a Rock Crusher and a non posi rear.

    It ran fine when I got it, but the power steering pump did not have a belt on it, I assume because the pulleys did not line up (a very common problem when you replace the pump with a generic pump and not one with the very specific 409 pulley). i have the pulleys, I just need to finish changing them.

    The ignition has been converted by a well meaning neighbor for me to a Pertronix under cap electronic one, but I do not think it was done correctly as I do not think it has spark now:sad20: - I have not looked to see why yet. At worse I will buy a new Mallory distributor and be done with that issue.

    The emergency brake pedal unit in the footwell does not ratchet like it should, I have a new one to put in. The car has new front power disc and rear drums. After sitting a drum is dragging a little as it seems harder to me to push.

    The passenger side exhaust doughnut has a slight leak that if you really listen for you can hear it. that will only get worse and needs to be replaced. The exhaust itself is fine. I actually though it might be a slightly bent rod, but I pulled them all and checked them on plate glass and they were all fine, that is when I noticed it was the doughnut (note to self, always check the easiest thing FIRST).

    It still has the original style cartridge oil filter, i wanted to get a spin on adapter for it.

    The rear taillights are original and look it, I have all new ones (the 6 round ones and lenses). I tried to do that, but that was the last thing, twisting around on the edge on the trunk my back gave out and I fell in the trunk and could not get out alone :lol2: If someone wanted they could have just shut it and I would have been there still today.

    I had the original am radio reconditioned and need to install it.

    It does not have seatbelts, I need to buy and install those.

    I have all new dash trim, the original looks old, I need to put it in. The factory tach face plate looks hazy as well.

    The rear bumper is straight but looks old to me. A new one from the Bumper Rack is 365 for the original 3 piece style or 345 for a cool smoothed out one piece jobbie that looks like it belongs on the car.

    The floors have been replaced, it is an amateur job with pre molded floor pans but it is solid as heck. The frame is clearly rust free and solid front to back. The trunk floor is solid

    All of the front end bright work and the bumper is new and installed. All of the side and hood trim is new and installed. The paint is 10 foot nice and shiney. I know the front doors are solid and the front fenders and hood are rust/bondo free as well. The rear quarters have some filler in the usual spots that I can measure with my paint gauge. The trunk is solid. If you look real close to the driver rear taillight housing (that is the little separate piece that is like a cap on the rear quarter) you can see it was damaged sometime and repaired by possibly an 10 year old kid. Ecklers sells it for $75.00.

    I have a new Ididit tilt column to put in it as well.
     

    LoneRanger

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Dec 22, 2009
    4,759
    Yes, it is a ragtop. It is a 409, 4 speed with the dual quads. It is not originally an SS though (someone added all of the SS trim and interior somewhere along the line), and I think it was originally a 340 horse 409 4 speed and not the 425 that it is now, so it is a regular transmission and not a Rock Crusher and a non posi rear.

    It ran fine when I got it, but the power steering pump did not have a belt on it, I assume because the pulleys did not line up (a very common problem when you replace the pump with a generic pump and not one with the very specific 409 pulley). i have the pulleys, I just need to finish changing them.

    The ignition has been converted by a well meaning neighbor for me to a Pertronix under cap electronic one, but I do not think it was done correctly as I do not think it has spark now:sad20: - I have not looked to see why yet. At worse I will buy a new Mallory distributor and be done with that issue.

    The emergency brake pedal unit in the footwell does not ratchet like it should, I have a new one to put in. The car has new front power disc and rear drums. After sitting a drum is dragging a little as it seems harder to me to push.

    The passenger side exhaust doughnut has a slight leak that if you really listen for you can hear it. that will only get worse and needs to be replaced. The exhaust itself is fine. I actually though it might be a slightly bent rod, but I pulled them all and checked them on plate glass and they were all fine, that is when I noticed it was the doughnut (note to self, always check the easiest thing FIRST).

    It still has the original style cartridge oil filter, i wanted to get a spin on adapter for it.

    The rear taillights are original and look it, I have all new ones (the 6 round ones and lenses). I tried to do that, but that was the last thing, twisting around on the edge on the trunk my back gave out and I fell in the trunk and could not get out alone :lol2: If someone wanted they could have just shut it and I would have been there still today.

    I had the original am radio reconditioned and need to install it.

    It does not have seatbelts, I need to buy and install those.

    I have all new dash trim, the original looks old, I need to put it in. The factory tach face plate looks hazy as well.

    The rear bumper is straight but looks old to me. A new one from the Bumper Rack is 365 for the original 3 piece style or 345 for a cool smoothed out one piece jobbie that looks like it belongs on the car.

    The floors have been replaced, it is an amateur job with pre molded floor pans but it is solid as heck. The frame is clearly rust free and solid front to back. The trunk floor is solid

    All of the front end bright work and the bumper is new and installed. All of the side and hood trim is new and installed. The paint is 10 foot nice and shiney. I know the front doors are solid and the front fenders and hood are rust/bondo free as well. The rear quarters have some filler in the usual spots that I can measure with my paint gauge. The trunk is solid. If you look real close to the driver rear taillight housing (that is the little separate piece that is like a cap on the rear quarter) you can see it was damaged sometime and repaired by possibly an 10 year old kid. Ecklers sells it for $75.00.

    I have a new Ididit tilt column to put in it as well.

    Sounds like a great car.

    When I first put my '55 chevy together 4 decades ago it had a 340 horse 409....did not keep it in for long...seemed every time I took it to the track I ended up bending a push rod or 2.....got tired of replacing push rods so built a very nice small block for it.....the goal being I always wanted a car that would pull the front wheels......which I met...

    Your neighbor might not have done a bad job....a couple cars back I put a new Pertonics HEI in a '79 Camaro.....it failed almost immediately......

    It sounds like a good days work...but you know how that goes....the old pulley doesn't want to come off the PS pump....you snap a bolt replacing the donut gasket...etc. I have the same parking brake issue with my '76 Camaro and need to replace the unit....hope to find one at Spring Carlisle....

    If you decide to keep working on it yourself....you might be able to persuade my son and I come out sometime and give you a hand....enjoy working on 60's cars....there's just so much dang space to actually work on them....
     

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