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PostPosted:Wed Jun 04, 2014 9:31 pm 
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Big Block
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Joined:Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:15 pm
Posts:120
Car Details:1970 Camaro RS 350/350
Location:Thatcham - Berkshire
Here's some more...

If ever there was any doubt about the car being an original RS, this sets the record straight...

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More original paint found, unfortunately the nose was only fit for the bin (I've keep the frame though!)

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Photos of the spindle carriers finished up and ready to install...

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New parts, my Hotchkis suspension!

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New upper control arm bolts...

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I thought long and hard about the best way to install my Hotchkis springs. I'm not a big fan of those spring compressing tools so decided on a more practical approach...

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I got the spring tucked in the upper bucket by hand to make sure it located ok and then brought the lower arm up to meet it, I got it tucked in as best I could by hand and then chocked it up on wood blocks whilst I fitted the ratchet strap.

The photos show how I slung the strap and this worked a treat, the spring popped back into its lower bucket when I put some tension on the strap and located perfectly.

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By doing it in increments I was able to line up the ball joints and just guide them into the holes, nuts and split pins installed, repeat for the other side and job done!

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I was much happier doing it this way and felt I had more control over the stored energy than with spring compressing tools (I don't like those things). I was also amazed at how easy it was to do using this method, must've only taken an hour total to do both sides start to finish.

Mocked up...

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Re: 1970 Camaro RS - Project

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PostPosted:Thu Jun 05, 2014 10:28 pm 
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Small Block

Joined:Wed Jun 04, 2014 9:17 pm
Posts:6
Car Details:1969 350 ci in frost green white vinyl
Hi Cowman, just joined forum and im amazed by how similar your restoration is to mine. i am doin a 69 but the ammount of work is very similar we seem to have done all the same things. it looks like u have a red sprayed over an original frost green paint? if so this is even more odd as that is exactly the same as mine!. are you in the UK?

Radders


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PostPosted:Fri Jun 06, 2014 12:59 pm 
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Big Block
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Joined:Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:40 pm
Posts:3245
Car Details:'79 Camaro, 350 V8
Location:South Bucks
Excellent milestone to reach :thumbup: It's looking very tidy over there. Nice idea on the ratchet strap. I have a spring compressor, the one that goes up on the inside of the coil. It's a real battle as the sides keep getting caught on the lip of the chasis and you can't always compress it enough because the thread part gets caught on something etc etc. Nice to see the sheet metal mounted on there too! So next is prepping the nose cone, then the bonnet, doors and onto primering?

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PostPosted:Fri Jun 06, 2014 1:13 pm 
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Big Block
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Joined:Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:35 am
Posts:2566
Car Details:79' camaro road & track day toy. 383 stroker, 5 speed TKO trans, lots of suspension stuff, 13" Vette brakes, 18" wheels.
Location:Luton
I thought the easy way was with the weight of the engine in the frame it keeps itself compressed you just undo the ball joints without too much of a worry...

(never done it myself mind on a Camaro, Opel Mantas and Mk1 Escorts yes ! )

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PostPosted:Fri Jun 06, 2014 8:16 pm 
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Big Block
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Joined:Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:15 pm
Posts:120
Car Details:1970 Camaro RS 350/350
Location:Thatcham - Berkshire
Quote:
Hi Cowman, just joined forum and im amazed by how similar your restoration is to mine. i am doin a 69 but the ammount of work is very similar we seem to have done all the same things. it looks like u have a red sprayed over an original frost green paint? if so this is even more odd as that is exactly the same as mine!. are you in the UK?

Radders
Thanks! I'm in the UK, Berkshire to be precise, the car was originally code 43, citrus green, with white vinyl top, at some point it was painted red, but that can be put right!
Quote:
So next is prepping the nose cone, then the bonnet, doors and onto primering?
You guessed it! I looked at getting one of those spring compressors but decided it was too expensive for the odd occasion I'd use it, I've got some of the clamp type but to be honest they're not great!

Next I took a cutter to my doors. I started by running the angle grinder along the fold at the door bottom and lifted the tabs up with a screwdriver...

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The bottom edge was solid but the corner wasn't so good...

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I tackled this by making a cardboard template...

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Marked round the card and cut out the bad metal...

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Cut some new metal and clamped in place...

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Welded and tidied, you get the idea...

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Next was to get the skin off and drop out the internals ready for shot-blasting. I got some other bits too, to re-mount my original roll-bar.

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PostPosted:Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:23 am 
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Big Block
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Joined:Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:40 pm
Posts:3245
Car Details:'79 Camaro, 350 V8
Location:South Bucks
Hi Cowman,

I had to do a similar patch on my door, they are buggers for rusting out at the bottoms of the doors. How have things come along recently? The spring compressors are scary, let alone those clamp ones that go on the outside of the spring, not a fan of working with compressed springs lol.

Cheers!

Ray

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PostPosted:Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:30 pm 
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Big Block
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Joined:Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:15 pm
Posts:120
Car Details:1970 Camaro RS 350/350
Location:Thatcham - Berkshire
Quote:
The spring compressors are scary, let alone those clamp ones that go on the outside of the spring, not a fan of working with compressed springs lol.
Thanks Ray, I know what you mean about the compressors!

Here's some more photos from the build...

The door frames cleaned up a treat, it was the right decision in the end, I wasn't happy with how they were coming up when I had a go at blasting them.

In the photo they look bare metal but they were actually coated in an anti corrosion (I'm guessing zinc based) which should give me some extra protection under the epoxy.

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I repaired a few small holes and tidied them up ready for epoxy. The day I shot them there was a lovely frost and it was barely above freezing in the yard, great when you need to shoot paint! No matter, when its cold out, go into a cold-store! Actually it used to be a temperature controlled fruit store, but because its so insulated the ambient temperature was a toasty 10 degrees inside, add a few heaters and you've got a cosy paint booth!

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This was the first time I'd used epoxy in the build and I have to say I won't ever be using another system again. It was easy to paint and the finish was superb. I had some left over which I tried over my existing two pack, no reaction and good adhesion, so as planned I decided at that point to seal everything I'd already done in 2pack with epoxy.

Anyway to build yourself a door, start off with a new skin...

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Add a bead of sealant around the three sides...

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Lay your frame into the skin and adjust accordingly until the gaps look about right, and loosely clamp together. You don't want to clamp too hard or you will damage the skin, I used two clamps one in each corner..

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Add another bead on the topside where your edge folds over...

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Bring the edge over in stages, using a sensible hammer! I did this in approx three stages, first to vertical then over in two ready to clamp. Don't go crazy, the prefabbed fold will bend nicely with little effort...

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I then used a hand tool to clamp up the edges, again I started at one end and progressed along...

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When your hands get tired ask your dad to have a go...

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I left the doors for ages because I thought they would be a nightmare, but actually they have been one of the most enjoyable things to do so far on the build. I was really impressed with how well the skins bent to the frame and the overall fit was excellent.

We even managed to get them hung just before I moved house...

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More of the story to come!

Thanks.


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PostPosted:Tue Jul 08, 2014 1:20 pm 
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Big Block
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Joined:Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:40 pm
Posts:3245
Car Details:'79 Camaro, 350 V8
Location:South Bucks
Great walk through on the door skins!

It's looking very complete now, minus 1 hood :clap:

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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").


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PostPosted:Sat Aug 02, 2014 11:24 am 
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Big Block
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Joined:Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:15 pm
Posts:120
Car Details:1970 Camaro RS 350/350
Location:Thatcham - Berkshire
Another update from the archives! Back in February 2012 I moved the car from my parents place in Kent to my new house in Berkshire, I remember the snow on the ground well and prepping the car in the middle of the night for transport...

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Fortunately I had my understanding dad on hand to give some help. Even had time for a controversial photo...

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The following day it had been moved to my current address...

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The garage took a bit of sorting out, I had to install power and lighting...

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And cut a door between the two halves of the garage!

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Dusty...

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Back to the project and I reinforced the pillars where I'd changed the roof...

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I cut the original plates off, cleaned them up, drilled them and fitted them as follows...

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With that done I finished the rear seat pan repairs and got it seam sealed...

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I ended up sanding down the 2 pack I sprayed the car with when it was sandblasted, I just wasn't happy about its long term properties. I sprayed a trial patch of epoxy when I did the doors and one thing I noticed was how soft 2 pack is in comparison to a good epoxy. With that I decided to repaint the interior in epoxy...

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I was much happier knowing that the floorpan/roof was now sealed properly. Shame I didn't know about epoxy when I had it blasted - I guess we learn all the time. I know I'll never use 2 pack primer again!

I'll get some more of the archive photos on here soon! Catching up now!


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PostPosted:Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:17 pm 
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Big Block
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Joined:Tue Feb 01, 2011 12:47 pm
Posts:114
Car Details:Ex drag car Red Devil & Rampage 1969 Camaro registered in 1972 currently running a 350 / TH400 auto.
Location:Bristol
Just posted an update on here for my '69 and did a catch up here on your build..... Yours is looking good and almost identical in terms of the work you've carried out to mine. Once the primer and paint is going on you feel like your on the downslope :thumbup: When you look back its amazing what you've achieved. Keep the pictures coming. :clap:

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