Not really sure what I'm going to do with clamps yet Dave. I plan to push this motor hard and need effective clamping force and something I can absolutely trust. Especially when my cruises are often through the Alberta Rockies and nowhere close to a parts store or a deck truck. Lots of twisties and elevation changes around here, and no help within 50-75 miles. (lol)

Whatever I end up using has to include function over form.:scholar:

Find me something with a vintage vibe that can handle some serious abuse and I'll look at it?

I've always used these Matt. They attach using the valve screws and keep the wires groomed while looking clean and simple. Made by Taylor wires. Taylor Cable 42502

I’ve always had great success with the two-wire style. I’m not doing any twisties, but I’m beating the living snot out of it in a straight line and really get frowned upon if I leak/leave water on the track. Lots of engine warm/cool cycles in what I do and nary a failure.

Back on the tools today with a few things to be completed over the weekend. Under the car goes the NMW safety loop followed by the Hurst roll control and some plumbing of the front lines. I have now picked a spot for the line loc solenoid and also installed the Vacuum pump to support power brakes in the car. The pump is mounted in behind the headlight and an extra vac can is mounted to the inner fender. Finally, I also installed an NOS voltage regulator and the horn relay. Having a blast finishing up some of the little things up front. Hope you're all having a great weekend too?

https://i.ibb.co/R20SNgV/IMG-6988.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/3Rfqv4v/IMG-6987.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/257R173/IMG-6986.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/J7nNkBZ/IMG-6995.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/WG2rfJ0/IMG-6981.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/PcsRcxJ/IMG-6974.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Y7cJ4v0/IMG-6976.jpg

Awesomely cool-and awesome :) :headbang:

Looking great!!

Are the factory style clamps prone to failure?

Original Wittek clamps were much better (thicker and stronger) quality, and the repop clamps flat out suck IMO. I've seen them fail on two other cars and I've had the towers break as well the bolts snapping in two when installing them. Typical low-quality off-shore crap metal and wouldn't put them on a grocery getter.

Enough on clamps now...Moving on here.

Was boogying along here this afternoon and got the lights and the grill installed before I started installing the bumper brackets. It was then that my phone lit up. It was my wife saying it was coffee time, and that she baked some fresh scones. Needless to say, I dropped the tools and headed inside. (lol)

https://i.ibb.co/9TNvch8/IMG-6999.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/5cTyzyg/IMG-7002.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/rwq6rL4/IMG-7008.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/bbg30Yk/IMG-7011.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/kS0PCyJ/IMG-7014.jpg

Still have a few hours to play around with the front end tonight, but my son Devon got involved this afternoon and helped me get the front bumper installed and aligned nicely. Might still try to tweak it a little...but the fit is very good to this point. Heading out to take those roller wheels off there now.

https://i.ibb.co/2g25YzV/IMG-7016.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/dQsRdwV/IMG-7017.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/D7592P1/IMG-7019.jpg

Finished up the front clip earlier tonight and added the NOS spoiler. I then put the A/R wheels back on to complete the look and will be back at it here tomorrow as the recent progress has me motivated once again. Speaking of progress...it's been just over 10 months now since I started tearing this car down for its restoration. Should be all done well before we hit the 1-year mark. Thanks to Covid I guess?

https://i.ibb.co/cJQhF8d/IMG-7031.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/FYkJzk2/IMG-7034.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/XyGRzDd/IMG-7043.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/rF0pW4j/IMG-7047.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/s9kZXDC/IMG-7051.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/hY981K7/IMG-7055.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/QJ8QPrS/IMG-7060.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/GHfL6BR/IMG-7063.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/B2kR1KC/IMG-7065.jpg

Saweeet Graeme!

Looks awesome!!

WOW, that is beautiful.

Man, that's looking great. Mind if I steal a couple of your pics for Facebook?

Dead sexy!!!!:worship:

........and I'm not talking about you GW!:no:

Nice job, looks really good.

----Great front bumper fitment!!!.....Bill S

Great job Graeme!

Your vision and execution of this build has been outstanding. The car is going to do well at cruises and car shows!
Well done.

Sure turned out nice. Is that a GM front bumper?

Yes, Tony. An original that Ron spent some time on it to cure some warping that was present. Fits fairly well now for a 50-year-old bumper and has a little character to it.

I really like the fitment of that rear tire/wheel combo. Can you tell me the wheel size & backspace along with tire size?

Great work on this Camaro:biggthumpup:. I bet you can't wait to take the first rip down the road with it!:3gears:

Jim, the rears are American VN30958561 Torq-Thrust Original Silver in 8.5" width and 3.75" backspace. Tires are Pro Trac #72146 in the old N50/15 size.

You know it. In just a few weeks, it will rumble! :biggthumpup:

Day=2
 

Graeme, Your projects, are nothing but pure works of art! BBBenny:eek2::eek2:

Thanks! I'm trying here Benny...I'm trying. :youguysrock:

Spent some time swapping out the narrow traction bars for the correct era square bars from Lakewood. I have some 4* wedges coming and will hold off tightening things up until they get here. I haven't used the wedges before so I'm not totally sure where they go in relation to the lower insulators? I'm assuming they slide in from the rear (underside) and go between the lower traction bar mounting plate and the rubber insulator?

In any case, here's what the new square bars will end up looking like under the car. I'll finish up some pictures after I get the wedges installed and set the suspension with weight on the car. Inching closer here.

https://i.ibb.co/4JKrcd7/IMG-7130.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/C8r2mxh/IMG-7120.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/C7C0G7B/IMG-7119.jpg

Graeme, The wedges are actually designed & used to go on top of springs to maintain the correct pinion angle on cars that sit high or lifted 4x4 application. If your using them to change the traction bar angle I would get some deep/ long nuts, (I think they are 5/16 UNF ) to replace the lower Centre spring nut, so that the lower cushion can still be used. The thickness of the wedges will probably pull the stock short nut out of the lower spring insulator/cushion, causing the traction bar not to be located properly. If the Centre spring bolt has been trimmed off just below the thin stock nut, you will have to get new center spring bolts to maintain thread perch length with the deep nuts, , Standens in Calgary has them BTW.

Do you have the install instructions? On step 9, there is some info regarding the wedges.

Attachment 195415

LOL, I took the traction bars OFF mine

:shocked:

Thanks for the info on the wedges and on the center spring nuts. I was going to look at those bolts to ensure they in fact centered up into the locator holes to center things up before tightening anything down. Found a set of NOS window felts today and will try and get those onto the car this week so I can get to the interior this weekend as well. Lots to do here still...but trying to stay on it.

Summit order arrives tomorrow.

this is just plain fantastic. Love that you now have the square lakewoods for it.

On the way to my shop to pick up a FedEx air shipment that just came in from Massachusetts. Another member here was kind enough to share an NOS set of window felts so that I can finish up the side glass and start installing the interior. Time to bring on some yellow Houndstooth. Thanks, Jim P.

https://i.ibb.co/9y79NcD/Felts2.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/P9y7r5c/Felts1.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/1sSPj1x/Felts2b.jpg

You don't really need any special long nuts, if you need to extend it longer. Just add another nut or 2 to get what you need. A tiny drop of loc-tite on the bolt where the nut will seat and be tightened against the previous nut will insure it to not come loose.

Good deal on getting the sweeps you were looking for..:biggthumpup:

The DZ302 block arrived in Calgary overnight and I went to pick it up this morning. Big thanks to Larry Christensen for supplying me with this V0214DZ block, a nice 1178 crank, windage tray, oil pan, and timing cover. Also, a big thanks for taking the time to crate it all up and dropping it off at the shippers' dock. Here are the parts before being rough assembled and stored away for a future rebuild. Just have to order a cam, lifters and a set of pistons and rods so this DZ302 build will be ready to go.

https://i.ibb.co/vkCn2tv/IMG-7173.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/yPtp1Fb/IMG-7188.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/KXzn8tk/IMG-7191.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/DtvrjhX/IMG-7194.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/p4WmYmT/IMG-7196.jpg

Larry is a great guy!! :biggthumpup:

Nice score Graeme!

Every time I come around here there is a new surprise. This thread better not end or else a lot of us will be going into deep depression.

I really don't think there are many surprises left in the box. Just trying to finish things up now and keep it clean. The driveshaft was rebuilt, balanced, and painted up today. I should have it installed sometime tomorrow between working on the interior and a few other things. I need to try and stay focused on tasks or it seems like I lose some traction. The car might look real close to being finished but there are still so many little things left to do.

https://i.ibb.co/FmDSfJ7/IMG-7213.jpg

Figured I better finish installing the square Lakewood's with the 4* wedges before installing the driveshaft. The spring bolts are 3/8" too short to go through the wedges with a longer nut so I'm going to get new spring bolts tomorrow and add longer nuts to center it down through the rubber isolators and into the holes in the mounting plates. Once I get these buttoned-up I can install the driveshaft and the loop. One little win at a time.


https://i.ibb.co/2nS1vN3/IMG-7229.jpg

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https://i.ibb.co/y5HKSnK/IMG-7232.jpg