'68 Camaro Convertible, The Mouse Motel

[Morgan]

I moved over to this forum from New Members so that I could add updates on my project.

Ok, so here are some more updated pics along with some cool news. My car made it into the Project Garage section of Hot Rod Magazine in the April edition. To see a copy of the article follow this link:

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Alright - now to the updated pics. Here are some shots of the center console. My buddy Pete from Kustom and Restoration Specialties in Marlborough Massachusetts (508-281-6171) came up with a fantastic looking and functional console. Amazing how he can create what I am doing a poor job of explaining.

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The first locking compartment houses all of the switches for the fuel systems, NOS, electric fans and line locks.

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The second locking compartment has room for storage and is where my IPod plugs in for the stereo.

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You have to have cup holders if you are going to due the Power Tour.

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And here are some shots of the front seats. I had seats out of a 2002 Camaro re-upholstered to resemble a '68 Houndstooth interior. The back seat has been done to match as well and I will try to get a picture of that up shortly.

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Ok, that is it for now. Hopefully in the next update I will have some pictures of the completed convertible top on. It has taken way longer than it should and is holding up paint. But, as we all know, that is how it goes when wasting your money.

[69TAPoser]

Love the custom fab work, looks like an awesome project! Love the seats too. :twothumbs

I am just up RT 495 from you in Plaistow, NH.

Phil

[Steve1968LS2]

Keep you eye open for the May issue of PHR :)

When you get it I think you will forget about the one in HR.. lol

Oh, nice ride!

[Motown 454]

Nice work and congradulations on the Magazine seats are awsome

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

i can dig..

[Morgan]

Thanks for the compliments all.

Steve,

I will definately be looking for the May issue of PHR then. Is Bad Penny your car? If so, I have been following the build and love it. Don't know why but I love orange. Almost did my car a mettalic orange that they used on H2s in 2003 but after much debate stuck to the original color of the car (which makes no sense as there isn't much "original" about the car anymore).

[CliffS]

Awesome fab, will the conoles be available for the 'crowd'?

[Morgan]

Sorry but no. It is a one off and won't fit any other Camaro / Firebird as I have a custom fab'd floor pan and tranny tunnel. I am sure that Pete at KRS (Kustom & Restoration Specialties), where my car is being built, could build one for you. He is located in Marlborough Massachusetts and his # is (508) 281-6171.

[Morgan]

Just received the final version of the rendering for this project. Amazing to see what the car will look like done, and what a motivator to get it finished up. Marty MaGuire had referred me to Carter Hickman Designs and all I can say is WOW. Check it out and please let me know what you think. If anyone wants Carter's contact info I will post it.

[Steve1968LS2]

Who did your rendering? Very nice!

[dropit69]

man that rendering is sweet..cant wait to see car all done gonna be kick ass!!!

[Morgan]

Ok, this is better. At least it is easier to see. Special thanks to Marty a.k.a. Syborg TT for referring me to Carter Hickman of Carter Hickman Designs. I really can't believe how cool the rendering came out and the accurancy of custom features (which my car has a boat load of) Carter can create with a computer generated rendering.

Carter can be reached at [email protected]. When you have been working on a project as long as I have - having the rendering gives you great motivation to just get it done.


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[Motown 454]

Looks awsome and The color is nice!

[slck6t9]

Man that rendering is SICK!! I hope it comes out just like that. The color the wheels the stance everything is kick a$$.

[sonic69]

Very nice! Can't wait to see the car done.

[Morgan]

The console has been upholstered and is just about done.

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All that is left is to install the window & door lock switches...

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along with the shifter boot.

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The top is on with one good pull left before it is attached in the front. Should be finished up on Saturday.

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Hard to believe from the pictures but there is a rear window.

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[69rs]

Nice project! Love the console, too!

[qwik1320]

Very nice, love the color and stripe idea.

[Alan66ss]

The project looks great. Can you tell me what size wheels and tires are on the back. I really like the redlines. Didn't know they came in the larger sizes. Also where can you get them.

Alan

[69rs]

The project looks great. Can you tell me what size wheels and tires are on the back. I really like the redlines. Didn't know they came in the larger sizes. Also where can you get them.

Alan
I smell something burning.....are you thinking again?


Those may look good on a certain Chevy II?

[Alan66ss]

[quote=69rs]I smell something burning.....are you thinking again?


Those may look good on a certain Chevy II?[/quote


I agree they might look very good on a certain ChevyII. Just need to find out where to buy the tires.

Oh and Jim - get back to work.

[nestockcar]

Awsome project! I'm right next door in Stow MA. Hope to see you cruising around soon.

[cad]

What is up with the adj prop valve sticking through the floor? If that is what it is....

[Morgan]

Alan - Glad you like my choice for wheels and tires. The wheels are American Racing Torque Thrust IIs, 17x11 with custom backspacing out back and 17x8 up front. We simply sanded the center section and painted them a antique bronze color. The tires are Yokahama AVS Sports, 315/35/17s out back w/ 245/45/17s up front. I sent the tires to Diamondback Tires http://www.diamondbacktires.com/ (http://www.diamondbacktires.com/) had the sidewall smoothed and the red lines vulcanized on. Good luck with your project and let me know when the wheels and tires are on, I would love to see them.

Steve Crane? From Southborough originally? I went to high school with a Steve Crane who had a '68.

Yes it is an adjustable proportioning valve that is sticking up next to the console. Once the carpet goes in it has a nice little aluminum cover so that all you can see is the adjustment knob. The car is built as a cruiser and also for the track so I wanted the ability to adjust the brakes on the go depending on how the car feels.

[Alan66ss]

Thanks for the info Morgan. I really appreciate it. Keep us updated on your project - I really look forward to seeing it finally done - It should be very cool.

Alan

[nestockcar]

Morgan, should have put it together who you are. Yep it's me, and I still got the same 68. Except now in many more pieces. Took a good decade off working on it while I wasted time racing round in circles with Fletch. Sent you a PM.

[Rybar]

That is a sweet project Morgan, congrats on the ink and the rendering looks awesome. You look like you are very close to finshing!

[bingham72]

nice ride! I really like the wheel/tire combo as well!
Sweet ride

[Morgan]

Well the time has finally come. Car has had the hood, valance, trunk lid and spoiler painted and are now being wet-sanded. The car itself is in the booth today and by the time I am typing this is probably baking.


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The Carpet is also now completed so here is a shot of the front carpet installed. We used hidden snaps to hold it in place.


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The top is now also 100% complete including the header bead


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[69Nova]

Nice car. I like everything about it.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

woooow.. almost there!

[Morgan]

Ok, the car is out of the booth and back at the shop so I thought I would put up a couple more pictures to give a better idea of the color.

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[Mr.VENGEANCE]

ill be damn if that wasnt fast!... cant wait to see it out!

[Morgan]

Thanks. I can't wait either... Hopefully only about 3 more weeks or so. Should be just in time for decent weather here in N.E.

[Morgan]

So now that we have finally had some nice weather I was able to roll the car out and snap a few pics.

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Interior is going in as I write this so I should have some new pictures on Monday. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

[Motown 454]

Looks great Morgan And thanks for the information on the insurance
Wayne

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

whoooooooaaahh.. looks JUST like the render.. get a shot with the hood!

[Morgan]

Car was detailed today. Still needs to have the hood put on but other than that is done. If the weather is good (which it doesn't look like it will be) I will pick it up Friday. If not then Monday. I can't wait and need desperately to get some miles on it over the next 10 day as I am leaving on the Power Tour May 31st.

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[Al Moreno]

Congrats, that is one beautiful and very nicely thought out car.

[Morgan]

Thanks Al. It is certainly one plus of building a car over 20 years - you have plenty of time to think.

[69TAPoser]

Fantastic! :twothumbs Man that seemed quick!


I hope to see it in person this Summer. Are you planning on hitting any shows or cruise nights?

Phil

[Motown 454]

Looks great I love the stance and those tires fill out the back of the car well. I hope I get to see it in person at some show. I like the cowl air cleaner my 69 Z28 had one on it when i bought it in 1971, now the air cleaner is worth more than I paid for the whole car.
Excelent job Wayne

[Morgan]

Thanks guys. I will have the car out this summer starting next Thursday at Heberts Candy Mansion for their Thursday night cruise. I will also be heading to Milford for their weekly cruise, Riley's Roast Beef in Framingham on Saturdays and to the Summer Nationals in Worcester. Hope to see you there and please make sure you say hello.

[jimhamptons]

Congrats!! The car looks awesome!

[NvrDun71]

Awesome car man. Very unique build compared to most 69's out there, love all the details. I'm digging the Air Cleaner Assembly as well.

[whytry]

Car looks great, the console is awesome!

[formula98]

Looks great Morgan.

[Patrick]

The car looks great!! Nice departure from the norm.

[Alan66ss]

Morgan,

You did a nice job on the car. It turned out great. We need a video of the car running down the road and definitely more pics.

Alan

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

daaamn.. the wheelbarrow comes to life!

[TitoJones]

Love your inner fenders. Got more detailed pics on those?

Tyler

[99 BUCKET]

absolutly beautiful!

[Morgan]

Thanks again for all of the compliments. Once I pick the car up on Monday and bring it home I will post some more detailed pics. I am also working on the spec sheet and should have that up sometime next week. I really can't say enought about Pete Bachand from KRS (Kustom & Restoration Specialties) in Marlborough MA :worship: who built this car. His skills and attention to detail are just unreal. I still can't figure out how he manages to make exactly what I have in my head.

[Mr Nick]

Very nice! Do you have any father away shots with the top down? I'd like to see how the roll bar looks. I almost put a roll bar in my 70 Cutlass Convt when I had it.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

who makes those redline tires youre running?

yes we need some far away shots, STAT!

[bigvegan]

That interior looks awesome! How did you mount the rest of the harnesses for the front seats?

[Morgan]

Venomous Type: who makes those redline tires youre running?

yes we need some far away shots, STAT!

The tires are Yokohama AVS Sports that I sent to Diamondback Tires to smooth the sidewall and vulcanize the redlines on.

The weather isn't supposed to break here until Monday but when it does I will have plenty of far away shots.


bigvegan: That interior looks awesome! How did you mount the rest of the harnesses for the front seats?

There is a bolt-in cross-bar which you will be able to see in the pictures I post this coming week. Having that bar removable made it possible to haul the kids around and have the harness.

[Morgan]

Sorry it took so long but here are some pics of the car with the hood on and from a distance that I took this past weekend.

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I am in the "bug finding" phase and have been trying to get them all resolved before I leave on the Power Tour this Friday. The list started with the steering sticking, horn not working, speedo needing to be programed, shifter came loose, power window switches not working, massive vibration noise at speed when backing off the throttle, power door locks soudning weaker than a '77 Mustang II and the car bottoming out all the time. So far so good!

[formula98]

Looks FANTASTIC! Great job......

[LMDGUY]

as they say "thats hot"

[Morgan]

Well much of the list has now been resolved. The vibration at speed when backing off the throttle was pinion angle and after pulling the rear end and re-clocking the spring pads that has been corrected. Window switch issues have been resolved, raised the height (which just doesn't look as cool, oh well) so I am not bottoming out anymore and replaced the main fuel pump - my hearing is now starting to return.

Still left: program the speedo, figure out the gas gauge (it reads full until the tanks are almost empty), install the door pockets and install the mid-range speakers. The door locks still sound week, but they work so I can live with that.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

that looks SIIIIIICKK!!!

[69Nova]

So badass. I'm not a convertable guy but I love your car. I could defintly see myself driving it. Have fun on the Power Tour.

[curly]

Awesome ride!

[96Z28SS]

Car looks great!
I moved away from MA 2 years ago I used to live in Hudson right next to Marlboro. Where is Pete's Kustoms located?
Is it the Same Pete's custom that used to be in Hudson?

[Morgan]

Pete and Kustom & Restoration Specialties has been in Marlboro for about 3 years I think. Pete used to work at Side Alley Restorations in Westboro before he went out on his own so it wasn't him from Hudson. K.R.S. is in the Lacombe Business Center right off of Rt 85.

[01somta]

WOW, what a beautiful car!!! That really get me excited out my car and building it. What rear suspension did you go with?

[Morgan]

Rear suspension consists of Global West springs w/ their Del-a-lum aluminum bushings and QA1 adjustable shocks.

Ok, so I made the whole Power Tour. Not without issue but finished it non the less. Had starter issues, exhaust issues and the biggest problem was that my PCV was sucking in mad amounts of oil to the point where I went through 3 sets of plugs just to keep it running. I have a breather diagonally opposite the PCV but there is just so much oil up in the valve covers that it is sucking it out like crazy. Tried a number of different fixes while on the tour to no avail. After conferring with numerous experts I am adding a remote expansion tank to the PCV system which should collect any oil and trap it before it is sucked into the engine. Not to mention that the sucking of oil caused a backfire that I am pretty sure has blown my power valve in the Demon.

After the tour ended I was on my way to Georgia to show the car at Year One's Foose Braselton Bash when the car decided it had had enough. The rear u-joint went and the welds around the front of both mufflers broke. Thank God for Year One. They totally bailed me out and for no reason other than they are just great people they loaded up my car on one of their trailers and hauled it the rest of the way to Georgia. I really can't say enough good things about them. Kevin King, Mike King, James Hawes, Sandy, Tony, Jeff & Chad - you guys rock. I was able to still show the car, my wife and I had a great time and then simply flew home instead driving. The car is still in Georgia and won't be shipped back up here for a couple more weeks. I am making my "to do" list already...

[67SSDan]

Have you got some pix of that lower front valence panel you made? That thing is pretty sweet.

Dan

[Morgan]

There are some better pics of it at my website www.strokerss.com (http://www.strokerss.com). It was built by Pete Bachand of Kustom & Restoration Specialties in Marlboro MA. His phone # is 508-281-6171 if you would like him to make you one.