The Camaro Club (UK)

When 1 leak is sealed, 2 others spring up.

Ye, so i ran the car for a bit to rotate the fluids and saw some coolant on the floor. Couldn't figure out where it was coming from as the bulkhead was dry. Pulled up the carped and there it was, dripping through the little oval hole in the floor (has the cap in place but it's not sealed). Looks like heater matrix. I should have swapped it out when it was all out of the car. It's only £20 (plus shipping). So i've ordered a replacement. Not a big job just a PITA job due to access.

The other leak is the transmission... I wanted to drive the car back and forth to test the brakes and just move it about a bit. No matter if it was in R or D, it just revved. I remember when i got the car, that after a couple of months there was a big red patch on the floor. I thought it was just overfilled as the dipstick showed full. Need to figure out the leak location. Have a feeling it's by the dipstick housing.

Also ordered a whole new front steering setup new center link, idler arm plus inner and outer tie rods, all from moog. There was a bit of play when rocking the wheels from side to side, more so on the passenger side. Better safe than sorry and i'm guessing the ball joints will be close to shot after 30+ years. Wouldn't want to fail an MOT and pay for it again a week later.

Until the parts arrive i'll start wet sanding the paint job and compounding and polishing.

_________________
How to post pics: When writing a message, scroll down and use the "attach file" option. Where possible, a photo sharing service can be used such as Flickr, Imgur etc. The image location (usually ending in .jpg) can be copy and pasted between the ][ brackets that appear when you click the 'Img' button (you can find this button at the top of the message box).

How to post youtube vids: Click on the 'youtubeHD' button at the top of the message box and in the middle of the ][ brackets that just appeared, copy and paste everything from the youtube web address that appears after the = sign i.e if this is the url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0 just copy "K2cNqaPSHv0").

Also ordered a mechanical fuel pump. The electric ones just drones through the car, even though it has 2 sets of rubber insulators.

_________________
How to post pics: When writing a message, scroll down and use the "attach file" option. Where possible, a photo sharing service can be used such as Flickr, Imgur etc. The image location (usually ending in .jpg) can be copy and pasted between the ][ brackets that appear when you click the 'Img' button (you can find this button at the top of the message box).

How to post youtube vids: Click on the 'youtubeHD' button at the top of the message box and in the middle of the ][ brackets that just appeared, copy and paste everything from the youtube web address that appears after the = sign i.e if this is the url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0 just copy "K2cNqaPSHv0").

Crikey, i just realised i joined the club 6 years ago today I bought the Camaro on the Saturday prior, so it's been with me now for 6 years and 3 days (bought it Saturday evening, in the dark, always a good idea) and drove it back through snowy roads, had no heat (thought i just didn't know how to work the heater, the irony of now waiting on a heater matrix to arrive, talk about a long fix ). My adrenaline was so high (first time driving on left side of car, first time driving a yank and a v8, i drove back the whole ~120 miles with the window 1/4 of the way down and it was about 2celsius out (and the dash kept turning on and off, so had no idea what was going on or what speed i was doing, not helped by the speedo not working and some scribbled on paper which showed roughly what rpm was which speed, not that i had any chance of reading it in the pitch black).

Got it home, the Camaro and my mates car full of spare parts, unloaded, drove to his place in Reading, then back home. Gutted that i missed the chance to impress the hot girl next door, literally closed the gate just as she came home and managed to catch a hi. She managed to get married and then just the other week had her first kid, i haven't even managed to get the car MOT'd in the timeframe! Life eh.

It's been with me through 3 different jobs, 1 girlfriend and many ups and downs (it may have had a hand in a few of the downs) but it's stuck with me where others and other things haven't. It had a little cry last week from the heater matrix and a replacement is on the way. It had another little cry when it first got here and we think it's due to the transmission filler housing (dipstick tube is not tied down so probably caused issues) so need to give that some TLC. Then it's bolts need final checking, a few tidy up tweaks here and there and then it's time to see the light of day again.

_________________
How to post pics: When writing a message, scroll down and use the "attach file" option. Where possible, a photo sharing service can be used such as Flickr, Imgur etc. The image location (usually ending in .jpg) can be copy and pasted between the ][ brackets that appear when you click the 'Img' button (you can find this button at the top of the message box).

How to post youtube vids: Click on the 'youtubeHD' button at the top of the message box and in the middle of the ][ brackets that just appeared, copy and paste everything from the youtube web address that appears after the = sign i.e if this is the url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0 just copy "K2cNqaPSHv0").

Blimey .. Over 6 years. . I so hope it gets sorted and you get use of it in the next couple of months .. Once it's running and legally on the road all the little bits can be sorted...

_________________
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Thanks dude, all of your motivation over the years hasn't gone to waste

Good news is the heater matrix and various other bits arrived yesterday, so i can work on that this weekend. Hopefully enough time to sort that, plus the transmission. Shouldn't be raining, so if that works out, then i can do a little test drive.

_________________
How to post pics: When writing a message, scroll down and use the "attach file" option. Where possible, a photo sharing service can be used such as Flickr, Imgur etc. The image location (usually ending in .jpg) can be copy and pasted between the ][ brackets that appear when you click the 'Img' button (you can find this button at the top of the message box).

How to post youtube vids: Click on the 'youtubeHD' button at the top of the message box and in the middle of the ][ brackets that just appeared, copy and paste everything from the youtube web address that appears after the = sign i.e if this is the url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0 just copy "K2cNqaPSHv0").

So production has been halted due to the new heater matrix not fitting. Rockauto have been helpful in refunding the part which is great. I think i will try soldering the leak on the old unit this week and fingers crossed be able to refit everything on Saturday. Sunday the plan is to resolve the leaking transmission. It seems to have come from where the dipstick goes into the transmission. The dipstick is very loose as it's not bolted to the block, so i will fashion up something to lock it into place (likely a P clip). Then i will check to see if there's a gasket, or a leaking one and see if i can fix that with permatex ultra blue rtv sealant. Then the following weekend do a once over to make sure all the bolts are tight and give it a little drive. It's a very expensive month this month, so i don't know if i can afford to get it MOT'd, taxed and insured, so that may need to wait until the following month.

_________________
How to post pics: When writing a message, scroll down and use the "attach file" option. Where possible, a photo sharing service can be used such as Flickr, Imgur etc. The image location (usually ending in .jpg) can be copy and pasted between the ][ brackets that appear when you click the 'Img' button (you can find this button at the top of the message box).

How to post youtube vids: Click on the 'youtubeHD' button at the top of the message box and in the middle of the ][ brackets that just appeared, copy and paste everything from the youtube web address that appears after the = sign i.e if this is the url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0 just copy "K2cNqaPSHv0").

Haven't had a chance to work on the car yet. Decided against trying to braze the crack in the heater matrix as it's not an ideal thing to learn brazing on, don't want to risk any leaks as it's such a pain to get to and it's hard to tell when it does leak. My dad said he knows a guy that runs a small business to do with radiator repairs, so going to drop it off to him during the week and hopefully get mates rates.

About to go out now and work on securing the transmission dip stick and then working on the leak to try and put a stop to it.

The only other thing i wanted to do was lay down some waxoyl into the trunk drop offs, inner rear quarters, as much of the rockers as reachable and inside the cowel area.

Then onto wet sand and buff on the clear coat.

_________________
How to post pics: When writing a message, scroll down and use the "attach file" option. Where possible, a photo sharing service can be used such as Flickr, Imgur etc. The image location (usually ending in .jpg) can be copy and pasted between the ][ brackets that appear when you click the 'Img' button (you can find this button at the top of the message box).

How to post youtube vids: Click on the 'youtubeHD' button at the top of the message box and in the middle of the ][ brackets that just appeared, copy and paste everything from the youtube web address that appears after the = sign i.e if this is the url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0 just copy "K2cNqaPSHv0").

Well, just had a call from the radiator place and they said it needs to be recored. Nice enough and helpful people, but the charge is £88+vat, so in everyones language that's £105. NNnnnnnnnnnooooooooo. Really? £105? It's £44 for a brand new one! (copper / brass). I pressure tested it and there's a leak at the inlet, i thought it would just be a case of brazing it to seal it. What the hell.

I was expecting it to be repaired this week, so that i could finally finish the car this weekend. Why would i be so stupid to think that this car would ever be finished.

The aluminium one i bought doesn't fit, this one is apparently one that will fit - copper / brass. Shipping is the same price as the item of course Will speak with Steve Lang to bring it up but i don't know how much NPD charge for shipping to NY. Going via Steve brings it up to £67 plus whatever NPD charge and then either petrol to pick it up or postage, so may end up at £100, so basically the same price as recoring it. Getting ridiculous for a f*cking hairline crack.

https://www.npdlink.com/store/products/ ... -8154.html

Only been trying to solve this for 2 months Not that i've said it a thousand times, really sick of this bs.

_________________
How to post pics: When writing a message, scroll down and use the "attach file" option. Where possible, a photo sharing service can be used such as Flickr, Imgur etc. The image location (usually ending in .jpg) can be copy and pasted between the ][ brackets that appear when you click the 'Img' button (you can find this button at the top of the message box).

How to post youtube vids: Click on the 'youtubeHD' button at the top of the message box and in the middle of the ][ brackets that just appeared, copy and paste everything from the youtube web address that appears after the = sign i.e if this is the url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0 just copy "K2cNqaPSHv0").

Summit has ´em too.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/sum-382128

Cheers Malc! Unfortunately looking through, they only do the matrix for cars with AC, not ones without NPD only charge $9 for delivery so not too bad actually, but plus sales tax and the total with Steve bringing it in comes to £80. Only double the price of the item (not downing on Steve, he's helping out, just the craziness that you end up paying double for something). I also asked him to bring in a 5/8-18 inverted flare to 3/8 barb connector, only £4 from Summit so thought it would be worth giving that a try and sorting out the pesky fuel pump too.

Not sure when it will get here, likely mid next week, if things align though could make it here by / on the weekend. Really would like to get the heater sorted and the transmission leak. I've said it 5 times already... would like to have the car finished for my birthday, so 6th time lucky...

_________________
How to post pics: When writing a message, scroll down and use the "attach file" option. Where possible, a photo sharing service can be used such as Flickr, Imgur etc. The image location (usually ending in .jpg) can be copy and pasted between the ][ brackets that appear when you click the 'Img' button (you can find this button at the top of the message box).

How to post youtube vids: Click on the 'youtubeHD' button at the top of the message box and in the middle of the ][ brackets that just appeared, copy and paste everything from the youtube web address that appears after the = sign i.e if this is the url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cNqaPSHv0 just copy "K2cNqaPSHv0").