A long time coming, 67 camaro.

[Ridnhi]

After a little elbow nudge from Nate (72Blckbuty) I have decided to start a thread for my other love, my 67 camaro. I am taking a break from my other project 71 K5. I bought the car my senior year (2001) and have now owned this car for 11 years this month. I put it back together (barely) enough to drive it around the block once in about 2005. Then parked it.

I bought the car with very little knowledge of restoring one. The car was in boxes and the PO claimed that everything was there, but for $2k, I hauled it home. Needless to say there was alot missing and what was there was junk. I promissed myself then that I wouldn't go cheap on this project like most of my friends did with their cars.

College and building a home stopped pretty much all work on this thing from 2002 till 2009. I took the car back apart in the winter of 09' and decided that I was going to turn this in to a frame off resto and go with the pro-touring look and performance to the best my money will buy.

I am making good progress on it now and hope to continue until I get all the mechanicals done then we will see how the body turns out. I am doing most of the work myself but I am by no means a mechanic or body man.

I have a few pics taken along the way but I will have to find them. I am going to stop for the night but give you a pic of it in its current state. I will try and catch everyone up on what I have done while staying on top of progress. Hope you enjoy.

[mcmlxix]

Very Nice. I have a 69 Camaro project that I got when I graduated high school... back in 1991... So that 20 years of waiting... so far.... I drove it around once and started pulling it apart.... hasen't moved under its own power since....

[Ridnhi]

I bought a set of wheels last week. I really wanted Touque Thrust 2 style but didn't want to pay their price. I found these wheels that are made by REV but are identical to the TT2's. They are REV 100's 18x8 polished aluminum for all four corners. I got my tires today!!! 235-40R18 Nitto NT555. I put the same tire front and back so I can rotate them. The plan is to drive the hell out of this so I hopefully will need to rotate them often. I bolted up the rear wheels even though I'm not ready for them bc I had to see what the fit was going to look like. so far so good!! I have the front end componets bolted in the car but they are dry fit for now, I need to pull it apart and grease everything and torque it all down.

[gearys 5600]

Looks like you have a nice start. Cant beat the first gen camaros.

[Ridnhi]

The plan is pro-touring so, I have lowered the car, for now I have installed 2" lowering blocks on mono leafs in the rear. Someday down the road when I get a 12 bolt I'll go with performance based set up. In the front I have installed tubular upper and lower control arms, with 2" hotchkis lowering springs. I went with CPP's big brake conversion kit. I like the kit but the lack of instructions is killing me. I have had to go to the internet and look everything up. The car was factory non power drums. So I figure I will have a little more stopping power now I have to paint my master cylinder and install all of the lines and my brake conversion will be done.

When I bought the car it came with a very mild 350 with 350 turbo that was just sitting in the frame with nothing hooked up. I am going with the same engine that came with the car for now mainly because it runs and doesn't need anything but a new carb. I did buy a muncie from a friend of mine. It is nothing fancy but it is dated 67. I am still missing a few parts to change everything over. The ultimate plan is an LS motor and 6 spd. But I gotta get this on the road, so that will have to wait.

The body; The body does need some work. The floors, truck, frame rails are perfect. I am going to replace both quarters, inner-outter wheel wells and tail light panel. Looks like someone backed into something and fixed it pourly. The lower passenger cowl area will need a small patch too. I am looking for a nice passenger fender, the one currently on car is an RS fender and is pretty rough. I threw it on there so I could bolt hood on. the pass door is perfect and drivers door looks as if someone got locked in the car and kicked it from the inside right on the top below the window, no rust though! New cowl hood.

I have a ton of parts bought and are ready for the car. I still have to get ALOT, but thats half the fun.

To be cont....

[Ridnhi]

Originally Posted by mcmlxix

Very Nice. I have a 69 Camaro project that I got when I graduated high school... back in 1991... So that 20 years of waiting... so far.... I drove it around once and started pulling it apart.... hasen't moved under its own power since....

Thanks, mcmlxix. Whats the plan for it. Saving it for something?

[Ridnhi]

Originally Posted by gearys 5600

Looks like you have a nice start. Cant beat the first gen camaros.

I agree, always like the 69's better but I have fallen in love with this one. I guess spending countless hours with something will do that. Its like a woman.

[Torrey72]

Nice rig. I have a 69 Camaro myself. I love the 67s though. Only year with manual air conditioning (Wing window)

[mcmlxix]

Originally Posted by Ridnhi

Thanks, mcmlxix. Whats the plan for it. Saving it for something?

At the rate I'm going (getting distracted by other projects) I'll be buried in the unfinsihed shell of a car....

Back in 1997 I had a custom (Wayne Due) subframe set up for C4 Corvette suspension. I was trying to get an LS1 and 6 speed but they just came out and were impossible to find (out of my budget too). I had the independent rear, also from a Corvette. Wayne was working on an install kit for it... This was at the very begining of Pro-Touring, probably before they called it pro touring... Being a poor college student I could never build the car the way I wanted it. The technology kept evolving and I ended up selling most of the parts. I still have the C4 front control arms and spindles... the rest of it is the stock shell and It's going to stay that way till Im ready (funded) to build it.... I also have the 72 K5, a 67 Chevelle and a 67 Nova...

[72BlckButy]

It's about time you post this....

Looking good!

[Hotchkis]

Ridnhi – Looks like a fun project. Thanks for sharing! Thanks for choosing some Hotchkis parts for your Camaro.

Keep us posted on the progress.

[Ridnhi]

got a little update: I traded some wheels this weekend for a set of seats and a few other needed items. I also have continued to work on the brake system. I have the pedals, booster, master cylinder and some of the lines installed. I think that I am going to repaint the mastercylinder though. I like the darker cast color better.

[Ridnhi]

I know the seats are terribly ugly...... I am going to install deluxe seat covers on them, but these are great cores with great seat foam. I also finished up the front components so I could install for the last time the brake components and put the wheels and tires on. I couldn't wait to see what the stance was going to look like. Sorry that I don't have a shot from further away, I have too much crap in the garage.

[Ridnhi]

Also thought I would give you a shot of a couple of things waiting for a home.

[72BlckButy]

Lookin' good!

The suspension looks sick!!!!

Nice trade on the seats, especially if the cushions are solid. A simple recover and you're in business.

[Indian113]

Looking good! Brings back some good memories

I had a 68 with a 396 and 4 speed and I traded it in on a 69 DZ302 because I could get cheaper insurance.

[OARNGESI]

Nice progreess

[mcbassin]

Awesome project! Looks like you aren't cutting any corners on this ride. I have a 67 and a 68 that in line after my 69 truck. I'm subscribing

[68 c10 gold/ivory]

awesome car!!!... thats the way i want mine to sit
i have a 69 camaro and a 68 ss clone Im building
And one day I hope i can get my dads carolina blue 69 rs back

[Ridnhi]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Lookin' good!

The suspension looks sick!!!!

Nice trade on the seats, especially if the cushions are solid. A simple recover and you're in business.

Yes they feel good to the back side, so I'm hoping I won't have any surprises.

Originally Posted by Indian113

Looking good! Brings back some good memories

I had a 68 with a 396 and 4 speed and I traded it in on a 69 DZ302 because I could get cheaper insurance.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by OARNGESI

Nice progreess

Thanks!

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Awesome project! Looks like you aren't cutting any corners on this ride. I have a 67 and a 68 that in line after my 69 truck. I'm subscribing

Trying not to cut corners, It takes long to do it the right way though

Originally Posted by 68 c10 gold/ivory

awesome car!!!... thats the way i want mine to sit
i have a 69 camaro and a 68 ss clone Im building
And one day I hope i can get my dads carolina blue 69 rs back

Do you have any pics of your cars, I would love to see them.

[72BlckButy]

And here I thought I was going to see some new pictures on this thread... haha.

Hope that life is treating you guys well.

[Ridnhi]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

And here I thought I was going to see some new pictures on this thread... haha.

Hope that life is treating you guys well.

Well, I wish I did have an update but "life" has slowed my car progress down. We moved my future father in law in with us and I had to lose some garage space. I won't be working on this one until I get the space back.

[68 c10 gold/ivory]

thats no good I got some done on mine today cause i seen this car
im looking like a car again so bonus points
but i gotta get my rear to sit like urs but i might as well wait til i put the 12 bolt and multi leaf under it

[Ridnhi]

Originally Posted by 68 c10 gold/ivory

thats no good I got some done on mine today cause i seen this car
im looking like a car again so bonus points
but i gotta get my rear to sit like urs but i might as well wait til i put the 12 bolt and multi leaf under it

Thanks! What is your wheel/tire combo? Im running 18" with 235-40 all the way around. I am eventually wanting to put a 12 bolt in(My buddy has one he wants to sell me) but I'm waiting until we remodel our house. Keep up the progress. Gotta love these camaros!

[Ridnhi]

pics