My 1st PT 69 Camaro vert build

I've been around a long time and although I work on a lot of cars I've never built a PT 69 Camaro. I know there's boatloads of them on this forum but it's a first for me. I own a real 67 RS SS vert myself I haven't been able to bring myself to take too far from stock so it's going to be fun building this one for another member here.

The car is a rescue from a shop that wasn't making progress as quickly as the owner wanted and so it was pulled and I'm doing most of the assembly at the owners home. For those of you who've had troubles in shops you can imagine it's comforting to look in your garage and see steady progress. Building at an owners home presents it's own challenges. A lot of the work I do at my home shop or the machine shop I work out of sometimes. Then I take the parts back to the owners home for install.

So at this point the car is torn down and some of the work that was done by the shop will remain while some has been altered. Rather than give a list of what the car is getting I'm just going to post what I'm working on at the time. so without much more jabber, here's some pics!

1st up, the car as returned to the owner by the shop. Some other parts are not pictured and some are MIA.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...2/06/007-1.jpg

Very carefully took the car off the dolly wheel stand after noticing a broken weld. Pulled the leg off with ease by hand, luckily the car didn't crash to the floor at some point.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...2/06/009-1.jpg

The previous shop had the subframe blasted and painted. A change in plans now calls for the shock towers to be removed for a DSE level 3 front coil over setup. So off they come!

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../06/0031-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../06/0071-1.jpg

Ground down and the shock hole opened up for the coil overs.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../06/0082-1.jpg

Some cutting and fab work to install the new upper mounts was done along with TIG and MIG welding to install the mounts and add reinforcement inside the frame.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../MVC026F-1.jpg

Any crappy factory welds were ground out and rewelded along with welding other areas to strengthen the frame.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../MVC025F-1.jpg

Next The lower control arm mounting holes were reinforced and the whole frame was stripped and smoothed for new paint.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...2/06/016-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../06/0044-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../06/0064-1.jpg

At last, time for paint!

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../06/0075-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../06/0085-1.jpg

OHHHH!! I thought it was done John!! LOL

Looking good so far!!

Coming along nicely, love the rewelds on the factory gm splatter-bomb.

Oh and awesome avitar, Holmes!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by protour73

OHHHH!! I thought it was done John!! LOL

Looking good so far!!

---

Ahahaha got a loooong way to go! Figured I'd start small and do the frame.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PAI Racing

Coming along nicely, love the rewelds on the factory gm splatter-bomb.

Oh and awesome avitar, Holmes!

---

The factory welds were a bit questionable in the 60's! LOL So we ground most of them out and Tig'd and MIG'd them and added welds in areas where there weren't any. Aren't the factory welds in the pic below sooo nice?

Old hardcore BMXer, figured I'd use the S&M head tube sticker as an avatar awhile. My last race bike was a Challenger.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../MVC019F-1.jpg

I'm working on a subframe for my 68 street car right now. I think I had a local 445 Friday afternoon special on the welds. Worst i've seen... I also have a next gen Holmes leaned up against on of the front frame horns... You've got good taste man!

any progress on this john?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by craigs73

any progress on this john?

---

As happens so often, scope creep occurred! The original plan was to put the car together to be used a while before new paint. That plan got tossed out the window and now it's become a complete makeover. The interior was removed, power top removed and the unibody stripped. while there was very little rust in the car it had been bumped here and there and some collision shop type bang it out and smooth it over type repairs had been done during it's life. So the owner decided to hang some new quarters and weld in some floor pan sections himself while I rebuilt the rear end with a more appropriate gear ratio.

So here's how it sits today. Quarters are on and floor sections replaced. Some finish welding/grinding and a bit of smoothing with the lead filler being used and the outside will be ready to prime. Some finish up grinding and cleaning in the trunk and underside will also be done before epoxy primer. Interior got the POR 15 treatment.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...MVC036F2-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...MVC035F3-1.jpg

The car had a 12 bolt rear end in it that was probably swapped in. The 3.07 ratio that was in the rear wouldn't be good for the new engine/trans combo and a disc brake upgrade was in the plan so the rear was taken apart. I had noticed more than normal axle end play on one side when removing the rear from the car. At some point someone had it apart to replace the clutch packs for the posi unit. When they reassembled it one of the concave spider gear washers was not on the carrier cross pin so there was too much play and then the cross shaft as well as the spider gears were damaged when the car was driven.

Anyway the whole rear was rebuilt using a Ratech kit for the bearings and shims, Yukon spider parts, Richmond 3.73 gears, ARP ring gear bolts and wheel studs, with a Right Stuff 11"disc brake upgrade as the finishing touch.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...MVC027F1-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...MVC028F2-1.jpg

Rear is now installed riding on a DSE leaf spring setup with Koni's. We stripped the underside and the owner's been working like a madman on new metal and getting the car into some primer and paint.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../10/0017-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...10/00212-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../10/0018-2.jpg

Yet another mustang wanabe!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trans

Yet another mustang wanabe!

---

John, Great looking build!! keep up the hard work and the pictures comming
this guy insults everyone and should be kicked off this site.

X2 he trolls the threads :troll:

FWIW, I'm the "owner" (geez, makes me sound like such an ol' f@rt. I don't want to hijack John's thread, he's a great mechanic doing a great job so far, and putting up with my bodywork delays. Today is the day the engine arrives, though, and I couldn't hold back! ZZ383, Edelbrock airgap dual plane intake, Holley 750 with mechanical secondaries, ceramic coated headers and Pypes stainless dual exhaust with polished tips. The suspension is essentially done, so this will be inspiration to finish the paint and interior. Hopefully Mr. Number 14 car will take some pics.

cool....johns a good guy.... and really knows his stuff

ZZ 383 crate engine did arrive today! Along with a lot of the other parts I need to install it and get it running. The Suspension, Steering, and brakes are done. Body guy is still making a mess but I'll deal with it and crack the whip to keep him going.

https://static1.pt-content.com/image.../11/0098-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...11/00612-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/image...11/00412-1.jpg

That's a good solid choice for a motor. :twothumbs

Keep up the good work, John.

Nice work, John!

Good pics, John, but regarding the "whip" comment: As we both know, there's only one boss certified to carry a whip and use it in this household, and unlike us, she isn't banished to the garage! You want the taillight panel finished, talk to her!!!
;^)

I"ll get on it...
:^)

Trey,
Thanks for the comment on the motor. The shop that was to build the car bad mouthed everything crate motor, so I was a little nervous. They essentially told me that they would build the best motor out there, and I should just "trust them." I didn't. Do you have experience with the ZZ383? Any tips on building for power and reliability?

Finally, regarding your location: There's a liberal in Kansas? Who would have thought?

;^)