Green and Mean - 67

[Dicko]

With the dollar gone to sh1t at the moment, I've been holding off on a large order of bits from the US to make something out of the 69 body I have. Have also been scouring for part built projects etc in the US to use as a donor of good bits, glass, interior etc. A few around but the exchange rate is putting them out of proportion.

So anyway, I came across this the other week on EBAY (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250346063274) (it was also linked in another thread on here).

Got a mate to go and look at it and it seemed pretty accurate to the description given, The paint whilst pretty new isn't perfect. It has heaps of new bits on it like front end rebuilt, new discs & calipers, new shocks & springs. The rear is waaay to high, don 't know what springs they used, maybe out of a big yanky pick up or something. lol. That will be one of the first jobs on the list. It looks like it needs more back spacing on the rear wheels, for 8's they seem to hang out near the outer guard too far.

Otherwise it's pretty complete. I threw in a few more bucks and bought all the new interior panels, dash pad, pillar moulds, front and rear windscreen chrome trims etc the guy had for the car. It stills need a few more things like headliner, carpet & seatbelts. The guy imported it all together and was going to sell the new boxed up interior bits separately.

Apparently the car was getting refurb'ed in a US shop & it went broke. The owner then picked up the car 90% done and all the bits he could find and took it home, got the ****s and sold it.

All up I'm pretty happy, as 26K wouldn't go as far on the 69 at the moment. I'd probably have it about a third of this much completed for the price. I'll put the 69 out the back and keep my eyes open for bits for it, no hurry though, this will keep me amused in the meantime.

I'm not sure of the motor specs, was supposedly rebuilt recently, sounds crisp & fresh. Will pull a head off one day & have a look. (I like knowing these things). :)

It's on it's way up now, should be here on the weekend, It has a ten bolt in it, so I'll be careful after reading of some of you popping them recently.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/IMGP0863.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/IMGP0866.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/IMGP0860.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/IMGP0873.jpg

Also ordered some plates for it.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/BlackSilverSlimlineNoSeperatorWTF67.gif

[67cammy]

Nice one. Dont think Ive ever seen one that high before! will be really nice when you get it sorted. 67 too! Excellent :)

[Nev68]

Crikey, you couldn't buy the parts for that price, Bloody bargain!!:) (and you got all that air under the rear guards in the price :rolleyes: )
I've see a few 1st gen Camaro in the US with that ride height. (never been sure why they do it)

Looks like a big block. Seems to fit under the bonnet too. What capacity?
Manual 'box too, how many cogs?

Rgds,
Nev

[Dicko]

Dave, yep, maybe he was heading off road, lol.

Nev, 4 speed. Supposed to be a 502. Will pull a head off one weekend for a check.

[cluxford]

Absolute bargain, couldn't buy a premium highly desirable 1968 model for that price and one of the few 4x4 camaros in oz :D

[J.J.]

awesome pickup, a stance adjustment and that thing will look killer

[RAW454]

Top work Dicko - I rang that dude as well to discuss getting the trims etc for my 454 '67... But I won't bother buzzing him back now :)

I was also watching it on ebay & can't believe it went for sub-30 (or sub-high30s for that matter!). You've done bloody well my son! Look forward to seeing the progress & feel free to drop us a note if buying any 454 / 67 bits that we can share freight on or whatever... I've got LOTS to do on mine.

[muggz]

Very nice!!
I do like your choice of plate! haha In WA its forbidden to get anything that has reference to swear words. :)
I will be waiting to see the progress on this!

[Dicko]

I think 'cause it was listed the week over Christmas there weren't many buyers about. When it finished around 8.30 new yrs eve I had the kids lined up on the verandah ready to go out and yelling at me to hurry up for a change. I know the seller expected it to go for more.

raw, will keep that in mind.

muggz

Maybe QLD transport don't know what it means. I have teenage girls, I showed them online when I was ordering it and they laughed their heads off and called me a silly old prick.

clux, JJ. Speaking of 4x4 camaros.

Some people get their cars purposes mixed up. Maybe I should do this with the 67 and use it for towing my boat and camping,


http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/68camaro4x4.jpg

And then slam my cruiser into the weeds,

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/slammedcruiser.jpg

[Dicko]

She got in on Saturday. I was speaking to the guy a few times during the trip. He pulled up early in Rocky instead of Mackay to ride out a storm that looked like hail. Nice bloke.

It's not until I drove it off the truck that I relaxed a bit. Even though I checked out the seller as much as possible, got someone to go and verify the car, did the transfer & checked out and organised transport and put some insurance on it through Shannons, I still had a few butterflies.I've never spent that amount of $$ on something I haven't checked out myself. Considering the horror stories about, It's all turned out as well as could be expected. The car's condition was understated by both the seller & my mate who checked it out. I would have gone down myself but my kids have part time jobs over the holidays & I couldn't nick off for 2 or 3 days.

Anyway, better understated than over stated and being disappointed. My mate who checked it for me isn't really a car guy. I mainly got him to verify the seller was real, the car was real & basically check it was in the condition it was advertised with regard to rust etc.

I spent the arvo climbing in, round and under every part of it. Taken all the casting numbers etc to check out what the engine/heads/box etc actually are.

Everything is as described, with new a new disc conversion done up front & new drum gear on the back, new poly joints everywhere in the front end. new springs & shockies all round. New wiring.

Paint/Body is good, needs a bit of panel alignment.

Drivetrain is a bit confusing to work out what it was built for.

Engine whilst fresh, is reasonably mild & good mannered, plenty of torque. 2 inch headers. Pulled a tappet cover off to get the head casting numbers, std rockers, hydraulic lifters. Was hoping to find some rollers & solid lifters as an indication of a more livened up engine. Might spec the cam & throw a compression gauge at it. Not going to pull a head off for a while, getting it ready for rego is first job.

Box looks like a fresh rebuild. Muncie. Steel scattershield was a welcome sight. I don't really see why it's there as the engine is mildish & the diff is only a 10 bolt. I hope they've put a decent clutch in the sucker. Time will tell, I aint pulling the box out till I have to.

Fuel tank is gone & a fuel cell in the boot. Big momma morroso electric pump & a combination of hard alloy& braided fuel line. All good size. I think rego will jerk me on this as I think you have to have an external fill point.

Have a bit to do interior wise, got most bits sent extra with the car, still need a couple more things plus seat belts etc.

A few things are a bit rough, but all in all, am very happy.

I took it for a couple of quick drives up the street this arvo, lots of nice, easy, lazy style pull. Mechanical clutch & old school shifter linkages felt like I was reliving my youth. Needs some time spent in this area to smoothen things up.

Haven't had a big block before, glad I have now. Nothing frightens small children and terrifies little old ladies more than the rumble of a big block.

On Sunday morning I looked at that arse end 3ft in the air and it gave me cold shivers, I couldn't look at it like that anymore.

Pulled 2 of the 5 leaves out of the rear springs.

It came down, but would like it down another inch or so. The springs are new, so I wont muck around much more till they settle a bit.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/67026.jpg

[cluxford]

Dicko, great buy...looks pretty clean for all thigs considered. Bet your happy to be on the road !!!

[Mozzie71]

awesome purchase! i actually checked out the auction before it ended and had a little mid-day wet dream.

Good on ya!

[AUSCAMARO]

NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.....

Like most, I spotted this and thought it would be a nice buy..

Mitch

[Dicko]

Been playing around with this over the last couple of months. Getting it all finished off ready for rego & compliance was the first job, that's all done.

I wanted a baseline before I started messing around with it, so I took it for a run out the drags a couple of mths ago. First time I've taken a car down the strip in over 20 years. lol

Now, you drag guys,,,,.. be prepared for much awesomeness.
(I can't find the tickets but it went something like this)

1st run 15.2 with a 2.6 60ft
2nd run 14.4 with a 2.5 60ft
3rd run 13.9 with a 2.4 60ft

all at just over 100mph.

Keep in mind our track in Townsville has often been called a goat track and noted for being slippery so I started off quite gentle, but had to get even gentler each time. I felt like an old granny starting. It was slippery as buggery, especially on the 245 BFG's. I should have kept going though, If I kept improving at the rate of 1 second quicker per run, I would have been in the 10's in just 3 more runs. :D

Anyway, a week or 2 later I decided to pull a head off for a look inside to see what I'm starting with. Was all in good nick, very fresh, but also very stock.

I measured up everything, it's a 454, 30 thou over. small valve oval port heads & a baby cam. Static Compression is just over 8:1. The big chambered heads really kill these things with flat top pistons.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/IMAGE_00115.jpg


I had a couple of bucks left in the car fund & was about to get a set of small chambered alloy heads to give it some compression, a solid roller cam & lifters & a nice intake but pulled the plug on it.


Without pulling it out and stripping it down properly to see what the bottom end was like I didn't feel happy, so I put it back together. Also the 10 bolt out the back had to be replaced If I wanted to liven the motor up & get some traction with some slicks or drag radials.

I don't want the fastest thing around, just a nice, understressed mid 11 sec rig. I hate breaking stuff. (Sh*t, I had a mid 12 sec HT monaro over 20 yrs ago that was bloody quick back then. These days it would hardly rate a mention. ..oh, how times have changed. lol)

So I've started at the back instead.

Got a new carrier & 31 spline detroit locker ready to go in

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/dicko001.jpg

Got hold of a competion engineering fabricated housing like this & some moser billet axles.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/cee-9100_w.jpg

Getting the bearing ends & spring mounts welded on next week. Putting some mounts on for the calipers as well. Should have it together in the next week or 2 then get a new tailshaft made up with 1350 yokes & unis.

Also sold the set of 15" TT2's that were on it and replaced them with a set of coys, 18x8's up front & 18x9.5 on the rear.

I did the ghetto trick and cut one coil out of each of the front springs. It'll do for now, might get a nicer set later on.

Have dropped the rear another inch, The bigger tyres have filled the guards up neater. Will fiddle with the ride height a little more when I change the diff. The new diff will be 1/2" narrower per side, I got the backspace on these wheels to suit that. They'll tuck inside the guards a bit more than they are now.

So that's the budget out the window for a while. Got to fill the bank account back up so I can do the engine properly..... Don't hold your breath.

Took it out for a drive this arvo and snapped off a couple of pics. I'm no automotive photographer genius.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/DSCF6544.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/DSCF6503.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Barry_Mundi/DSCF6530.jpg

[AUSCAMARO]

WOW, the Coys make a real difference to the styling... She's looking sweet now.

Definately one of the best bargains around this thing!!

Mitch

[USA-69Z]

Looks unreal !

[RAW454]

Sweet progress there Dicko! Great to see the huge potential aleady being tapped into! What size rubber & backspace you running on the choice new rollers?

[Dicko]

Thanks guys.

RAW, 275/40/18 on the rear & 235/40/18 front.

rear is 5" b/s. but will come in 1/2" with new diff. front is 4.5" b/s. getting a bit of rubbing on the fronts. still have to fiddle a bit more.

[WILD68]

Looking sweet Dicko, good on ya!

[J.J.]

man that looks so much better. it's amazing what a stance adjustment and rim change can do to a car.

[EAT-30T]

Looking great there man!! :)

[Dicko]

Thanks guys. It's getting there. You can't tell from the pics but there's no headlining in it yet, and still some more interior work to do. Plus various other odds & ends.

I'd like to get rid of that made up panel in the centre of the dash, but they've cut out parts of the original dash and covered it over with that. Duuno what to do with that yet. still thinking on it.

[*rayman*]

What about running one of these panels from Covan's with some Auto meters?

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/ccl-110-67-50952_w.jpg

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CCL%2D110%2D67%2D50952&N=700+4294822086+115&autoview=sku

[Dicko]

That looks the goods.

Just went onto their site. They come in a few finishes. black, brushed alloy, or carbon fibre.

I already have all the gauges, they're just mounted separately down below that panel

[chevguy]

Cars coming up a treat bud,just read most of this thread and man you got it for a bargain,well done.

[GM064]

Nice car, looks like its coming together very well. What will you be doing with your 10 bolt once you install the 9 inch? Is it for sale, and if so what ratio is it? I missed out on one the other day on Ebay, I am chasing a set of 3.08 or 2.73 gears; but will take a complete diff if I have to.

Cheers

Greg.

[dazzad888]

Looks Good All Jokes Aside, Clean Is The Main Thing, Plenty Of Potential That For Sure