1969 Camaro "Yenko" Clone

[mcbassin]

James, Your metal work is second to none! I hope you won't mind me asking a million questions when I start on one my Camaros. I haven't ever worked on the sheetmetal on one. If you were a few miles closer I would come by and help you too.

[nuke1]

Mike, thankyou. I do not mind questions at all, i try to help anyone i can. I wish that i had friends up here that were into this stuff like me, but i do not. I have dreamers, the truth really is, all of you on here are my friends. I do not know any of you personally but i feel like i do. Anything i could do for help i will. I got one friend that likes cars, but has no clue about them really, he jsut dreams. Later James

[my67chevytruck]

James, awesome work as always... one day i need to find your secret to dressing your welds as they always blend so well...... .023 wire for panel welding?...

[69GMCor70Chevy]

As a fellow SK gov't employee I think you made the right move!

My cousin's husband is an appraiser for SGI in Regina.

[nuke1]

Well, went out tonite and got a little more done. Finished up the left rear door jamb and rocker to quarter panel. Oh, i also seemed to warp one litle spot on this side also, same darn spot. AAAAArrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh. Got a little bored also and sanded the quarter down some. Tomorow nite i will finish off the roof joint and some on the rear. Couple more days and the shell wil be near completion, then a sand-a-thon. get her all shiny and primed. All I can say, I am finally enjoying doin this again. Love it. BTW guys, i can do a dress-your-metal sticky if you want. give me a couple days. i use .23 and .35, right now .35, it is what i have but .23 is better to use. ran out of the other and i have a huge roll of .35 to use up.

[mcbassin]

James,
Do you plan to do away with lead for the sealing at the top of the quarter? You just going to fab a metal insert to take the place? thanks,

[FRENCHBLUE72]

The sticky would be great...

[bucketseats]

where do you live at? i have the same projects one black yenko and building a yellow one and have a 72 c 10 short wide big block with all the options painted red and has to be put together but i am running out of gas would like to sell if you know of anybody that might be interested e mail em at route67chev@yahoo.com thanks

[nuke1]

So i went out for a couple hours tonite and did a bit more. Replaced a piece at the bottom of the rear window. Cut it out and then made a new piece and used my shrinker to get the curve right, clamped her in and welded away. Once that was done I cleaned up the top Qtr to roof seam and rear window well. Once that was all done i broke out the sander and got down to her and sanded some more of the side. Looking so nice.

[nuke1]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

James,
Do you plan to do away with lead for the sealing at the top of the quarter? You just going to fab a metal insert to take the place? thanks,

I would use Lead, but most ppl do not want to pay for me to do it. I can do it, but hardly ever do now. As for the seam, the stuff i use is metal to metal. It is a metal shaving impregnated body filler. Once hard, extremely durable and tough, i use it over all of my welds. Better than shortstrand fiberglass anyday. Then all you need is a shif of body filler. DONE!

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

The sticky would be great...

You bet

Originally Posted by bucketseats

where do you live at? i have the same projects one black yenko and building a yellow one and have a 72 c 10 short wide big block with all the options painted red and has to be put together but i am running out of gas would like to sell if you know of anybody that might be interested e mail em at route67chev@yahoo.com thanks

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. but anything is possible. email me nuke1@hotmail.com

[nuke1]

A few more pics, the one is a real teaser pic, so clean and shiney!!!! getting there.

[mcbassin]

That thing looks great! Thanks for the tip on the filler too. The reason I asked, I saw on an episode of Hot Rod tv where they melted out the lead and used a tig with a strip of sheetmetal to fill.

[my67chevytruck]

looking good Nuke. i like the dress your metal sticky idea.....

[kyull67]

Looking real good!

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by nuke1

I would use Lead, but most ppl do not want to pay for me to do it. I can do it, but hardly ever do now. As for the seam, the stuff i use is metal to metal. It is a metal shaving impregnated body filler. Once hard, extremely durable and tough, i use it over all of my welds. Better than shortstrand fiberglass anyday. Then all you need is a shif of body filler. DONE!

Okay, so you'll have to excuse my ignorance again, you use the metal impregnated stuff over all welds why? is it because regular filler doesn't flex enough? The weld is harder than the regular sheet metal? Sorry, I have always just used bondo or similar. I am getting some of the Evercoat Rage gold next week, will it work over welds? thanks

[nuke1]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Okay, so you'll have to excuse my ignorance again, you use the metal impregnated stuff over all welds why? is it because regular filler doesn't flex enough? The weld is harder than the regular sheet metal? Sorry, I have always just used bondo or similar. I am getting some of the Evercoat Rage gold next week, will it work over welds? thanks

I have used filler over welds, quite often, but anytime there is some warpage you can not get out, or a area that you want to fill, the m2m seems to work best. It is strong like lead, and does not seem to crack, you have to remember, where we live the climate changes drastically from 4o above to 5o below and this is in celcius. Filler tends to expand and contract more, therefore you do not want it thick. I try for 1/16th , but on occasion 1/8th. Yes the weld is also a harder area than the surrounding area, the heat work hardens the metal, making it fatigue around the welds. Ever notice how when something is welded, say on an old 1940's fender it seems to crack right along side the weld. that is the Fatigued area, you can rarely get around that. You jsut do the best that you can, and learn things along the way. The Rage gold seems to be about the best filler that i have come across in my profession, i have tried jsut about everykind out there. so yes i suggesst it. As for the over welds, as long as it is not a seam with extreme warpage, go for it. Will not hurt anything. Any more questions just ask.
Later. James

[nuke1]

So Mel and Harleigh went home for the weekend, and that left me here all alone, well what am i gonna do, Work i guess. Like that is a hard secision for me. Spent a fair amount out in the shop so far. I got quite a bit done so far. More to come yet tomorow. Well, i got the rear tailpan all cleaned up and ground down, test fitted the trunk lid and for the most part the gaps are good, but one minor dilemma. I am gonna have to rework how it sits on the car. A little high around the edges and a little low in the center, nothing too major just a little work. Once that was done i got the weatherstripping rails welded in and that is done now.

[nuke1]

After i got the weatherstripping rails in, i had to reinstall the quartere somethings back into the car. Not even sure what they are called. Put my seam sealer on them and then clamped them in and welded away. Cut out the bottom rear section of the back window and replaced that too. ONce i got that all done i sanded the remaining quarter panel and rocker down. Looking good so far. After all that sanding of the ep primer i turned out black head to toe, i came into the house and my dog kinda shyed from me for a second.

[nuke1]

After i got all that done i set the car back up on my rotiesserie and started sanding the roof. OMG was that stuff thick on there. Painted a few times. I liked the yellow under the first yellow. Anyways I swear that i took 3 lbs of paint off of there and uncovered a few more dents than what i wanted to find but whatever, jsut have to get those straitened out now. Then i broke out my trusty grinder and pic tool and used a little elbow grease and cleaned up the drip rails of all the old seamsealer so it will have fresh stuff in there now.

[nuke1]

I have to toot my horn here a little, pretty nice weld huh. I wish mine were like that 100% of the time, but the truth is they are not, but usually i do pretty good. After that i cut out the front braces so that tomorow i can replace them and finish sanding and grinding the bottom of the car. I got 1/3 of the bottom of the car sanded and maybe 1/4 ground down so far. Should have it all done tomorow. But she is getting there. Looking good. On a great side note to this, i should have the shell of the car all done tomorow, all that is left is sand the inside and get the mud to her. Oh yeah!!!!!!! And a parting shot for tinite. Later

[eastninemoto]

Skills man!!! lookin good as always!!!

[mcbassin]

Man, you made some awesome progress in one day! I know how much work is involed with sanding to bare metal. The welds look great too! Say, can I borrow you rotiessrie?

[sourkraut]

nuke looking good. very nice weld in the parting shot. keep up the good work!

[Frizzle Fry]

It's nice when you have a guide for the torch, isn't it? Comes out nice and straight. Still requires some exp to make them look like that. Great project!

[nuke1]

Originally Posted by sourkraut

nuke looking good. very nice weld in the parting shot. keep up the good work!

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

It's nice when you have a guide for the torch, isn't it? Comes out nice and straight. Still requires some exp to make them look like that. Great project!

Thanks guys.