lunatic's 69 camaro... [Archive]

lunatic_magnet

02-04-2009, 02:28 PM

finally got to work on it this week. some pics...

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front end...

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these two show whats holding the body to the chassis... or what isn't :doh:

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rear end....
before: 10 bolt housing just mickey moused in there so it would roll.
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now:
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BMF Machine

02-04-2009, 03:42 PM

CooL MaN, keep us posteD!

cantvalve16

02-04-2009, 06:58 PM

That is a quick change right? What brand?

Looks like you found yourself a used up track rat. Good luck. At least someone already did some of the cutting it up for you.

lunatic_magnet

02-05-2009, 04:49 AM

its a franklin... picked it up off craigslist for about $450.

yep, the car is a rat... but i'd rather build what i want guilt free than cut up something nice. :)

1971CHEVELLE

02-05-2009, 01:15 PM

Nice project Keep us posted.

lunatic_magnet

02-08-2009, 05:21 AM

guldstrand mod done, first coat of masterseries paint (similar to por-15 but i prefer it) applied.

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thetoystore

02-08-2009, 08:37 AM

love the quick change

icebird84

02-08-2009, 08:54 AM

Nice project Keep us update

lunatic_magnet

02-21-2009, 08:55 PM

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i'm held up now waiting for a new pitman arm, found the one i had was kinda worn. everything else in the front suspension is new... iroc box is installed, along with an uber-sexy herb adams sway bar w/ adjustable heim links.

lunatic_magnet

04-04-2009, 04:59 AM

i havent been doing much to the car lately, just sourcing parts and stuff. hopefully i'm going to get back to doing actual work this week.

here is a pic of my 3 link arms that just arrived on thursday from suicidedoors.com. pics dont do them justice, they're sweet pieces and very beefy. poly for the car and flex joints on the axle end.

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lunatic_magnet

04-05-2009, 02:49 PM

my friend joe was over so i gave him the camera...

aligning the brackets for the new control arms. they are tacked in.
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these are the "johnny joints" for the control arms. they're HUGE.
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rear back in place with the 3 links in place.
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next up is to weld the brackets to the frame for the lowers, then make an upper mount. then the rear will have to come back out for final welding and some paint.

CruizinKev

04-05-2009, 08:10 PM

nice man! keep it up :twothumbs

Motown 454

04-06-2009, 11:57 AM

That Johnny joint looks like it could be from a tank. Plenty of strength there.

Btefer

04-07-2009, 08:01 AM

What engine combo are you going to run?

lunatic_magnet

04-14-2009, 06:17 PM

What engine combo are you going to run?
i have a supercharged 350 to go under the hood and a t-5 for a transmission . i know the t-5's are known to be weak and ive blown up two th350's with this motor. a t56 is out because of cost, so ive been considering looking around for a nv3500 5-speed to see if that might work better for me. not sure on shifter placement because its a truck transmission and other adaptability issues though.

the lower stuff pictured is all welded in, but i haven't downloaded the pics from the camera yet. probably try to make the crossmember for the third link tomorrow.

also added to the goodies stash is a pair of coil overs my uncle gave me.
i sold some parts on craigslist which means i should have money for new wheels, just not sure if i want to go with 16's, 17's, or a mix front & rear. staying with 16's will help my budget since i already have a set of 16" tires... and i'm still leery of big wheels on early cars, just doesnt look right to me.

lunatic_magnet

04-14-2009, 06:20 PM

motor (pictured in my v-8 vw bug...)

lunatic_magnet

04-25-2009, 09:51 AM

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lunatic_magnet

06-05-2009, 05:44 PM

3rd link braced, check
bracket installed, check
panhard rod installed, check
back to rolling.

next: coil over mounts

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ky69

06-06-2009, 10:47 PM

Lookin good man! I got to thinking the other day about building my own four link and getting some links and tabs from suicidedoors. They are kings in the mini trucking world and make some really awesome stuff. BTW post more pics of that bug! A front engine v8 bug has always been a dream of mine.

lunatic_magnet

06-07-2009, 03:41 AM

i cant say a bad word about suicidedoors.com. i was very impressed with the pieces i got. i'd recommend them to anyone.

there are more pics of the bug here:
http://www.room512.com/lm/cars/paneltruck/index.htm
i couldnt keep a transmission in the car, so i ended up selling it rather than spend a chunk of change on a good race prepped trans. that and i figgured my skills had progressed to the point where if i wanted another one i could build it the way i wanted. that car had plenty of things i didnt like about it (like the auto trans and the panel truck body).

lunatic_magnet

07-06-2009, 03:29 PM

got my wheels, so threw em on and snapped a few pics...

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here's rear suspension from underneath...
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stupid floor install...
hard to make it out but the darker area is the original floor, the lighter metal is the replacement floor someone else mounted about 3" ABOVE the original LOL. guess i need to fix that mess...
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lunatic_magnet

08-02-2009, 03:11 PM

decided there isnt enough left of the unibody to make it worth working around. so, new plan: going with a tube chassis and just going to drop the body on top. still using the stock front clip and the same rear setup ive already made (but will need to change/modify it some).

today i pulled the existing framework out from under the car. going to clean up the sfc's, and make sure everything's square. remove the leaf spring mounts, and make outriggers to set the rollcage on.

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dipren443

08-02-2009, 03:15 PM

What kind of wheels are those???

lunatic_magnet

08-02-2009, 03:17 PM

ION 625 series

tones2SS

08-03-2009, 03:24 PM

Cool project. Like the wheel/tire combo. Those are GOODYEAR F1's correct? They look nice.

lunatic_magnet

08-09-2009, 08:29 AM

yep those are the f1's...
this weeks progress...

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getting ready to cut the floor out
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all the crap pouring out of the rockers as i cut them
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here she comes...
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this is actually dirt and crap from a mouse that was living inside the passenger rocker...
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the rest of his nest...
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rolled the chassis back in to see how she would be sitting... moment of truth!
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she will rise from the ashes...
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lunatic_magnet

08-09-2009, 08:30 AM

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tones2SS

08-09-2009, 09:36 AM

She's getting there man. Keep up the good work.

lunatic_magnet

08-13-2009, 11:41 AM

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Taylor1969

08-14-2009, 07:18 AM

Are you known as absolom on a different board? I think that I have seen a mustang build that you did

lunatic_magnet

08-14-2009, 07:19 AM

nope... i'm lunatic magnet everywhere i go :)

lunatic_magnet

08-29-2009, 06:50 PM

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lunatic_magnet

09-09-2009, 11:46 AM

coil overs installed... car sitting on its own suspension at ride height for the first time... :) :) :)

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badbu68

09-09-2009, 12:12 PM

Cool project, keep up the good work!

69projectKAOS

09-09-2009, 02:20 PM

what kind of hood are you going to run with the supercharger?

lunatic_magnet

09-09-2009, 02:38 PM

i'm just going to cut a hole in it for the carb & air cleaner assembly to stick out of. i like that look better than some ridiculous 6" or 8" scoop i'd need to keep everything under the hood.

i'll either use the small cowl fiberglass hood i have sitting on the roof of the car, or a flat stock hood.

69projectKAOS

09-09-2009, 08:06 PM

kamaroman68

09-10-2009, 10:04 AM

Lunatic- Looking through your pictures, nice job! One question keps popping up in my head.... I see you cut out the floor, most of the firewall, and looks like trunk section. What I don't see is any temporary bracing to keep the body square. Is this something that you did and have already removed or how did you get away without doing it? Thanks Chris

lunatic_magnet

09-10-2009, 10:24 AM

how much will it stick out? i was thinking about supercharging mine as well but i dont like how they stick out of the hood, i wanted to keep it hidden under the hood as well. when you cut the hood and install it please post some pics :) thnks-dom

i dont think my car is going to be a good example, because the body is significantly lower in relation to the chassis than an unmodified body. the way everything sits right now, the base of the carb is about level with the hood. the blower i have is small, and with the right air cleaner would fit in a stock f-body engine bay without or anything beyond a small scoop (like the hood i have).

Lunatic- Looking through your pictures, nice job! One question keps popping up in my head.... I see you cut out the floor, most of the firewall, and looks like trunk section. What I don't see is any temporary bracing to keep the body square. Is this something that you did and have already removed or how did you get away without doing it? Thanks Chris

well you're right. i did cut away a LOT of the car. but i did not brace it - for two reasons. 1) whomever hacked this thing up before me made such a mess that i wasnt sure anything was right to start with... and 2) the bracing would have made it difficult to fit the cage to the chassis and be able to make the pieces fit.
while the body doesnt have a lot of structure, there is plenty of metal still there. the doorsills were never cut, the doors close just as bad as they did before. lol. so everything should still be "square." the only thing i see possibly being a problem is the rockers spreading apart near the rear wheel opening (the weakest point), and that should be easily solved with a tape measure to make sure each side is parallel before i attach it to the frame. not a problem up toward the a pillar because there is still a lot of the firewall in place to keep everything straight up there.

keep in mind its a budget build, not a showcar. while i want it to look right, i'm not going to fuss too much over 1/4" here or there. the cars weren't that precise when they were new. :)

ccr

09-11-2009, 03:20 PM

Nice looking build bro! What width/diameter/backspace are your wheels and tires if you don't mind me asking?

69projectKAOS

09-11-2009, 04:28 PM

if you dont mind me asking , what kind of blower are you using? thanks-dom

Bad Bird

09-12-2009, 08:51 PM

Looks like an Weiand/B&M.

lunatic_magnet

09-14-2009, 10:54 AM

Nice looking build bro! What width/diameter/backspace are your wheels and tires if you don't mind me asking?
17x8 up front, 17x9 in the back. backspacking is aprox 5 3/4" and 6 1/4" respectively. they are ion 625 series wheels, jegs sells them and lists the exact measurements in mm offset if you need exact specs :)

if you dont mind me asking , what kind of blower are you using? thanks-dom

yes, its an older b&m unit. :)

lunatic_magnet

09-19-2009, 08:22 PM

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lunatic_magnet

10-13-2009, 04:56 PM

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here's a shot of the frame up on its side... i ground down all the welds today in preparation for doing some painting...

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and now with a coat of masterseries paint (better than por-15)

bandit383

10-14-2009, 04:27 PM

nice work,looks good

gmcdermit1

11-03-2009, 04:49 AM

Love the low buck approach, what you build and not what you buy. It's exactly what I am doing. It takes a lot of thought sometimes when you just can't get your check book out and buy bolt on parts. Can't wait to see it finished.

lunatic_magnet

11-16-2009, 06:58 PM

back to work after a month or so hiatus...

front and rear bars are now in.
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69projectKAOS

12-04-2009, 10:16 PM

any updates? =)

lunatic_magnet

12-05-2009, 05:33 AM

sorry, nothing new to post at the moment... ive been doing some remodeling in the house and working on some other projects instead... the current hold up is making new rear coil over mounts.

after thats done i'll get the body mounted, engine back in, and start working on floors.

BrianE

12-05-2009, 06:00 AM

COOL Build!!!! I dig the rims!!!

lunatic_magnet

01-31-2016, 02:54 PM

project resurrected...

life got in the way, wifey took off, money had to go elsewhere, and the car got shoved to the corner of the garage.

a few months ago i finally dragged the car back out of the dust and started in a new direction. Decided C4 suspension would make for a better handling machine...

19,69camaro

02-01-2016, 07:11 AM

Cool. I remember this from years ago. Good to see you back at it

lunatic_magnet

02-02-2016, 05:22 AM

i realize the pics that used to be in the thread are gone. here are a few of where i was before. chassis was the stock 1st gen front clip with a 3 link quickchange rear end in it. i had ended up building a full frame when i found the floors were too far gone (patched and had new pans welded on top of the old ones) in the car and it made more sense to just cut them out. since i didn't plan to build a dedicated chassis from the beginning and i was working with what i had, it was solid but kind of a strange design. you can see why i decided to start over and make something nicer.
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lunatic_magnet

02-02-2016, 05:26 AM

here's another shot of the current chassis. i was working on it yesterday, made that "t" torque arm bracket in the picture that will also be the rear shock mounts.

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lunatic_magnet

03-18-2017, 05:40 AM

plugging along. not too terribly fast but, whatever. it's a hobby not a deadline. :)
there are more bars in the chassis now. i don;t have a good shot of it, but the cage is completely in and frame is x-ed under the drivers compartment. the engine and transmission are in place as well as a wilwood pedal assembly. also door bars in place, just not welded in yet.

setting the front end up for coil overs... rear is ready to go as well. need to get the car further along before ordering them, only want to have to get springs once.
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this week i've been working on the brakes. C5 rotors with Outlaw Racing calipers scored from a local NASCAR team. could have used bigger rotors but the big C6 rotors are drilled and i don't like the look of them. i had to change wheels when i started redoing the chassis due to backspacing issues :/
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this is the stage i'm at right now. car is almost read to be torn back down to paint the chassis. the last step is to locate and mount the fuel cell before it all comes apart. it will be directly above the rear suspension.
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lunatic_magnet

04-24-2017, 05:47 PM

past few weeks were spent getting the fuel cell situated and whatnot.

yesterday i finally got to teardown stage. i have some gussets and bars to add before paint, then i can start bolting everything back up.

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i'm not sure if this even qualifies as pro-touring or if it's just a race car now. it's my intention to drive it on the street and it still uses street car chassis parts, so i'll just keep my progress going here.

lunatic_magnet

07-08-2017, 07:05 AM

just some progress pics...

just about ready for paint here...
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painted!
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reassembly started!
it's actually back on the ground now and i've started doing some plumbing.
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chiva

07-08-2017, 04:44 PM

Wow, that's going to be one sweet ride. Your imagination and fabrication skills are incredible. I'm in awe.

lunatic_magnet

11-14-2017, 06:05 AM

some build updates...

managed to pick up a t-56 for a decent price, so that's been added to the plan.
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getting the rear brakes sorted was kind of a challenge. fortunately my uncle has access to a bridgeport and was able to help me machine down the C4 e-brake hubs and make a bracket to fit my larger calipers and rotors
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this is roughly where i'm at now. it's more/less ready to do interior tin work. :headbang:
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JAG.

11-14-2017, 07:52 AM

JayinMI

11-15-2017, 05:07 AM

What are you doing for floors?

Nice work. Also, that Thing looks pretty solid? Is it yours?

Jay

lunatic_magnet

11-15-2017, 05:31 AM

Great work! i like that you took it back to the frame and really started it again, built literally from the ground up. You know it will be solid throughout. i also admire your patience cuz this is no easy endeavor so keep it up! looking forward to seeing the final build

thanks :) it's been a fun build. a 69 camaro is my dream car, and i can't afford to buy something remotely turnkey, so going piece by piece is the only way i'm getting one. i'm not giving up on it.

What are you doing for floors?

Nice work. Also, that Thing looks pretty solid? Is it yours?

Jay

floors will just be fabbed from sheet metal and a bead roller. i may have a friend of mine do it just because it will be easier for him than for me to transport pieces back and forth between my garage and his fab shop.

yes, the Thing is mine... it's actually pretty rough (sat for 20+ years), but i'm slowly plugging away at that too. there's some pics of that here: https://imgur.com/gallery/1JQ9f

JayinMI

11-15-2017, 10:17 AM

That was a lot of work. I see a bug in one of the posts in there too. Your screenname sounds familiar. Do you use it on any aircooled VW forums?
I've been (seriously) into aircooled VW's on and off since about 87.

Jay

Bugzilla

11-15-2017, 11:23 AM

JayinMI

11-15-2017, 12:20 PM

I thought it might have been Volksrods. I haven't been over there in a long time. Seemed like a lot of people would start a build thread, post maybe 3 times and stop. I check in every once in a while.

Jay

Motown 454

11-15-2017, 04:39 PM

The car looks sweet,nice work.

lunatic_magnet

11-16-2017, 11:13 AM

I generally only do chevys or vw's. :) and yeah, that's me on Volksrods. not too busy there anymore, but i still check in once a week or so to see if anything interesting is going on.

If you look around the pics there are vw's all over. Even the steel to build the chassis was brought home in the back of my single cab... The blower engine in the camaro was in a bug I had at one point. If I live long enough to get around to it, that red 67 bus behind the Camaro will probably end up getting some kind of tube chassis like this one, because it's completely trashed underneath.

Thanks for the kind words guys. :)

ryeguy2006a

11-17-2017, 08:58 AM

That is awesome, you have fully committed to this project! The way that you presented it, you made building the frame look easy! Awesome fabrication work.

lunatic_magnet

05-11-2021, 01:32 AM

time for updates!!!

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well. a few of them. the blower motor is out, a 6.0 LS is in. i thought it suited the build better. pic shows it with an intake i smoothed out on it. put a sloppy stage 2 cam in it and upgraded the valve springs, possibility of boost somewhere down the line...
this meant tossing the fuel lines i had made for the SBC and going with an in tank pump. lets just re-do everything. again. **rolleyes**

last night i finished installing all the rear suspension stuff. i found a dana 44 for a good price and had 3.90's put into it. everything is all assembled with heim joints now, and it's actually sitting on the coil overs for the first time (at least in the back)

progress is slow and not too exciting, but low budget builds mean waiting for used parts to come around for good prices. this build is still less than 5k - that includes the 6.0LS, the t56, the dana 44, AND the price of the camaro.

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David Sloan

05-11-2021, 02:01 PM

Sweet!
I’m years in to a Camaro build that I hope to make run this year!
Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing!

egoman

05-11-2021, 02:12 PM

WOW I go 3 days without a update and I consider myself a bad person. This is 3-1/2 years. Looks good though.

TANKMASTERJ

05-11-2021, 03:07 PM

Keep plugging and yep we all evolve the builds unfortunately. Looking good too see some progress on it.
Jason

TANKMASTERJ

05-11-2021, 03:07 PM

Like the IRS rear toooo

lunatic_magnet

05-12-2021, 12:41 AM

thanks for the encouragement guys. hopefully i can finish what needs to be done to get it at least moving under its own power this summer.

WOW I go 3 days without a update and I consider myself a bad person. This is 3-1/2 years. Looks good though.

i have automotive ADD and change projects whenever i reach a point of being stuck or needing/wanting parts that i can't find for what i'm willing to spend. since the last update i bought a rotted out 57 chevy wagon that had been sitting since 1972 and LS swapped it. it runs and yard drives currently, but since i didn't feel like doing the rest of the floor patching and had managed to get the heavy duty Dana44 rear for the 69 project, i shifted focus back to the camaro :)
i have 7-8 "major" project cars in various stages.