Wow, you got CLOSE to that bolt hole. It must have been a little stressful porting around that part. :brix:

It was a little bit. There is a few shops that really hog these things out and remove that bolt hole completely and fill it with epoxy. I think this should be enough air flow fo what I'm doing though:Tomcat:

Go get um AJ, I would love to get mine ported - but I haven't even heard it run yet lol That should flow some air.

huge progress on it. a TON of work sure.

Thanks Frank, for sure a lot of work.

Saturday I got the drive side frame rail measured, supported, cut out, the new one welded in, and the front section finished up.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/DR%20CUT.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8.../DR%20RAIL.jpg

Kris Horton also finished up the front of the car with some new software. For sure looks like a real car, hopefully the real thing looks as good.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8..._FrontRoad.jpg

I also got the body back from the soda blaster, but I forgot to get pictures so that will have to wait until I take the frame to the blaster and drop the car off back at work.

Wow - lots of subtle changes on that one that make it fresh without losing the appeal of the original.

I know you are doing all the fab but maybe there are some ideas here you can use:
http://rick486.wixsite.com/dobbertinperformance

Don

Wow love the new rendering.

Nice update and looking forward to seeing more.

I came across their stuff when I was looking into doing this swap a few months ago. Really cool stuff that would be super helpful in the future. I'd love to use it on a C10 project when I get this car done.

Thank you.

I finished up the driver frame rail finally. After that I started working on the close out panels for the fuel tank areas. Factory Corvettes are finished off with seam sealer around all the gaps. I'm thinking I'll make the gaps tighter then seam seal everything after it gets back from the blaster and I weld the panels on.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_0873.jpg

I also got pictures on the Camaro after soda blasting and sealer.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_0872.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_0870.jpg

Still a lot to do before I take the frame in to get blasted. Hoping to have it done in the next few weeks.

I finished up the fuel tank close out panels and decided to keep them like the stock corvette stuff was, spot welds and seam sealer. Once it's all welded in the car no one will see any of it and then it will be coated in lizard skin to kill sound. I made the passenger panel from scratch and ordered a 1/2" bead to match the driver side. Didn't get to work on the car this weekend, but it's getting closer to sending out to the blaster.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_0931.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_0932.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_0933.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_0938.jpg

Man that is sure one nice and clean body.

White always makes things look good.

Hi AJ -

I have enjoyed following the tales of your car, originally on P-T and now over here, and appreciate you posting up the many twists and turns. Admittedly your current plan has me thinking about a Cougar project I have sitting in the garage. Since I would love to do the same as you, but am also width constrained, I'd like to confirm your process for this: best I can tell you are just cutting off the outboard rails as needed and then reducing the width to fit the new rails that install at the rockers? Also, outside of the fuel tank end caps and the obvious suspension width have you run into any other unforeseen challenges?

I appreciate your feedback, and have definitely got the bug after seeing this thread.

Thanks again

~ Jason

The only reason I don't have a thread on PT is because I do everything from my iPad and I haven't figured out how to get the pictures to post on there from it, so I gave up.

Let me start with this, I dropped the frame off at the blaster on Friday. I'm hoping to have it back this week and start to put the frame into the car Friday night and get it locked in on Saturday. You'll have to keep an eye on the thread to see how things fit because I'll be finding out how they will at the same time. I'll post an update maybe tonight of where I'm at with things.

So the outer frame rails are kinda easy to explain. The width of the vette frame was something like 62" outside to outside and if you measure the lower pinch weld where the floor pan meets the rockers its only 47" wide. I did a lot of measuring and found that where the inner rocker meets the outer rocker on the top side is roughly 53" and is the same width as the inside frame rail to inside frame rail on the vette. I came to the conclusion that I could keep all the factory body lines if I was able to narrow the vette frame rails down to 57" outside to outside. That gave me the 53" inside to inside that fits inside the Camaro outer rockers. I did to a lot of cutting to the rockers at the front and rear, which will all be welded to the new frame rails.

I did go from a little over 5" thick frame rail down to a 3" frame rail. I think that with how thick the metal on the Camaro outer rocker is added to the 2x3" .125 thick frame rail on a unibody car I think I'm going to be just as strong if not stronger than the C5 frame alone. Then add the cage I plan on putting in it and I should be more than good. Also since I didn't need to narrow the insides of the frame rails I'm able to retain the C5 fuel system with just a fuel filler relocation. I'm planning on running a "T" in the cross over pipe to the fuel fill cap.

There is only so much I can measure without the two parts side by side. I know I'm close enough width wise between the two to cut this all apart and try it though. The thing I have going for me is the over all width of a 1969 Camaro is 74" and a C5 Z06 is 73.8" or something close to that. So I "Should" be able to be really close with a custom offset wheel and minor body mods. I'll know really soon how much of a body mod I'm going to need.

You're coming along nicely, AJ. The updated rendering is nice. I'm glad you're keeping the exposed headlights. It just looks right. I think the hidden lights would look like something's missing. The blue is what really has me stoked. I hope you're able to get the blue to pop like that in real life. Good luck putting the body on the frame.

Thanks. The blue is easy, it's a factory GM C5 vette color that I know everyone's seen before and I've always liked. I like the open headlights on '69's myself too. Plus I'm looking to save weight so that helps.

It's looking really good AJ, I'll be watching for your next update. Nice work on the close outs.

Many thanks for the reply and more detailed description. I think this will also be the plan of attack for my ride, and (preemptively) thank you for any additional information not you post through your project.

Jason

Nice work going into that car. Wow. Very impressive!

Thank you.

I went and picked the frame up from the blaster at lunch today and the two met each others for the first time.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1124.jpg

Well 4 guys and about 30 min later with minor cutting the frame fits! Saturday I'll bolt the front fenders, front suspension, and rear suspension on to get the frame square in the body and lined up in the wheel wells. It's going to be low, frame is set at 5.5" of ground clearance!
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1126.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1127.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1128.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1129.jpg

OO

Snice!!!

Thanks bud:thumbsup:

The real work begins after the wedding . . . :popcorn2:

Lots of work got done Saturday on the car. First step was to get the suspension, and front fenders installed for measuring and then just that, lots and lots of measuring, adjusting, and clamping. After a few hours of getting things aligned I was able to weld to rockers to the frame. and see how the car looks as a whole piece again. Onward to pictures!

Needless to say there is going to be some cutting of the frame ends involved.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1145.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1146.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1150.jpg

Stock 17x9 C5 Z06 wheel to check measurements. With a custom offset wheel I should be good on my clearances in the front.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1147.jpg

And even with 5.5" of ground clearance I still have a good amount of height on the front to clear speed bumps

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1148.jpg

Frame welded to the rockers and supporting most of its self

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1149.jpg

I also got a start on the defuser layout.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1151.jpg

Awesome job. Your making it look easy.

Looks great!

Amazing work AJ. I have trouble cutting a 2x4 to an exact measurement. I always look forward to your updates, keep them coming!

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

I got back to work on the car on Saturday. It really sucks now only being able to work on the car every other Saturday since I can't keep it at work anymore. So to check some clearances I put the block and supercharger in. The supercharger needs to move back about 2", but as you can see its already hitting the firewall.

So while I thought about how I want to handle this problem I went ahead and mounted the pedals, brake booster, and column along with the stock C5 dash frame work to get an idea of what kind of dash I can run. Now with two road blocks in my way I turned to the rear frame so that I can get the rear body mounted to the frame so it can come off the jig. I decided to tie the frame rails together since I cut off a large chunk of frame and marked it to where the floor height needs to be. I'm ordering some 2x4 frame rails bent 90 degrees the hard way so I can run jogs out to where the factory first gen Camaro frame rails mounted to the body. I think that about covers it for this go around of updates, on to the pictures.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1241.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1240.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/IMG_1239.jpg

I've finally got a chance to work on the car after about two months of not, which really sucked. I've been thinking about park lamps and turn signals on the car for sometime and I decided to steal this idea from DSE. I used the lenses out of a camper pouch lamp. and cut it down to size.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...amaro/LAMP.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...PASSGRILLE.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...IVERGRILLE.jpg

Saturday I was able to get a good start on my frame to body rails. I wanted to run the rails to the stock Camaro location and ended up with these. I started with two 90* hard way 2x4" pieces of tubing from Art Morrison. I ran out of time to get the driver side done so that will have to be another day. The passenger side is gusseted on the bottom to tie the cross rail, Corvette frame and the new rails all together.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...DRIVERRAIL.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...o/PASSRAIL.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c8...FRAMERAILS.jpg

Hopefully more work on it gets done in two weeks.

Well I lost my shop space to be able to work on my car so I don't know when I'll be able to find somewhere to work on it or where. Maybe someday the car will get done. I went ahead and finished welding the frame rails to the body and supporting the trunk supports so I could take the car off the frame rack to get more room in my trailer. It looks pretty good on the ground, this is the first time its been on its on feet with this configuration. rocker height currently is 5 3/4".

It does look great on the ground - once you get past the wheels! :lol:

Too bad about losing the shop space, as changing in the middle of a build has to be a major hassle. Plus it looks like you had Grade A space.

[QUOTE=Zoomin;662383]It does look great on the ground - once you get past the wheels! :lol:


I'm so impressed I didn't even notice the wheels! lol

Wow big step forward.
I hope you find a new space soon.

These guys might have space :idea: :

http://www.jefflilly.com/career-opportunity/

Don

It was, the shop has A/C and all my tools are here.

[QUOTE=waynieZ;662384]Thanks, I'm hoping I can too so I can put my bead roller to use with some sheet metal work.

I wish I could afford the pay cut to build cars instead of fix them, that would be awesome.

I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say that somebody from this community is going to chime in and say "hey, Camaro AJ, I wouldn't mind having you manipulate your metal in my indoor real estate, and I'm not too far down the road, Bro." That might sound kind of weird, but hey, there's help here when you need it. This project's too cool to get killed at this point!

Not much of an update as I still have no where to work on my car. I did score a LSA core that has a spun #1 rod bearing. A dealer in Houston replaced an oil pan gasket on it and used RTV all the way around the pan. It made it to San Antonio before the oil pick up clogged and starved the #1 rod of oil. I’ll post some build pictures of that as I go along. It’s going to be a mild build, stock rods and pistons, LS3 dry sump crankshaft, cam, pulleys, and a ported blower using an LS9 snout. Shooting for around 700 flywheel hp, pretty easily attainable.

Nice find. I hope a space becomes available so you can get back to it.