NorCam (Graeme Browne's) Lemans Blue 1969 Z/28

[NorCam]

Originally Posted by big gear head

Sorry, I can't help myself, but I wouldn't change it to power steering either. If you aren't going to change things, then don't change things.

Yup...got that Freddie. And just to clarify, I am adding it.

[Zedder]

It’s interesting to see the various perspectives on what to do with a particular car. I love this car for what it is...a super clean 69 Z in cool colors. Would I like it less with a new gas tank? Absolutely not. To me, once a car is repainted, little changes to improve the car doesn’t bother me in the least. The dented tank would bug me and I would wonder if it might be weakened in some way from the dent. That would make me change it and save it for the next owner if they wanted to put it back in.

I also am wary of keeping original parts that might fail and cause damage if I was going to drive the car. The example that I keep remembering was in 1997 at the NCRS regional at Bowling Green. I was learning how to judge in the C3 Bow Tie class and a guy had a 74 vert with sub 2,500 miles and original tires. He didn’t bring another set for his PV test and decided to do it with his original Tires. As luck would have it, he blew a rear tire during the test and busted his left rear quarter panel! He nearly cried...

[GrumpyJeff]

Any decent PDR guy could get that dent out in 5 minutes !

[NorCam]

Pulled the engine and trans out today to further access to cleaning and detailing. Things are progressing along but not at breakneck speed. Having fun though, I am. Once the engine was out. I was able to get a clear shot of the casting date on the back of the block. Adding that picture here for reference purposes. It closely matches the front stamp which I had not posted earlier. Block was cast 8 days earlier than it was stamped on the front pad for the build date.

[ZLP955]

Originally Posted by NorCam

Pulled the engine and trans out today to further access to cleaning and detailing.

Graeme thanks for sharing these great details. What are those markings on the wiper motor case? Possibly a rebuild sticker but is that some sort of ink stamp next to it, partly obscured by the engine lift bracket?

[NorCam]

With the hood off and the engine out, I got into the engine bay to get a better look at things. I also took some better pictures of the stamps and the firewall piercings for the speedo cable and cowl hood wiring. Even found this CF marking on the speedo cable.

[NorCam]

At the same time, I also snapped a couple of pictures of the 309 D3 master cylinder and the 9204 brake booster. The brake booster is dated 268 while the US stamped 309 master cylinder looks to be dated 174. It was really hard to see these numbers until I rubbed a little paint off where the date was cast. Pretty sure it says 174. Going to remove the hard lines now and continue cleaning them up to remove any black paint.

[NorCam]

Transmission is now on the bench. Checked out the original 660 case which is mint with no damage ever to the front mounting ears, and no evidence of ever being abused. Of course, it has the 584 tail housing and 648 side cover, but what is awesome is that all factory hardware with correct head markings are still intact. Even has the original front bearing retainer locks, factory tag on the cover, and looks like the shifter mount has never been off. Going to continue cleaning the floors in the tunnel before this goes back in.

[NorCam]

That was a rebuilt unit Tim, and I have no idea why it was in there? The original motor & pump came with the car and it tested fine on the bench. That rebuilt unit is already out of there and the original is going back in after I clean things up.

[NorCam]

The car appears to have most if not all original GM body and subframe bushings. For the most part, they all appear clean w/ no dry rotting except two which appear squashed and have some dry cracking. The front left rad support bushing almost looks like it was replaced with a NOS bushing as it's dead mint, but in saying that, 5 of the others appear untouched and they are very minty as well so who knows? If only cars could talk?