66 El Camino - Project CaMEANo

[CruizinKev]

looks great! good job

[Yelcamino]

Your work looks awesome!

I've got some food for thought though... When you adjust your pinion angle you'll probably need to raise the rear of the trans which will put the front yoke/u-joint very close to the spot I circled. In fact, you may not be able to raise the rear of the trans enough to get the pinion angle correct because the yoke/u-joint might hit the floor. Before you get too far along, you may want to consider raising the entire drive shaft tunnel for extra clearance. I'm just trying to save you some of the aggravation I've dealt with on both of mine!

[tommycomfort]

[QUOTE=Yelcamino;713583]Your work looks awesome!

I've got some food for thought though... When you adjust your pinion angle you'll probably need to raise the rear of the trans which will put the front yoke/u-joint very close to the spot I circled. In fact, you may not be able to raise the rear of the trans enough to get the pinion angle correct because the yoke/u-joint might hit the floor. Before you get too far along, you may want to consider raising the entire drive shaft tunnel for extra clearance. I'm just trying to save you some of the aggravation I've dealt with on both of mine!

I'll second that! My driveshaft yoke occasionally rubs on the my floor where I didn't clearance it enough.
Tom

[Mr. Anderson]

Well that's 3 '66/'67 owners telling me to do it....lol, guess I probably should! I'm still going to wait to get the engine back in and the rear suspension in it and check first.

More bodywork on the firewall today, got it in the first round of primer, right rear floorboard done and a couple other piddly things.

Finally opened up that empty hole in the rear...nasty!

[chunger]

This area is closed off, normally? My Ranchero has the same kinda area, but it's completely accessible from the cab. In fact, the spare sits in it. Gives a great storage area, otherwise stuff is always rolling around under the seats.

[Yelcamino]

This area is closed off, normally? My Ranchero has the same kinda area, but it's completely accessible from the cab. In fact, the spare sits in it. Gives a great storage area, otherwise stuff is always rolling around under the seats.

The '64-'67s are closed off; I think '68 and up it's open to the cab.

[Mr. Anderson]

This area is closed off, normally? My Ranchero has the same kinda area, but it's completely accessible from the cab. In fact, the spare sits in it. Gives a great storage area, otherwise stuff is always rolling around under the seats.

Yup, Yelcamino is right.

However, I do plan on sealing it off from the top and opening it up from the inside for exactly that reason. I'll have a donut spare, jack, jumper cables, etc. in there as well as the battery.

[chunger]

Yup, Yelcamino is right.

However, I do plan on sealing it off from the top and opening it up from the inside for exactly that reason. I'll have a donut spare, jack, jumper cables, etc. in there as well as the battery.

Hmmm, I've often played with the idea of moving my battery to there too, but as it stands, the opening is not tall enough to be able to fit one in, unless I fab up some sort of "dropped floor" battery box.

I'll be watching to see what you come up with here.

Nice Build!

[Yelcamino]

Hmmm, I've often played with the idea of moving my battery to there too, but as it stands, the opening is not tall enough to be able to fit one in, unless I fab up some sort of "dropped floor" battery box.

I'll be watching to see what you come up with here.

Nice Build!

Actually, you can fit a lot of stuff in there without dropping the floor. All you need to do is remove the support wall and it turns into a very nice trunk!

Here's what's in my '66 (I've cleaned it up since these photos):





I have a switch on the B pillar to open/close the lid.

[bonecrrusher]

Ummmmm - what went there originally? Fuel tank?

[gearheads78]

Ummmmm - what went there originally? Fuel tank?

I believe its the foot well area if it was a station wagon.

[Mr. Anderson]

Actually, you can fit a lot of stuff in there without dropping the floor. All you need to do is remove the support wall and it turns into a very nice trunk!

I have a switch on the B pillar to open/close the lid.

Mine will be easy to remove since most of the lower half is rusted away already, haha.

I like what you did with yours. How water tight is it?

My initial thoughts were to seal it shut completely from the top - since I'll probably be using it for truck duty somewhat often, I don't want to be in a situation where I need to open the panel up but it's covered with a bunch of stuff. Then cut the hole out in the cab wall. Height would be the issue there for a battery, but I wouldn't have any problem with making the floor a little deeper. I would use an optima probably with side-post cable ends to make for easier access.

[Yelcamino]

Mine will be easy to remove since most of the lower half is rusted away already, haha.

I like what you did with yours. How water tight is it?

My initial thoughts were to seal it shut completely from the top - since I'll probably be using it for truck duty somewhat often, I don't want to be in a situation where I need to open the panel up but it's covered with a bunch of stuff. Then cut the hole out in the cab wall. Height would be the issue there for a battery, but I wouldn't have any problem with making the floor a little deeper. I would use an optima probably with side-post cable ends to make for easier access.

For what I normally keep in there, it's water tight enough. I have a couple of drain holes for any water that does get in. If you look at the pic of the right side, you can see there's plenty of height for an optima battery even with top posts.

The only draw back to sealing it and then having to access through the cab wall is there isn't a whole lot of room behind the seats so getting larger items in/out of the cab opening might be a pain.

[chunger]

... If you look at the pic of the right side, you can see there's plenty of height for an optima battery even with top posts.

I measured my Ranchero tonight, and I could probably squeeze 10" vertical height out of it, so a battery would fit. This is much better than the original plan - move it to the bed and fab up a solid box for it.

Love the idea sharing that goes on in these threads!

[Mr. Anderson]

Ladies and gentlemen....a milestone in this build. Powerplant installed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All bodywork on the firewall finished...I will never make a good bodyman, lol. But all I really wanted was a very refined factory appearing firewall and I got it close enough. Just some semi-gloss black.


Hedman headers, they fit like a glove. Holley 770 Street Avenger.




Nope, not carbon fiber. A co-worker of mine knows a guy who does hydrographics. So he had these valve covers done with the carbon fiber graphic just to see how it would turn out. He sold them to me cheap, and I think they kinda fit the build....plus I needed tall valve covers!

[sr73bu]

Looking awesome! I love these fast paced builds... and the "Smokey" theme.. can't wait to see it done... Good Luck!

[Motown 454]

Looks Good!

[Mr. Anderson]

Thanks guys!

[Mr. Anderson]

Here's the backside. Forgive all the dust! Got some of the hushmat installed too...there is no method to this build, haha.



If I ever think about buying a car with this much rust repair needed, I need to be severely beat about the head and shoulders. Wheat a piece of junk this thing is....was....whatever. I never should have bought this car but fell in love and had to have it. I do that a lot, it's a good way of never having any money

Finally replaced the last remaining floorboard.


Pulled the rear glass and confirmed what I saw on the surface. A LOT of rot around the whole rear window, top sides bottom, you name it. I wanted to get rid of the small package tray anyway, so I cut the bottom out and have a patch piece to replace it. Made some new lips for the rest of it with a couple pieces of L shaped sheetmetal and a shrinker.



Not cool!

[gribbs]

what did you paint your floor with? I am thinking of scuffing mine and brushing on some Por15