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    1. #1
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74

      1967 Camaro PT project resurrection

      Hi All,

      Over the years I’ve gotten invaluable information and inspiration from this forum. It’s been a long time coming but I’m excited to finally start my own build page.

      I grew up entrenched in the hobby and was lucky enough to enjoy a couple of restoration projects with my dad growing up. The journey with my Camaro started in 2003 as a 16 year old. My parents gave me a budget of 3k to buy my first car, luckily they gave me the autonomy to actually pick what I wanted regardless of practicality. Finally I found it...my dream car, a 67 camaro. It was essentially a roller that was “ready for paint”. I was sacrificing the short term need of any 16 year old (having a running and driving vehicle) for the long term goal of owning my dream car. In the meantime, I had to scrounge up enough money from mowing lawns and working as a bus boy at the local red lobster to purchase a respectable daily driver. I found a 1979 lifted bronco, it was obnoxious and exactly what I wanted.

      For the next several years I invested nearly every cent of my income as a high schooler/ college student on the car. I spent hours in the garage with my buddies and my dad and was finally able to get it to the point of drivability. I’ll never forget the first (and only) time I was able to drive it around the block with open headers. It was exhilarating. Then it was off to college and the project started to stall out. I was still very interested in the build and continued acquiring parts but my time to work on it was much more limited. Through a college internship I was able to save enough to buy a new set of wheels and a built 383 stroker long block. The wheels were 20/18” Boyd Coddington Junkyard Dogs with cast aluminum centers and polished wide lips. At the time they were the coolest wheels I’d seen.

      Shortly after, my parents moved from my childhood home into a new house. This unfortunately eliminated free storage and space to work on my project. The car was trailered to a barn in rural Ohio for the foreseeable future. For nearly 8 years she slept in a state of neglect in a barn with a gravel and dirt floor. The project was out of sight and slowly became less of an obsession. Fast forward several years, I’m now a home owner with enough garage space to store and wrench on the car. After years of dreaming I’m now lucky enough to have the resources to build the car right and finally trailered my sleeping beauty home last year.

      Time in the barn wasn’t kind to the car. All of the time I spent repainting and rebuilding the front suspension was for naught. The car really slipped into a further state of deterioration. The “paint ready” panels started to rust from the inside underneath all of the bondo. Colonies of rodents took up residence. She’d seen better days. Over the last year I strongly considered the idea of selling and buying another 1967 camaro that was a bit further along and didn’t need any metal work. I knew doing the build correctly would get expensive quickly and thought it would be more of a wise investment to start over on someone else’s stalled out project. I went as far as driving an empty trailer to St. Louis with my dad and brother to buy what I thought was the one. It wasn’t meant to be and I drove home with an empty trailer. On the drive home I started thinking more about just biting the bullet and building mine right. It was my first car after all.

      I started doing more research and networking with folks to find a reputable shop to complete the laundry list of metal work. I was able to connect with a guy in southern Kentucky who had previously built nearly 20 first gen camaros. After much discussion and deliberation I decided to pull the trigger and trailered the car down 2 weeks ago. The cars been torn apart and was just sandblasted yesterday. It will start receiving new metal and new life this week, more pics to come. My plans for the car have evolved quite a bit over the years with changing trends and technology. My goal is to have the car in mostly completed running/driving state (phase 1)within the next year. This could be aggressive but hey, you’ve gotta have something to work toward.

      Phase 1 plans include:

      -DSE mini tubs (currently being installed)

      -Full Speedtech Pro-Touring track time package with subframe and 9 inch real with torque arm suspension

      -383 NA with t56 6 speed (to me there is something nostalgic about a carbureted v8..but I’ll likely get on the LS train in phase 2 of the build)

      -Wilwood 6p front 4p rear

      -TMI sport xr interior kit with TMI logos removed

      -Vinyl wrap, eventually paint black in phase 2

      -Likely starting out with Boyd wheels, phase 2 includes forgeline.

      I’ll try to keep this thread up to date over the next years. Below are some pictures from years ago to present state.

      Thanks for reading!

      -Nick

    2. #2
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Jul 2019
      Location
      Ohio
      Posts
      313
      Country Flag: United States
      Hey Nick, following your build - sounds like you are going down the same path I am, but I have more work to do replacing panels. I'm working on floorboard replacement on my 69 now, also in the Cincinnati area. I've probably got a couple years worth of work before I'm ready for paint on mine. Mini tubbed coil over LS3 with 6 speed and Speedtech subframe is my current plan. Have you thought about where you might go for paint?

      Steve

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Sep 2009
      Posts
      2,695
      Country Flag: United States
      Cool story. Yours started out similar to mine, but my project was a 1976 T/A. I'll be following along since my current ride is a 68 Camaro. I'd also highly recommend an LS motor. Once you get one and drive it, you'll forget all about the carb motors.


      1955 Nomad project LC9, 4L80e, C5 brakes, Vision wheels
      1968 Camaro 6.2 w/ LSA, TR6060-Magnum hybrid and etc SOLD
      1976 T/A LS1 6 Speed, and etc. SOLD

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      Quote Originally Posted by ryeguy2006a View Post
      Cool story. Yours started out similar to mine, but my project was a 1976 T/A. I'll be following along since my current ride is a 68 Camaro. I'd also highly recommend an LS motor. Once you get one and drive it, you'll forget all about the carb motors.
      thanks Ryan! I’ve enjoyed following the “penny pincher” build over the years. It was honestly one of the builds that helped motivate me to dive back into mine. You must be proud of what you’ve been able to accomplish on your own. I almost have a sense of guilt that I’m not trying to take on all of the metal work myself but I think I’ll be happy when it’s done. And in terms of the LS, I’m sure that will be in the cars future at some stage of the build. Just not the immediate iteration.

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      Quote Originally Posted by srode View Post
      Hey Nick, following your build - sounds like you are going down the same path I am, but I have more work to do replacing panels. I'm working on floorboard replacement on my 69 now, also in the Cincinnati area. I've probably got a couple years worth of work before I'm ready for paint on mine. Mini tubbed coil over LS3 with 6 speed and Speedtech subframe is my current plan. Have you thought about where you might go for paint?

      Steve
      Hey Steve,
      always cool to hear about locals with similar plans! Do you have a build thread started, I’ll definitely check it out if so. Paint is probably several years off for me so I haven’t done a lot of research into local shops, any recommendations? My plan is to do a vinyl wrap to cover/protect the new metal and will likely run with that for a few years before dishing out for body work and paint.
      -Nick

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Jul 2019
      Location
      Ohio
      Posts
      313
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by 67BrewserSS View Post
      Hey Steve,
      always cool to hear about locals with similar plans! Do you have a build thread started, I’ll definitely check it out if so. Paint is probably several years off for me so I haven’t done a lot of research into local shops, any recommendations? My plan is to do a vinyl wrap to cover/protect the new metal and will likely run with that for a few years before dishing out for body work and paint.
      -Nick
      I need to start a build thread, right now I keep finding more rust work to do. Boitnott's did a bit of work for me when I got started, that's the only place I've been. There's a number of other folks in the area that do paint, quite a few on the side. Once I get closer I'll start going to some of the local car shows and get some referals. The I need to get out to the Milford Kroger on Friday night with my other 69 Camaro for the cruise in before it shuts down and see who others have used too. I'd like to get the body dipped at some point- after I get all the panel welding complete.

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Nov 2018
      Posts
      642
      Country Flag: United States
      You made the right decision deciding to rebuild it. I gave my first car, a 72 Skylark, to my older brother when I joined the military as I'd blown the engine a few weeks before shipping out. Always felt bad about that, I should have had my parents put a nice engine in it with my pay from basic, and kept it. Unfortunately I have no way at all of tracking it down as it's been over 30 years since I last saw it. I don't know where my brother sold it, nor do I have the VIN from it. For all I know, it's been crushed and turned into tin cans by now.

      You'll never have a second "first car," and you'll never enjoy another car in quite the same way.

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      Quote Originally Posted by Vimes View Post
      You made the right decision deciding to rebuild it. I gave my first car, a 72 Skylark, to my older brother when I joined the military as I'd blown the engine a few weeks before shipping out. Always felt bad about that, I should have had my parents put a nice engine in it with my pay from basic, and kept it. Unfortunately I have no way at all of tracking it down as it's been over 30 years since I last saw it. I don't know where my brother sold it, nor do I have the VIN from it. For all I know, it's been crushed and turned into tin cans by now.

      You'll never have a second "first car," and you'll never enjoy another car in quite the same way.
      you’re right, Vimes. I’m sure I’ll look back down the road and know I made the right call. That’s too bad about your 72. Maybe you’ll get another shot to find one similar.

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Sep 2017
      Posts
      825
      Country Flag: United States
      I couldn't agree more. I sold a 57 stepside Chevy I started and never finished . Did. A hot little 350 auto. Did interior paint and diamond tucked. Never painted outside and sold when you had kids and no time. Or money to work on . I had since 19 .
      Still regret
      TANKMASTERJ
      https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...touring-Camaro
      Jasons Toys
      67 Camaro White Lightning LMR LS7 powered, Speed tech Front and Rear.
      2023 Rapid Blue ZL1 the Blue Devil
      2000 HD Softail
      1989 CBR Hurricane anniversary edition

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      The right inner/outer rocker went in today along with the door. Left side tomorrow then on to the floor, trunk, and frame rails.

      The drip rails ended up being toast after blasting so will make sense to throw a new roof skin on since it has to cone off for drip rails anyway. Kevin Is the name of the guy doing all of the metal work. He’s making fast progress and has done tons of first gens. He’s anticipating having everything wrapped up before the end of the month. From there I’ll trailer her home and get cracking on the rest of the build. Name:  IMG_2261.jpg
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    12. #12
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      Quote Originally Posted by srode View Post
      I need to start a build thread, right now I keep finding more rust work to do. Boitnott's did a bit of work for me when I got started, that's the only place I've been. There's a number of other folks in the area that do paint, quite a few on the side. Once I get closer I'll start going to some of the local car shows and get some referals. The I need to get out to the Milford Kroger on Friday night with my other 69 Camaro for the cruise in before it shuts down and see who others have used too. I'd like to get the body dipped at some point- after I get all the panel welding complete.
      Nice, good luck with the build. I’ve actually heard boitnotts does good work. I’ll have to check out the Milford cruise in when I get mine up and running.

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Sep 2017
      Posts
      825
      Country Flag: United States
      I just wonder is it better to do what your doing and what I did or just buy a body from real deal steel
      TANKMASTERJ
      https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...touring-Camaro
      Jasons Toys
      67 Camaro White Lightning LMR LS7 powered, Speed tech Front and Rear.
      2023 Rapid Blue ZL1 the Blue Devil
      2000 HD Softail
      1989 CBR Hurricane anniversary edition

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      Quote Originally Posted by TANKMASTERJ View Post
      I just wonder is it better to do what your doing and what I did or just buy a body from real deal steel
      I absolutely considered going that route, too. All said and done I’ll actually have slightly less invested in the body rebuild than buying a new shell, though I’m sure that’s not usually the case. Plus, you can’t replicate the soul of a 53 year old car!

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Jul 2019
      Location
      Ohio
      Posts
      313
      Country Flag: United States
      Curious how you stripped the finish / rust off your body?

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Sep 2017
      Posts
      825
      Country Flag: United States
      Striper and elbow grease for 99% of car. I sandblasted only around windows channels, jambs, and very hard to clean areas. If. I didn't again I would have sandblasted entire car with crushed glass.
      Way cheaper. WAY cheaper
      TANKMASTERJ
      https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...touring-Camaro
      Jasons Toys
      67 Camaro White Lightning LMR LS7 powered, Speed tech Front and Rear.
      2023 Rapid Blue ZL1 the Blue Devil
      2000 HD Softail
      1989 CBR Hurricane anniversary edition

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      Quote Originally Posted by srode View Post
      Curious how you stripped the finish / rust off your body?
      After the panels that are being replaced were cut out it was sent to the blaster to clean up the remainder of the hull and identify any other problem areas. Then PPG DP90LF Primer to prevent any corrosion.

    18. #18
      Join Date
      Jul 2019
      Location
      Ohio
      Posts
      313
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by 67BrewserSS View Post
      After the panels that are being replaced were cut out it was sent to the blaster to clean up the remainder of the hull and identify any other problem areas. Then PPG DP90LF Primer to prevent any corrosion.
      who did the work?



    19. #19
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      Quote Originally Posted by srode View Post
      who did the work?
      the metal work is being done by Kevin Douglas Racing. He’s not a full service restoration shop but does a lot of work on the side.

    20. #20
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Cincinnati, OH
      Posts
      74
      Some new goodies compliments of Ringbrothers. The quality seems to be excellent. Name:  IMG_2284.jpg
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