View Full Version : Restoring my old Camaro...
Hell yeah, we're gonna start the restoration of my 70 1/2 Camaro this weekend. My Dad bought this car brand new in 1970, and passed it on to me when I graduated from college. It hasn't been running for years and needs some body work though (has around 200,000 original miles on it). We're gonna do it right and do a body off restoration. I just got the engine this past weekend to put in it, a 454 big block....Wish I could put a supercharger on it, but that'll have to wait.
Tonja_Renee
07-10-2007, 01:38 PM
That's a sweet year for the camaro... A friend of mine has that year camaro.. metallic copper/beige with the white racing stripe. Pretty nice.
Big block... cool. Is that what was stock in it, or are you upgrading.. lol?
My ex was a chev man.. I watched him tear apart 15 motors and put them back together again.. small blocks though - mostly 350's and a couple 400s...
Mine is a metallic blue color with a black vinyl top. Oh no, it came stock with a 307, 200 hp. It's not a SS, RS, or Z28, it's just the coupe that came with the small V8. Going to have to replace the entire drivetrain to handle the power of the new engine (400-500 hp)...I am going to go ahead and get a bigger carb, upgrade the intake manifold, and put headers on it, easy mods like that. Will eventually put a supercharger on it, but that'll have to wait since the kit is in the $5,000 range.....
This will be the 4th motor I've rebuilt, first big block...Rebuilt a 305, a 307 and a 350.
I think I'm gonna have the stripes painted on mine, although it's a straight up coupe...blue with the white stripes, oh yeah!!
Thraxion
07-10-2007, 01:47 PM
Yeah, I bet you feel all pretty with your fancy cool car. Well i drive a 98 Ford Escort 4 door sedan! What do you think of that!?! Pretty cool huh? :cool:
*sniffle* :(
cool man.. :cool:
Not the same ballpark for a car but related, I have a '64 VW Beetle that was my first car. It's a money pit, but I'll probably never sell it. I've had it professionally restored and then I've kept it going (except for the paint, still pay for that). It goes some of the time. Starts first time, everytime - it just doesn't always last long! I had the engine out of a 912 dropped in it, had it lowered and vented discs fitted so it would stop. It's fast and flash, but characterful (unreliable)...
So rewarding to drive on your own work... or not, in my case... :o
Haha, it ain't too fancy, never had air conditioning.....and probably never will.
A Ford Escort is a bad ass ride! :D
Tonja_Renee
07-10-2007, 01:55 PM
Mine is a metallic blue color with a black vinyl top. Oh no, it came stock with a 307, 200 hp. It's not a SS, RS, or Z28, it's just the coupe that came with the small V8. Going to have to replace the entire drivetrain to handle the power of the new engine (400-500 hp)...I am going to go ahead and get a bigger carb, upgrade the intake manifold, and put headers on it, easy mods like that. Will eventually put a supercharger on it, but that'll have to wait since the kit is in the $5,000 range.....
This will be the 4th motor I've rebuilt, first big block...Rebuilt a 305, a 307 and a 350.
I think I'm gonna have the stripes painted on mine, although it's a straight up coupe...blue with the white stripes, oh yeah!!
Cool. Sounds like it should fly... what type of rearend is in those... it is a posse(sp?) traction? I know that played havoc with some of the re-builds I've seen... But then again, the rebuilds I witness were mostly for the stip. Sounds like its going to be one of those cars... "Get in, shut up, hold on.." :D
Oh yeah, something like an old car means so much more if you work on it and re-build them yourself...I can't wait to get the camaro back on the road...
what type of rearend is in those...
...nah.... too easy... :eek:
Cool. Sounds like it should fly... what type of rearend is in those... it is a posse(sp?) traction? I know that played havoc with some of the re-builds I've seen... But then again, the rebuilds I witness were mostly for the stip. Sounds like its going to be one of those cars... "Get in, shut up, hold on.." :D
Doesn't have posi traction. I think the stock rearend is a 2.73, but not real sure, haha....just can't remember right now. I'll change it out for either a 3.73 or 3.55 though....probably a 3.55. I'm not gonna race it, I just want it to be fast. :D It's gonna be more of a show car than anything, might drive it a couple of times a month or something....
PRSplaya
07-10-2007, 02:32 PM
Sweet bud!!!! Be sure to take lots of build up pictures!
Sweet bud!!!! Be sure to take lots of build up pictures!
Will do...Gonna take some pics of it this evening to start the photo journal of the rebuild....
Tonja_Renee
07-10-2007, 02:47 PM
...nah.... too easy... :eek:
Men... :rolleyes:
Akira
07-10-2007, 03:00 PM
Piiiiiiiiiiicccccsssssss.
z0s0_jp
07-10-2007, 05:54 PM
Make sure you have plenty of Boston to play in the stereo when you cruise in it=====early 70's Camaro and Fire Chicken are my fave :D
Bar Chord Nick
07-10-2007, 06:16 PM
I use to love doin ground ups. I would go with the 3.55's cause the big block can't rev like the small block. Also make sure to weld in sub frame connectors so you don't twist the body or rip the rear from the body. Are you going with full race auto trans, turbo 400 with shift kit or a stick? Enjoy the build and don't rush cause you're getting inpatient. You'll be happier in the long run if you take your time and do it right.
BC
I use to love doin ground ups. I would go with the 3.55's cause the big block can't rev like the small block. Also make sure to weld in sub frame connectors so you don't twist the body or rip the rear from the body. Are you going with full race auto trans, turbo 400 with shift kit or a stick? Enjoy the build and don't rush cause you're getting inpatient. You'll be happier in the long run if you take your time and do it right.
BC
Man... is there anything you guys don't know loads about? [/envy] I paid a dude to sort mine - I can just about handle the upkeep... :o
hunter60
07-10-2007, 06:23 PM
Oh how I wish I could even pretend to know half the stuff you wrenches are talking about.... :( I do recognize some of the terms though and I think I could identify a Camaro in a line up.
But then again, my very first car was a 1972 Firebird POS. (Use you imagination to figure out what POS is ...) Man that car was in rough shape. LOUD and not on purpose either. :D Is rust a color? It was supposed to be yellow.
Sniff...I miss the ol' girl ...sob...
hunter60
07-10-2007, 06:26 PM
Make sure you have plenty of Boston to play in the stereo when you cruise in it=====early 70's Camaro and Fire Chicken are my fave :D
Don't forget to have some Eagles, Zep and the Doobie Brothers. And you have to have The Best of Bread for those...ahem...quiet, romantic rides in the country.
"If a picture paints a thousand words.....dooo doooo doooo"
Bar Chord Nick
07-10-2007, 06:35 PM
The Best of Bread
That's scary! :eek: You don't want a girl that likes that stuff. Fast cars require fast girls. Bread girls aren't fast! ;) :D
z0s0_jp
07-10-2007, 07:03 PM
I have found AC/DC chicks to be some of the fastest in the arena of backseats------------ "Girls Got Rhythm" :D
Bar Chord Nick
07-10-2007, 07:04 PM
See now there's a man that knows fast chics...lol
hunter60
07-10-2007, 08:13 PM
That's scary! :eek: You don't want a girl that likes that stuff. Fast cars require fast girls. Bread girls aren't fast!
I stand corrected sir! :D
acapella
07-10-2007, 10:56 PM
Man that car was in rough shape. LOUD and not on purpose either. :D
Haha, I know how that is. My parents car is a '96 Hyundai Accent (lol) but if you only heard it you would think it was about twenty years older and twenty...times...cooler?
Anyway...I don't know a lot about cars, not as much as I want to anyway, but I think that you have an awesome project on your hands here. Can't wait to see those pics!
Lordathestrings
07-11-2007, 01:20 PM
.... I just got the engine this past weekend to put in it, a 454 big block....Wish I could put a supercharger on it, but that'll have to wait.
Meh, you build a rat right, you won't need a supercharger. With a Dana 3.55 rear and a pair of Holley 850 double-pump carbs on a Tarantula manifold, you'll be able to burn the tires down to the rims without even brake-standing!
z0s0_jp
07-11-2007, 01:31 PM
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b80/scleppe/doughboy.jpg
Lordathestrings
07-11-2007, 01:59 PM
:eek: Shades of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth!! :D
z0s0_jp
07-11-2007, 03:43 PM
One of my faves
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b80/scleppe/photo_book.jpg
Errrrrrr, my heart was broken this past weekend. I was looking up the casting numbers on the "454" engine I got and found out that it's really a 1960 348 big block. Yes, you read correctly, a Chevy 348 Big Block....It's called a W motor. One good thing is that they are kind of rare, but parts are expensive for them. I've never heard of W motors.....or of a 348 big block.
It's among the first of the big blocks, the 409 came shortly after the 348, which these led to the 454 in 1970...
Tonja_Renee
07-16-2007, 04:58 PM
So what are you going to do? Continue to build this motor, or sell it and find a 454?
I doubt I'll put this motor in the Camaro...I need to pull the valve covers off so I can get the casting numbers off of the heads to check the horsepower. The horsepower for the 348 ranges from 250-335 horsepower. If it has the heads that produce 335 hp, I'll consider going through with putting it in. If it's a lower hp motor, I'll probably sell it and buy a 454 for it....
From what I've found, I can probably sell this engine for a good bit, but it would have to be to the right person looking for this particular kind of motor. The 348 isn't considered a high performance engine....
Have any of you ever heard of a Big Block 348?
Lordathestrings
07-16-2007, 08:33 PM
Never heard of it. But I can tell you a few things about stuffing a 454 rat into a Camaro.
You will need to replace front suspension components frequently. A big-block puts way more stress on the shocks, ball jointss, and tie-rod ends than they were meant to handle.
It will be a pig to steer. With the front/rear weight ratio skewed so far forward, understeer will be your constant companion. Unless you power-drift every corner. Which will be very easy to do with so much power and such a relatively light rear end. Which brings me back to "It will be a pig to steer"...
I depends on whether you want to build a straight-line car, or a well balanced package that can run hard and fast on raods that have bends in them. One of the sweetest rides from my youth was a buddy's plain-wrapper 'sleeper' that had a very healthy 302 6-pack in it. Over 300 hp, and 50/50 front/rear weight ratio. Quick, fast, and agile.
Never heard of it. But I can tell you a few things about stuffing a 454 rat into a Camaro.
You will need to replace front suspension components frequently. A big-block puts way more stress on the shocks, ball jointss, and tie-rod ends than they were meant to handle.
It will be a pig to steer. With the front/rear weight ratio skewed so far forward, understeer will be your constant companion. Unless you power-drift every corner. Which will be very easy to do with so much power and such a relatively light rear end. Which brings me back to "It will be a pig to steer"...
I depends on whether you want to build a straight-line car, or a well balanced package that can run hard and fast on raods that have bends in them. One of the sweetest rides from my youth was a buddy's plain-wrapper 'sleeper' that had a very healthy 302 6-pack in it. Over 300 hp, and 50/50 front/rear weight ratio. Quick, fast, and agile.
You know, I never considered how the extra weight of the big block would affect the handling. I knew I would have to re-do the front suspension (gonna re-do the rear suspension also). You just gave me a lot to think about......
By the way, I found that the 348 I have is the 250 HP version. I may go back to my original idea and build up a 327 for it. I want to stay clear of a 350 although that's kind of the standard. I want something different in the camaro......
drewski442
07-17-2007, 09:49 PM
My first car was a 71 pontiac G.T.O, it had a 400 ci engine, but i blew that up, so i put a 455ci out of a 68 gto judge, 500 hp from the factory. I bored the cylinders 30 over with black jack pistons, then had the engine balanced and blue printed. It did low 12 in the 1/4 mile. Id kill to have that car back. I got it in 1986 and sold it for 15,000 in 1992. Im a anto tech by trade so I know your 70 and a half will be awsome, its good to be a gear head.
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