68 Camaro - Almost Done!
 

Here's another Camaro Restoration project nearing completion.

Most of you are familiar with DavidS's white 69 Camaro project. Hopefully the next car to roll out of Labrecque Autocraft will be my 68 Camaro convertible L30/M20. They were tasked with the complete body restoration, installation of most trim, and installation of the convertible top. I'll take care of the interior and final assembly. The original matching-numbers drivetrain has already been restored.

Here's some info on the car:
Purchased new by my Dad at Walt Johnson Chevrolet in Windsor Locks, CT.
Ordered April 17, 1968 (custom build, not an in-stock car)
Delivered July 6, 1968

RPO List:
L30 275 HP 327 cid engine
M20 4-speed transmission
Z87 Custom (Deluxe) Interior
N34 Sport (Wood) steering wheel
D55 center console
U17 console gauges and Tic-Toc-Tac
F41 "special performance" suspension
G80 12 bolt positraction rear end
N10 dual exhaust
Z21 Style Trim Group
ZJ9 Auxiliary Lighting
P01 Wheel Covers
Ash Gold exterior
Ivy Gold interior
White convertible top

No power steering, no A/C, no power brakes.
Sticker Price: $3776.25

Full documentation: original order sheet, original title,
POP, window sticker, and it remains all matching numbers.

Here is the day it was delivered:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...0M207-6-68.jpg

The car was taken to LaBrecque Autocraft in September 2010.
Another shop had it for 10+ years before that, and did a bunch of work on it. Supposedly, it was "ready for paint", but I couldn't get the guy to actually paint it. I think he knew it wasn't right and kept procrastinating.
Anyhow, Mike & his crew made it right, which included stripping it back to bare metal & starting over.

Getting the heck out of the other shop:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...o/100_3072.jpg

Arrival at LaBrecque Autocraft:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps4e5a2605.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps32ca9b31.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...maroatShop.jpg

Work in progress:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps0d425770.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...psbb565a0c.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps55d0ff43.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps3a18f00e.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps7b92e5e5.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps00ea7f90.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...aro7-1-11c.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps44d69e38.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...psd954cb4d.jpg

Pictures taken last Friday:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps2ed27673.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps74977942.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...psbdcb74dc.jpg

My Mom & Dad standing next to the car. Dad is 85 now and Mom is holding at 34 (same age as in the "day it was delivered" picture):
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...pscbe7b98e.jpg

Gonna look awesome when its done!

Great pics Jeff and the car looks fantastic.

I bet your Dad gets a big kick out of seeing the exterior paint & body in such pristine condition!

Yeah, the first thing he said when he saw it was "The car never looked this good, even when it was brand new."

Looking great, I bet your dad can't wait to go for a ride in that thing!

Awesome stuff when you can bring back the family car! And dad gets to see it all happen! congrats!

He says he wants to drive it!!!!
(I don't think he's driven a stick in 20 years, so we may need to discuss that a little.)

Sounds like a good way to break in a clutch lol

Funny you should mention that. I put a new clutch & GM flywheel in it ages ago, but have only yard driven it since then. I thought I felt a tiny bit of vibration on engagement, and mentioned it to my Dad. My Dad said, "Back in the day, we'd put the front bumper against a tree and bed that new clutch right in. We can do that with the Camaro." He wasn't joking. I always appreciate the 'old school' advice, but sometimes I have to pass on it.

:Car looks awesome jeff. did you leave the convertible ballasts in the 4 corners of the car? I heard a lot of people take them out because they weigh so much.

^Thanks. Yes, I left the ballasts. Since I didn't add subframe connectors, I felt it was best to leave them to help dampen things a little.

looking good!

Jeff,

How much is left before you can take it out? Mike mentioned waiting for the convertible roof material.

It looks like you are very close to taking it home.

David

Well, there isn't all that much left. I didn't talk to Mike last week at all, but I'm assuming he got the quarter glass installed and the convertible top frame on (hopefully). Mike has a sample of the top material and is supposed to be getting a sample to confirm the new convertible top material.

The only thing holding us back is the windshield header moldings. I bought NOS moldings years ago, but the chrome was really bad and was actually peeling in places. Good thing, because the ends that wrap around and meet the wide vertical pillar moldings needed a little trimming. Anyhow, they are at the chrome shop but may not be done for another 4-6 weeks (ouch!).

Once the header moldings are back & installed, the convertible top frame can be latched & locked-down into position. This will allow final fit of the glass. Once this is done, the convertible top goes on. The bumpers and rocker trim also need to be installed.

I would say only a few weeks of work after getting the windshield header moldings back from Advanced Plating. I'm ready!!!

Did you get them back yet? How do they look? I sent my door handles to Advanced Plating two weeks ago.

When is the 68 going to be back in your garage?

First of all, my apologies for not keeping this thread up-to-date.

The car is finally home!!!! It came home this past Friday. Mike's trailer wouldn't make it up my driveway - the tail end was just too low. So, we went to plan B. Using a Y-shaped tow strap arrangement (that Mike just happened to have with him), I hooked the Camaro to the back of my pickup and towed it up the driveway.

As a side note, the 94 Dodge Ram 1500 2WD is another one of my Dad's vehicles that has made it into my possession. It only has 45k on it and it's never been driven through a New England winter. Not a spec of body rust!

I've already logged in quite a few garage hours. I have a list of stuff a mile long to do!!!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps7afa9fba.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...psee43723f.jpg

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http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps51c95ebf.jpg

Congrats!!!!!!

:sFun_crazydance::yaaaay::sCh_elmodance::ummdance: :D:sFun_bananacolors::jackson:

Nice!!

SWEEETTT!!!!! so why wasnt it driven into the garage? still not 100% complete?

Yeah, no exhaust, fuel tank, battery, dash switches, interior, etc. I also have to install the original rebuilt Q-Jet. No sense paying $70/hr to have the shop do it. I'm broke from the body & paint!!!!!

yeah good call. id have done the same. have them make the chassis mint and then finish the mechanical. with your dads help????

My Dad is 85, so he's in Fort Myers for the winter along with all the other old people. I talk to him all the time, so he is my Project Consultant. Usually I call him, but now that the car is home, I'm the one getting the phone calls.

I'm going to try to get the car completed by the end of April. That's when my Mom & Dad stop to visit me on their way back to York Harbor, Maine. I can't wait to take my parents out for a ride in it!

That's great!!! You dad is going to love it on his first ride since the restoration.

Making progress - slow but sure. Really sucks to have to go to a day job to pay the bills - it really gets in the way of Camaro stuff.

I'm going for just a little bit of a day 2 vibe with the car. Hence the repro of the old GM open element air cleaner and the spreaders on the valve covers. Other than that, she's pretty much stock appearing.

Under the air cleaner is the original Q-Jet that's been massaged by Cliff Ruggles. Engine was rebuilt roughly 5k miles ago (but almost 30, yes 30, years ago by Precision Automotive in Simsbury). Original rebuilt alternator, master cylinder (including orig bail & cover), voltage regulator, radiator. Original distributor & coil. It's kind of neat to think about all the parts still on this car that were on it when it rolled off the line back in 68.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps9335ea78.jpg

Holy Moly!!!! 30 years? I didn't know they had been around that long.

Funny that I stopped in there about an hour ago to tell them the 427 engine they rebuilt was at the Maratta show.

Yeah, I think it was 1985 when they rebuilt it. I hope it stands the test of time.

That little 327 surprised a lot of people back in the day. The car looks fairly 'plain jane', and most people assumed it was a base powerglide car. I remember Norman telling me that it was a scrappy little engine. I can't wait to see how it runs with the Q-Jet optimized and the ignition advance map corrected. Just picked up my advance kit and new vacuum advance canister today. Now, I just need to get it running so I can set everything up. So much left to do before getting to that point.

Good luck at the auto show. Wish I could make it. I'd love to see some pictures though, so don't forget your camera!!

Car looks amazing, thats awesome on having a lot of original parts still on the car.

Just finished installing the grille, headlight buckets and moldings. NOS grille, center emblem, parking light assemblies & headlight bezels. Upper & lower grille moldings are CHQ and only required a little trimming on the ends to mate up nicely with the NOS stuff. I have NOS T-3 headlights, but decided to remove them & install reproduction halogen T-3 lights instead.

Crappy pic taken thru the divider curtain:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps446c751c.jpg

Looks pretty good I think:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps6b236aea.jpg

Very Nice! You're making a lot of progress.

Thanks. I'm trying!!!!

Lookin good.

car looks awesome!!!! dad excited??

He certainly is! My Mom is really excited too. She's funny. Sometimes I get caught up on little things that nobody else will see or notice. She says "The car is absolutely beautiful. Would you quit worrying that poor car to death and just drive it". I've learned a lot over the past 44 years, and one of them is to always listen to your mother.

Lol, yup mom always knows best. Car is looking great!

My original radiator cap just came back from being restored by Joe Perri. He did a very nice job.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps8386e8b2.jpg

Terrific job. It looks perfect.

Yeah, Joe seemed pretty excited when he got it. He said it was a great core and he was very happy with how it turned out.

Wow if you didnt say it was refinished you wouldnt even know. What great job.

Lots of time spent on stuff the average person will never see, but it helps me sleep at night:

1) Cleaned the entire front suspension and freshened up the paint on a few things.
2) Installed sway bar end links (originals, re-plated) and lower A-arm bumpers.
3) Installed new brakes: NOS Delco shoes along with all new springs & adjusters. Drums are factory original and in beautiful shape.
4) Repacked wheel bearings, installed new seals, installed hubs & set end play (hey, if you have a dial indicator & mag base for it you have play with it some time).

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps53931db3.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...psdc20b1ab.jpg

Looking very nice Jeff.

Did you get the springs from Heartbeat City?