'68 Camaro - Another one?! Again?! Really?

[Leroy Rochester]

Initially, I also did my little tribute to Uncle Dick... But I've kind of moved away from running it and figured I could pick up the difference with the adjustable upper arms, ball joint and some mondern spindles, etc. like the ride tech kit.

[dug]

I applaud GM for such pretty welds in that last pic……

Cool story and I'm eager to see this one roll along.

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by Leroy Rochester

Phase 1 -

Drivetrain, suspension and brake upgrades.

Rust repair and bodywork necessary to effect the upgrades.

Goal - running driving car and a platform for future upgrades.


I know, I know... You guys are like "Dude! A 570" big block and a T101A aren't exactly what I'd call 'daily-driver' stuff..."

Initially, I wanted a cool weekend bomber I could run up and down PCH with and have a little fun laying tire in then neigborhood along with a Saturday morning swing by Adams Ave. Donuts occasionally. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to drive the car like a "real car". So obviously the Merlin had to go.

I am still very attached to running the T101A in the car, although popular opinion is I will want to shoot myself after a month of driving it with the dog-box. I just miss my Jerico from the '67 and haven't been able to get over that yet.

About the time I'd sobered up and decided the 570 wasn't the right direction, another buddy decided that he didn't want to go ahead with the LS2 project in his '67 Chevy pickup. This ended up at my house...

I'm bummed you tossed the 570 but at least you kept the T101A.

[Leroy Rochester]

Originally Posted by Flash68

I'm bummed you tossed the 570 but at least you kept the T101A.

Yeah, the 570 would have been bitchin' but that was the motor out of my race boat. It had been blown up and reassembled repeatedly. I finally got to the point where I decided that I was tired of paying idiots to put it together for me, so I got an idiot to do it for free... That's the first four stroke motor I ever assembled myself. Last I heard, it's up in Yuba City in a street race car now...

And I'll admit, I'm on the fence about the T101A on the street, but I miss my Jerico sooooo much! I have to give it a shot. I can always do something different if that doesn't work out.

With the race car, I had a tripple disk 7.25" clutch and basically slipped the rear tires rather than the clutch anytime I left in the car...

You have a Jerico in your car right?! What was it like driving it on the street?

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by Leroy Rochester

You have a Jerico in your car right?! What was it like driving it on the street?

I have a T101A also and loved every minute of it on the street and track. I plan to continue to do so.

What I am really excited/worried about is the Tilton 7.25 triple I will be using for the first time... that will be interesting.

[Leroy Rochester]

Originally Posted by Flash68

I have a T101A also and loved every minute of it on the street and track. I plan to continue to do so.

What I am really excited/worried about is the Tilton 7.25 triple I will be using for the first time... that will be interesting.

That's what I ran in the '67. I don't remember it being all that bad to modulate, but then like I said, I did quite enjoy slipping the rear tires rather than the clutch anytime I left in the car. But that could just be proof that even though we have to grow old, we never have to grow up...

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by Leroy Rochester

That's what I ran in the '67. I don't remember it being all that bad to modulate, but then like I said, I did quite enjoy slipping the rear tires rather than the clutch anytime I left in the car. But that could just be proof that even though we have to grow old, we never have to grow up...

I think we speak the language. If it ain't buckin, chirpin, makin all kinds of bad noises, then I ain't happy.

[intocarss]

Originally Posted by Flash68

I think we speak the language. If it ain't buckin, chirpin, makin all kinds of bad noises, then I ain't happy.

YEAH BABY YEAH, MAKES YOU FEEL ALIVE!!!

What little time i had with my Jerico and Tilton 7.25 triple .....I LOVED IT. But I wouldn't want to drive it in traffic.. Just spin the tires to get her moving.. We'll be together again soon

[Leroy Rochester]

All right... Was out in the garage today for a bit, a hour or so under the car made me realize I had to undo the last 6 or so hours of work I've put in on it... But here's some more "and then..." photos from a year-ish ago.

The firewall repaint was done with and eye towards "not going to paint what you can't see" and the notion that this will all eventually come apart and be done right sometime in the future, or it will end up being a racecar afterall, and then I can invoke the 50-50 rule and go have a sammich!

[Leroy Rochester]

I guess I should mention that at that point, I was still planning on running the big motor, so there was a fair amount of test fitting. Bought a really bitchen pan from Stef's so I could run the wide rail block in the stock stub. The motor is gone, but I still have the pan!

I was also still planning on running manual rack at this point.