Project: "Backyard Camaro"

[senor_camaro]

I picked up a 68 Camaro about 6 months ago from a body shop for 500 bucks. Back was hit, front end was hit, chassis was tweaked, roof was swiss cheese, rear quarters had lots of play-doh, trunk was gone, drivers side floor pan was flinstones status

Building it primarily to run canyons and track days.

Mods to be Done

1st Gen 355 SBC
Weiand Stealth Dual Plane
268XE Cam
Holley 650DP
Custom Headers
Garrett T28 Turbo (15 lbs of Boost)
HKS BOV
LT1 T-56 Transmission conversion
Twin plate clutch Kit
Bilstein Shocks on 4 corners
4 Point Bolt in Cage
Recaro Racing Seats
Sparco Champion Steering wheel with quick release
5-point sparco Harnesses
Eaton Posi with 3.73 gears
Brembo 6 pot brakes up front
Brembo 4 pot calipers in rear
LS1 Master Cylinder/Booster
MSD 6A
Zeitronix Wideband with Datalogger
Global West Tubular upper/Lower Control Arms
Global West S2 Spings
Global West L2 Leaf Springs
Corvette Zo6 Rotors
ATS AFX Tall Spindles



I have just recently joined this website and have been highly motivated by all your builds to post my own progress.


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[John Wright]

Post up some pics as you go along...I like to watch these builds.....gives me something to watch while mine is just sitting.

[chevyhector]

:postpics:

[senor_camaro]

Started with drivers-side floor pan that needed attention

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[shortrack]

I have just recently joined this website and have been highly motivated by all your builds to post my own progress.


the things guys have done on this site have really inspired me too......people ask "how in gods name do you know what to do?....I wouldnt have a clue where to even start" I say PT.com

the car should be a blast when its done....!

[senor_camaro]

the things guys have done on this site have really inspired me too......people ask "how in gods name do you know what to do?....I wouldnt have a clue where to even start" I say PT.com

the car should be a blast when its done....!

I agree, I feels good at the end of the day you can say I did it all myself.


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[senor_camaro]

im about 5 months into this project, im gonna try and catch everyone up on my progress. Next came the chassis, I recently purchased a donor camaro that had a nice chassis that wasn't as tweaked as mine. I also came to the decision that I would be running solid body bushings since I will be doing some track and canyon runs in the car I decided to go with global west aluminum subframe bushings.

heres some pics of the old tweaked chasis

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most likely I will use my old chassis to mock up the brembo calipers and rotors.

[senor_camaro]

next up the firewall

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[68firebird]

Its already come along way from the first pics you posted, and it was lookin in rough shape in those pics. great job!! Keep us posted on your progress

[CruizinKev]

wow nice build up so far! good luck with and keep up good work!!! :twothumbs

[chunger]

Are those Cragar Tru-Spoke wheels? Those would be super stunning on a PT car!

[senor_camaro]

Are those Cragar Tru-Spoke wheels? Those would be super stunning on a PT car!

to tell you the truth I did not know what kind of rims those were until you mentioned them. a friend of mine gave them to me. I fell in love with the 2 step chrome lip.

I just woke up right now, time to post some more pics of the build

i started removing the rear driverside qtr and tail panel.

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[senor_camaro]

i got a little inpatient a while back and bought a rear clip, as a result of not thoroughly inspecting the rear clip I ended up buying a useless hunk of metal. the only metal that was still good was passenger side rear qtr.

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after wasting 20 dollars worth of harbor freight cutting wheels, I saw my mistake in buying the clip.

the driverside qtr had so much bondo it's not even funny. That metal had more frosting than a cake, lol.

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whoever worked this camaro prior to it being totaled and cut did a horrible job of fixing the quarter panel. All they did was overlap a patch skin and adding a half inch layer of bondo. I could salvage this panel but I would rather not cut corners and do things right. in the end the bodywork will be easier and less chance of orange-peel.

[senor_camaro]

and now the chassis

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[senor_camaro]

need help dont know which steering wheel to put on, im thinking about the sparco champion with quick release or the grant nostalgia with red horn cap. need some advise on what would look better

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or

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[78 Type-LT]

Nice work sofar

I had a set chrome tru spokes on a cutty back in tha day..i love those wheels..

[senor_camaro]

update just picked up an lt1 T56 for a hell of a deal, its missing all the front end to mount the hydraulics but i guess ill have to dig them up on some forums.

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[senor_camaro]

I was gonna get an LS1 T56 but i would rather have a more modern clutch

[AintQik]

Sweet! I got my LT1 T56 for $100!. I used Weir's stuff to mount it only becuase I already had a new clutch PP and flywheel for the Muncie.

[SamHatco]

I was gonna get an LS1 T56 but i would rather have a more modern clutch

:confused:

LS1 T56 is a hydraulic clutch setup. I'm not sure if it gets any more modern than that. Great progress on the build. Looks like your doing it right.

Sam

[senor_camaro]

I mean more modern as a better clutch disc and pressure plate. for 650 its a good deal.

[senor_camaro]

time for an update, finally got the T56 together

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[senor_camaro]

after attempting to patch the roof I decided to not mickey mouse any corners and just put a new roof on, chop chop time :)

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A quick trip to Classic industries and bingo were in businesshttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/5365850289_187e7001b7_b-1.jpg

[senor_camaro]

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I got the roof support sections sanded, primed, and painted prior to test fitting the new roof skin

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[senor_camaro]

sometimes rebuilding a car from scratch and removing parts reveal hidden treasures such as this one, more rust :( now I gotta patch up the dash section

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[senor_camaro]

moved on to the trunk area to fix some more extensive rust

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[fbody_mike]

Senor Camaro,

Hey neighbor, your doing the lords work there, keep it up. That Camaro has had a hard life.

[senor_camaro]

for sure tell me about it, the more I dig in the more problems I find but I guess thats the nature of the hobbie, lol. So far im loving the build.

[Satatic]

Before you weld that roof on get a 48 inch wide roll of foil back insulation and lay it up there and trim to fit. I got a roll from JCW a while back. Helps with roof flex too when doing body work.

[senor_camaro]

Before you weld that roof on get a 48 inch wide roll of foil back insulation and lay it up there and trim to fit. I got a roll from JCW a while back. Helps with roof flex too when doing body work.

damn, I already welded the roof on. :(


pics of my back yard, car parts galore

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I came up on a hella good deal on a parts car a while back and used the front end whihc was technically new

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[senor_camaro]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/01/5366039861_7b4e0faf89_b-1.jpgPic of the new sheetmetal on the car

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[chunger]

Hey - it's still cheaper than calling Dynacorn for a new body, right? It's looking good!

[jimzilla]

Wow I thought mine was in bad! You have courage. Good job and Great post!

[senor_camaro]

finished up installing the trunk, now I just have to grind down the welds, not bad for just flex wire

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old quarter out, other quarter goes in

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Man I really need to install those parts, my back yard is looking like an autozone

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everyday I get closer and closer

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[senor_camaro]

check out the sexy recaro's that are going in, oh my!!!!!

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[chunger]

Nice Progress. You've got some skills!

[rfalker1]

WOW INCREDIBLEEEEEEEEEE..... How did u learn to do all this, school, trial and era or did your grow up around it??

[chevyhector]

for sure tell me about it, the more I dig in the more problems I find but I guess thats the nature of the hobbie, lol. So far im loving the build.

Hey senor camaro, great work, keep it up! If you wanna see some magnificent work, look for a thread named "twin torinos" its on this site. You might get some ideas like I did. I'm currently restoring a 73 z28 n I got so many ideas from those guys. Hope to see you driving by SFS soon.

[senor_camaro]

I just have a passion for rebuilding something from nothing. I watch alot of overhauling and rides, alot of browsing thru peoples posts as well, this site is very motivational in inspiring ideas. for sure man, Im gonna track the crap out of this car. I actually picked this car up in santa fe springs for 500 bucks at a bodyshop

[senor_camaro]

check out the new ace in the sleeve, debating on whether or not to step up my fab skills, gutting the leafs, solid rear, and shocks would lighten the rear a bit more and allow me to use full coil overs with an independent rear suspension.

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[senor_camaro]

decided to do a total 360 in the build, gonna mix japanese tech with american tech to make the ultimate driving machine. going full Independent rear suspension to free up hopefully a few hundred pounds.

decided to run with these wheels, I will probably be selling the kragars soon

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[68KMARO]

looks like its coming along great can't wait to see the irs set up

rich

[chunger]

When you say "Japanese Tech" are you referring to the powerplant? Are you going to go with a Turbo six?

[racedaddy]

what's the irs out of? supra, 240, 350?

[senor_camaro]

Nah Im going all american except for the suspension, Im not a fan of solid rear ends so Im gonna weld my diff till it breaks and run this IRS off a s14 240, after doing wheelbase measurements and such I have cam to the cinclusion that im gonna fab up a crossmember to bolt to to make it a full bolt on piece.

[senor_camaro]

check out the new 6 pot brembo brakes, ohhhhh super beast

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I cant wait to get these mocked up to the ATS spindles I bought.

[doribak]

From which car those brakes came off and how are you planning to fit them?

[senor_camaro]

I plan on fabricating some caliper brackets to mount to the ATS spindles. The calipers are from a Porsche cayenne. i plan on running some c6 zo6 rotors.

[cdoggy81]

What about an IRS from a 2004-2006 GTO?

[senor_camaro]

Oh man I never looked into the gto suspension. I'll have to research the frame specs. Thanks for the info you just sparked an idea.

[cdoggy81]

Glad I can help.
If it will work let me know... I've got the complete set up I can ship to you CHEAP :)
I was going to use it on my next build but I will NEVER get to it... :(

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Here is one going into a 1967 A-body:
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[senor_camaro]

after some tempting offers on a GTO rear suspenson, im putting my project on hold while I can decide on what rear suspension to use, most likely gonna go with GTO if I can get it shipped.

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[Jon Clough]

great project, keep the pics coming

[chunger]

Are both of those rearends from GTO's? How come only one has the struts?

[senor_camaro]

both are 240sx rear ends, the one in the back is from an s13 and he other is from an s14 which I plan to use

[senor_camaro]

Check out the latest update on my rendering, its basically where I wanna go with the build.

44997

[jfreakofkorn]

This is coming along great. Keep it up....:)

[beyonda68]

What a resurrection. This gave me the kick in the rear I needed to move along on mine. Keep the posts coming.

[frojoe]

Great thread! I too don't like the idea of a solid axle in the rear, been heavily thinking about an S13/S14 IRS swap like you and have a bare, rusty, non-HICAS R32 subframe kicking around, but just haven't gotten to the point where I can pull the rear end/leafs and test/mock-up the mounting points. Keep the updates coming!!! :D:D:cheers:

[senor_camaro]

man been so busy i have not had time to post updates, been promoting my shop, selling parts, and restoring 3 67 camaro's for customers. will be posting an update soon, been really busy fabbing up my irs suspension and home made 4 link kits and deciding whether to drop in my ls1 or my sbc 350. decisions decisions, lol. I also picked up a perfect shell to start my awd project

[senor_camaro]

been doing some late night R & D trying to figure out specs to mock up my the rear s14 crossmember. been busy trying to find someone who runs koni shocks on the front with the coilover mod. hopefully within the next week I can get the rear installed, keep posted for pics.

[chunger]

Nice to see that this project is still alive!

[TOlsenAK]

Cool project, im doing something similar with a modern ford rear end, 64.9in track width though haha, so that may get interesting. Let me know how the S14 fab works out, im about to start mocking up my rear subframe and build mounts