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View Full Version : 1969 Camaro Bodies!


monmon030791
01-30-2009, 09:25 PM
Ok so i'm building a 572 Big block with tk600 trany 9" rear end DSE sub frame and rear suspension with connectors, now the only thing left is body! Ok should I buy a body thats licensed from GM from a a company for example classic industries or should I find a car thats a 69 camaro and do the body work? See I want to save money but my question is would the value be the same because I'm not restoring the camaro so basicly everything well be high performance and not original? So would it be just as valuable to get a body thats done, I'm asking this because its cheaper to do that but I want to know people's advice.

IF ANYONE KNOWS ABOUT HOW TO DO BODY WORK ON A 1969 CAMARO PLEASE TELL ME BECAUSE I'M A REALLY GOOD WELDER BUT I NEVER DID BODY WORK BEFORE AND I'M A FAST LEARNER IF SOMEONE CAN GIVE ME A SITE OR PDF OF RESTORING A 1969 CAMARO BODY LIKE WHAT TO DO WITH BODY WORK. THANKS.

Vegas69
01-30-2009, 10:09 PM
Personally I would find a good donor car. These cars will nickel and dime you to death without starting from scratch. Some of the little things are tought to find and can't be bought in the catalog.

monmon030791
01-30-2009, 10:13 PM
vegas man i really need your help man can you please give me a call?

Vegas69
01-30-2009, 10:29 PM
Check your PM.

ProdigyCustoms
01-31-2009, 01:52 AM
The new bodies are much better then they were. I have a new body we are finishing that is going for a big award real soon, I will let you guys know. Also, the new body DOES come with a Vin and MSO, just not a 69 Camaro VIN. But many here would argue that a Dynacorn car should not get a real VIN anyway. Those nay sayers would say using a body to restore a rotted or crashed shell is wrong. I think it is OK to use a body to repair a gone car, weather Dynacorn welds it up, or Prodigy Customs welds it up, or any other shop welds it up for that matter. But that is JMO. My state agrees with me.

With all that said, if you start with a new body, you are building a body from scratch. You need to buy every bolt and nut, every clip, every window regulator, headliner bow, glove box door, etc. You wil be buying it all. Even if you start with a rough shell, your still way ahead because if nothing else you get to take the original body apart so you have a better idea of how it goes back together.

JMO

clill
01-31-2009, 07:23 AM
Prices are down enough on Camaros that you would be money ahead by buying a decent driver and making it into what you want. A new bare body is only a fraction of what you need to build a car and the new body is missing all the other stuff. When you buy a decent driver you will also know how it assembles since you will be taking it apart. The amount of parts that you don't know you will need will amaze you. Got a parking brake ? Got a window regulator ? Got a steering column ? Got a subframe ? Got a back seat ? Got bumpers and bumper brackets ? Got hood latch ? Got all the bolts to hold all that stuff in ? Get my point ?

ja.stoner63
01-31-2009, 08:19 AM
On my 66 Fastback all sheet metal was from Dynacorn. I was shocked at how much the metal had to be reworked just to function let alone even look good.

Hence this time I started with a complete car that was in ok shape.

Nothing bad to say about new products, just if they do a new stamp why can't they make a better fitting product? :question:

JA

awr68
01-31-2009, 08:42 AM
just if they do a new stamp why can't they make a better fitting product? :question:


That is the true and unanswered question!! :yes:

fesler
01-31-2009, 10:17 AM
The new bodies are much better then they were. I have a new body we are finishing that is going for a big award real soon, I will let you guys know. Also, the new body DOES come with a Vin and MSO, just not a 69 Camaro VIN. But many here would argue that a Dynacorn car should not get a real VIN anyway. Those nay sayers would say using a body to restore a rotted or crashed shell is wrong. I think it is OK to use a body to repair a gone car, weather Dynacorn welds it up, or Prodigy Customs welds it up, or any other shop welds it up for that matter. But that is JMO. My state agrees with me.

With all that said, if you start with a new body, you are building a body from scratch. You need to buy every bolt and nut, every clip, every window regulator, headliner bow, glove box door, etc. You wil be buying it all. Even if you start with a rough shell, your still way ahead because if nothing else you get to take the original body apart so you have a better idea of how it goes back together.

JMO

Frank,

What year would you register your new 1969 Camaro body as? By law you cannot take a vin from 69 and put it on any new body but some people do it and in the west states its illegal.

You have to register as a newer car with all emissions crap, or a kit car and if you are doing these cars they will not be allowed to be registered out this way as a 69 but the year they were built.

This is a very touchy situation for a lot of guys because they want to build aftermarket car body’s with real vins and out here there is no way to do it. You get a lost title if you try to do something like this and then gets a stamp on the car that has to have today’s emissions.

fesler
01-31-2009, 10:20 AM
As a shop owner and builder you are always better to start with a original car body and parts with a clean title, you can do it without it but its much easier in the long run. We do not touch cars that are not original because there are too many headaches with them. The white and green convertible that went through BJ last year was bought back because they could not get it registered as it was missing all the smog stuff. Something for you guys trying to save a buck to watch or consider.

CRCRFT78
01-31-2009, 11:06 AM
Just out of curiousity, you say you can't place an original vin on a new body but you can replace just about every piece of sheetmetal with aftermarket pieces onto an old body to make it new again. I'm not for everyone buying new bodies just too place original vin tags too, but the depths some builders go to to replace sheetmetal is amazing. How can you go from this;
http://www.mikescustomcars.com/projects/projects.asp?proj=HStalls69&album=2&pic=87
to a car covered in aftermarket sheetmetal and call it an original? Couldn't someone just buy a Dynacorn body and replace the firewall (with vin/trim tag) with one from an original 69 and say its exactly that, an original. How can you tell an original full of aftermarket sheetmetal from an aftermarket body with an original vin tag?

fesler
01-31-2009, 11:55 AM
Just out of curiousity, you say you can't place an original vin on a new body but you can replace just about every piece of sheetmetal with aftermarket pieces onto an old body to make it new again. I'm not for everyone buying new bodies just too place original vin tags too, but the depths some builders go to to replace sheetmetal is amazing. How can you go from this;
http://www.mikescustomcars.com/projects/projects.asp?proj=HStalls69&album=2&pic=87
to a car covered in aftermarket sheetmetal and call it an original? Couldn't someone just buy a Dynacorn body and replace the firewall (with vin/trim tag) with one from an original 69 and say its exactly that, an original. How can you tell an original full of aftermarket sheetmetal from an aftermarket body with an original vin tag?

You can do what you want in your garage but no shop can do this for you, it is illegal to touch the vin tag and move it or remove it and put it back on a new body. Ask Unique Performance about this and see what you find out they got caught for just this same thing. You can cut every panel from the car as long as you leave the vin panel in place and untouched. Its much faster to buy a body and transfer yes but not legal to do so that is why we builders take factory cars and make them look new the legal way.

ProdigyCustoms
01-31-2009, 01:00 PM
Under police and DMV scrutiny we can change dash tops, Firewalls, Cowls, all the places numbers are stamped, and even use pre welded body shells. The body shells are liscence replacment parts. But we damn sure better have a title to a real car and the orignal body on the property for verification. We can even use a different original body, but funny enough wouod be issued a rebuilt title doing that, but with new parts, no rebuilt title.

One thing that my customers have to know up front. Whatever we do to the car, there are no secrets. In other words, 3 years later they try to sell the car, someone ask what we did to that car, we tell all, no matter how little or how much we did.

And whats emissions! We live in a state with a constant seabreeze, no inspections or emissions testing.

CRCRFT78
01-31-2009, 01:31 PM
You can cut every panel from the car as long as you leave the vin panel in place and untouched.

I understand that its illegal, but if your allowed to remove every panel and replace them with aftermarket panels, whats to stop someone from buying an aftermarket body and just replace what would be the vin panel on an original with an actual original vin panel. I fully understand that it is illegal to remove and replace vin tags thats not what I'm getting at. If my Nova convertible was rusted to the point that the only good panels were the firewall with the vin/trim tag, and the A pillar with another vin/trim tag & I bought a Dynacorn 63 Nova Convertible body (strictly hypothetical), cut my firewall with the vin tag and the drivers side A pillar with another trim/vin tag intact from the original and just welded those to the Dynacorn body, whos to say its not an original. Instead of having to cut and replace all of the rusted sheetmetal I transfered what was good from the old to the new body instead of the other way around. I'm just trying to understand the grey area in between. Some of these cars are literally brought back from the dead with almost nothing of the original body to save. It seems like alot of time and money could be saved by replacing with a new body.

CRCRFT78
01-31-2009, 01:38 PM
I think there should be a way to have both the original and the "new" body inspected so that if your replacing more than 75% of an original body with replacement parts, you can then be allowed to use a "new" body and title it as an original as long as the 25% of the original is transferred over to the "new" body. Yes I know that is somewhat defeating the purpose of a new body but something should be worked out so everyone is happy considering your using licensed parts anyway. Just my opinion, I'll shut up now.

monmon030791
01-31-2009, 02:19 PM
Frank,

What year would you register your new 1969 Camaro body as? By law you cannot take a vin from 69 and put it on any new body but some people do it and in the west states its illegal.

You have to register as a newer car with all emissions crap, or a kit car and if you are doing these cars they will not be allowed to be registered out this way as a 69 but the year they were built.

This is a very touchy situation for a lot of guys because they want to build aftermarket car body’s with real vins and out here there is no way to do it. You get a lost title if you try to do something like this and then gets a stamp on the car that has to have today’s emissions.


As a shop owner and builder you are always better to start with a original car body and parts with a clean title, you can do it without it but its much easier in the long run. We do not touch cars that are not original because there are too many headaches with them. The white and green convertible that went through BJ last year was bought back because they could not get it registered as it was missing all the smog stuff. Something for you guys trying to save a buck to watch or consider.

So are you guys saying just go with original and do the body work? I dont even know how this would be my first time doing body work and needless to say I'm doing a tuxedo black!

monmon030791
01-31-2009, 02:22 PM
Plus does anyone ever get that feeling like they want to sit behind the wheel on their comfy chair and be like wow I know every metal is new and I know that this is a clean 1969 camaro thats mine and its a legit one meaning that it has a clear title and vin number?!

ProdigyCustoms
01-31-2009, 02:28 PM
If I were building a car right now I would spend up for the nicest grandma car I could find. I would even try to find one with really noce paint and really spend up to avoid paint prison.

This coming from a shop owner, LOL!

Vegas69
01-31-2009, 03:00 PM
If I were building a car right now I would spend up for the nicest grandma car I could find. I would even try to find one with really noce paint and really spend up to avoid paint prison.

This coming from a shop owner, LOL!

Exactly what I just told him on the phone! I also told hime to make out a list of parts he wants and put together a budget. Then take it times 2!

DOOM
01-31-2009, 04:26 PM
Just call Mike at MCC he will build you a perfect titled shell however you want!! His work speaks for its self:hail:

monmon030791
01-31-2009, 06:04 PM
No doubt he does good work, but I have to agree with CRCRFT78 and also he doesnt include all the little stuff! HELP! LOL. I'm talking to prodigy and I'm gonna see whats going to happen. <3!

DOOM
01-31-2009, 06:43 PM
Well you will be in great hands!! Frank is the best!! Your headed in the right direction...:cheers:

monmon030791
01-31-2009, 11:37 PM
thanks doom, shoot some pics of ur car baby! :) it looks hot!

jcal87
01-31-2009, 11:59 PM
monmon030791 Just out of curiosity whats wrong with the 69 you have up for sell right now?

Aschle
02-01-2009, 12:24 AM
Anyone know how much crap I should expect from DMV (California) for a missing VIN tag from the dash of my 69? The firewall plate is there, but when I bought the car, the whole dash was cut out and gone. I have a title for the car.... Is there anywhere else that a VIN is possibly stamped?

Jason

71RS/SS396
02-01-2009, 05:33 AM
Anyone know how much crap I should expect from DMV (California) for a missing VIN tag from the dash of my 69? The firewall plate is there, but when I bought the car, the whole dash was cut out and gone. I have a title for the car.... Is there anywhere else that a VIN is possibly stamped?

Jason

There is a partial vin stamped on the top of the cowl towards the passenger side and onf behind the heater box.

Aschle
02-04-2009, 08:48 PM
Thank you ! I'll take a look tomorrow if the weather allows.

Jason

tellyv
02-05-2009, 06:09 AM
how about something like this?
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?p=191992#post191992

tellyv
02-05-2009, 07:30 AM
how about something like this?
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?p=191992#post191992