66 El Camino - Project CaMEANo

[Mr. Anderson]

The inspiration. Also thinking about a red pinstripe between the two colors. Also considered a red pinstripe on the rim of the wheels to match, but then remembered my calipers are red....I think that would be enough to tie it in.

[Yelcamino]

I typically love black wheels. But I too don't think they would look right here. Here's a little more gold, I followed the body line at the top of the quarters panels.

I like this a lot! It's going to look great when you're done!

[Mr. Anderson]

Thanks guys. Really helps to be able to bounce ideas off of someone else! Here's the red stripe.

[78 Type-LT]

That looks trick...

[CruizinKev]

yeah looking good!

[Mr. Anderson]

Cleaned and stripped the front of the frame last weekend...got some primer and paint on it the last few days. I'm kinda going a bit out of order on getting things done. Should have finished the bodywork on the firewall first, but I needed to see some new parts on the car to keep me motivated. Plus it will be nice to have it rolling again.

Bolted on the steering box and Global West upper/lower arms today. I was hoping to get the whole front end back together, but some chump (me) forgot that the spindles needed to be painted!


So I was at a stopping point for bolting stuff on. Painted the spindles, tie rod ends, and idler arm. Should be able to finish up tomorrow. Needed to keep working so I finally adressed the lower steering column mount. I was expecting the Ididit column to have more in the way of mounting...it was pretty disappointing. I was told by Ididit....many of their "retrofit" columns are nothing more than a "universal" column with a specific location for the wiring to exit. Oh well...

No way I was using the ugly factory stuff. I hammered the upper part of the flange flat, then cut the rest off. From there I made a fill plate, got it welded and flushed in, then mounted a street rod style swivel mount. It came polished but will be painted black (maybe anodized!) when it is done.

[Yelcamino]

Nice fix for the steering column! It should be nice and solid feeling!

[dusterbd13]

my god, i want an early elky....


whats up with the massive amount of holes in one part of the firewall?

[Mr. Anderson]

I have no idea what that is about! It looks factory though. I figure it has something to do with stiffening the panel? Beats me...it'll get cleaned up before I'm done.

Here's today's progress.

[Mr. Anderson]

Worked on the center A/C vent today. Took a couple cheap billet vents from Parr...really nothing more than a billet outter ring with a cheap-o plastic vent inside. I thinned out one side of each vent and welded them together. Blended them back in to look like one piece...then filed the center bar down so it is recessed, and will paint it black so just the outer ring will be bare aluminum.

Of course the bezels were welded with the vents removed.

[chunger]

That came out nice. Almost looks factory!

[CruizinKev]

looking real good!

[Mr. Anderson]

I am well on my way to having a T56 ready to go now. Picked up the transmission a couple weekends ago. I really didn't want the hassle of a hydraulic throwout bearing so I went with an LT1 transmission. I just ordered a stock bellhousing, new flywheel and clutch, and a Hurst shifter this week. No pictures, but you know what they look like.

I'm using the stock Camaro slave cylinder, but the stock Camaro clutch M/C just wouldn't work how I wanted with the extreme mounting angle. So I got a mid '90's Corvette clutch M/C so I could mount it flat to the firewall. Not without some creativity though.

Yup, it's a valve cover...


And it needs to go to the outside of the booster, and underneath the wiper motor...both Detroit Speed items.




I intend on making a threaded plate to go on the inside of the firewall to stiffen up the mount, though it's pretty solid as is. The plate will be spot welded in place.




It's a little tight....I need to make a couple adjustments to get a little more room around the reservoir cap, otherwise it fits nicely and is pretty well out of sight.


My dad had a couple different A-body manual pedal pieces in his stash, one of which was exactly what I needed. Next, I plan on cutting the stock pivot off of the clutch m/c pushrod, threading it, and adapting a rod end. Then weld a threaded bung onto the pedal arm to bolt the rod end too.

[Motown 454]

Nice idea with the piece of valve cover . Smokey would be proud!

[BossaNova]

Very cool idea with the valve cover.
Thanks for sharing!

[Mr. Anderson]

Thanks guys!

I also just got word that my engine is ready to be picked up from the machine shop. It's about to get serious!!

[96t/acj]

Love ur craftmenship! things are shaping up nice!

[Yelcamino]

Looking real good!

[Btefer]

Nice looking build!

[Motown 454]

Sweet!