Introducing "TRACKDAY", 1968 Camaro

[awr68]

Very cool! I'm having a good time watching this one come together! It will be on the road real soon!!

[JeffT]

Congrats on your first "driveway cruise"!

It's very hard to tell the health due to sound quality over the internet. Be sure to check your dist. cap/rotor and route the new plug wires as cleanly as possible and away from the header tubes. I wouldn't want them touching the tubes even with those high heat boot covers on them. If the new plug wires don't help, I'd suggest a compression check or better yet a leak down check before dropping the $$$ on MSD stuff that may not be the cure to your prob.

[AALynch]

Looks great! I'm also 23 years old, but I've had my 69 Camaro for 9 years now...I've unbolted every single bolt on the car, so a little more work than you, but I'm still on stock CA's/front suspension...at least I have the motor out of the way!!!

Keep the posts coming...

[sik68]

Originally Posted by AALynch

...at least I have the motor out of the way!!!

Keep the posts coming...

Well we now have something in common.



So it sounded like I was running on 7 cylinders. Thats because one of the spark plugs was submerged in antifreeze. And actually, I took my passenger header off and and 2 ounces of fluid dripped from the pipe. As this is my second try with mating the heads to the deck, I'm pretty sure the 40-year-old deck is bad.

Meet my latest batch of oil that I found the day after Christmas:


In my own sick, twisted way though, I was happy...an excuse to rip out the engine, rebuild it, and go with a solid roller cam and a bunch more compression. Besides, I have a 5 speed on my shelf!

So today, I got my grandpa's "cherry picker" and went to town on pulling the 327/TH350.



The hard part is getting everything ready for the pull, it took 1/2 the day...yanking the engine only took 20 mins.



So, here they sit, torn apart on such short notice. But drastic times call for drastic measures:



Please stay tuned, as I am making a decision very soon on whether to go with a solid roller 350, built by Rex Hutchinson Racing in Sacramento (using my heads/manifold), or overhaul my existing 327 with block work and a solid roller, built by a more pedestrian, local machine shop.

Things just went to the next level.

[will69camaro]

Well sorry for the news about the motor but it'll be fun upgrading. I dont know what I'd do honestly. I mean what is the cost difference in the two motors? You could always go cheap and do a basic build on the 327 and save cash for a diff motor later. Money saved now can turn into a MUCH nicer motor later without putting you in the hole now. Car will be plenty fun for a bit I'm sure with the nice suspension and brakes and a rebuilt 327 with heads/cam/intake.

Just my thoughts on it.

[sik68]

Originally Posted by will69camaro

Well sorry for the news about the motor but it'll be fun upgrading. I dont know what I'd do honestly. I mean what is the cost difference in the two motors? You could always go cheap and do a basic build on the 327 and save cash for a diff motor later. Money saved now can turn into a MUCH nicer motor later without putting you in the hole now. Car will be plenty fun for a bit I'm sure with the nice suspension and brakes and a rebuilt 327 with heads/cam/intake.

Just my thoughts on it.

Ugh! That's exactly my dilemma. I could get the 327 rebuilt for about $2000, but the impression I got meeting with them wasn't so positive. I don't think they build too many performance engines. For $4500, Rex will take my shortblock on trade and assemble my engine with their stout 350 shortblock, 230ish solid roller, test my heads and assemble my engine.

So I am doing it right, and going with the 350. I could always think of more exotic combos, but this engine is the perfect combination of affordable and badass. The engine should be done in February. I'm broke, but so pumped.

[Josh69]

There is always a silver lining right? Keep up the enthusiasm though, it'll pan out. I'm a younger fella too, but you have me by a few years. I got my car running this summer after a year and a half, only to have to pull the motor out due to a pesky leak, that turned out to be the freeze plug behind the camshaft popped out (Pontiac block). Yay, burnt oil an my new exhaust and coated headers, and a full oil bath for the rest of the chassis.

Oh well, it's part and parcel of hot-rodding!

Happy New Year!
Josh