Removal and Cleanup
 

So i cut the tops of each side wrapper as I wanted to preserve date codes on the metal, top piece of the cowl and the Dash as its really the top piece of metal that goes over the cowl. These show the sand blasted cowl, donor top cowl, and original dash.

Finished
 

This shows the adding of the side wrappers with butt welds that are ground smooth and replication of all the original spot welds across the cowl. What this also doesnt show is alot of hammer and dolly work on the parts of the firewall that were not perfectly flat, but now are.

Top cowl when in first, followed by the dash, then last was the side wrappers

Very cool!! If you ever need an extra hand, I think I live 5 minutes from you.:hmmm:

Great find & amazing fix skills Rick,and that color alone solidifies it as a Super Sport too...pics from my collection and flipped too.

Nice work..

To try and answer questions posed by GMC Typhoon and jer earlier in this thread, the SS396 option on the two 300 Deluxe models (coupe and sedan) was not as unknown to many Chevrolet dealers as were the COPO cars. As Mitch pointed out, it was only available in the 1969 model year, intended to be in direct competition with the very popular Plymouth Road Runner and Dodge Super Bee. Problem was that while the Road Runner and Super Bee were a new concept in the 1968 model year, the Chevrolet Super Sport models had been around for a number of years as top-of-the-line offerings, with high grade interior trim and extra exterior ornamentation. Chevrolet customers were accustomed to this higher level of content on Super Sports, so when the lesser equipped 300 Deluxe Super Sports came out, they were not well received by the Chevrolet crowd.

As far as the L78 and L89 option availability, they were clearly listed on the back side of the order form as being available, and perhaps some dealerships didn't look at the back side of the order form, thinking all available options were on the front side. Any dealer that stocked or sold high performance cars certainly knew of those options, as they were both around for the 1968 model year also.

So im out on Dutch lane not to far of Dee Mack Rd. I appreciate the help but my parents moved into the are right as covid hit so I have dad now 10mins away. He has his own shop, a collection full of cars, and cars in process too. He just finished a 68 Chevelle L78, is now right in the middle of a 66 L78, and has started another 67 SS Red on Red car. If your out my way and see me working out side your welcome to stop in. Address is 30505.

Any updates Rick?

Lost a Comp Solid Lifter Cam
 

Dave, Thats a great question. Ive been doing body panel alignment, and I had to find another drivers door because of how badly damaged the original door was. More to come!

The one thing that has been keeping me busy is i helped my dad start a 396 solid lifter motor. We have done dozens of motors over the years. Were extremely careful about how we restore, check and assemble our engines. We were warned about 3 weeks ago that several other folks doing 396 and 427 engines are wiping out cams, specifically COMP during break. We kinda shrugged the idea off, but ultimately after only 15mins of run time we wiped our cam as well. The situation is enough to make ya sick. In this case the motor was on a run stand.

The ultimate frustration is my 66 has the same cam/lifters, as well as dads 68 l78. Both cars are completely finished, and yes we plan to rip them both completely out of the cars and apart to remove the cams and try something new.

I must have spoken to about a dozen different smaller cam companys this past week. I even spent some time on the phone with Comp. I was rather shocked at the things i learned from the Comp tech. I learned enough to know a Comp cam will not go into another one of my motors. The warranty guys hung up on me when i expressed my displeasure for my time and money i spent. The comical thing was the warranty guy at comp was disappointed in me for not trying to start the other two motors.

I hope all of you on this site read this and it gives you good food for thought when selecting parts for your cars/restorations.

Eric Jackson of Vintage Musclecar Parts had a batch of cams ground by Bullet Cams. I bought (and installed) one of those cams in the original L78 for my Camaro. I have not started the engine mind you.

On a different note, I have installed some Comp cams in the last few years with good results (fingers crossed). Having said that, I am using EDM lifters in those installations.

Perhaps Eric will see the thread and chime in. I believe he chose Bullet out of the same concern and frustration you have.

Tim

Sorry you had to experience the cam issue first hand, but there has been a lot of talk about this subject and specifically Comp products around the www for some time now. And, yes, if you haven't been doing any research/reading on the subject, you didn't see it. Seems most everything coming out of China is not being hardened to specs and are junk, big surprise there. My engine builder tries very hard to get all his customers to only install roller cam conversions now.

I had a similar situation with a neighbors newly built engine..Comp cams are one to avoid.

Odds and Ends Motor
 

Tore down my engine. Appeared to have a good set of dimple rods along with a 6223 crank. Motor all degreased, power washed, blasted and painted for some machine work. Motor was very complete and original. Items like the square port iron heads, balancer, timing cover....etc all date coded for the 3rd or 4th month of 69. Block is a true JD coded 375hp from a Kan 69 Chevelle.

Last picture is the harmonic balancer on the mill getting some clean up work done. Im sure many of you have seen were someone beat the balancer on with a hammer or sledge. In the mill i cut down the face very little to true of the surface for the pulley. In this case I even had to clean up the bore that centers the pulley as the pounding rolled the edge of the face.

Door Work
 

Like I mentioned I got a replacement door out of MO that was very clean except for the very bottom where dirt and debris collected and rotted out a corner. Easy fix with the original door offering donor pieces. Inner door frame looks rough but its all surface rust. Door and bottom seams are in nice shape.

Hood Work
 

You just cant give up on clean sheetmetal. Hood took a good peck on the drivers side. Not to bad to fix. Just pull off the corner hammer and dolly it back to the way GM made it. Alot of on and off fitting before tacking it back in place and back to as good as new. 1st 2 pics are before, 3rd is after.

Passenger Door
 

Both Doors are in immaculate rust free condition. Sadly I could not save the Drivers as the original damage from an accident had the door frame too out of shape. The passenger side however had the damage only isolated to the top of the door. There is alot of transition body lines there so pretty difficult to bring those back. I replaced both the inter and outer structure/skin. Came back together pretty easy.

Drivers Quarter
 

The drivers quarter had also sustained damage at some time. Inner wheel house was still crinkled and then beat back out with a mallet. Both the inner and outer wheel house was pushed into the trunk some. Gonna have to take alot of original pieces out including the connection to the package tray to be able to gently push it back out into proper location before putting on a new nos quarter.

On an unrelated note........nice lawn!

Looking great!

If i didnt keep a nice lawn what would that say about my restorations? :)

After watching my dad do bodywork for my entire youth, I appreciate you sharing all of these great pictures of your work, thanks.

I have been waiting almost 3 years for my Deluxe 300 door panels from SMS.

Thats unfortunate. SMS has quoted me a few weeks for the headliner, 6months for the seat covers, and 1yr for the door panels

OSR have any updates on Engine? I'm close to that time myself

Not really. Still working on the quarter. I stopped work to install a new storgae deck in the attic of my shop. I also worked through starting 3 different l78 motors including my own for my 66. I should be able to get back to the car during the holiday.

The motor probably wont go off to the machine still till the late spring. I wont need it to next fall at the earliest. Here is a picture of me checking out the intake to head alignment. I snagged some 074 Zl1 heads as they are dirt cheap compare to the 842s. They look virtually the same from the exterior. Gonna have to probably get custom pistons made to eat up the huge open chamber these heads have to get the compression about the 11:1 i would like to see. Heads are nice and clean. No fixes to the rocker studs, no porting, and someone didnt deck them down to nothing, although i make have the shop take a heavy cut to shrink the chambers.

Package Tray and Backseat
 

It appears the drivers quarter was hit directly over the wheel. Hit looks like it happend high. The shop that fixed the car just pulled the wrinkled outer wheel house out and dropped a new quarter on. What never seemed to car about was the inner wheel house actually buckled where it meets the trunk floor and shifted into the trunk space. Not hard to fix. I had to remove the package tray outer trunk panel from the quarter/roof section and then after a some thought had to install a bracing setup to allow me to use a hydraulic ram to push back on the wheel house to roof structure. It actually was really easy to get it to move back out. Did a few dimensional checks to the passenger side and it all went right back into place.

I had to remove both the upper package tray wing, and lower wing that mountes to the outer wheelhouse. Once straitented I put them back in place along with a new donar seat back panel.

Nice work!

LH Quarter Work Prep
 

The LH quarter was orginally hit like i have mentioned before. I had some cleaning up to do as the previous body shop hacked off the quarter with an air chisel. Had to replace metal in the rocker area as this was all distorted and then brazed with the new quarter. Just alot easier to remove, and replace with some donor sections of another original. Outer wheel house was crumpled so i cut it back and then brought in a new NOS piece. Trace, cut and install with a few dimensional checks to be sure its all back to where it needs to be for the quarter to fit nicely. Even managed to get this area sand blasted and sealed right before the midwest got that slushy snow storm.

How To Turn a 68 NOS Quarter into a 69
 

Several years back i got a full set of 68 NOS quarters for next to nothing compared to todays prices. I have a 68SS waiting to be restored but its a New Mexico car. It has zero rust so I didnt have much incentive to hold onto them. As many probably know the area where the bumper fits on both 69 and 68 is quite different. The 68 rear lower quarter at the bumper is angled to match the bumper while the 69 is pretty much straight up and down. This procedure was one where I had to take my time, measure, cut, measure, cut, cut some more, cut again, pray a tad and then very slowly weld the two panels together. After grindin down and smoothing the area I just hammer and dolly to get it so nothing but a sliver of body filler will be needed to achieve a perfectly flat lower quarter section. I probably spent a full day just working on this, but it came out REALLY good. I will have to do this to the passenger side as well. I always like using the existing other side of the car like a mirror image to check my work. Did some checking with the other rocker/quarter and found things to almost be within a 1/32" which is honestly just dumb luck. Many a times I find things from side to side to be off by as much as a 1/4"

Driver quarter assembled for the final time
 

Drivers quarter is now on. Happy with the door gap and face fitment. If you handnt already noticed i replaced the entire rear panel as well because of the trunk gutter being all mangled and the fact the the drivers side was wrinkled up and just couldnt be brought back. Got nice fitment beteween the deck lid, quarter, and quarter extension on to the passenger side now.

Passenger Side
 

Really wish I could have saved the passenger side but there is just to many issues around the wheel arch, lower return, and both inner and outer wheel houses just behind the wheel. Managed to save the trunk return, and rinse and repeat on making the 68 quarter a 69. I still need to repalce a small section of the inner wheel house and the very outer edge and lower rear section of the outer. More to come. Getting close to body pulling time.

Looking great Rick!! I admire your body work skills.

RH Outer Wheel House
 

On the RH side i didnt wanna replace the entire wheel house as there was just some rust on the outter edge and the lower behind the tire. After that sand blasted the entire area, primed and put the quarter on for the last time.

Quarters and Tail Panel Done, Body Off
 

After I was happy with gaps and fitment, everything got welded. Still have some screws holding the trunk returns and arch areas. Easier to do the welding on the body twirler. Very happy with how the trunk and quarter extentions fit.

After that I pulled the Body today. Underside of the body is perfect! Almost no rust. Frame is similar condition. Probably get the frame washed and torn down next.

Great work !

You truly are your Fathers son.

Awesome work.

69 chevelle
 

Love the Details. Thanks Rick, for taking the time to walk us through the process!

Yea fantastic job thanks for sharing with us. Getting ready to tear into mine both quarter panels I hope they go as good as yours did.

Yes, very nice work. The one tool you may want to consider adding to your collection is a spot welder. It works so nice in the wheel wells and trunk drops, returns as you call them, as well as many other areas with the complete tooling kit. This is the inside tongs for wheel house flanges. No grinding of a plug weld to clean up.


https://www.yenko.net/forum/cache.ph...2FDSC09203.JPG


Once I have the panel fitted, I mark and remove the edp and any other paint where I want the welds.


https://www.yenko.net/forum/cache.ph...2FDSC09205.JPG