Yet another 1967 Camaro build thread.

[gardnerme]

Hello, all! Long time member/lurker but rare poster here, and I decided it is finally time to officially start a build thread for my project. I do apologize in advance to those that are bored with Camaros, but it is a 1967 that I bought a few years back when these cars were still pretty cool. I worked on it for a while, but when the economy took a tank I had to put it on hold for a bit. Things are STARTING to improve my way so I can do some more work on it for a while. Anyway, happy browsing!

Here are a few pics of it the day I bought her home. My original intent was to spend a few extra bucks and get a decent "driver quality" car and to NOT get a full project. I did know this car needed a few things, but I thought I could fix them one at a time as I went along. OOPS!





The car was advertised as being an RS/SS350, but I was quickly able to determine it wasn't before I bought it so I was able to get the price down a decent amount. I bought it in Knoxville, TN and she made the drive home to just NW of Atlanta, GA beautifully. It was a pretty clean looking car, and we did enjoy it quite a bit as is over the summer of '06. And I obviously should have left her alone.

[gardnerme]

After driving her completely without incident that summer, the fall weather came and I thought it would be a good time to start working on the to-do list. I because of the typical rust under the battery. The passenger's side mount had basically collapsed and the front end was very crooked.




Please excuse the mess in the garage, but for those of you with a really keen eye - yes, that is one standard fender and one RS fender. Good times.



Also, note the bent hood latch support.

[gardnerme]

Well, since the radiator support was bad, I could not expect the inner fender to be good, could I? So off it comes, too (and as long as I am at it, I might as well pull the other side off, too, right).



I have not found anything horrible yet, but the side cowl pieces do show signs of hidden rust.




It is probably at this point where the little guy on my left shoulder with the harp and the halo should have shouted "STOP," but to blatantly steal a line from Ron White - "I didn't hear a peep out of that guy."

[gardnerme]

So, as far along as I have gone I need to decide if I keep going or fix what I see and put it back together. My wife and I talk about it (or I guess the correct way to put it is that I talk about it and she stands there listening with her hands on her hips & tapping her foot at me). "We" decide to keep going. Part of me is glad I did because I found more that I didn't see on purchase day. The floor pan under the rear seat footwell is completely shot on both sides & had been "repaired" with something that resembled fiberglass but it was not nearly as stiff, and (I kid you not, but I unfortunately do not have a picture of it) the passsengers rear fender was being held on with two vise grips. Oh, well - more pics of rust:

[gardnerme]

More destruction and more mess.






And off to the media blasters to see what is hidden.

[gardnerme]

A couple of weeks later, my son and I picked it up from the media blasters. We used Professional Cryogenics in Canton, GA, and they did a great job of blasting it and priming it for us.




We discovered bad quarters, outer wheel wells, floor pans, trunk pans, rear tail panel, and a bad roof skin, so we took it to C. Hopkins Rod & Customs in Cleveland, GA for a second car's worth of new sheet metal (that is our car on the right).

[gardnerme]

I am not sure if C. Hopkins is still in business but I could not be happier with their work. The bill sucked (not their fault), but the quality of their work was really good. They even put the shell on a jig before they took it apart so thet they coud sqaure the car back up and hold it while all the new panels went on. They, of course, found more things that needed fixing (rockers, dash top, outer cowl panels, etc.) so we did those pices as well.

[gardnerme]

When I originally took the car to them they were not willing to do a mini-tub for me (at the time they were only comfortable with working with Goodmark sheet metal), but they called me a few months later letting me know they had changed thier mind and were willing to try. My car went back to them and it was the first Camaro to go through their shop for a mini-tub install. I am sure they have done many more since then as this was early in 2007.

[gardnerme]

While the car was still at the body shop getting the mini-tubs installed, the man in the brown suit brought me a treat! Thank you, ridetech!



I also found an 8.5" 10 bolt axle from an early 70's Nova to use, too! Once I got he car back I started on the install.

[icemanrd19]

yea i thought the same thing. I saw some bad rust spots on my car and after blasting it my billed doubled lol

[gardnerme]

It wasn't long after that I got together with Frank at Prodigy Customs who got me a fabricated Moser 9" rear axle set up for the ridetech Air Bar.




I added a set of Afco coilover shocks and set it back down on the ground (well, wheel dollies, actually).

[gardnerme]

yea i thought the same thing. I saw some bad rust spots on my car and after blasting it my billed doubled lol

Funny how that works, huh?

[gardnerme]

In my further lack of ability to control myself, I ordered a Speedtech Performance subframe.



I had it powder coated not long after I got it to help keep it from rusting. I still need to weld on the braces above the upper shock mount, so it will need to be coated again. More Afco coilovers and it is sitting on the wheels up front, too.



I installed a mock-up engine and TKO transmission. It is coming together nicely!

[gardnerme]

I have a few more pics of parts to share, but it looks like I have about exhausted my 15 MB picture limit. It is probably just as well as this takes us to about the current condition of the car. As stated above, I have started working on it again and am currently planning on getting the body and paint work started. I'll cull my pics and update this post with more as things develop!

Mike

[LeighP]

Some real nice work going into this car...looking great!

[tomy2tone01]

WOW thats some car you have there.... I wish I was that far with my project.

[BulldawgMusclecars]

I almost didn't recognize it without all that stuff around it! Good thing that guy finally got the Scout out of your way!

[SparkyRnD]

So, will this Camaro be on the road by this summer, maybe on a few American Street Car Series events?

[BulldawgMusclecars]

So, will this Camaro be on the road by this summer, maybe on a few American Street Car Series events?

A little more pressure, great!!!

[SparkyRnD]

no pressure on you, doesn't have to be painted to be driving