68 Camaro SS/RS 396 resto mod project

[68 TT]

Decided it is time to focus on my Camaro again so I figured I would start a rebuild thread on it.

It was my bracket racer from 1987 until 2002 when I got laid off. I wanted to put my car back closer to stock so I could drive it on the street and enjoy it more often so I used this as an excuse to start the change. I ended up selling off the engine, trans, rear end, front brakes, wheels & tires and fiberglass cowl hood to a friend in exchange for some much needed cash plus he gave me his stock 12-bolt, T-400, tired 396 and stock front brakes & rally wheels. I sold the race seats & harnesses and aluminum door panels to another guy. I also cut out the roll cage.

I put all the stock parts from the trade onto my car and reinstalled my original SS hood to make it complete again but didn't get much further.

I got married shortly after and got a new job, then life and two children got in the way so the progress on the car was very slow to nonexistent over the past ten years. It just wasn't a priority with small children. They are getting old enough now that I can start to play again and not feel guilty. My youngest daughter even likes to work on the car & trucks with me so this will be some good bonding time for us too.

Here is how it sits today.

[68 TT]

My "helper" hard at work a few years ago and me trying to keep it from rusting away.

Moved into a bigger house with no garage after my second daughter was born so the Camaro no longer has a garage to sleep in

I think paint might be in order one of these days It has been in primer for more than 25 years.

[Bishops Trucks]

Seems that a bunch of us that have these trucks also have a Camaro (and various other rides) Keep us posted on the progress. Looks to be in great shape.

[68 TT]

Ordered some new parts from Summit. They price matched Speedway $21 less on the Wilwood 260-11179 adjustable proportioning valve I wanted and beat streetsides price on the Hurst shifter handle with line lock button I wanted as well plus they dropped the handling charge on the rest of my order too.

[mcbassin]

Looks like another great project to follow. I'm in....

[68 TT]

Finally got to spend some quality time with the Camaro. Post #3000 so good timing for an update with a little substance.

Got my parts order in and went to work.

Installed the Wilwood adjustable proportioning valve, manual disc master cylinder from the stepside, a new hardened steel deep recess pedal pushrod and a 95 S10 Blazer proportioning valve mount bracket I had sitting around.

The old master cylinder & prop valve was for four wheel disc brakes that this car no longer has so a change was needed. It could have used the adjustable prop valve before but I never got around to it. My track has lots of slow down area so hitting the brakes really hard isn't necessary making the prop valve change low on the priority list. Now that this thing will be hitting the street a panic stop will happen sooner or later so the brakes have to be dead on this time around.

[68 TT]

My only issue so far has been that the Wilwood prop valve uses all 3/16" lines. I wish it had 1/4" lines for the rear brake section like GM used. I need to get a 3/8-24 male to 7/16-24 female adapter for the rear output so I can plumb it to the rear brake supply line. $3 at my local auto parts store and in stock.

The mount bracket I got off a 95 S10 Blazer fits like a glove and puts the prop valve in just the right spot for the Camaro. Score one for the pack rat.

I am going to bend up some wire to nail down my tube routing then get the brake tubing I need and bend away. That will get me down to bleeding the brakes and checking for leaks in the system.

I took the opportunity of having the rear of the car in the air to machine the slots out of my aluminum brake drums. I had always thought the recesses GM put in them looked like they were meant to be voids so I thought I would give it a try. They look killer. We will see if they hold up. I have spares so if they fail no big deal.

Put my rear wheels on, installed the open end wheel locks and torqued them down. The tires are some I had sitting around for a while and will do for now to work the bugs out of the car but are not up to any drag strip time.

They stick out a little more than I want but that is OK for now as I will be having the rear axle re-tubed with heavy wall DOM tube and fit with big bearing retainer plate type housing ends as well as making it narrower by 3" per side. The car will be getting mini-tubbed to match. New 325/50-15 M/T Drag Radials will be going on after that is done.

Not sure if I will stick with Cal-Trac bars & leaf springs like I ran before or go insane and put a 4-link in there. The traction bars on the Camaro now are going onto the stepside when I do the axle over spring flip to it here shortly. The just won't do with 600+ ft-lbs of torque in the Camaro.

[68 TT]

The rubber strap on my line lock activation button has been cracked & failing for years but still worked. I sold my old shifter a while ago and replaced it with a B&M Pro Ratchet shifter with NHRA legal separate reverse lever. Like the shifter but hated the lame plastic knob. I found a great deal on a nice Hurst billet aluminum pistol grip shift handle with an integrated line lock button that would take care of both issues so I got it.

This thing looks evil and I really like the way it fits in my hand.

I fit the stock Camaro automatic shift plate frame with a leather shift boot from a manual trans early 80's third gen Camaro and punched a hole for the reverse lever to fit through. The shifter fit nicely inside my stock floor console and the boot hides the mechanism nicely.

I need to wrap the shift lever with something to keep the boot all the way up by the shifter handle so it hides the line lock wires better.

[68 TT]

The flat clear coat paint I put on the new master cylinder sucks. It wasn't even exposed to the elements and it rusted through in many places I know had plenty of coverage.

I found this can of stainless steel coating at a garage sale so I though I would give it a try.

Goes on dark and lumpy but dries smoother and looks just like raw cast iron.

Pretty cool stuff but I don't know where to get any more. I have never seen it before. I will have to look them up and see if they are still around & where I can get more.

[Zoomin]

The master turned out great with that paint. I see you have the rally gauges too. Get done before your helper decides to buy prom dresses, go to college and then get married!

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Zoomin

The master turned out great with that paint. I see you have the rally gauges too. Get done before your helper decides to buy prom dresses, go to college and then get married!

Don't remind me of that. My girls are only a year apart.

She has already claimed the car as hers and demands I fix it on a regular basis.

I will probably get her one when she turns 13 and we will fix it up together. She will have a whole lot more respect for it that way and treat the car appropriately. She will also learn how to work on it herself in the process.

My best friend's dad did that with him when we were kids and he treated his Chevelle like it was made of platinum every time he drove it and it still looks just as good nearly 30 years later.

[mcbassin]

Nice parts Mike! I really like the master cylinder paint job.

[Dieselwrencher]

Man awesome Camaro! I want one of these pretty bad. There's a guy in Oklahoma who needs to sell me one of his......................

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Man awesome Camaro! I want one of these pretty bad. There's a guy in Oklahoma who needs to sell me one of his......................

Ha, good luck with that one.

I have yet to talk anybody out of their first gen that didn't have it up for sale.

[68 TT]

I mocked up all my front brake hard lines with old fittings and coat hanger wire to see if I could use some or all off the shelf NAPA pre-flared brake tubing since my plumbing is custom due to the parts involved.

It worked out that I could do the plumbing with standard lengths for all my front brake hard lines. I purchased all the armor cable wrapped pieces that were available that way and got their non-wire wrapped conversion pieces to go from the master cylinder 9/16" and 1/2" outlets to the 3/8" inlets of the adjustable proportioning valve.

Tight fit getting all those lines in there but I made it work.

All that is left now is to bench bleed the master cylinder, bleed the system and check for leaks.

Pics to follow tomorrow as I ran out of time before I had to leave for work.

Next job is to square up the subframe a little better and install the steering shaft coupler onto the steering column then I can drop the engine back in.

Can't wait to fire this thing up.

[Dieselwrencher]

Sounds like you are making nice progress. If I could find a bucket full of cash, there is a 68 firebird around here for $2500/

[68 TT]

The 4th ended up being a bad day. My dog got really sick the night before while I was at work and we had to take him in to the emergency vet on the 4th.

A boat load of money later we ended up having to put him to sleep.

Several tumors in his lungs & spleen, massively anemic with a super low platelet count.

He lived a long happy life, I just wish it could have been a little longer.

Goodby old friend you will be sorely missed.

[Zoomin]

It's never easy to say good bye to an old friend. Those rascals are just like family. Sorry for your loss.
Posted via Mobile Device

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Zoomin

It's never easy to say good bye to an old friend. Those rascals are just like family. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks. He was definitely a part of the family. He hung out with me all the time when I was working on cars and went everywhere with me.