Grandfather's 68 SS Camaro.

[JRC99]

Originally Posted by SMS

Don't be the first guy to leak oil on Dad's new driveway. Trust me on that, experience talking.

Haha, no mechanical work will be done on it there. Sometime this year we're going to drag it to my place so I can pull the engine.

[JRC99]

Lookie what showed up today!

Kinda pointless since the car doesn't run but I wasn't missing out on them. Only bummer is I would have preferred the shorter ones, and they didn't come with the decals- dangit!


I also never posted about the distributor I picked up for it. An Accel electronic Breakerless. So it'll still be electronic ignition but have the small cap. Plan is (if I ever actually work on this car- long story) use that dizzy with a Mallory Voltmaster Pappaw had left over from another car if that's still any good (or just get another) with a vintage MSD box. The current thought process is still to pull the engine once I get it to my house but I don't have any room for it over here right now

Also, a picture of the man himself fiddling with something under the hood. Took it in 2017 and would love to see it one more time.

[cook_dw]

Cool items that will look at home on the car once added.

[randy27]

Cool photo of him working on that nice car!

[gregbent31]

Nice car

[JRC99]

We pushed it home last week, since we'd had a break in the weather and a rainstorm to wash the salt off the roads. Of course that lasted 2 days and we got a boatload of snow over the weekend, but that's melting. Still salty though.

At least it's easier to drool on it here. Also threw some more vintage stickers in the windows. I can't afford to do the big stuff right now so I like doing small things that make me feel like I'm getting something accomplished.

Also, a very nerdy piece of trivia. The door lock knobs. I was looking through old HRM issues (They've got em all online now if you have MotorTrend+) and I noticed an ad for them at a place called Midwest Auto Specialties. MAS had a Lakewood Ohio location less than a mile from what was Fairchild Chevrolet (where this car was sold new) in 1968. So these knobs have probably been on the car for its' whole life, and I wouldn't be surprised if the tach went on at the same ish time. Hell, maybe the C427X came from there too- I know the 454 in it is engine number 5 according to the fellow who owned the car in the mid 80s, but whose to say when the intake went on or if it bounced between every motor the car has ever had.

[BJCHEV396]

'68 Camaro has always been my fav first gen Camaro.For some reason it never gets the love that the '67 and '69 get.Yours is real nice and has great stance JRC99!

[Stihl]

I have enjoyed reading this post and I really love the car. I would like to offer some well meaning advice. I have been in your situation and I hate to see you make some of the poor decisions I have made.

1. You need to make a punch list of mechanical items to fix and knock them off one by one in order. Jumping around from issue to issue without completely fixing the anything will only frustrate you as items pile up.

2. Do not make the mistake of pulling the engine for something that can be fixed with the engine in the car. Life and money will get in the way and you will never get it back together again.

I pulled a running and driving 1969 Camaro apart in high school to run thru it and build a show car. On a small budget and just beginning adult hood the car never got put back together. Life got in the way. Again, please do not make my mistake and be in a rush to pull the engine.
Plan your repairs one at a time a stick with it in order. Other members local to you have offered labor and guidance, take them up on their knowledge. Good luck on getting this lined out. You are far ahead of the game compared to some projects.

[JRC99]

Originally Posted by Stihl

I have enjoyed reading this post and I really love the car. I would like to offer some well meaning advice. I have been in your situation and I hate to see you make some of the poor decisions I have made.

1. You need to make a punch list of mechanical items to fix and knock them off one by one in order. Jumping around from issue to issue without completely fixing the anything will only frustrate you as items pile up.

2. Do not make the mistake of pulling the engine for something that can be fixed with the engine in the car. Life and money will get in the way and you will never get it back together again.

I pulled a running and driving 1969 Camaro apart in high school to run thru it and build a show car. On a small budget and just beginning adult hood the car never got put back together. Life got in the way. Again, please do not make my mistake and be in a rush to pull the engine.
Plan your repairs one at a time a stick with it in order. Other members local to you have offered labor and guidance, take them up on their knowledge. Good luck on getting this lined out. You are far ahead of the game compared to some projects.

Appreciate the advice. At this moment I'm not doing any major work on it. It needs quite a bit more so it'll sit in the heated garage and stay safe while I iron out a couple other things (The Mustang needs some minor repairs that are a lot cheaper than this car) so I can start saving up for the surgery. I do plan on actually diagnosing it further at some point as well. I want to make damn sure it actually needs to come apart before I screw with it.

[Pro Stock John]

What all does the car need?

Is it possible the lifters are bleeding down from the car sitting long periods of time?