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My first car (a long overdue project)
Let me start at the beginning, I bought this car (My first car) when I was 18, on December 7 1991.
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9heielc2.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psum5f2lrx.jpg (1991) It had a 327 (four bolt main not sure what it originally came out of) and a TH400. about a month after I bought it I had a bigger cam put in it along with some better heads (2.02/1.60 valve and 64cc) and a aluminum high rise intake, factory GM off an early vette, and replaced the quadrabomb with a holley 650 double pumper. That lasted about 2 years till I blew out the bottom end and ruined the block and heads, about this time I had my first son and this was my daily driver and all I could afford to do was to put a 305 out of a 77 camaro just to get me back and forth "For now"... (2001) By this time I now Had 2 kids and the Camaro took a back seat to more pressing matters.By this time the TH400 gave way to a TH350 (out of the same 77 Camaro) and I had just put in a brand new crate 350 from GM. Still a daily driver and Not much else has been done to it other than a disc brake upgrade, and polygraphite body mount and suspension bushings. (2003) I finally break down and buy a new car in order to park the Camaro and really go to town on it. and this is how it sat till 2015..... http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pskrk2rdmm.jpg |
(2015) Day one: By this time the car had become little more than a storage shelf and my garage just became a catch all. so after two weekends of cleaning and organizing got it up on some W10x33 I Beam stands I made. I am currently working 6 days a week so this will be a slow process.
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psrs1536zq.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psontihtr8.jpg |
The tear Down: I brace up the trunk and interior with some .120 wall square tube, I will be attaching it to a rotisserie and I don't want to risk any flexing
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pszfqjco5s.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pstxy8zkih.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pswbvdjatn.jpg Building my own rotisserie [URL=http://s1368.photobucket.com/user/Jdodds187/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-05/5E68A960-1A73-4D9C-A21A-7A1CC5C32AB3_zpsjks1orpy.jpg.html] http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psjks1orpy.jpg |
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My harbor freight sand blaster, Does an okay job, not really great for this big of project I came to discover
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psvsnuqmnj.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psrxlnhcmi.jpg I did discover more rust than I would have liked, at one point in this cars life it had a left rear quarter re skinned and not a very good job at that, lots of gaps where water had leaked and rotted out panels (some due to bad weather stripping too) http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9oz4aydv.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psqaxsl2j1.jpg |
awesome build...even better story to go with it! Whats the end game plan?
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Now with the trunk floor swiss cheese and wanting mini tubs I decided to just so a new complete trunk floor and buy a pre-notched one at that. UPS Day !!! :ups:
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psdyy8dize.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pshjg8eozm.jpg the trunk floor and outer wheel houses are from Classic industries and Mini Tubs Detroit Speed. RH wheelhouse I can already see a bit of an issue with the fit. On initial fit up found the issue was with the outer not the Detroit speed peice, Left side went together effortlessly. |
On to the body cart after I came to the conclusion that my sandblaster isn't enough to even get through the seam sealer and most if not all the rusted panels were going to be replaced, I did how ever finish up the sub frame and the under side, I will do the inner part of the quarters once I remove the old quarter panels. and just the rest as I go along, mean while i will use a wire wheel and air sander on the areas that I'm working on as I go.
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psjysvkcph.jpg Got it on the body cart and square and level, then realizes that I'm not at the ride height, was so concerned about square and level that that slipped by...... :badidea: Back to cutting : http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psoazzo012.jpg |
Turns out this trunk floor wasn't notched deep enough,
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psep4bbyv2.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1qjhgqnf.jpg at this point I'm wishing I would have just done a patch to the bat part of the trunk floor. Live and learn:hairpullout: |
Eventually I got everything where it sits square and looks good
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psx7rnghdl.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psoewhhk1u.jpg |
Now back to the rust.... Left side inner rocker, not good not sure how exactly i want to tackle this, completely rotten about 8 to 10 inches deep from the wheelhouse forward.
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pshzxo5y2t.jpg :ups: http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pskd9sljru.jpg Bought the full inner, but I think I will just section back to good steel and maybe all some reinforcement to be safe. This is where I sit for now, soon as I get some more sheet metal I will start on the rocker, want to make sure I have every thing in hand for test fitting. it will probably be a few weeks before I see new quarter panels. :G-Dub: |
Nice first car.
I'll be following along. Love watching progress on rust repairs. |
Nice job! Keep at it and keep the pictures coming.
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I cant get enough of this type of build thread!
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My son following in my foot steps, 2010 SS bought all on his own
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...s0jaxi94i.jpeg |
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Going to build the rear suspension my self, with the help of solid works and torchmate plasma, this was a tri four bar I was working in be for I decided on a three link with a watts link
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pseb0aiywb.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pslmodnqrw.jpg |
Great work so far,nice build on the rotisserie also:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Thanks for the kind words! This won't be a fast build by any means, but I will keep my progress posted, and I'm sure I'll have tons of questions along the way!:cheers:
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Good luck. Looks like you got the talent, throw in a little heart and you have a recipe for success (well a little patience too)....keep the pics coming. Very nice..
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Keep at it --- it's a hobby.... ya just keep plugging away at it as money and time allow. Wish I had some of the cars back that I had when I was a teen! Nice that this means something to you.
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Awesome keep the updates coming!
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The Camaro budget took a hit this weekend, busted water pipe under the foundation of my house......:hairpullout:
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Quote:
As far as what the plan is: Drive train: Going with an LS, will most likely be a pullout that I will build, it will most likely be a truck pull out 6.0l. Trans will probably be a four speed simply due to the fact I work with a ton of dirt track racers and M-21 and M-22s are common with them and I can probably do some horse trading. T-56 might be in the future but who knows. Rear Suspension: I will be doing a 3-link and watts link in the rear, I will be building it myself. I have build many components over the years for friends and have access to all the equipment between work and home. working a deal for a 9" at the moment in trade for the TH350 that I pulled out. Front Suspension: So far not sure, I still need to do my homework. I'm probably just going to fix the geometry on the stock sub frame with changing control arms and going to coilovers. I have not settled on any one kit, it would have to be one that allows wider front wheels (10"). Chassis / Body: I will be tying the sub frame of course, Roll cage will most likely be nothing too major, no 12 point. Paint will most likely be black ( although over the years I have been all over the place with ideas) I seen this car and other than the wheels I think this is what I'm going for. I would like a mix of modern and classic styling. http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4mjmlpum.jpg as far as wheels probably rallies http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psovfwvkvn.jpg Interior: Possibly red leather to look like the factory deluxe option. But that may rest on what color I decided on. |
Glad to see you building this car! Very similar story to mine as I received my car in 1994 on my 13th birthday! Had it ever since.
Like the direction your taking and that you're doing it all yourself. Enjoy the build and I'll be watching! William |
Good luck brother look forward to watching the build.
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Do you happen to have a materials list for your rotisserie? Very cool stuff so far. I like that fact that this is your first car. I still have my first car.
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Here is the plans I made, The material I used was pretty large for something like this, but I do structural steel for a living and this is what we had laying around, Even the bolts I used were some A325's that weren't stored properly so couldn't be used on a building. And it was all welded with 7018! I actually only bought the casters and the rams, the rest I scavenged:secret:
[IMG]http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psb49ajelf.jpg[/IMG] http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psfhe0lou1.jpg |
another thing most of the cut sizes had nothing to do with what was "needed" but instead what was laying around. but it all worked out.
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Nice build! Going to be watching this one. Subscribed!!
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http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pszahm0hif.jpgThe Classic industries Fairy shat in my driveway today! So excite![IMG]http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pscka2l1rq.jpg[/IMG]
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Sweeeet!
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New taillight panel arrived today. Fit pretty good on the mock up!
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psuuxak0y6.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8tfgqr9b.jpg |
Decent fit. Doesn't look like it will take to much to get it fitting perfectly.
Keep at it man. It's looking good!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: |
Subscribed! Keep up the good work. I have a soft spot for first car builds as well.
Scott |
Have you tried to see how the tail lights fit?
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I have not test fit the tail lights aside from the back up lights (turning this in to an RS) my factory tail lights are packed away in storage for the moment and I haven't ordered the RS tail lights as of yet
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Well it's been a few weeks since my last post! But tough work schedule and som sick doggies kept me fro. Being able to do much, so this Sunday I had a narrow window so I decided to take on the inner rocker rust issue, I removed the entire outer rocker to get to the bad area
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psimnksipz.jpg I am only going to section the bad area of the inner rocker, I figure I will patch it and fish plate it with some 10ga just to be sure http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psy1v0lhyx.jpg |
The inner rocker and the inner support were for the most part just one big rust flake.
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pseiamenda.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psimnksipz.jpg |
This inner rocker support or what ever it's called, I could not find anywhere,
http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pstokmvfjj.jpg So I had to build it from scratch http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...psfr5qcubo.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...pspzozmewf.jpg http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2ru29yrd.jpg |
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