69 Camaro from Northern Cali

[oogieboogie87]

Hello guys, names David and I'm new to the forum. I found this website by accident (and a great one if i may say so) just by searching for some suspension and how-to for mini tubing my f-body and came to realize that everyones machines here are beautiful and unique in their own way. Ive owned her since i was 16 (25 now), she'll never leave me!! this has been my dream car since i was little when my grandpa and uncle would take me to car shows. shes been a great these past 9 years under my wing, but i snuggled her in the garage when i started riding street bikes, but after the birth of my son a year ago i sold the street bikes and went back to my beauty and started giving her the love and attention she deserves! here are some pix of her

57232572335723457235

the first three are how she say when i first got her, and the last one is a recent picture.

i plan on doing the following this year
upgrade the engine. i have a bare 454 block that i just picked up off a friend
the suspension with Hotchkis (already bought my lowering springs)
4 wheel disc brakes. (currently has front dics)
mini tub
rear end
transmission (auto with manual valve body or 6 speed trans)

ill try to be on top of her as i can and gain a much knowledge from you guys. i look forward to reading your comments and what advices you can give me along the way

[CruizinKev]

welcome aboard David! wow very nice Camaro! good luck with the project! :twothumbs

[Tucks69]

Welcome to the site! Nice Camaro!

[craigs73]

welcome david.....tryed to talk to you in chat last nite............no response lol.......nice car to start with good luck on the build

[oogieboogie87]

Thanks Tucks69, just looked over your build and all i can say is WOW.

[oogieboogie87]

welcome david.....tryed to talk to you in chat last nite............no response lol.......nice car to start with good luck on the build


Craigs73, sorry im still trying to learn how to use this site! thanks for the kind words

[CamaroJoe]

Very nice Camaro David! I have a '68 and am from SoCal. I was originally going to do blue with white stripes but somehow we decided on black with white. Either one looks great welcome man!

[3elco's]

Welcome,

im new too and im also from northern calif. nice 69!

[oogieboogie87]

Joe, i seen your thread of your build and your car is amazing! the black really brings in the car together, i was in the same boat as you, but i was going to go black on the paint, but the LeMans Blue is too beautiful to change over for myself, i dont see a blue like that anymore!

3elco's what part of northern Cali do you hail from?

[3elco's]

David, im on the peninsula south of sf. have you been to the dream machines car show in half moon bay ? check it out if you get a chance.

[Rod]

welcome David

[BMR Sales]

i plan on doing the following this year
upgrade the engine. i have a bare 454 block that i just picked up off a friend
the suspension with Hotchkis (already bought my lowering springs)
4 wheel disc brakes. (currently has front dics)
mini tub
rear end
transmission (auto with manual valve body or 6 speed trans)

ill try to be on top of her as i can and gain a much knowledge from you guys. i look forward to reading your comments and what advices you can give me along the way


Welcome aboard David! Love the car and mostly love the story behind it! Love the fact that you are planning a Rat motor for it too!

What rear end are you planning on going with and are you going to try to get a wide wheel under the back?

[oogieboogie87]

BMR, Thank you, the car is dear to me, i got it from my mom and i plan on passing it down to my son one day if he would like to follow in my footsteps and enjoy the car.

as for the rear end i havent really decided on what to do and i would like to go with the DSE mini tub kit.

i would like to be hands on with the build as much as i can.

[BMR Sales]

Understood, we offer a great bolt-in rear suspension kit for 10 or 12 bolts GM rear as well as a kit that comes with a Ford 9" that can be ordered in any width you chose according to your Wheel/Tire combination. Take a look at the link below for a great write up done by a PT member named Val who put our Ford 9" kit in his 1973 Firebird:

https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?80483-BMR-Torque-Arm-Installed-on-my-73-Firebird/page2&highlight=TORQUE+ARM


These kits are true Bolt-On kits. The only mod that you do to your car is drill two mounting holes on each frame rail shown below:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/03/HuggerOrangeDSwheelwell2-1.jpg


Here is a step by step install article that Super Chevy did on a 1st gen F-Body with a 12-Bolt awhile back. We have change the design of the front brace since this story was done, but you will get the general idea of the ease of installation:


http://www.superchevy.com/technical/chassis/suspension_steering/sucp_0905_first_gen_camaro_watts_link_torque_arm_i nstall/index.html


Here is a photo from one of our Dealers who recently installed a kit on a 69 Camaro along with a set of our bolt-on subframe connectors and A-Arms(notice the new design front brace).

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/Lashway69Camaro-1.jpg




Keep me posted as to what you end up doing to the car…..

[oogieboogie87]

Rich your kits look amazing, when im ready to tackle the rear of the car youll be the first person i contact to get a kit for my F-body, thanks!

[BMR Sales]

Rich your kits look amazing, when im ready to tackle the rear of the car youll be the first person i contact to get a kit for my F-body, thanks!


David,


No problem........ We are developing some trick stuff for the front of the chassis too so let me know once you get to that point. And most importnatly keep posting pictures of that great car!

[chevelletiger]

welcome to the site david! good move on getting rid of the crotch rockets,your kids need you in one piece.phil

[oogieboogie87]

Rich, im building my stockpile for the big block and once thats out of the way ill be tackling the suspension and trans at the same time. youll be the first one i call and i look forward doing business with you guys,

Phil are right my friend, my family was quite happy when i made that decision as well!

[BMR Sales]

David...... you got to posts some pics of that Rat motor for sure! Here is a "Spy Photo" of our new coilover kit and caster corrected A-Arms that will be available very soon!



https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/03/IMG_20120329_145611-1.jpg

[oogieboogie87]

oh no, looks like im going to have to sale my Hotchkis coils and start with a set up from you guys!

[BMR Sales]

David,

Here is another "spy photo" of our new display!


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[oogieboogie87]

Yes. My mind is made up! Thanks Rich!!

[BMR Sales]

OK David....... where are the pics of that Rat Motor?????:drool:

[oogieboogie87]

Rich, are some pix that i have as of right now of the rat that i am in the process of getting the parts before it gets put together at a local machine shop

Here is the block that i picked up off a friend
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/04/IMG_4461-1.jpg
heres the valve train
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/04/IMG_4562-1.jpghttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/04/IMG_4561-1.jpg
i got bored =D
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/04/IMG_4514-1.jpg
and here are the heads that i got as well
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/04/IMG_4566-1.jpg

next are the intake manifold, carb, dress up kit and the rotating assemble

[TT302Z28]

Welcome! You are off to a great start. Take your time and do your work in stages. I keep taking mine apart trying to do too many things at once.

[oogieboogie87]

Tim, thank you for the kind words. Yes you are right, when i was 15 i started out with a 69 c-10 and i did the same thing, starting at one thing to not finish it and jump to the next. Till i sold it and bought the F-body. With this one I'll be starting with the front and then working my way to back.

[BMR Sales]

when i was 15 i started out with a 69 c-10 and i did the same thing, starting at one thing to not finish it and jump to the next. Till i sold it and bought the F-body.

It's called "Car A.D.D." :hammer:

[CamaroJoe]

Understood, we offer a great bolt-in rear suspension kit for 10 or 12 bolts GM rear as well as a kit that comes with a Ford 9" that can be ordered in any width you chose according to your Wheel/Tire combination. Take a look at the link below for a great write up done by a PT member named Val who put our Ford 9" kit in his 1973 Firebird:

https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?80483-BMR-Torque-Arm-Installed-on-my-73-Firebird/page2&highlight=TORQUE+ARM




These kits are true Bolt-On kits. The only mod that you do to your car is drill two mounting holes on each frame rail shown below:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/03/HuggerOrangeDSwheelwell2-1.jpg


Here is a step by step install article that Super Chevy did on a 1st gen F-Body with a 12-Bolt awhile back. We have change the design of the front brace since this story was done, but you will get the general idea of the ease of installation:


http://www.superchevy.com/technical/chassis/suspension_steering/sucp_0905_first_gen_camaro_watts_link_torque_arm_i nstall/index.html


Here is a photo from one of our Dealers who recently installed a kit on a 69 Camaro along with a set of our bolt-on subframe connectors and A-Arms(notice the new design front brace).

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/Lashway69Camaro-1.jpg




Keep me posted as to what you end up doing to the car…..

Wow nice setup BMR sales! It "almost" becomes like a Chevelle 4 link setup but better with coilovers and a differential cage to really make it stout great design.

[CamaroJoe]

Joe, i seen your thread of your build and your car is amazing! the black really brings in the car together, i was in the same boat as you, but i was going to go black on the paint, but the LeMans Blue is too beautiful to change over for myself, i dont see a blue like that anymore!

3elco's what part of northern Cali do you hail from?

Thanks man appreciate the kind words! Yes the black really worked well with everything on the car and the interior going all black too. Yes your Lemans blue is beautiful I was so close to going that route but last second went black. Your Camaro is coming together great really nice build as well!

Im actually from the Southern California Orange County, Huntington Beach area.