Camaro build from Texas, BRNAGN has started the transformation...

[sleepertime]

It started out in 1982 at the age of fourteen I got the bug for hotrods... My father’s job required him to transfer the family to Huntington Beach California from a small town in Texas. I was fortunate enough to get a job working for a neighbor down the street doing various mechanic type jobs. It might have been a complete automatic transmission rebuild one week, the next might be an engine rebuild and the next might be a complete paint job on a car. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see a lot of different types of cars and work while working with him. I saved enough money to buy two wrecked 1969 Camaros for $500.00. I was able to coble the two together and build a sbc 350 and turbo 350 auto transmission for the car. We ended up painting it 1977 Corvette yellow. It was not quite running when we painted it but I figured it would not take too much to finish it up. Several weeks before we were due to paint it, I got the news that the family was moving back to Texas, so the rush was on to get the car painted. The moving truck literally arrived the day after we pulled the car out of the booth. We pushed it inside and it was strapped down for the ride back to Texas.
I completed the car just after getting my drivers license and drove it all thru high school. I ended up parking it a few years later after I started doing paint and body work, thinking I’d get started on a real restoration soon…
Well life happened and the next thing you know, a wife and two kids and all the rest of the stuff that happens 18 years later I got the bug to work on it. I loaded it on the trailer and brought it home from my parent’s house. That was in 2006, flash forward to the present, my son turns fourteen this year, same age as when I bought the car. Winter of 2010, we got that old engine fired up and running after 21 years. We tore the car down and realized the car was worse off than expected. We decided to go for a professional opinion on the replacement of the metal of the car, after much thought we decided to rebuild it as a pro street type car to be driven often and put thru the ringer that I could only dream of years earlier.

[Ralphlovs72chev]

Cool story. Those were the days when you could buy 2 69s for 500.00. I loved the 80s for that reason. Im glad you kept your car all this time. I wish i could have done the same. Now im starting over. Keep the updates coming.

[sleepertime]

I am currently working on getting the new sheet metal lined up on the front end, hanging the fenders and and then working on the header and valance panel. I got the engine fitted up with at least 3/4" clearance around the LS1 and T-56 and the tunnel. It felt strange tuning the new metal with a large hammer and blocks and then coming back and cutting out for the shifter... As I've told many people, it's just a really big 3D jigsaw puzzle...

[JON Q]

I believe I saw ur car at Camaro Concepts, with Roy..

[sleepertime]

Many thanks to Roy, Dennis, Daniel and James over at Camaro Concepts, those guys did a great job in a matter of thirteen weeks. I am very satisfied with the work that they did. I would not have a problem recommending the shop in the future.

[whitey02]

Have you got any more build pictures?

[sleepertime]

Here are a few, more to come...

My current parts list consists of:
• All new metal.
• Black reclining Corbeau sport seats with the double slides.
• Five point red Corbeau harnesses with camlock releases.
• Rebuilt factory tilt column.
• Red carbon face VHX series Dakota Digital gauges.
• Vintage air Gen IV SureFit AC system.
• LS1 w/ T56 manual transmission.
• TCI Engineering’s front suspension package. With adjustable coilovers and driveshaft loop.
• TCI Engineering’s rear 4 link with mini tubs, sub-frame connectors, sway bar, and adjustable coilovers.
• Narrowed 12 bolt rear end with strange axles and true trac unit.
• Nitto Invo. Front tires 245/40/18, Rear tires 315/25/19 mounted on Corvette grand sport wheels.
• Ricks stainless tank with upgraded pump.
• New windshield, and smoked glass all around.
• New weather stripping and seals thru out.
• Complete Stainless steel bolt kit.
Wilwood slotted and drilled power disks front and rear.

[orangevert]

Originally Posted by sleepertime

Here are a few, more to come...

My current parts list consists of:
• All new metal.
• Black reclining Corbeau sport seats with the double slides.
• Five point red Corbeau harnesses with camlock releases.
• Rebuilt factory tilt column.
• Red carbon face VHX series Dakota Digital gauges.
• Vintage air Gen IV SureFit AC system.
• LS1 w/ T56 manual transmission.
• TCI Engineering’s front suspension package. With adjustable coilovers and driveshaft loop.
• TCI Engineering’s rear 4 link with mini tubs, sub-frame connectors, sway bar, and adjustable coilovers.
• Narrowed 12 bolt rear end with strange axles and true trac unit.
• Nitto Invo. Front tires 245/40/18, Rear tires 315/25/19 mounted on Corvette grand sport wheels.
• Ricks stainless tank with upgraded pump.
• New windshield, and smoked glass all around.
• New weather stripping and seals thru out.
• Complete Stainless steel bolt kit.
Wilwood slotted and drilled power disks front and rear.

Nice list of parts,

How are the AMD fenders lining up?

[sleepertime]

I just got the fenders and inner fenders together and hanging on the car, the drivers side is being a little more trouble but it's going in the right direction. I did have to do some minor trimming of the inner fender to clear the "TCI" subframe. The next few days I am planning on getting the valance and header panel in and see how things look.

[sleepertime]

I have been busy the last few days getting some metal hung and aligned...