Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Finally put a bulb in the dome light and my grandfather ordered the matching Sun temp gauge, which we'll convert to mechanical (doesn't have the sending unit anyway) for extra accuracy.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

I have contacted the people who owned it in 1987 or so, and they bought it with the automatic already in it from a man who raced it at Milan Dragway. It had at one time (before they bought it) had nitrous on it and ran 10s. Would love to talk to him, but I don't know anything about him besides his name.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

...Aaaannd there's something drawing the battery down. Lovely. Splendid! Hopefully, this car can have some of these issues sorted out in the spring.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

I have just learned quite a bit about this car. It was, in fact, an original L78, and the 454 that's in it now has a pretty radical cam, at least I think it is.. It's a Comp Magnum Hydraulic Flat Tappet with .575 degrees of lift and .305 degrees of duration. It's got 10.25:1 compression. It also has a 3.73 rear gear in it.

I've been emailing the guy who raced it back in the mid-late 80s. It was his first car. I don't know what happened to the 396, but it, and the 4 speed, are long gone.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Neat car.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

So I must have forgot the HD video I shot in the summer. It's actually the sound that plays when I log into Windows on my computer. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img]

<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/P_LE24I8ceA"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/P_LE24I8ceA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

We're also going to put the timing tab on it in the Spring, as I bought one a week or two ago.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Well, I'm at a bit of a loss right now. It's starting to rust out really badly under the vinyl top, and we can't afford to fix it. I don't want the car to be sold, because I guarantee I'll never see it again, and there's no way in Hell I'd ever be able to afford to buy it back, but I don't want it to rust into the ground either. I guess I'll talk to Pap tomorrow, and see what he says. The man who raced it in the 80s, Jackie S., wanted to buy it back, and I may have to take him up on it. But again, I <span style="font-style: italic">really</span> do not want to see it go.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Pap said we can fix it. It is going nowhere.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

It only took like 2 years, but I finally got a non blurry pic of the gauges. And no, it wasn't running. More proof that the tach is messed up.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-39389-048.jpg

Also, we're finally getting rid of the 289 we have sitting on a stand in the garage. Maybe I could get Pappaw's permission to pull the motor out of the car.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

If I recall correctly, there is an adjustment screw inside the tach housing (once you remove the chrome cup) that allows to you adjust the needle to zero.

...or does the tach not work at all?

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

It works and I'll have to adjust it.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

In all honesty, I don't think we're going to do much to this one this year. I kinda want to focus on the Chevelle. Need to get it back on the road, and the list for the Camaro just keeps growing. Think we'll just park it for this year.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Well, <span style="font-style: italic">maybe</span> we'll go through the engine. I'm not sure. A buddy of mine is coming up from SC to get the 289 out of our garage that we have no use for, so we'd have a stand at least. I don't know yet.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Flipped the hood stacks. Must give James (first gen addict) and Darrell (cook dw) credit for the idea.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-40766-468.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-40767-467.jpg

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

edit: this post was originally a GENIUS idea.


(No it wasn't, and I've deleted it.)

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Might want to put this in the classified section for parts.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

I have.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Expect to see more Chevelle posts this year. Either a battery cable or the starter is dead. Put a brand new battery in it, and it refused to even click. Not a single thing happened. I'm at the end of my rope on stuff just going wrong left and right, so it's just going to stay in the garage this year. Maybe pull the motor.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

OK Joe -- lets try some basic T/Sg first -- make sure shifter is in PARK.
- check all the batt cable connections ... pos and neg
- jump the starter from the pos batt terminal to the start terminal with a bump switch or screwdriver -- this eliminates the start circuit ... you don't even need the ign switch on ... if engine cranks ... check &quot;start&quot; circuit.
- if the engine does not crank -- tap on the starter ... sometimes this will &quot;jar&quot; the brushes to make contact.
- if the engine cranks -- check the neutral safety switch by holding key to start position and moving gear shift.
- attempt to start with gear shift in the &quot;neutral&quot; position.
- if last step fails -- check if there is 12v at the starter with key in the start position.
- if you don't see 12v on a meter -- back track circuit to the start switch.

I am sure others will chime in with ideas also ... TAZ

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

I will at some point. For now, I just need to walk away from it. It's getting to the point to where it's broken more than it is drivable. When the Chevelle takes it's turn at doing stuff like this I'll turn my attention back to it.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Know what you mean -- walk away cuz' it ain't going anywhere. Besides -- the weather you guys are getting again up in Michigan sucks anyway! TAZ

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

You got that right! 40 and raining today!

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

I thought you may be getting that crap that hit Wisconsin yesterday ...

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

Only certain parts.

Re: Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.
 

It's ALWAYS the little things. The car is fine! The battery cable just needed tightening. *sigh* Oh well, at least it runs again.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-42280-011.jpg

New(er) picture and plans
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-43527-102.jpg

The car runs good except for one small issue: It's been sitting because of a gas leak. It just needs a new carb gasket. We also plan on getting a stud kit for the carb. Hope to have it going by May 25th, as there's a local car show and I want one of the previous owners to see it.

Re: New(er) picture and plans
 

Looks great.

Re: New(er) picture and plans
 

It really doesn't bother me, but out of curiosity, what design are the Cragars? Are they the &quot;new&quot; ones or the &quot;old&quot; ones? They were put on in 2005.

Update on situation.
 

Updates: Carb is off again. Needs a rebuild, because of course it has to malfunction as soon as Summer comes. It's just going to sit. I can't rebuild one, Dad can't, Pap probably can't any more (His hands shake real bad), and I don't have $150. So, on to the Chevelle for once. I'll update that thread in a minute.

What I did do, is use an online photo editor to &quot;age&quot; a photo. I went for a late 60's, early 70's look. Did I nail it?
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...1467344503.jpg

Cam question
 

Would the cam in this thing be considered big/radical/etc.? It's a Hydraulic Flat Tappet Magnum. .575 lift, .305 lift. It's listed on the Comp Cams site as having a "radical" idle. It's been in it for 30 years, I love it, never coming out, just curious.

Re: Cam question
 

Joe -- if it runs the way you want it and if it ain't broke ... don't mess with it ... leave it alone. TAZ [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/burnout.gif[/img]

Re: Cam question
 

Oh, I didn't plan on it. I was just wondering what bracket of radical it'd be in. Mild-lumpy-radical are my 3 categories, not sure where it'd fall. If it ever needed to be replaced, it'd get the exact same cam jammed back in it.

A dream I've just thought up.
 

As some of you know, I'm 16. Well, I turn 17 in about a week. I think I know how I want to end my senior year. In the Camaro. Drive it to school (gotta fix the speakers and pick up a Led Zeppelin IV cassette for full effect. Or maybe Hair of The Dog by Nazareth) I'd like to have a pair or Hornies on it by then. As I'm leaving on the last day in it, stop, shred tires and take off! It'd be 1977 all over again. Now, I have to figure out how to convince my family to okay this. Maybe not mention the burnout.

Re: A dream I've just thought up.
 

Good Luck! I hope it works out for you. I drove my 68 to prom and graduation, I think I have pictures of both....Good Times!

BIG

Re: A dream I've just thought up.
 

Thanks! I'm going to need it!

Oh, what now?!
 

Went out to the garage, just admiring it, and.... somehow, despite the fact that it hasn't been touched since April, it's leaking radiator fluid onto the intake. I swear, this car doesn't like me.

Re: Oh, what now?!
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JRC99</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Went out to the garage, just admiring it, and.... somehow, despite the fact that it hasn't been touched since April, it's leaking radiator fluid onto the intake. I swear, this car doesn't like me. </div></div>

That's normal for one of these cars. Probably seaping from the thermostat housing gasket under the slight pressure that a closed radiator will cause during outside temperature fluctatuations. Whenever one of my cars is sitting for a while I crack the radiator cap open and leave a rag over it (so I remember it's not closed) and that removes the cause of the seapage.

Re: Oh, what now?!
 

That's what my grandfather said, which was a huge relief. Just tired of seeing stuff that isn't positive.

Plugs?
 

What would the proper gap for the plugs be, given the specs of the engine? 10.25:1, the .575/.305 cam, Accel HEI. Dad thinks that it might not be getting enough spark. Certainly seems plausible. Next spring when we get a new carb, I think it'll be time to finally make this SOB run right.

New thing.
 

Installed a key 70s item today.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-49503-094.jpg
[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img]