Transition Camaro
 

Since it’s customary to name a car project I’ve been thinking about what I would name mine. Growing up with a drag racing family in the 70’s and 80’s I saw a lot of awesome cars with cool names and cool drivers like Don the Snake Prudhomme and Shirley Muldowney. Although I admit, as a kid, I was drawn to the Jolly Rancher wheel-stander fire truck as much as the top fuel cars. I’m sure it had to do with the candy they threw out to the crowd! I’m not creative nor am I witty so I’ve chosen Transition Camaro. The name seems to fit as I move on from motocross (R.I.P. MX145) and loss of my best friend and brother to a new chapter.

I’m really excited to get back to wrenching on cars and seeing the fruits of my labor. Thinking back Its hard to believe my dad trusted having his boys working on his race car. I don't know how he had the patience to teach us and keep an eye on us while he was thrashing to make the next event. Luckily the worst thing I did was forget to plug in a harness and burned up an ignition box. But still, we had the motor and tranny out of the car all the time to tear down and refresh for the next event. He kept the extra critical stuff for himself but I remember being a school kid with his guidance finishing assembly, putting the intake on, setting valve lash, or whatever else my dad would let us get our hands on.

As luck would have it I ended up buying a 68 RS from a nice family in Sandy OR last October. This happens to be the same year my brother was born which makes it even more fitting. The car was in decent shape but has a long way to go to be resto-mod worthy. It’s originally a California vinyl top car but sat outside for a number of years on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington before making its way to a enclosed shop in Oregon. Still has the original CA plates. The roof was so rusty I had to pull off the freeway twice to remove pieces to keep more from flying off. The rest of the car wasn’t to bad other than the front floor boards, bottom rear window and windshield cowl area.

My plan is for a garage built big brakes, upgraded suspension, nice driving car that I can hopefully autocross and take to events to hang out with my dad with his 62 Corvette. I ultimately would like a LS motor and T56 but it’s not in the budget. I’m keeping it in mind as I make modifications to hopefully make things easier for a later upgrade. Initially I’ll be putting in a 383 with Vortec heads and a Super T10 connected to a Ford 9”.

Should be a great project. :thumbsup:

Originally a 327 Automatic, Matador red, standard interior. I haven't decided on a color yet. It's going to be wearing black SPI epoxy until it's a runner and I work out a lot of the bugs.

Thanks Jody! I was hesitant to post a build as there's so many high end cars on here but I want to keep a chronological history and have something to refer back to. I've already lost track of a lot since October so I need to get to posting.

I want to thank Dave AKA Flash68 for the encouragement on the thread and help! Thanks to Cris@JCG, Will427, James-OLC, Jay Hilliard! All these guys have already helped me out answering PM questions. This is an awesome community.

You know Dave? Sorry to hear that......... :lol:

Ryan, glad you posted... as I said many of us enjoy reading the back-stories about projects and family stuff. Yours was fun to read. Working on dad's race car in grade school.... priceless.

He knows me just enough now to maybe get himself in trouble. :D

Jody good luck with this project,it does not have to be a high end build for us to follow along and enjoy with you,keep pics coming.

Thanks guys!

Original quarters and factory deck lid off another Camaro didn't quite fit right and needed work.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...aro/null-5.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...aro/null-3.jpg

I was hoping to keep the factory quarters but found more body filler than I expected. After stripping the paint it looks like the car was once a ping pong ball. Front, rear, and both sides had damage.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-19-2.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-36.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-97.jpg

I also found the passenger quarter inside support that the door latch bolt ties to was bent up so off they came.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...o/null-1-1.jpg

Trunk floor and dropouts weren't too bad but since I've gone this far they're getting replaced.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...aro/null-9.jpg

I was able to straighten the support with the BFH. You can see how the door is still tweaked.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...o/null-7-1.jpg

The inner structure needs cleaned up but is in good shape.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...aro/null-8.jpg

The wheel wells don't look to good but they're coming off for new outers and DSE mini tubs.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-31.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-16-1.jpg

I test fit a used Golden Legion quarter I picked up a the Puyallup swap meet but I wasn't happy with the trunk gutter fitment. Maybe this is why the last guy really gave up on it and went with OEM's. I was able to get the rest of the quarter to fit fairly well.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-35.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-18-2.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-20-2.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-19-2.jpg

After screwing around with it for hours I decided to buy some new metal from AMD.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-45.jpg

Going through the process of bracing, making reference measurements, and cutting out the bad metal and cleanup.

*Some of my pics are out of order as I came back to document the build. While removing the quarters I purposely cut around and left the front side of the quarters in the door jamb area until I rebuilt the door hinges and was able to maintain an accurate body line for reference.

http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-23-2.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-20-3.jpg

The inner structure is cleaning up nice. The rockers look good top and bottom.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-35-1.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-51.jpg
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-50.jpg

The package tray filler area will have to be patched where it meets up with the trunk gutter.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-14.jpg

Looks like someone installed the rear speakers with an axe. Hopefully I can find the awesome stamped/recessed 6x9 patch panels I've seen on some Lat-G builds somewhere.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...aro/null-9.jpg

The front floor boards have seen better days. The dash is good and tunnel is salvageable.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-22-1.jpg

The top dash panel was shot all along the bottom windshield area. I'm going to have to replace the upper 2" of the cowl across the entire windshield area as well.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/.../null-24-1.jpg

Anyone know what the slot is cut out for on the passenger side cowl? It looks like a dealer/aftermarket install as the cut-out looks like it was done with a chainsaw. Whatever mounted in there looks to have been bolted to a factory installed bracket. Something for CA emissions?
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...ro/null-21.jpg

The doors are worse and will have to be patched as well. Here's a pic after I cut most of the shredded metal away. I sure hope it wasn't a stereo shop that did this.
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/...o/null-755.jpg