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69 Camaro "Lost"

Hey guys, this is Alex and figured I would finally go ahead post a build thread as I'm always lurking anyways. I have a build on another site but I think the car fits better here as to where its headed. A little bit about me and the car. I've been racing and around racing most if not all of my life. From dirt cars to street cars to go carts I think I've done a lot. A call from the doctor about six years ago changed the racing life style I knew of and instead of going to the track on weekends or in the shop working on a race car we ended up in and out of hospitals and once a month to MD Anderson in Texas for treatment. My grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and after bills started coming in we sold most everything including race cars, trailers, motors, trans, and misc motor parts. The only thing we didn't sell were tools. After a year of treatment we decided not to give up on what we all loved. "CARS!" So my grandfather wanted to build one last car before he passed. The car was tossed between two cars 57 post bel air or a first gen camaro. After three months looking at cars and not finding one to far gone that we could cut up we found the perfect car for our build. "Rust free" rolling 69 camaro straight 6. We did not have the heart to cut up an original V8 car. 10K later we loaded her up and broght her home. The initial once over and promise from the previous owner I thought we had a great car to start with. After pulling the front fenders and digging further. The cancer was found and needed some new panels. After the cancer got worse the car pretty much sat for months to a year. I would work on the car only when he was strong enough to sit in a chair and watch. Needless to say he passed away not much long after making me promise him that I would finish the car. Having to teach my self sheet metal work and to weld was a task in itself. Although the car is still coming together. One might ask what is my "Budget". Never had one and don't plan on one. Not saying there is a lot of money to be spent on the car, but in reallity we are never finished building cars or upgrading. My plans are simple. Fix the rust, finish the sheetmetal work, get her rolling, paint, motor etc. I finished up the front end last year. Global West upper and lower control arms. Hotchkis 2" lowering springs and shocks. Power rack and pinion. disc brakes. Mini tub is near completion and new smooth firewall is next. Updates will come and go as money allows. Rear suspension and rear end will get ordered in the near future with moser rear and ridetech 4 link airbar. I will start with some pics right after I pulled the fenders and will get all the way to current progress. Keep in mind I'm no professional and advice is more than welcom as I've never done sheet metal work. I've always cut and rivetted sheet metal in race cars so bare with me on this one. My starting point.

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...1307712011.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...1308483686.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...1309177154.jpg

Welcome. We're almost neighbors. Lol. Best of luck in your build. Enjoy.

last pics for now, some are out of order but that gives you a good idea on where it was and where it is at. Been a learning experience but he wanted it done right. Motor is undecided just yet. It will be an LS base for sure though. lots of things are unknown and at this point. Just doing one part at a time.

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4084049c.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...psf7a9d3db.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stovebolter (Post 543382)

Welcome. We're almost neighbors. Lol. Best of luck in your build. Enjoy.

Thanks Stovebolter, yea we aren't that far apart. If your ever close to Jackson you can come by anytime to help :weld: Ill have better pics in the next few days. Some of those pics are 3 and 4 years old.

Welcome to Lat-g. Nice project it will be great to watch your progress.

Quote:

Originally Posted by waynieZ (Post 543473)

Welcome to Lat-g. Nice project it will be great to watch your progress.

Thanks, I must say nice car you have. :thumbsup:

Welcome to the site,also nice project your building,you are doing a great job so far,keep the updates coming:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Love seeing builds like this! Keep it up!

Been working on the car the past few nights. I have the passenger side almost finished and have the driver side finished. Talk about a learning experience ha! First time for sheet metal work. I think it turned out well for my first time. We will see how the rest turns out. Will be doing the firewall and cowl area next. Also have to get on the phone with Ridetech and Moser this week to get this thing rolling. Wish me luck!

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...psd55abf34.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by syborg tt (Post 544848)

Great project

Thank you sir, should have a few more updates after the weekend. But before then, do I need to brace the windshield frame before removing the upper/lower cowl and dash? What you you guys think? just dont want the body to move before I remove it. I already have the firewall plate away from the cowl. Was thinking of making a steel brace from driver to passenger side windshield frame rails.

That's a great job on the tubs,metal works looks real good:thumbsup:

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubbed69 (Post 545137)

That's a great job on the tubs,metal works looks real good:thumbsup:

Thanks, I know this is a dumb question and know it's been asked hundreds of thousands of times. I've been look at rear suspension options and I'm stuck! I was originally going to go with ride tech airbar and now I'm leaning towards the torque arm. For the money they are both great systems. Just trying to see which would be better for the long term use. I'm wanting great drivability and handling. The car will see more street time than track but I want it to be able to perform on the track and do well. You guys thoughts? And yes I've done three days of research and using the search tool here along with other cites and such. Just looking for some more as I can't seem to make my mind up. Maybe some experienced drivers with the system can let me know which system would be better for my application.

Your doing a great job and seem to be making really good progress. I love seeing these cars being brought back to life and done right. :thumbsup:

Cant help you on the suspension question only because I am biased due to the fact that I'm only into road racing these cars. My answer from that perspective would be a 3 link.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Track Junky (Post 545431)

Thanks for the reply! I thought for sure I wouldn't get any feedback as this has been covered several times. I'm fixing to spend over 2k on a system and only want to do it once. I was looking at both BMR and TCI torque arms. For road racing I know the TCI would be the way to go as it is track proven and have not seen that much feedback out of the BMR suspension but assume it would be very close in performance due to the similarities. As I'm not much of a welder(getting better though) I was looking into the BMR system. Seems to be a straight forward system. What do you think about BMR? Thanks in advance

Alex

The BMR system appears to be a direct bolt on set up. From a simplicity stand point I'm all for that. As far as performance I think there are a few members hear that have used torque arm set ups competitively and done well. I'm also thinking that BMR isn't the only company making a torque arm set up.
Once again, if I was to do another build I would use a 3 link. I looked into Art Morrisons and I liked it especially because it comes with the rear frame rails. The OEM frame rails in our cars are way to flimsy.

Man thanks again! That's the kind of answers I was looking for. I'll look into the 3 links more and get back to you. Great to here from an experienced person.

:wacko: After countless hours on the phone and doing research online I made my mind up and bit the bullet on the rear end and suspension. So let the wait begin! UPS should start coming in around Friday or at the latest Monday.

Is it a secret? :secret:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron in SoCal (Post 545697)

Is it a secret? :secret:

Ron I have to keep it interesting! I'll give you my thoughts and you should be able to figure out the rest. Well after many hours contemplating the actual use of the car and keeping my son in mind. I dont want to cut up the car to much without leaving an escape to one day bring it back to stock if I were ever to pass it to my son. Lord who knows where the world will be when he is able to get it from my grip. With that being said the suspension I went with has little to no real modifications to the car. For the rear end, It will be able to hold up to what ever we throw at it staying with "Chevy" parts. Plus being I just sold the last thing of any value to put money into the car for a while. I gotta keep the build interesting. May be a long time till I can get some money thrown back at the car for a while. Gotta keep the interest alive. I'll give all real details when it arrives and pics of the parts as they arrive.

Here is what I sold to pay for these parts :bang:
http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...psbe3b144d.jpg

Well while waiting on parts I started fabing some roll bar brackets for the rear. I don't think the welding was to bad for a newb.

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0c9ba2dc.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8447d36c.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps04af5c94.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7306a5ce.jpg

Here is the driver side ruff cut. Hard to make round cuts with a dang cutoff wheel.

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...psa467c193.jpg

Got the rear today and threw some paint on it. Rear end looks good, just waiting on the rest to get here.

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...psb37b7b4a.jpg

http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0f7c73e1.jpg

3.55 gears, Eaton posi, 33 spline axles, big bearing ends, 58 1/8" Axle flange to axle flange, 52 5/8" housing flange to housing flange.