2nd Chance Camaro - Let the Project Begin

[Mick Mc]

Originally Posted by syborg tt

2nd Chance Camaro - Cutting out the Stock Wheel Tubs at US Collision

Cutting out the Stock Wheel Tubs at US Collision
Posted: Oct 26, 2011 www.2ndchancecamaro.com

Good Morning All,

Now that the Camaro is at Mario's we can start getting the car ready for the new BF Goodrich KDW2
Tires. The plan for the car is to be street worthy and not look like every other Camaro being built right
now. First and foremost it has to be comfortable to drive and not attract the attention of every Law
Enforcement officer on the road.

Mario did all the work getting the tubs removed and trust me I heard all about how the instructions
sucked and that the DVD wasn't much help either. So I did jump in the car and headed over to his
shop and together we were able to figure out what they wanted us to do.

Step 1:
Trim using the provided templates



Step 2. Cutting the floor.
It doesn't have to be a snug tight fit as the new piece that you will be welding to the floor will take up
some of the gap. Also when you clamp the new wheel tub to the vertical piece it will close up any gap
that may be there. (( Picture will be posted later ))



Mario doing what he does best -- did I mention he called me and my car a bunch of names.



Step 3: Remove Wheel Tub
Make sure there is plenty of clearance to get the new tubs in. That's it - it's that simple.



Step Four: Final Test Fit
Make sure you can slide the new tub in and out easily. If not remove more metal.



Mario did his best to take a couple pictures. Seems Kenny and him are both Experts on the Camera.




Next step is to haul the car to Pro-Tek Powder Coating to for Media Blasting.

All I can say is Mario is a great guy and I can't wait to ride with him to BBT Fab. I am certain that
ride is going to be entertaining.

Well that install seemed easy...


Mick

[syborg tt]

2nd Chance Camaro - Size Does Matter - Which in the end might not Matter
Size Does Matter- Which in the end might not Matter

Posted: Nov 04, 2011 www.2ndchancecamaro.com

Last week I was looking at the tires stored in Mario's 69 Camaro. I couldn't help but notice that his tire
looked skinny compared to the 335 BFG tire sitting in my garage. I kept telling Mario that my 335 was
much bigger then his 345 and he said no way. So I took his tire home to find out if I was correct. I figured
a side by side test would be the only way to prove that the BFG KDW 2 are indeed bigger.

Left: BFG 335 35 18 ( 14" Wide )
Middle: Michelin 345 __ 19 ( 13" Wide )
Right: BFG 295 35 18 ( 12" Wide )




Close up of the BFG 335 & Michelin 345 -- The BFG is 1" Wider




Close Up of the Michelin 345 & the BFG 295 -- Not much of a difference



The BFG 335 height compared to the BFG 295 - you can see the difference is much greater

Also the height is much taller on the Michelin.





The plan has to been to run the 295's on the street and the 335's for Good-Guys events. In the end I may only be able to run the 295 on the back of 2nd Chance Camaro because I can't get the bracket from DSE.

Why you ask ?
The Mini-Tubs I purchased from DSE will fit the 335's. However, since I didn't buy there complete leaf spring conversion kit I am unable to purchase the front offset sping pocket I need to complete the conversion. Where I am confused is I can buy offset shackle & spring perch's but not the lower spring pocket - odd. I had the Allen (really nice sales guy) ask Kyle if I could purchase them and Kyle said no dice which kinda sucks.

So now I may be forced to run only the 295's full time. So Buyer Beware if buy the DSE Mini-Tubs you are going to have to make your own lower mounts for the front or by one of there 3 kits DSE offers. Sometimes you
win sometimes you lose.

I do have a couple Options

Option A:
Buy there Mini-Tub Kit # 041221 $1699.00 which doesn't include Leaf Springs & Shocks which will give you an 1.5" drop and then sell the other parts you don't need. Seems expensive but it's only money and you can't take it with you.

Option B:
Would be to have a local fab shop make a set of offset shackle mounts to complete the conversion. If I go this route I will make a couple extra to help out the two other guys I know that are in the same boat as me.

[MarkM66]

That bugs me when places won't piece out their "kits".

Price it to make money (that's what it's all about right?), either people will buy it, or they won't...

I'd probably just make or have the front shackles made. Have you searched the 2nd gen forums? I'd think someone else may have been down this road..

[MarkM66]

I found this in another post about the front shackles:

"another way is to just flip sides.

The right pocket goes on the inside of the drivers side frame and visa versa. Make mounts for it and reinforce the floor. You have to move the dif and rear mounts in equally too. A better solution would be running a link type suspension."

[coolwelder62]

Originally Posted by syborg tt

2nd Chance Camaro - Size Does Matter - Which in the end might not Matter

Size Does Matter- Which in the end might not Matter

Posted: Nov 04, 2011 www.2ndchancecamaro.com

Last week I was looking at the tires stored in Mario's 69 Camaro. I couldn't help but notice that his tire looked skinny compared to the 335 BFG tire sitting in my garage. I kept telling Mario that my 335 was much bigger then his 345 and he said no way. So I took his tire home to find out if I was correct. I figured a side by side test would be the only way to prove that the BFG KDW 2 are indeed bigger.

Left: BFG 335 35 18 ( 14" Wide )
Middle: Michelin 345 __ 19 ( 13" Wide )
Right: BFG 295 35 18 ( 12" Wide )




Close up of the BFG 335 & Michelin 345 -- The BFG is 1" Wider




Close Up of the Michelin 345 & the BFG 295 -- Not much of a difference



The BFG 335 height compared to the BFG 295 - you can see the difference is much greater




Also the height is much taller on the Michelin.





The plan has to been to run the 295's on the street and the 335's for Good-Guys events. In the end I may only be able to run the 295 on the back of 2nd Chance Camaro because I can't get the bracket from DSE.

Why you ask ?
The Mini-Tubs I purchased from DSE will fit the 335's. However, since I didn't buy there complete leaf spring conversion kit I am unable to purchase the front offset sping pocket I need to complete the conversion. Where I am confused is I can buy offset shackle & spring perch's but not the lower spring pocket - odd. I had the Allen (really nice sales guy) ask Kyle if I could purchase them and Kyle said no dice which kinda sucks.

So now I may be forced to run only the 295's full time. So Buyer Beware if buy the DSE Mini-Tubs you are going to have to make your own lower mounts for the front or by one of there 3 kits DSE offers. Sometimes you
win sometimes you lose.

I do have a couple Options

Option A:
Buy there Mini-Tub Kit # 041221 $1699.00 which doesn't include Leaf Springs & Shocks which will give you an 1.5" drop and then sell the other parts you don't need. Seems expensive but it's only money and you can't take it with you.

Option B:
Would be to have a local fab shop make a set of offset shackle mounts to complete the conversion. If I go this route I will make a couple extra to help out the two other guys I know that are in the same boat as me.

Marty bring the car down I can move the frame rail in so you can run the 335.or you can install the new ridetech 4-bar rear suspension which will let you run a 335 also.Call me Bud.

[syborg tt]

Originally Posted by coolwelder62

Marty bring the car down I can move the frame rail in so you can run the 335.or you can install the new ridetech 4-bar rear suspension which will let you run a 335 also.Call me Bud.

Thank you for the offer brother you are the best.

However the Good news is I am dropping the car off at High Speed Welding Monday morning for them to move the sping pocket over & finish the exhaust & the Bike rack.

[syborg tt]

2nd Chance Camaro - Putting the Car on the Rotisserie

Putting the Car on the Rotisserie
*Posted: Nov Oct 31, 2011 www.2ndchancecamaro.com

Time has finally come to get the car on the rotisserie. I really want to see what is hiding under the 40 year old
paint job. Mario from US Collision was kind enough to loan me his rotisserie as we are really trying to keep this car
on a budget.

We made a couple modification to Rotisserie to make sure the car was securely mounted and wouldn't fall on Jay
the media blaster. He's got a family and I wouldn't want to be the guy who's car fell on him crushing him.* First thing
we did was to add legs to the Front End Dolly so we could slide the car onto the lift instead of bolting it directly to the lift.





I purchased the larger tube from a trailer shop. They use it to make trailer hitches so there is no seam on the inside
and it make for a nice tight fit.



Once I hauled the car over to High Speed Welding Dennis quickly made up these support brackets to take the load
off the lower body mounts. It's amazing how much the chassis mounts flexed or should I say bend when it's be
supported by the factory mounts.



Getting the rear on the Rotisserie was pretty easy with the help of a chain hoist and a couple guys from the shop.
However, It did cost me breakfast and yes that is the subframe back from Pro-Tek. Super Clean and getting ready
for some clean up work.



In the rear we used the rear spring shackle mount to anchor the car to the rotisserie.



Four Hours later back in the trailer and heading to Pro-Tek Powder Coating to get stripped off all it's paint.



Dennis also put a couple extra welds on to prevent the car from sliding around. When the car is off the lift for the last
time I will just grind the welds off and it will be back to the way it was when I picked it up from Mario.





www.boommat.com

[syborg tt]

2011 12-06 Update - ProTek Powder Coating Time for Media Blasting Part 3

2011 12-06 Update - ProTek Powder Coating Time for Media Blasting Part 3
Posted: Dec 06, 2011 www.2ndchancecamaro.com

Good Evening All,

Getting closer and the car looks really nice

www.propowder.com











Pictures hosted by www.garagescene.net

[cencalc6]

Nice progress! The Car looks very Solid...

[syborg tt]

2nd Chance Camaro - Heading Back to US Collision Part 1

2011 12-09 Update - Heading Back to US Collision Part 1
Posted: Dec 09, 2011 www.2ndchancecamaro.com

Good Morning All,

The car is complete and heading back to US Collision for primer.



Getting the car in the trailer was easy. About a year ago my buddy Don at Village Auto installed an electric winch.



Time to remove all of the original caulk.





Close up of the only body damage on the shell.



You can see the trunk floor has a little wrinkle in it. I might leave it there after we replace the tail panel. You have to keep some of the cars history.



I want to thank Jay for doing such a great job on the car.

www.propowder.com

Pictures hosted by www.garagescene.net