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 Posted 8/22/2008 3:07:18 PM |
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Getting Better at Internets
Last Login: 11/13/2022 6:06:37 AM
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| Thanks Mr A! Inbetween working on my Camaro, and creating plaster molds for my 1/6 scale Tumbler, i am also fully rebuilding my 4x4. My sister-n-law came to me in need of a vehicle, so i offered her my truck, showed her the condition it is in and roughly named off a list of items it will need before it could be road worthy. After naming off about the 70th item, i finally stopped naming items it would need to be re-instated on the road.  So far I am about 40% done, and hope to have a finished truck within the next few months. Our plan is to find her a 1950 Chevrolet truck, and begin restoring it, and making it greatly gas efficient while she drives my 4x4. Things are going real sour with my family, so i have decide the best option for now is to get my 3 vehicles put back together, and able to be loaded on a trailer, then i plan to be shopping around for a new place to live, and leave AL finally. Prefferably a place that has enough area for a large shop. 
“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”
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| Posted 10/12/2008 7:13:04 PM |
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Getting Better at Internets
Last Login: 11/13/2022 6:06:37 AM
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So i ran into a bit of a legal problem with letting my sister-n-law borrow my truck, and she took it real well, no hard feelings. So my wife asked to drive the truck until we can get the Camaro back on the road. I personally didnt have a problem with it, i figure seeing my 5' 4" wife jump up in a large truck would be funny enough for me.
First i would like to share with you something that just so happen to be sitting not even 50 feet away from my work area for the Camaro and my 4x4. And just for the record, its "home" was 8 foot long, and 6 1/2 foot tall, no joke.
Thats my dads hands for size refference, his hands are about a foot away from the spider, and obviously closer to my camera, so that should give you an idea that this thing was close to 6" span. It definately takes the record for the largest (and freakiest) spider i've ever seen. And for those of you who are like "KILL IT" we let it live. It wasnt bothering anything, so we didnt bother it.
“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”
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| Posted 10/12/2008 7:30:03 PM |
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Getting Better at Internets
Last Login: 11/13/2022 6:06:37 AM
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Anyway, on to the builds, as you know i've been rushing to get my Camaro and 4x4 back on the roads, and i dont care to do a half-a$$ job about it either. First i'll update the Camaro, i went to Harbor Freight and got myself a small sand blaster, a 20lb tank that fits the bill fairly well. I just wanted something that would sand blast the majority of the 36 years worth of crap that was caked on it. I started with the underside and removed the rubber undercoating, then sprayed it all down with Rustoleum primer. Sadly i dont have any undershots at the moment.
I also cleaned up the firewall and gave it a new coat of rustoleum gloss black.
Here is a rear shot, but not much work has commensed there just yet.
“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”
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| Posted 10/12/2008 7:57:35 PM |
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Getting Better at Internets
Last Login: 11/13/2022 6:06:37 AM
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here's a close up of the firewall
i'm very satisfied with the results, they arent show room but they are a thousands times better than what it was!
“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”
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| Posted 10/12/2008 9:02:47 PM |
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Getting Better at Internets
Last Login: 11/13/2022 6:06:37 AM
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Another problem i ran into is the car was originally equipped with a vinyl top, this brought a nice comfy home to my dear friend Rust. Rust however met my new freind Sandy Blaster and Sandy told Rust to find himself a new place to stay.
The sides were eat up so bad i could stick my hand thru some of the holes it chewed through it. Since im not really worried too much about the value of the car, reproduction steel quarter panels werent used. This also cut some cost. Instead i simply cleaned up the area with a sandblaster down to the metal, then hit it up with some Rustoleum, and layered over the top 2 layers of fiberglass and a "buttload" of Resin.
.....and no i dont recall how much of a "buttload" i used :p.
And the last shot is just an outward shot, i hope to get more work done as funds allow
“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”
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| Posted 10/12/2008 9:12:18 PM |
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Getting Better at Internets
Last Login: 11/13/2022 6:06:37 AM
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But as far as the 4x4, i have been mostly working in the engine bay, now keep in mind this truck was originally carbed, but i'm tired of dealing with "cold cranks, and inefficient gas mileage" And having people give me the excuse that "well carbs have their good days & bad, ya know how it is"
So i cut an entirely new harness out of an Astro Van with the help of my wife last weekend, and worked it into the system of my 4x4.
Here is a shot of the engine with the wires being spliced and extended as necessary, due to the fact that some connectors didnt line up well.
My wife shot this picture for the heck of it. It makes my 6' 4" frame feel short. You can also see what kind of mess i got myself into with the re-wiring. Luckily i have the patience for said things.
And here is an outward shot of the truck by itself, the A-frame over the bed is what i used to get the engine in. And yes it is the SAME engine that was in my GMC a few pictures earlier in this topic
It fired off this past weekend for about 2 seconds, since i dont have a fuel pump tank built for it (surge tank is more of the correct term) so i simply sprayed brake cleaner down in the intake and rolled it over that way. i also played with the clutch to make sure it works fine, and the truck moved a good foot. It hyped me up to finally see my work paying off!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”
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| Posted 10/12/2008 9:18:25 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/26/2023 1:14:45 PM
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| Hey Shaggy don't sell yourself short that looks like showroom condition.....What color are you going to paint the outside?......Are you going to do any body modifications? I like it when guys weld the front fenders and hood together then have the whole front end tilt forward......It also makes it easy to work on......Looking good.........BWD
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| Posted 10/12/2008 9:25:32 PM |
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Has NO LIFE!!
Last Login: 12/26/2023 1:14:45 PM
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| Hey since you had so much rust under the vinyl roof would you ever consider just cutting the top off and having a convertible? Maybe with a full roll cage? Or maybe going a little chop top?.......I have my sawzall in the garage.....BWD
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| Posted 10/13/2008 8:21:24 AM |
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Getting Better at Internets
Last Login: 11/13/2022 6:06:37 AM
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| Hey Dave, thanks for the kind compliments on my spray can paint job. Rustoleum gives better results than i expected. And i must say, im deaply satisfied. As far as the roof goes, i wanna say on the history i read on the 2nd generation Camaro, it was never offered with a convertable top, you had to send it off to a second coach builder that mod'd the rear to accept said items. And even then it just looked....off to me. 
I admit a roll cage could probably do this car some good, even the simpliest of roll cages. Better safe than sorry. But at the moment i havent found a decent way to tuck it into the inner structure of the car so it cant be seen, without hocking up alot of funds. So for now i will keep to the speed limit, and try not to flip over on my lid in the meantime. As far as colors go, i plan to go back "original" and by that i mean the original state that i found it in. From what i can gather the car originally came with a Hugger Orange paint job, white racing stripes, and a white vinyl top. Add another color and you got yourself a rolling candy corn. Nah, i found the car in a silver/black strip/black vinyl top color combo. And even tho its VERY common on Camaro to be done this way, i liked it and the wife wants it put back the way we found it. Heres a picture about 7 months into me driving it. It broke down at about 11 months due to half-a$$ wiring/bolting etc. 
Again, thank you for all the kind words!
“It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me”
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| Posted 10/13/2008 12:15:11 PM |
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Forum Guru
Last Login: 1/3/2016 3:34:07 PM
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Man, I love that Camaro...I used to want one so bad...good luck on the rebuild, looks awesome so far, can't wait to see it done! I love your "garage" too. You know how I like woodsy, trail-y, outdoors. Chevy Truck looks ready to take on some serious trails! Nice lift...
Kudos to you for not killing an innocent spider not doing anything to bother you! he/she will keep the annoying mosquitos and bugs away. I'm freeeeeaking out over the web size. I bet you it took a couple of hours for spidey to build it...maybe even shorter. Outside of a Tarantula, that is pretty much the biggest I've seen. that thing looked cool as ever.
Back to the car, what about T-Tops? I have seen camaros like that....And did i read correctly? you're going to convert that to fuel injection? Sorry if I misunderstood, but in any case the fact that you're doing much if not all of this yourself is saving you a ton of money (i'm sure you know that). hows junior? hope all is well my friend. Take care!
...does it come in black?
 
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