Just because we don't comment doesn't mean we are not watching and learning from yours and others build/preservation threads Darrell! I for one can very much relate to what you are doing. - Bill W

Keep at it Big Guy.

I wish I could make progress like you do, all in good time

JIM

Thanks guys. Didn’t mean for it to generate replies just how this world works these days. Likes & thanks and move on. I’m guilty of it too.



Photos 561 - 562 - Close up of the control knobs.

Photos 563 - 565 - Cluster installed. First time since the late 70’s

Love that OEM key with the knock-out! You have full sets?

Yes sir I do. Well. I’m pretty sure I do. I know I have a set of NOS keys to be cut when the time comes.

Cluster hasn’t been in since the 1970s? What’s the story on this car?

You can go back and re-read the first few posts in the thread for the back story. Basically kid buys 68 Z as a teen in 74-75 drives it for a few years. Late 70’s blows it apart for a restore but kept having health issues where he would be wheelchair bound. 25 years later finally gets a second opinion and turns out he’s allergic to wheat and the first doc never could figure it out. Once diagnosed he had to sell the car and that’s how I ended up with it. He’s still alive and lives here in town. I owe him a spin behind the wheel once I’m done.

Very cool! Very informative thread. Please keep it up. I will admit, I am hoping for a burn out video in the future!LOL:3gears:

A few years ago I was jacking around and did a spoof video on the car just to pass along to a few friends. I ran across it again and remembered I'd added it to my youtube channel but left it private. Hopefully folks realize it was done as a joke and not to be taken seriously.



Hope you enjoy.

COPO Z28 Spoof

Now that the defrost duct, heater box, controls & radio are now in I touched them up from all the handling. 303 is the product I'm trying on the duct work.


Photos 566 - 569 - Under dash area passenger side compartment.

Photo 570 - Glove box door after hitting it with Mequiars 105 on a maroon pad on my da polisher.

Photos 571 - 572 - Dash after controls & radio installed. Also a sneak peak at the trio of gauges going into the car.

Looks great - were you able to save the original carpet/door panels, etc. as well?

Door panels & seats are originals and in great shape from what i remember but unfortunately only half the carpet survived and the racoon took care of the sail panels and headliner & firewall pad. If anyone out there has a pair of original sails, headliner or even original carpet for non console car please lmk as I'm about to make an order in the next few weeks.

Photos 573 - 576 - Mounting some accessories.

Photo 577 - Are of the drivers door and glass while cleaning. Simple ole glass cleaner, razor blade and a cotton towel.

Photo 578 - Glass after cleaning. Not perfect by any means but its not horrible. I might hit it with the da polisher later on but for now it will work.

Photo 579 - Photo of glass date code. CZ-10 - Nov 67. -10 is explained here on the CRG site. Click Here

Photo 580 - Door assembly after cleaning.

Photo 581 - 582 - Door with original paper reapplied. Note that the door handle mech sits on top of the bracket and the arm will be applied over top of the plastic. 2 small holes were still present in the plastic cover.

Photo 583 - With a little effort and choice words the door panel finally settled back in to its original resting spot. Panel still needs to see a good hot day outside but other than that the panels are in great shape.

Photos 584 - 585 - Decided to change things up a bit and while the column was out (still waiting on my lower bearing which hasn't shipped in over a week and still haven't got word from Groundup if the manufacturer has the dang thing..) it got me thinking about the tach placement. I could go the traditional route and place it on the column or copy the Yenko style and screw it to the face of the dash (wasn't doing that). Then I remembered this weird hole that was previously drilled in the lower center of the dash. I assume for a gauge or some sort of switch but it wasn't done at the factory. Then I saw the screw holding sec flasher and it hit me.

Photos 586 - 588 - Dash assembly after picking up having tools, screws and bolts scattered around.

Photos 589 - 590 - Door glass rolled up and door closed. Also made a video of the door closing.

Door Closing Video

Photo 591 - Pass side glass date. Dec '67.

Photos 592 - 593 - Ran across one of the earlier photos when I first went to inspect the car after my fathers passing. Dad passed in '06 and this photo was in '10. Comparison photo.

Photos 600 - 601 - Time for the passenger seat to get some attention. Citrus degreaser, fingernail brush and elbow grease.

Photos 602 - 604 - 303 Rubber & Vinyl protectant applied

You have some serious patience! Great work

I just read through this entire thread Darrell. Great work as usual. I really appreciate your patience, attention to detail, and sharing your methods/techniques with this community. Can't wait to see it all come together!

That interior is cleaning up nice!!

Thanks guys. The replies are appreciated. Wrestled the passenger side door panel on. Didn't take a photo of the water shield as its the same as the driver.

Photo - 605 - Door panel

Photo - 606 - Glass adjusted to factory locations. I chose to not blow apart the doors as the glass was still tight and smooth on the roll up & downs. Just re-lubed all the tracks, mechanisms etc and carried on.

Nice to see it coming together so well.

Camaro Project.
 

Hi Darrell, you do great, work. Remember, they didn;t build the pyramids', in One day. BBBenny

Thanks guys.

I had gotten the seats out over last weekend and of course I showed the pass seat previously but here they are now ready to be installed. The shine will die down after soaking for a few days. As dry as they were I felt it wouldn't hurt.

Photos 607 - 608 - Seats when pulled this weekend

Photos 609 - 611 - Front seats finished.

Photo 612 - Rear seat

I love Camaro deluxe interiors! The seats are beautiful Darrell! - Bill W

Previously removed the steering column for clean up and turns out the lower bearing was trash so it'll get a disassembly, clean and new lower and since they do not sell the bearing for the upper and since it is staked into the aluminum housing it would be a possible issue but thankfully the upper bearing on mine was good just needed repacking with grease. Lower bearing was ordered from Ground Up (ss396.com).


Photo 613 - 616 - column removed and disassembled and of the column decal

Photos 617 - 626 - Paint markings on inner tube & main shaft etc.

Photos 627 - 629 - Tolerance ring & spring before and after

Photos 630 - 632 - Lower bearing compared to new replacement

Photos 633 - 634 - Lock plate

Photos 635 -637 - Upper bearing

Photos 638 - 639 - Mid cup after cleaning but before evapo

Photos 640 - 641 - Lower cup after cleaning but before evapo

Photos 642 - 643 - Cover

Photos 644 - 646 - Inner tube after soaking

Photos 647 - 649 - Cups and cover after soaking and polishing with Mequiar's M105

Photos 650 - 653 - Mast jacket after cleaning and polishing

Photos 654 - 659 - Reassembled

Photos 660 - 666 - Back in the car.

Love that original orange tag!!

That column turned out great

Love this thread! Keep up the great work.

Thanks gentlemen. Not much to update this week. I've taken it easy as I order the carpet and get the qtr glass and tracks reinstalled and adjusted. I did pull the pass side door panel back off to address some adjustments to get the window back in its factory location. As well as readjusting the door panel so it fits a little cleaner. Also a couple videos of the door closing with the window up and window down. Also a shout out to Joe (x66 714) for suggesting SMS Auto Fabrics for a headliner replacement. They have the exact material as what the car originally had.


Photo 667 - Comparison between SMS sample and original headliner. SMS on the left and original on the right before cleaning original.

Photo 668 - After cleaning

Photo 669 - Some older repo material I had in parts. Not even close.

Photo 670 - Door panel hopefully on for the last time for a while.


Videos below

Glass up


https://youtu.be/LcSomCWX22U


Glass down



https://youtu.be/paKQ18l0JpA

Awesome preservation!!!!

PS: SMS had exactly the same interior materials for my Curlass, I did a side by side and the pattern was identical

Ryan W31

Darrel, Great tip on SMS & You have inspired me to tear into my 68Z Red column!

Thanks,

Jim

One of the reasons I chose SMS for the headliner was because I had perfect visors & I didn't want to recover them. When I got the headliner from SMS, it had the same markings as the original....Joe

Worked on the passenger quarter glass cleaning, installation & adjusting. Pretty much fell in.

Photos 671 - 673 - Door and qtr glass installed and rolled up. I've decided to keep the roof rail seals and door seals installed as the fit is too good to mess with at this point. Restoration time it will receive all new rubber.


Photo 674 - Interior qtr area.

Photo 675 - Driver door glass date code - CZ-10

Photo 676 - Passenger door glass date code - VZ-10

Photo 677 - Driver qtr glass date code - CZ-10

Photo 678 - Pass qtr glass date code - CZ-10

Photo 679 - Back glass date code - VZ-10

No real updates from the weekend. Went to put the qtr glass in on the drivers side and while cleaning noticed the center lower roller was MIA. Got that on order along with the carpet. Still waiting on sample from Legendary on the headliner. So since I wasn't able to work on the car I knocked out some yard work and enjoyed a little bonfire Saturday night and cleaned the dailys.


Photos 680 - 683 - Driver glass roller missing. Using a punch and ball peen hammer I knocked the retainer loose after little it penetrating spray soaked on it.

And a couple shots of the dailys. Believe it or not the wife drives the truck since she works in town and I drive 2hrs a day back and forth to Nashville.

Received my sample from Legendary for the headliner. Although its close to being correct as you can see the spacing is off. Here's a comparison between SMS vs Original vs Legendary. As previously suggested by Joe and others the SMS is the clear cut winner.


Photos 684 - 685 - Comparison photos

ACC carpet arrived yesterday afternoon. Tossed it in the car to see how it looked. I have the original rear section and part of the drivers side front to make my cut marks etc. Replacement roller for the drivers qtr glass should be here today.

Photos 686 -687 - Carpet laid in place

Photos 688 - Original rear section

With your patience and cleaning skills and some black carpet dye could that original carpet be saved? Doesn't appear to have any structural damage from the pictures.

If I had all of the front section I would have used the original. The front section I have is only of the drivers side and was originally from a console car. Mine is non console. I will use the originals (whats left) as a guide for cutting. I could use the original rear but felt if I was replacing the front anyways might as well do the rear as well. I will clean the original before I use it as a template. Defending not throwing it away.