Updates to the LM7-67 Camaro

[itsals1]

Then why is the Speed-Tech uppers,vs. RideTech? I've been looking at both and was thinking of using Speed-Tech uppers(like you have)lowers and the Chicane kit,with the RideTech front sway bar, not sure now. Now I'm watching your progress to determine if I will do this or something differnt.

Travis

[LM7_67]

Originally Posted by itsals1

Then why is the Speed-Tech uppers,vs. RideTech? I've been looking at both and was thinking of using Speed-Tech uppers(like you have)lowers and the Chicane kit,with the RideTech front sway bar, not sure now. Now I'm watching your progress to determine if I will do this or something differnt.

Travis

Those are the high-clearance Speedtech uppers. They offer more tire clearance than the other UCAs out there.

[LM7_67]

Well, everything fell into place to start the assembly process this weekend. Just waiting on getting my coil overs back from Bilstein, which should be middle of next week.

This is where we started Saturday morning.


New subframe going in...


Shortly before I called it quits for the evening.


Will be back at it tomorrow. I figure mechanicals this weekend, sheetmetal the next, and I'll be in good shape to make my goal.

[LM7_67]

Making progress....

Sunday afternoon:


Before going to work on Monday:

[Tuske427]

looking good! Making good progress

[LM7_67]

Another productive weekend...

Assembled most of the suspension Saturday, and this is where we started Sunday morning.


Shortly before calling it quits Sunday evening. I can't believe it looks like a car again. I am so ready to drive it.


Just an interesting perspective. Finally figured out how much air cleaner to hood clearance there actually is. Way more than I thought.




The plan is finish putting it together, alignment, emissions, drive it to Jerome on Saturday, and a SCCA event on Sunday.

[Chad-1stGen]

Looks great! I'm excited for you.

What happened to the splined sway bar? Is that a phase 2 item or did the crank pulley interfere?

Also, did you paint or powdercoat the frame?

[LM7_67]

Originally Posted by Chad-1stGen

Looks great! I'm excited for you.

What happened to the splined sway bar? Is that a phase 2 item or did the crank pulley interfere?

Also, did you paint or powdercoat the frame?

Wanna talk about excitement? I started it this morning!! I sure have missed that sound...

Uhh.. both.

It's powdercoated.

[LM7_67]

So I fired her up yesterday morning and got to drive her around today!! 5 months and 12 days since I last drove it; it's good to be back.

Drove around today with the front end looking like this. And expired tags. Surprised I didn't get any attention from the police.


And what's hiding in here....


Complete with a Hot Rod Magazine-style to-do list.


This whole process has shown me what career I want to pursue: restoration parts. You can make parts that aren't even close to accurate, and everyone just accepts it. Not one single reproduction part I had to buy for this project has fit without modification.

[LM7_67]

Whew, this weekend was certainly an adventure. So Friday night I just had a couple things left to button up/check over before cruising to Jerome (small mining town in Northern AZ) on Saturday. Car is running well, and I foresee no issues for the weekend. So we do a little of this:


Have some lunch in Jerome, and on the way back down, I see the car's running a little lean. Didn't think much of it until we got stuck in traffic on I-17, basically a stand-still, and the car barely wants to idle. Wide band is showing 20+ AFR. Oh ****. 3 miles and 45 minutes later, we get cruising again and I make it home. I tinker with the carb some... no help. Thinking it might be an ignition problem, I head to Autozone for new plugs. As soon as I get out of the car, I hear hisssssssssssssss. Something went through my tire and created a large enough hole to hear it without listening for it. Double ****. Immediately head home so I don't get stranded there with a flat. Just about ready to say **** it considering I have to be up at 4:30 Sunday morning. But, I headed back to Autozone to get a tire plug kit and the spark plugs. Get home and pull the offending object out of my tire:


Can someone please tell me how you get a 5" long drill bit to go through your tire blunt end first? After fighting with the plug kit and down to my second to last plug, I finally get the tire to hold air. Change the spark plugs and see if it makes a difference. Nope, still super lean. Triple ****. I adjust the idle screws on the car waayyy out to get the thing close to a good afr. Still sounds weird, but better. Take it for a test drive around the block, and the stupid thing is now really rich! Put the idle screws back about where they were before and now it idles well and has a good afr. I guess the idle circuit got semi-clogged from sitting for 5 months and just needed to be cleared out. So I finally make it to bed about midnight, and sure enough, can't fall asleep.

4:30am comes way to quickly. Check the air in the plugged tire, see that it's still good, and hit the road for Tucson. The car runs great all the way there, and I get to do this all day:




Drive it back home Sunday afternoon with no issues at all. Roughly 500 miles on it in a weekend, 2 weeks after starting to put it back together. Success.