68 Reproduction & 67 Restoration

[bondwells]

About 15 months ago I set out to build a 68 Camaro from the ground up using AMD parts and pretty much the entire DSE catalog. I started off with a First Gen Jig and went from there. Basics ->

- AMD sheet metal (other than Dynacorn quarter/door subassemblies)
- DSE mini tubs, subframe connectors, four point roll bar, trunk closeouts, fuel pump access panel, Quadralink
- Bowler T-56 transmission tunnel, slightly modified
- Smooth firewall (custom), welded drain plugs



A few weeks ago I snagged a rolling 67 Camaro to answer some pressing questions on the C-pillar/roof bracing that's causing fitment issues. I'm tearing down the entire car and rebuilding it (about to go onto a jig), repairing what can be saved and replacing the rest, and time-lapsing the entire process for fun. I have a few fast videos already, I'll post more here as I make progress - and inevitably get hung up somewhere.

[bondwells]

Got the rear end dropped off the 67 and the body loaded onto a First Gen Jig. Time to build an internal jig and get to work on the teardown.

[Build-It-Break-It]

Wow, very cool. Thank you for making the videos. I remember the UPS and FedEx guys saying to me " it's crazy you can build an entire car from parts delivered to your home out of boxes". Now I see what he means . Im impressed by all you've done.

[bondwells]

Wow, very cool. Thank you for making the videos. I remember the UPS and FedEx guys saying to me " it's crazy you can build an entire car from parts delivered to your home out of boxes". Now I see what he means . Im impressed by all you've done.

Thank you Ahmad! It was a pretty fun idea to formulate and watch come to life. The biggest thing has been refusing to allow myself to lose momentum (other than planned breaks for work, life, etc.)...although some evenings I did nothing but stare at it for two hours thinking about how to fix a particular issue.

15 months ago I was intimidated by the idea of fixing up an existing body and thought this was a better idea (ha). I am still on the fence, as they both have their benefits, but at the end of the day I now feel like this was a LOT more challenging. I doubt I'll do a new build again, but if I did, there are about 1000 things I would do differently.

[GPRaceWorks]

I think if you add up the number of hours that you stare at it thinking about how you're going to tackle certain obstacles that time probably equals out to be the same as actual time working on it. Not to mention the number of hours spent cruising the internet for parts researching and then of course posting on the form..lol

Nice job. Now I'm inspired to start doing some videos!!

[bondwells]

I think if you add up the number of hours that you stare at it thinking about how you're going to tackle certain obstacles that time probably equals out to be the same as actual time working on it. Not to mention the number of hours spent cruising the internet for parts researching and then of course posting on the form..lol

Nice job. Now I'm inspired to start doing some videos!!

It's so true. I even have a folding chair for when I know it's gonna be a long stare. The videos are fun and I don't really care about making them fancy or doing voiceovers so it's easy to just download, speed up, and post. I think whenever I am totally done, I'll string together a long time-lapse with a beer and self-inflicted injury counter.

[silo84]

Crazy impressive,

How many lbs of welding wire have you gone through? I know I went through an entire 2 lbs spool just patching my K5 floor.

[bondwells]

How many lbs of welding wire have you gone through? I know I went through an entire 2 lbs spool just patching my K5 floor.

Oh man...I've lost track. And I buy my sanding/conditioning discs dozens at a time now. I will say that I am a significantly better welder now.

[CSG]

I am terrible about staring at problems trying to do stuff the 100% best way. I have been trying to stop over evaluating everything, just come up with a solid plan and keep moving.

[bondwells]

I am terrible about staring at problems trying to do stuff the 100% best way. I have been trying to stop over evaluating everything, just come up with a solid plan and keep moving.

Same...it's not working for me...currently getting quotes on having the 67 3D scanned so I can design/cut modular brackets for an internal jig to use on the 68...maybe a little overengineered.