Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

A friend owns a 68 L89 Camaro which has been long neglected. A bunch of us have been trying to get him motivated to get it restored. Looks like it's finally gonna happen https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

I have personally known every owner of this car since 1972, including a 3 month period when I owned it. I sold it to my friend Brian, the current owner, in March 1980. The following few small pics are from when I owned it in 1980.

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

another

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3

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Cool! Let us know how it progresses.

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Typical 70's mods...Hurst Super Shifter, aftermarket gages, no regard for interior cosmetics https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/tongue.gif

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engine. Car ran really strong.

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engine 2

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Cool pix Bill..Glad to see this come to fruition.
I know you've talked about this car before here as well as with Tom Purdy in the past.
Got any pix of what it looks like right now?

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awesome stuff. neat car that deserves attention.

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Today. After 27 yrs of storage, it's a little dirty.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_100_0541.jpg

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Air cleaner off....aftermarket DP Holley

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_100_0542.jpg

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Pass side head

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_100_0536.jpg

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Intake

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_100_0537.jpg

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Dr side head

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_100_0538.jpg

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more

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_100_0532.jpg

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

In talking with the original owner, he said the crank was not cross drilled properly and the car spun main bearings within a few days of taking delivery. New short block was installed under warranty. CE stamp on pad today...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_100_0544.jpg

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

Sequoia green, BVT, black std interior.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_100_0528.jpg

Brief story on the car.....original owner drove it daily until about 72. His house was like a raised ranch with garage underneath. Heavy rains came and flooded his garage and the Camaro. He said the car was smoking a bit, needed tires and brakes and some other minor work so he let his insurance company total it and pay him off. Insurance company sold it to a local salvage yard, where a friend of mine bought it in late 72 or early 73. He had it a few years, sold it to another friend, who sold it to me in 1980, and I sold it to the current owner when I bought my old Hemi Challenger. Car has 28K miles on it, hasn't had 500 miles put on it in the past 35 years. It will soon be headed to Springfield MO for a rotisserie resto. About time https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

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It will soon be headed to Springfield MO for a rotisserie resto.

[/ QUOTE ]
Who in Springfield? That's not very far from here...

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

[ QUOTE ]
Cool pix Bill..Glad to see this come to fruition.


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Me, too, Rick https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif Every year we go to Barrett-Jackson together and he would say "one of these years....". Well, now he has money down holding a spot at the resto shop and he's diligently working at unburying the car - no small feat in itself.

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Who in Springfield?

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Rob,

Guy's first name is Clay, can't remember the name of the shop, but I think I have it noted at work. Have to check tomorrow. He does race car chassis as well as restorations. He did a 92 Firebird Super Stocker for another friend of mine, and I am not kidding, the car is too nice to race https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif

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Cool car. Is it orig paint ? Tail panel gloss or semi ?

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

Bill, is it a local car?

Man, your whole crew has had their same cars for DECADES! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

[ QUOTE ]

Who in Springfield?

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Rob,

Clay Phillips is the guy's name, Performance Paint & Chassis is the business, in Battlefield MO (just outside Springfield). Website....
http://www.clayphillipsracecars.com/

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[ QUOTE ]
Cool car. Is it orig paint ? Tail panel gloss or semi ?

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Charley, to the best of my knowledge it is all original paint. Not sure who sprayed rattle can primer in some areas, it was that way when I got it. I have known of the car since 72 or 73 and for sure there's been no repainting done since then. I will get a better picture of the tail panel some time, but I would say with 98% certainty that it is semi-gloss.

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

Very cool car Bill!

I was asking about CE motors on Team Camaro on the weekend...based on responses I got, that would be a 1970 CE motor due to the "0" after the CE...for those familiar with "CE" motors, is this correct?

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

[ QUOTE ]
Bill, is it a local car?

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Hi Frank,

Yes, it is a local car. Can't remember which dealer sold it new but it was either on the north side of Chicago or in the north suburbs. Original owner lived up near the Chain-O-Lakes area.

[ QUOTE ]
Man, your whole crew has had their same cars for DECADES! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

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Yeah, for the most part my crowd doesn't trade cars too often https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif Sitting next to the 68 Camaro, on a trailer and covered up, is Brian's Aztec bronze 66 L79 Chevy II which he's owned since 72 or so. He bought it when he was working at Ed Fanning Chevy - original owner traded it in on a new car. Originality is long gone as it's now a full chassis race car.

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looks like its well preserved! Best of luck!

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[ QUOTE ]
I was asking about CE motors on Team Camaro on the weekend...based on responses I got, that would be a 1970 CE motor due to the "0" after the CE...for those familiar with "CE" motors, is this correct?

[/ QUOTE ]

Mark,

Hmmmmmm, that would blow the theory that this is still the 68 warranty block https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/confused.gif Would this car still have been under warranty in 1970? What was the powertrain warranty on a new 68 Camaro? I suppose it's possible that the orig owners mind is a bit foggy on dates after many years, but he thought the bearings spun very shortly after taking delivery. Motor will be pulled before the car goes to the resto shop, so I will have to check block casting date.

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

Bill, I am not an expert on this topic, so maybe someone else will chime in. My take is that it's a 1970 block and that it could be the warranty block as the car would still be under warranty in'70. Likely, the owner's memory is not as good at it once was and the motor blew a little later in the car's life. Heck, I can't remember too many details of my first few cars and that was in only going back to the late '70's!

Either way, it's very cool car!!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

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Hi Bill, I'm known as 36j1967 over at Team Camaro and I have been doing a little tracking of the CE Tonawanda assembled blocks. Read this thread and if you have any questions I'll do my best to answer them. I'd like to have the cast #'s and dates from this block and have you check the surface under the starter for an assembly date. I've also found some of these blocks to have a matching partial vin at the rough casting near the oil filter. Check it out when you have time and post it up.

Look for that partial to the right of the CE code as well. I enlarged the photo you posted and I might be seeing a digit?

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=96301

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Pat,

I think I follow the twisted logic as explained in the Team Camaro thread https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/crazy.gif The engine is coming out and staying locally before the car goes to MO, so I will have relatively easy access to check out casting numbers, dates, and any stampings. I will also look for anything stamped on the starter mounting flange - first time I've heard of that, but interesting. I'm pretty confident there are no other characters stamped on the pad in front of the cyl head. It may take a few weeks, but will check it out.

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Does anyone know how aluminum cylinder heads are date coded? I looked in Colvin's book and it didn't seem to give a clear example. The only two codes that looked like they could be date codes do not follow the 'letter-number-number' configuration of cast iron cyl head date codes.

Pictures of the Camaro's cylinder heads follow here...

Left cyl head

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...tn_Lcylhd1.jpg


The code in this next picture reads upside down, and looks to me like '589' https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif


http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...tn_Lcylhd3.jpg

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Right cyl head....the second picture shows a code totally different in appearance and format than the left cyl head https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/confused.gif

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...tn_rcylhd4.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...tn_rcylhd3.jpg

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

Rear axle.....BV code is 4.10 posi https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif 4/22 axle assembly date to go along with the 04D build date on the Trim Tag https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1..._axlecode1.jpg

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Trans tag

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_transtag.jpg

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The date codes are on the underside of the intake runners. They can only be seen with the intake off.


Jason

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Trans stamps. CON VIN matches the car's VIN....4/16 trans assembly date for the 04D Trim Tag https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...ransstamp1.jpg

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tag from RF spring

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...springtag2.jpg

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Tail panel is definitely NOT gloss black. You can see the line where it was masked off from the body color on the rear valance.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1..._tailpanel.jpg

Re: Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better
 

The Hurst Super Shifter is hard to beat, but it sure wreaks havoc with the trans tunnel https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/tongue.gif

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n_dsfrtflr.jpg