Project Intro: 68 Camaro "Cha Ching"

[Gmachine1911]

Hey, just wanted to introduce my 68 Camaro project. I've been reading up on projects and threads here for quite a while and I wanna say thanks to you guys...I've gotten a lot of good ideas and knowledge here that's helped me huge along the way! Anyway, I'll try to post up some pics although I must say that I've not had great success with actually getting them to post.
This project has been going for basically a year with some pretty substantial progress I feel. I'll attempt to go back and bring you up to speed and hopefully, in the process, I can help someone else in their project along the way!

Here's a few pics of what the car looked like when I started. I've had it since I was 17, so 26 years. It's seen several makeovers but at the time I started was a 427 BBC, Borg Warner T10 4 speed, 10 bolt, nice paint, 17" rims, 4 wheel manual disc brakes (that I was never happy with), etc. Nice car but had some issues that needed worked out to make it more reliable.

[Gmachine1911]

65438So, here's where it started, when I first got the car 26 years ago, we put some driver/passenger side full length floor pans in it. At the time, that was the best you could do. We take for granted nowadays that you can go buy literally any piece (let alone a whole body shell) for these cars. Anyway, I was never quite satisfied with it and knew that before I did anything else to the car, I was gonna lay a solid foundation to build from. With that, a new one-piece floor pan, full trunk pan, driver/pass toe panels and one cowl panel were installed by a local hot rod shop.

[jarhead]

Nice Build!

That would make a cool license plate "Cha-Ching" several of us would get it :G-Dub:

[tubbed69]

Nice car,keep the pics and updates coming:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Roscoe03]

Nice! Would like to see more, keep it coming.

[Gmachine1911]

Thanks for all the kind words, I actually had thought about using "Cha Ching" as the license plate...definitely seems fitting. I'll do my best to post more pics as I've got tons of them but I've had trouble getting multiple pics uploaded within each post for some reason. Further proof that you've gotta be smarter than what you're working with!:confused59:

[Gmachine1911]

More parts...sorry for having to do this the short bus way!

[Gmachine1911]

....

[Gmachine1911]

I've learned lots on my journey thru this. Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons was that despite agonizing over certain parts and combinations and then pulling the trigger on said parts, it's funny how you seem to be unsatisfied with certain aspects of things and waste money along the way, all in the name of form or function or just minor direction changes. Case in point was with the hydraulic clutch that came in my American Powertrain T56 Kit...great kit and great people to work with but didn't use hardly anything from their hydraulic clutch kit except the braided line and a fitting. It's those seemingly small details that you don't know what you don't know at the time you're buying it! If anyone needs one, let me know, I've got a 95% complete Hydramax kit I'd sell...

[Gmachine1911]

This was another one of those "minor direction changes" I was talking about. Since my original plan was to keep the 427 BBC engine until I could swing an LS, I opted for the Baer Remaster 15/16" with plans for manual brakes (the motor doesn't make enough vacuum to properly supply power brakes and I didn't want the extra clutter of a hydra boost). When I ordered the master, I inadvertently got the wrong prop valve from Baer so i had to order the Remaster valve. Maybe I should call this project "Nickel & Dime!"

[Gmachine1911]

So, as I mentioned before, one of the goals of this build was to fix some of the issues I could never seem to get lined out on the car and ultimately have a reliable, fun driver that would stop, go fast, corner like a beast, have the perfect stance, etc...overall, I wanted to challenge myself as much as I could, not overstep my abilities and turn out the closest thing to my dreams that my budget would allow.
One of the biggest problems I've fought over the years was simply getting the car to stop. Sounds simple but way back when, I put factory style manual front discs on the car and they worked perfectly. Then, after a time, I wanted to put rear disc brakes (still manual) on the car for both the cool factor and function. That was my biggest mistake ever! Not just the brakes, but the supplier I chose. I won't name names but for ease of reference, I'll just refer to them as a "Small ****ty Brake Company" or SSBC for short. It was hard to determine which was worse, the brake kit or the customer service. Anyway, for years, I battled trying to get the brakes to stop, stop dragging, and everything else...too stubborn to just put the drums back on and eventually it just made it so miserable and frustrating to drive that the car sat almost year around for several years.
With that said, one area I was not going to compromise on was my brake system. I determined that among many great mfg's out there, I would go with Baer and I'd make every effort to use only one supplier's parts to hopefully get the best outcome.
After I ordered the brakes and the Quadralink, the more I thought about it, the more I knew I'd never be completely satisfied with my original subframe and if I was gonna spend money upgrading my subframe, then I might as well just spend the difference and buy what I felt would be a subframe I could grow into that would also check the "handling" and "steering" boxes while simultaneously lending a hand in the "braking" area! That's where this thing of beauty comes in...65460

[Gmachine1911]

While waiting what seemed like an eternity for parts to start showing up, I had the body shop start cutting and replacing what few panels were still original to the car...I never thought I could enjoy seeing my car cut up that much but knowing I had a plan, parts on the way and people I trusted doing the work made all the difference!

[Gmachine1911]

Trunk pan installed...mini tubs are next...

[Gmachine1911]

Driver and passenger toe panels installed...

[Gmachine1911]

Trunk area complete...ready to install the DSE Quadralink parts...will have to have the rear tail panel murdered out to cover up where the paint lifted from welding the trunk pan to the rear tail panel. Always liked that look anyway but had to bring the paint line down lower than what it would've been from the factory...at least it's still hidden by the bumper.

[Gmachine1911]

Quadralink pockets and rear coil-over crossmember installed...

[Gmachine1911]

Finally got the call from the body shop that it was ready to bring home...now it's my turn to take the ball and run!

[Gmachine1911]

Got it home, jacked up and began stripping all the stuff off that I wouldn't be using again....which was basically everything!

[DOOM]

Awesome looks like you have a great start and some nice parts. Keep the updates coming.

[Gmachine1911]

Love this pic for some reason! This is the same place/position this thing would stay in for the next 6 months...to this very day, actually, although not for much longer but I'll get to that part later.

One thing I didn't mention yet was the importance of this build to me on an emotional level. As I said, I've had this car for 26 years...it's been wrecked by me, painted by me, disassembled more times than I care to count, stolen from my driveway by a couple of D-bags and totaled out while running from the cops. It's also been loved by me, hated by me and enjoyed by me, my wife and two young boys. But it was by necessity that I decided to turn this car into the car I'd always dreamed it would be. Shortly after my wife and I were engaged, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 25. After surgery and some treatment, we were able to move forward with life, got married, had two wonderful boys 11 months apart (that's a whole other story), and went about living. It was 7 years later that her cancer came back and had spread to her lungs, so again we went thru various treatments and therapies and we stayed positive and kept the faith and stayed focused on living. By age 37, it had spread to her brain and by age 38 she had won her battle and was resting in her eternal home.

I only mention this because I learned many things in those years we were together (20 in all)...many things about myself, about my faith in Christ and about how amazing and selfless a gift she was to me. Among those things I've learned and tried to instill in my boys is that at the end of this life, having watched my best friend take her last breaths, our legacy is the only thing we leave behind in this world that can continue to make an impact once we're gone. How we treat people, how we deal with people both personally and professionally is what we leave as a testament to our character.

So after being on the back burner for a long time, this project was born from a necessity to keep my mind focused on something productive as much as it was a desire to make it a project of bringing the boys and I together to build something we could enjoy while at the same time teaching them the same skills my Dad taught me...

I promise I won't rain on the parade again! But sometimes the back story is the main story!

[Gmachine1911]

Here's the Quadralink in mock up...

[winter]

That back story is worth it and your faith is in the right place. Teach those boys through the way you live your life. Wish you well on finishing that project. Create lasting memories

[Gmachine1911]

T56 in mock up. Will a T56 physically fit under the stock trans tunnel of a 68 Camaro? Yes. Will your driveline angle be so severe that you'd be nuts to leave it that way? Yes:beathorse

This mock up consisted of a BBC mock up block sitting on big block frame stands with solid motor mounts, Quick Time bell housing, T56 and Bowler trans cross member. I also test fitted the engine on SBC frame stands and it seemed to fit better but either way, the moral of the story is that you'll need to raise the trans tunnel...life will be much easier and if you've come this far, why cheat now!!

[Gmachine1911]

Here's another view of the mock up...using Heddman hedders I had Jet Hot coated. Fitment was very spacious on all sides.

[Gmachine1911]

Mock up of the DSE wiper motor and Baer Remaster m/c...my goal is to not have any wires visible along the firewall. The car's gonna get an AAW Classic Update kit so I'll route the engine harness back inside the car and out to its respective destinations. Did I mention I hate wires and clutter??:yes:

It's hard to see but I also just had the DSE clutch/master cylinder bracket bolted on.

[Gmachine1911]

Battery mount/location mockup. I wanted something clean and as unobtrusive as possible in terms of the mount itself. I also wanted to incorporate a shut-off switch. It's crazy some of the seemingly minor things you agonize over as you go along. I debated putting the battery on top,of the coil over crossmember but at some point you're gonna have to change that thing and why torture yourself! Besides, put it where the extra weight can also serve a purpose. I welded nuts on the bottom side of the trunk floor so the battery mount can be removed without using two wrenches. Again, I try to think about things in terms of having to work on it by myself, always considering ways to make life easier when you have to turn wrenches on it.
When deciding component placement, I find myself envisioning being broken down on the side of the road on Power Tour, then I ask myself, is that where I'd want this thing in that situation? It's a delicate balance; form and function! At the end of the day, this car is meant to be driven to events, shows, etc., auto crossed and (hopefully) driven home again.

[Gmachine1911]

Here's the trans tunnel patch panel I got from Bowler. This piece is really nice! The front section is rather unusable in my case although it could be modified in any number of ways but at least it's something to build off of. I laid it on tape so I could determine how much I wanted it raised in the front and back. I wanted the front section to blend into the firewall and the rear section to blend into the rear portion of the tunnel. I have no intention of running a console so I determined where I wanted the break and where the shifter boot would be. If memory serves me correct, the front was raised 2 1/4" and the rear of the patch was raised 1 3/8". I made a rough template from cardboard for the forward section keeping in mind that when I did the LS swap in the future, I wanted to use the DSE 1.5" setback motor mounts for better weight distribution. The front section of the tunnel will be plenty spacious to accommodate the Quick Time bell housing and give access to all the bolts that attach it to the engine block.
One other item I wanted was that the tunnel be high enough to give the driver somewhat a feeling of being surrounded in the car while not looking blatantly non-factory.

[Gmachine1911]

Time to install the subframe connectors... At the risk of sounding like a paid DSE advertisement, I can't tell you how well all of their stuff fits! I mean, it just works. As someone who's had their fair share of buying "bolt-on" parts and having to spend half a day modifying them to fit, I can't say enough about how well the DSE stuff is engineered, produced and provided with excellent instructions.
When shopping for components I found myself often having to stop and think, "am I buying this part because it says DSE on it or am I truly buying because I think it's the best?" The answer is "Yes!" It's a little more pricey than some other brands but I just know I'm yet to be disappointed and, well, if it ain't broke....

[Gmachine1911]

I fabbed up some enclosures for the clutch /mc bracket. Got it fitted up pretty good and welded to the firewall. I also enclosed the holes on both sides of the lower firewall where the subframe bolts to the body. I wanted to be rid of any surplus holes.

[Gmachine1911]

It's gotta look worse before it looks better! I'm not the best welder so it's a good thing I'm not afraid of a grinder! Practice, practice, practice...:weld:

[Gmachine1911]

Trans tunnel patch is welded in. I'm really happy with the end result! It seems like such a shame to go cuttin' up all that new sheet metal but if there's one fear I've gotten over, it's the fear of taking a saw, welder or grinder to this thing! Once you've had to drill a couple of holes in a $9,000 subframe, everything else pales in comparison!

[Gmachine1911]

Firewall view of the forward trans tunnel mod...raised enough there should be plenty of room for engine setback and still have easy access to bell housing bolts and running the ECM harness down the back of the engine...

[Gmachine1911]

This is what the tail panel looked like as a result of the new full trunk pan being welded in. Good time to get it blacked out...

[Gmachine1911]

This is after...again, it would've been ideal to stop the black along the body line where the factory did but at least it'll still be behind the rear bumper. Besides this thing's gonna sit low enough that anybody that notices that will have found much more by then in the way of flaws.

[Gmachine1911]

Finally, all ready for some epoxy primer! It'll be nice to see it a consistent color.

[Gmachine1911]

Getting the roll bar in...as much as I enjoy it, at times it seems like the welding will never end! Lucky for me I have some good help!
Btw, if you own stock in 3M's yellow tape division, you're welcome!!

[Gmachine1911]

Closer to some paint...

[Gmachine1911]

Roll bar?...Check:thumbsup:

[Gmachine1911]

Created a makeshift paint booth in the garage and got the epoxy laid down inside and out. Also got the Upol Raptor bedliner put down under the car, in the trunk and along the firewall cowls, terminating it where the front fenders attach.
I gotta say I love that stuff! I bought 1 kit (4 bottles) plus 2 extra bottles and only used a little over 2 bottles for everything. I was going for a nice even finish with a fine texture. I didn't skimp on it but having the black epoxy laid down first really helped keep the bedliner even since your not having to use the bedliner as the only cover. I found that 80 psi air pressure gave me the results I wanted. I also found myself wanting bedline everything I could think of!!

[Gmachine1911]

More shots of the finished product...

[Gmachine1911]

....

[Gmachine1911]

Floor pan...

[Gmachine1911]

Shot of the inside. Got the final paint on the roll bar and it's ready for copious amounts of Dynamat and Dynaliner...

[Gmachine1911]

Got the subframe re-installed as well as the heater block-off plate, wiper motor and hyd clutch reservoir. Up to this point, this was probably one of the most rewarding times; getting to see things come together and seeing your vision becoming a reality!

[Gmachine1911]

Rear suspension back in, hopefully for the last time...man that thing is heavy!!

[Gmachine1911]

Tanks, Inc. fuel tank mocked up...

[Gmachine1911]

Got the Dynamat laid down...I also ended up replacing the front dash panel. Years ago I had cut out the radio pocket for a single DIN radio and unbeknownst to me, a previous owner must've mutilated the ash tray area. I never could figure out why the ash tray wouldn't line up correctly. Once I saw the new piece I could see the difference. Amazingly, all the holes for trim, brackets, etc. we're in the right spot!

[Gmachine1911]

More Dynamat...

[Gmachine1911]

On with the Dynaliner! One thing I can say about this product is that while it's pretty pricey, the difference from adding the Dynaliner to the Dynamat is far greater than the difference in just adding the Dynamat to bare steel. That's a mouthful, but just by the difference in the sound of the panels going from layer to layer, the biggest benefit (I feel) came from adding the Dynaliner. So much so, in fact, that my Dad ripped the interior out of his Model A street rod and we installed everything in it and it's out getting a new interior. Well, that and the fact that after a 3 day road trip in the car, my Mom swore she wouldn't step foot in it again until he "did something about the noise!"

I used 3 rolls of the Dynaliner to cover what you see in the pics and 15 sheets of Dynamat. The plan is to go back later and just install Dynamat only in the doors and roof once I'm ready to have the headliner replaced...once the car is mobile again.

[Gmachine1911]

More of the same...

[jarhead]

Now that's a proper update :trophy-1302:

[Gmachine1911]

AAW Classic Update kit going in, ididit steering column fitment, hydraulic clutch installed and pedal modified for proper angle. I went back and forth on the wiring for the wiper motor. I wanted to integrate it into the AAW harness but didn't wanna run the wiper harness over to the fuse block. Instead I opted to run it thru the firewall at the back of the engine. Re-wrapped it in some better Painless Wiring classic wiring wrap. The woven material looks far better and cleaner than the cheap plastic stuff. All of the wiring except what's under the dash will get wrapped in the same stuff. Now to get the brake lines plumbed.

[Gmachine1911]

So we're getting up to the current timeframe. Everything up to this point I've posted was all done in the last 9 months but wanted to bring you up to speed.
Last weekend I got started on the brake lines. Got the fronts done and part of the rear.

As a new development, I've opted for installing an LS3/525 in lieu of the big block. By doing so I had to make a couple of minor changes. First being the engine mounts and second being the front coil over springs. Called up DSE and got the stuff I needed and got the 550lb springs installed this past weekend as well. Have a new set of BBC 650# springs if anybody needs some.
As planned i went with the 1.5" setback mounts which I know may limit me on header selection but I've pretty well decided to go either DSE or Hooker Blackhearts. The DSE price is a tough pill to swallow, though...we'll see.

I ordered my engine from Pace Performance about a month ago and opted for the dyno break-in service and just got word this morning that it's shipping today!

Also, I had ordered my Forgelines about 2 months ago and they'll be shipping out this week as well so things are starting to happen at an alarming rate!:G-Dub:

I'll keep you guys posted with progress but expect the posts to come at a more normal pace as it'll be in "real time" from here on out...thanks for tuning in!

[Gmachine1911]

More brake lines...I bought the Eastwood line flaring tool and I must say it does a great job. The stainless is tough as nails but makes for a good workout!
The goal was to keep the lines as symmetrical and close to the firewall as possible without interfering in the removal of any parts down the road. It's crazy how much time (and money) I've spent just searching for/buying small detail items like clips, clamps, etc. if anyone has a source, I need some 3/16" twin brake line clamps preferably aluminum that will hold two lines side by side. I've seen them all over but for some reason they've been avoiding me in my search.

Side note: like an idiot, I never did delete the wiring harness holder from the firewall. That's from all the back and forth on the wiper harness. Indecisiveness is the enemy of progress.

[rixtrix1]

Love this pic for some reason! This is the same place/position this thing would stay in for the next 6 months...to this very day, actually, although not for much longer but I'll get to that part later.

One thing I didn't mention yet was the importance of this build to me on an emotional level. As I said, I've had this car for 26 years...it's been wrecked by me, painted by me, disassembled more times than I care to count, stolen from my driveway by a couple of D-bags and totaled out while running from the cops. It's also been loved by me, hated by me and enjoyed by me, my wife and two young boys. But it was by necessity that I decided to turn this car into the car I'd always dreamed it would be. Shortly after my wife and I were engaged, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 25. After surgery and some treatment, we were able to move forward with life, got married, had two wonderful boys 11 months apart (that's a whole other story), and went about living. It was 7 years later that her cancer came back and had spread to her lungs, so again we went thru various treatments and therapies and we stayed positive and kept the faith and stayed focused on living. By age 37, it had spread to her brain and by age 38 she had won her battle and was resting in her eternal home.

I only mention this because I learned many things in those years we were together (20 in all)...many things about myself, about my faith in Christ and about how amazing and selfless a gift she was to me. Among those things I've learned and tried to instill in my boys is that at the end of this life, having watched my best friend take her last breaths, our legacy is the only thing we leave behind in this world that can continue to make an impact once we're gone. How we treat people, how we deal with people both personally and professionally is what we leave as a testament to our character.

So after being on the back burner for a long time, this project was born from a necessity to keep my mind focused on something productive as much as it was a desire to make it a project of bringing the boys and I together to build something we could enjoy while at the same time teaching them the same skills my Dad taught me...

I promise I won't rain on the parade again! But sometimes the back story is the main story!

Just started reading this thread. No rain; the message of positive thinking is an inspiration to me. Had my Malibu for 47 years, been through much the same with it as you, similar life struggles and am starting another rebuild of my own. Best wishes and thanks for sharing!

[Gmachine1911]

Alrighty, Friday was a good day for progress. It started with the delivery of my Pace Performance LS3 376/525 and BFG Rivals! I've been eagerly awaiting the motor partly because, well, it's pretty cool, but also because it's a big piece of the puzzle needed to move the build forward. I also got a few other necessities such as the engine controller, starter, etc. Currently, my Mast oil pan is on back order so until I have that, I can't put the engine in the car for test fitting.

I'll post some detailed info/pics on the engine fitment, engine mounts, headers, etc. just because in my research, I seemed to see a lot of different info and opinions but not many pics to show as examples of the various components. With that said, my setup is as follows:
DSE Hydroformed subframe, DSE 1.5" setback motor mounts, LS3, Mast Motorsports oil pan, Tremec T56 with Quick Time bell housing, DSE stainless headers and Holley Mid-Mount accessory drive system.

Just FYI, I paid to have the "dyno break-in" service done on the engine to ensure everything was seated and had a decent tune on it so I was curious to see where the horsepower actually landed as compared to advertised. Pace basically takes a GM crate LS3 376/430 and installs GM's ASA cam. For $1,000 less, the only difference is that the warranty on Pace's version is now a 12 month parts only (you provide the labor) instead of GM's standard crate warranty...a risk I was comfortable with given the nature of modern engines and the fact that this is all stuff GM provides themselves so it's not like it's a radical setup. Anyway, the dyno results on mine were peak corrected HP of 525.2 @ 6,200 rpm and peak corrected torque of 495.0 @ 5,200 rpm...not bad considering the big block I had didn't make that much HP and weighed about 500lbs more!

I'll post some pics and additional info soon but wanted to get this out there while it was fresh in my head...

[Gmachine1911]

Just started reading this thread. No rain; the message of positive thinking is an inspiration to me. Had my Malibu for 47 years, been through much the same with it as you, similar life struggles and am starting another rebuild of my own. Best wishes and thanks for sharing!

Thank you, rixtrix1! 47 years?...that's awesome! I'd say there's a small percentage of us who can say we've owned our cars that long uninterrupted! Life can and will definitely happen and you have to do what you have to do but it's great if, through it all, you can keep your toy(s)!

[Gmachine1911]

So Friday was a big day for some goodies! Got my Pace Performance LS3 376/525 and some BFG Rivals. I opted for the "dyno break-in" service as well to get the engine rough tuned and broken in under load. As advertised, the engine had a corrected peak HP of 525.2 @ 6,200rpm and a corrected 495 ft-lbs of torque at 5,200rpm.
Got some other key items such as the engine harness, starter, Mast Motorsports oil pan, DSE headers and Holley Mid-Mount accessory drive kit. The drive kit and oil pan are on back order but that'll give me a chance to get the wiring routed.

[Gmachine1911]

I love these tires...

[Gmachine1911]

Finally, after much anticipation, my Forgelines arrived! Got the tires mounted and looks good to have it sitting on it's suspension again! I've gotta say, these things are quality thru and thru...I'm running 315's in the back and 275's in the front.

[Gmachine1911]

I love it when a plan starts coming together...

[Roscoe03]

Coming along great! Nice choice in wheels.

[paulk68]

looking great! what color blue is the car?

[Gmachine1911]

looking great! what color blue is the car?

It's Indigo Blue. I think it was a mid 90's Chevrolet color, not sure what they call it today.

[rixtrix1]

It's Indigo Blue. I think it was a mid 90's Chevrolet color, not sure what they call it today.

Our 1995 GMC Vandura is called midnight blue. Looks the same as Chevy Indigo Blue. Great project!

[Gmachine1911]

My DSE headers showed up yesterday. Let me say, I toiled over that decision as I knew that for the cost of that one item I could nearly have both a set of Hooker headers AND the Vintage Air kit I need. The main driving force(s) behind my decision to go with these was: 1) ground clearance and 2) fitment. I knew that with the set-back motor mounts, there would be no fitment issues. I called Holley and asked about the Blackhearts but couldn't get any definitive answers and although others on here have said they used them with success in setups similar to mine I just didn't want it to be a fight. In addition, I was unsure how I felt about a slip-fit collector. If there's one thing I hate it's an exhaust leak! Not to say that'd be the case, but that was my thought process...although I must say, I can see the benefits the slip-fit would offer in terms of ground clearance.

I've read in various forums where guys have bought headers, then for whatever reason (usually fitment), they end up buying another set and switching them out. I figured I could spend a little more on the front end, get what I really want and save myself some headache and money down the road...stay tuned, I'll let you know how that theory holds up!

These things really are a work of art! I'm not disappointed in the slightest. Every detail has been attended to, from the angle in which the collector points to the bevel machined around the outer facing surface of the tube flange. You could run your bare hand all over these things and never get snagged or cut. I was also surprised at how compact they are. Maybe it's b/c I've mostly dealt with big blocks for so long...

[Gmachine1911]

Just thought I'd post up some various pics of the headers. In all my researching and stalking of these things, there never seemed to be many pics of them other then stock photos or the occasional side shot on an engine...

[Gmachine1911]

More of the same. I love how the tubes are welded 360 degrees...

[Gmachine1911]

No merge spears...

[Gmachine1911]

Another feature I liked about these is that, unlike the Hooker's, you don't have to remove your steering shaft to run it through the tubes when used with the DSE subframe...that was probably my biggest fear. With any set-back engine mount besides their own, it could easily put the steering shaft right in the path of one of the tubes.

[Gmachine1911]

If my Mast oil pan ever shows up, I might actually be able to take some pics of this thing sitting IN the car!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Spiffav8]

If my Mast oil pan ever shows up, I might actually be able to take some pics of this thing sitting IN the car!:rolleyes::rolleyes:

Well....that’s pretty sexy right there if you ask me. :goggles:

[214Chevy]

Well....that’s pretty sexy right there if you ask me. :goggles:

Yeah, looking at that engine from the back is like walking behind a sexy woman at the beach in a bikini.

[AtomicFirebird]

What is the length of your rearend?

[Gmachine1911]

What is the length of your rearend?

Sure, here's the dimensions and specs as they appear on my DSE order ticket:


GM 12-bolt 30-spline Custom Alloy Axle Shafts - 30-spline axles
- Torino Flange / Press on Bearings
- Axle flange OD 5.90" or less
- Axle shaft pilot OD 2.778" or less -1/2"-20 x 3.00" Studs, Press-in
- GM 5 on 4 3/4" bolt circle
- Add access hole to axle flange
- 1/2" Pinion Offset
- "F" Measurement; 25.375"
- "G" Measurement; 24.375"
-Total axle width 54.750"axle flange to axle flange

That's pretty much what your rear end will be if you order their standard config for use with mini tubs, Quadralink, etc. Obviously, they'll make it any dimension you want if you need something different. I toyed with the idea of squeezing 335's back there but I'm glad I didn't, they wouldn't have fit. Since I wasn't repainting the car yet, I didn't want to roll the rear fender lip and risk excessive paint damage and that would be a requirement no doubt for 335's.

The way it is now, I have aprox 1" clearance on the outside and probably about 1.25" on the inside. I haven't measured it for certain but there's plenty of room for travel and lateral tire movement. Hope that helps. If you need anything more specific, let me know and I'll get it for you!

[AtomicFirebird]

Thank you for the information and that is a beautiful
blue

[dmc69]

Very nice! Great list of parts!

[Gmachine1911]

Very nice! Great list of parts!

Thank you for the feedback! Always good to get an outside opinion. I'll have some more updates after this weekend, been a little crazy between being out of town and kid's sports, etc. The timing has been good, though, as I was starting to get a little worn out from all the thrashing!

[ilikeike]

It's Indigo Blue. I think it was a mid 90's Chevrolet color, not sure what they call it today.

My 2001 GMC is Indigo blue, I love it, still looks great since it's always garaged and polished/waxed annually.

Your car is is just how I'd like my 68,
when I take it apart and build it again :confused18:

[ZMAN1969]

Loving your build - pretty color too

[Gmachine1911]

Alright, got some time this evening to wrench on the car and made some good progress! Got several big items checked off my "to do" list for the weekend...
First, I got the grommets installed for my engine harness:

[Gmachine1911]

Next, I got the engine and trans set down in the car. Let me tell you, there's just barely enough room to get that thing in there with the setback engine mounts! 1.5" doesn't sound like much but that's just about the difference in the motor/trans fitting and not fitting. Thankfully, the trans crossmember fit like a champ. I need to drill one trans mount hole that didn't line up but overall, I'm real happy. I got the crossmember from Bowler at a deal because it had some powder coating chipped on it. I fully expected to have to modify it as they said it was for a big block/6 speed combo.

[Gmachine1911]

Here's a shot of the clearance between the firewall and motor...apologies for the poor lighting, it was about 10:30 at night...the DSE headers fit well; as they should!

[Gmachine1911]

Here's a shot of the front showing the clearance you have with the Mast oil pan. I've been happy with my decision there. You've gotta be sure to get the matching dipstick, though. One other item of note is to be dang sure you follow their instructions and clean that thing thoroughly, it was covered in grit from the casting process. You definitely don't want that stuff getting in your engine.

[Gmachine1911]

Here's a shot from the side showing the clearance of both the oil pan and the DSE headers. I'm extremely happy with that. No more worrying about dragging headers on speed bumps, etc. it's a little hard to see in detail but the header tubes are actually about an inch or more above the bottom of the oil pan. You can see them in the pic just above the drain plug. They also sit about an inch or two above the subframe rails so there's literally nothing hanging down. It doesn't appear as such, but that shot was actually straight on from the side.

I don't know any combination that's gonna give you better ground clearance than that!

[Gmachine1911]

Just a gratuitous engine shot😬

[Gmachine1911]

Yet another shameless pic of the engine...I've got a Holley Mid-Mount accessory drive kit that's been on back order but it's supposed to ship first of next week.

[jarhead]

those front tires are monsters, killer stance :thumbsup:

[Spiffav8]

Yet another shameless pic of the engine...I've got a Holley Mid-Mount accessory drive kit that's been on back order but it's supposed to ship first of next week.

That's all kinds of sexy. :thankyou:

[syborg tt]

Simply Awesome !!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gmachine1911]

Thank You all, I appreciate the positive feedback! I got my shifter hole cut and my Finch Performance gear shift boot ring mounted. Let me just say, there's nothing like working with quality parts. I ordered a different Finch shifter handle so I can get rid of the ape hanger in the pic. If it was all about function, it'd be one thing as it sits close to the steering wheel but I just can't get over the looks of it...Next to get the engine fuse box and electronic throttle pedal mounted and get the transmission VSS/backup lights, etc. wired up.

[Gmachine1911]

Not a whole lot of progress to report but wanted to see the inner fenders and core support on it. Removed the radiator so I could take it to PRC here locally and have some stuff rearranged for an LS engine.

[Gmachine1911]

So finally got my accessory drive kit in and had a few hours over the last couple of days to whittle away at it. I went with the Holley Mid-Mount system. I liked the fact that it had no spacers and uses the C7 style cartridge water pump; no having to disassemble the whole front end of the motor if you need to change the water pump!
I went with the black version as I like the contrast it offers. With the premium kit, you get an ATI balancer along with all the other accessories. This is a really nice peace of hardware, the fit was perfect and aside from a few minor things like chasing the powder coating from the threads on the AC compressor, it all went together flawlessly.
Once I get my radiator back from being swapped over for LS power, I can wrap up the cooling system plumbing. Also got the Vintage Air components ordered and hope to get the fuel system wrapped up this weekend...I'm dying to hear this thing run!

[Gmachine1911]

Pulley alignment is spot on...

[jarhead]

I really like the all black, been thinking bout doing the same on mine for a couple of years now.

[Gmachine1911]

Got my radiator back on Friday so I was able to make some good progress today. In keeping with the theme, I painted it black with polished stainless hardware. While I had my make-shift spray booth setup, I also murdered out my Tanks, Inc. fuel tank. In the spirit of low maintenance, I decided to bedline the lower half of the tank to provide protection from rock chips, etc. as I plan to drive this thing and autocross it at every opportunity.

[Gmachine1911]

To at least add some texture in the sea of black, I also bedlined my fan shroud after it was painted... Not terribly noticeable but I try to add detail everywhere I can.

[Gmachine1911]

Shot of the fuel tank...

[CMillwheels]

Awesome build 1911! Your car and mine are practically twins. The only difference is you are moving way faster than me!

[waynieZ]

Nice work it's looking good!

[Gmachine1911]

Thank you guys for all the positive comments! This certainly isn't one of the more glamorous, one-off builds here on Lat-G but I'm definitely proud to call it my own. I enjoy just being able to look back at the progress made after a good day's work in the garage. Of course, the ultimate reward will be when this thing's turn key and ready to drive, fine tune and enjoy!

So over the last couple of days, I've been able to track down and install radiator hoses and button up the cooling package (with the exception that I'm a couple of thermal clamps short) as well as get my fuel system plumbing done. Doesn't sound like much but that's two big checks on the To Do list. I can post up some part numbers for the radiator hoses if anyone's interested. I combed thru the part number archives here and test fit several variations and even cut up a couple only to decide I wasn't happy with the fit/appearance before finally settling on a couple hoses from NAPA. There's plenty of good options out there, but for me, dealing with availability and the fact that I wanted to see it with hoses installed, I think these look pretty good...

[Gmachine1911]

Another shot from the top...oddly enough, one of the goals for the top radiator hose was to have it run prallell with the radiator and the front drive system. I'm happy with the result here...just waiting on a couple more Gates thermal hose clamps and I'm all set, other than the Vintage Air components, of course. Hopefully I'll see those this week!

[Gmachine1911]

It's a little hard to see much detail but here's a shot of the front part of my fuel line plumbing. I made the line a 2 piece setup after having lots of fun trying to remove the one-piece fuel/brake lines that I had during the initial disassembly. With the Quadralink setup and all the intricate bends it requires to keep things tucked out of the way, I didn't see the point in torturing myself trying to make it one piece in the event it had to be removed at a later time. I took great care to keep the lines tucked up tight and away from heat sources. I went ahead and put some DEI insulation on the line where it would be closest to the tail pipes as they came over the rear axle.

[Gmachine1911]

Here's a shot of the coil over crossmember area. I mounted the filter/regulator combo to the top of the crossmember. Originally, I wanted to mount it to the frame rail just behind the rear footwell area but I just couldn't seem to make the fittings accessible with the E-brake cable and sway bar mounts. Besides, I knew the mufflers would be occupying the adjacent real estate and that would compound the removal issue (since this will be a maintenance item), not to mention the heat exposure. I'm not totally crazy about the current mounting spot but it's the lesser of evils, is out of the way of the suspension travel and relatively safe from heat...hard to see all my attention to bending with the heat insulation on it!

[Gmachine1911]

Here's the fuel line running up the rear frame rail area...got some clamps coming so I'll be able to get it secured...I wanted to keep it as close to the top of the frail rail as possible...

[Gmachine1911]

Here's a random shot from the back which shows how well the DSE headers tuck in for ground clearance yet they still have plenty of distance from the floor pan...totally worth the money...

I still need to relocate the second hole for the trans mount so you can see my reference marks on the painter's tape...

[Gmachine1911]

Just for reference, the part numbers for the radiator hoses I ended up using are 8961 for the top hose (1.25" diameter on both ends) and 9662 for the bottom hose (1.5" diameter on both ends). Again, these are Gates hoses from NAPA. Both required some minor trimming for size/fitment but I'd rather have too much then not enough. I'm running a PRC radiator with twin Spal fans setup for LS hoses.

[Gmachine1911]

So I came across this bracket in an attempt to not have to redo the Third Gen Camaro/Firebird throttle mount setup. This mount uses three bolts in a triangular pattern. Since I originally planned to reuse my big block and this setup, I welded up a mount to the inside of the firewall during the build.

After switching to an LS motor with the DBW setup, I knew I'd have to work up a different mount but hated to have to deal with undoing the sound deadener, rewelding/repainting/re-bed lining the affected areas. In a lazy effort to try and utilize the work I'd already completed, I searched far and wide for an LS DBW pedal bracket that would bolt to the existing pattern I had. I found mostly the brackets that utilize the steering column mounts for rigidity but didn't like the fact that they look like an after thought in the car. So I resigned myself to modifying the GM bracket but the problem there is that they appear to require a sizeable spacer to position the pedal properly and upon doing so you lose some much needed rigidity.

Just about the time I decided to make one from scratch, I stumbled upon the exact mount I needed from Scarebird Classics. I got it today and did a test fit after drilling out the mounting holes for 5/16" bolts and I must say I'm quite impressed. It's a heavy piece and very sturdy. The pedal bolts on perfectly and when attached to the mount I made, the pedal is located exactly where GM recommends in their instructions in relation to the brake pedal...plus it feels natural to the foot. I'm going out now and buying a lottery ticket b/c this is just too good to be true! Anyway, here's a couple of pics. I pulled it back out for paint and once installed, I can check that off the list!

[Gmachine1911]

Painted and ready...

[Gmachine1911]

Been busy working on wrapping up some details. Got the Vintage Air evaporator kit, condenser kit, etc...made more sense to buy the various kits I needed as opposed to the complete kit as I already had some of the key components.

I forgot to take a pic with the evaporator in place but here's a "before" shot.

[Gmachine1911]

My Mike Norris PCV catch can came in. It's a nice piece. Got it mounted/plumbed up. If you're like me and ever wondered what's inside this thing, here's your chance...if you unscrew the top, there's a baffled tube with a piece of red scotch-brite pad on the inside to separate the oil from the vapor.

[Gmachine1911]

Here's the baffle tube...if you unscrew the silver piece, there's a piece of scotch-brite pad inside.

[Gmachine1911]

Got the Ridetech fuel cap installed as well.

[BK70Camaro]

Not a whole lot of progress to report but wanted to see the inner fenders and core support on it. Removed the radiator so I could take it to PRC here locally and have some stuff rearranged for an LS engine.

Is it safe to say that you are close to BoonVegas then? Awesome Build. Hopefully I will be starting on my 73 very soon!

[Gmachine1911]

Just couple of quick pics of the Evap unit mounted. I had purchased a first gen bracket set from VA to mount a mockup Evap unit during fitment. In the month or so between that time and when I ordered the kit, VA changed their mounting setup considerably. Luckily I had moved the unit up higher in the dash already and they still used some of the same mounting points so it all worked out. I will say the new brackets with the front support bolting to the dash where the glove box attaches is far superior to what the original setup was.

[Gmachine1911]

Despite what seems like non-stop thrashing on this thing to get it running and tie up loose ends on some of the components, I'm at the point where it seems I'll never get done!:bang: Although I'm making progress, it's hard when that "progress" doesn't leave any major (or even sometimes minor) cosmetic difference.
At this point, I still need to wrap up the exhaust system, HVAC system, rear axle brake lines (had bent some up but I'm not happy with the fit so I ordered more stainless and I'm redoing them), sound system and wiring for the front clip. The car goes out for carpet and headliner the first week of July and hopefully sometime mid August my Recaro seats will show up. I ordered my gauges yesterday and at the very last minute, did a 180 and went with the Dakota Digital VHX/BIM module setup. Seems to make the most sense and provide not only a cleaner install and better readouts but also excellent visibility and a classic look!
I'm excited to see the interior start coming back together as I feel that'll breathe new life into my mindset. It's been exactly 13 months since I took what was a pretty nice 68 Camaro and COMPLETELY cut it to pieces and changed almost everything that wasn't painted blue. All things considered, I'd do again in a heartbeat, albeit with a few changes and improved efficiencies.
My goal has been to drive this thing to LS Fest in Bowling Green in September. I should be good to go as long as I have some seats to sit in!!

Here's what it looked like "before"...

[Gmachine1911]

More "before" pics...

[Gmachine1911]

In keeping with my Johnny Cash theme, I did complete/murder out the air intake yesterday. I ended up buying a couple of pieces of 4" aluminum tubing, a coupler and filter. All together, I've got $150 in this setup. It's nothing extravagant but i wanted something simple anyway and couldn't bear to spend $300-400 on a kit just to have 10' of leftover tubing. Originally, it was gonna be about 3" longer, however, due to a "snag" (literally) with the chop saw, I had to shorten it.
I tip my hat to those of you who can fabricate smooth, flawless, compound bends in these things with no signs of the welds, you make it look too easy!

[Gmachine1911]

Also, made some headway in the front end area with regard to painting/assembling the headlight buckets, hood latch, etc. in preparation for getting the front sheet metal hung. Once I get this thing running, get the HVAC lines plumbed and determine there's no issues, the front clip will go back on...

[rickpaw]

Nice. Looks like you're moving along.

I'm pushing to have my car done for LS Fest also

[dmc69]

Super nice! I come back daily hoping to find more updates :D. Great quality improvements to an already nice ride!

[Jimbo1367]

In keeping with my Johnny Cash theme, I did complete/murder out the air intake yesterday. I ended up buying a couple of pieces of 4" aluminum tubing, a coupler and filter. All together, I've got $150 in this setup. It's nothing extravagant but i wanted something simple anyway and couldn't bear to spend $300-400 on a kit just to have 10' of leftover tubing. Originally, it was gonna be about 3" longer, however, due to a "snag" (literally) with the chop saw, I had to shorten it.
I tip my hat to those of you who can fabricate smooth, flawless, compound bends in these things with no signs of the welds, you make it look too easy!

VEry nice pc. Do you recall the length of the airfilter? It looks like a Spectre pc. Any P/Ns? It looks like this would work for my needs.

Thank.,
Jim

[Gmachine1911]

Is it safe to say that you are close to BoonVegas then? Awesome Build. Hopefully I will be starting on my 73 very soon!

Lol! Even worse, I'm from about 30 miles West, in Mt Vegas! :lol:

[Gmachine1911]

VEry nice pc. Do you recall the length of the airfilter? It looks like a Spectre pc. Any P/Ns? It looks like this would work for my needs.

Thank.,
Jim

Hey Jim, no problem, I'll post up some part numbers for you here shortly. You're right, the air filter is a Spectre piece. I was paying close attention to the air filter length as well since I had an idea in my head for how i wanted the finished product would be. Thanks to everyone for their kind words!

[Gmachine1911]

Hey Jim, no problem, I'll post up some part numbers for you here shortly. You're right, the air filter is a Spectre piece. I was paying close attention to the air filter length as well since I had an idea in my head for how i wanted the finished product would be. Thanks to everyone for their kind words!

So the rubber coupler to the throttle body is Spectre SPE-9771, the Spectre filter is SPE-HPR9617K. The 4" aluminum tubing is from Vibrant Performance. The 90* elbow is VPE-2876 and the straight section is VPE-2877. These are all Summit Racing's part numbers so you'll drop the SPE/VPE prefixes if you wanna shop by the mfg part numbers.
The air filter specs say it's 6.75" long... Hope this helps!

[Gmachine1911]

Ok, so not much to report in the way of progress. Just got back from vacation and got the car ready to go to the upholstery shop for carpet and headliner. This is actually the first time in probably 6 months that I've seen it sitting on the ground...definitely the first time it's been on the ground with the new wheels/tires and drivetrain installed! Gotta admit, I didn't think it'd be that exciting but seeing the stance and the ride height, I'm totally blown away!! :excited::excited::excited::excited::excited:I really didn't expect much difference as the car sat fairly low before and I'm running almost the same overall diameter wheel/tire combo.

The roof of the car sits 49" off the ground and just standing next to it, it feels like you have to climb down into it. Needles to say, it got me pretty excited. Anyway, here's some pics for your viewing pleasure!

[Gmachine1911]

....

[Gmachine1911]

But wait, there's more!...

[MtotheIKEo]

Looks fantastic even without fenders on it 👍.

[Gmachine1911]

Ok, so I got my car back from the upholstery shop after getting the carpet and headliner installed. I took it to a somewhat local guy that supposedly does a lot of work for the car crowd around here. My dad actually just had him do the interior of his 30 Model A street rod which turned out well. For me, however, it's not the same story. The headliner, sail panels and rear pkg tray turned out good but the carpet work was totally horrendous! First of all, he ordered the wrong carpet, I wanted the 80/20 loop in keeping with a factory appearance and he put cut/pile in. Even worse was the the amount of wrinkles and just all around half-a$* way it was installed. I specifically told him I wanted the rear passenger foot wells filled in around the subframe connectors in order to simplify the install and keep things looking tidy. What I got was probably the most piss poor attempt at carpet I've ever laid eyes on. :bang:

I know I should count myself fortunate as this has really been the first horror story I've had with this build so far but it frustrating none the less. Long story short, I spent my Saturday redoing his work and managed to salvage it. Anyway, here come the pics...this is what it looked like when I got it back...he didn't even bother vacuuming it after finishing!:brix:

[Gmachine1911]

Another shot of the rear seat area...

[Gmachine1911]

Here's how he decided he'd fill in the rear footwell area around the subframe connectors...and he took the liberty to also fill in the front footwell areas for some unknown reason. :hairpullout:

[Gmachine1911]

Driver front footwell area. The one thing he did do which I'm thankful for was to use minimal glue on everything. Not only did the trip home do half the work by blowing the carpet loose but it made my life easier having to rip it out to redo it.

[Gmachine1911]

So my plan was to try and salvage the carpet if possible...if not I would just rip it out and think of another plan. My dad and I spent the better part of a day making filler panels for the rear foot wells and refitting everything. It has a couple of areas I'm not happy with such as around the dimmer switch, a small section on each side where it BARELY meets up with the sill plates and he totally massacred the area around the throttle pedal so I had to take out a lot of material leaving it terminated lower than it is on the other side of the steering column...none of which you can see without bending down and looking under the dash (more like laying down as this thing is LOW to the ground). Overall, I think that most people will never notice anything and it'll do for now in the interest of getting the car done so I can enjoy it a bit!

So here come the "after" pics...

[Gmachine1911]

Since it's all black, it's a little hard to see much detail...

[Gmachine1911]

Here's a shot of the rear footwell areas. We didn't fill it in completely because I wanted to leave some definition and contours...even though this will all be basically unseen once the seats are in.

[kevin_l]

Wow! I cant believe he would let that carpet out of his shop. No pride of craftmanship. You did a great job cleaning it up. What did you use for filler on the pans?

[Gmachine1911]

Wow! I cant believe he would let that carpet out of his shop. No pride of craftmanship. You did a great job cleaning it up. What did you use for filler on the pans?

Thank you! I was shocked although at first I didn't think it was as bad as it turned out. Once I got it home and had a better chance to look it over, it became apparent that it was a hot mess.

For filler I went and got a 4x8 sheet of 5/8" thick blue housing insulation. I layered up each area and used a 4 1/2" grinder with an 80 grit flapper disc to "grind" the styrofoam into the shape I needed in order to follow the floor pan or side slopes. I was going to top it off with a 1/4" layer of furniture grade plywood for rigidity, but honestly, the foam was quite sturdy by itself once the layers were glued together and since there's really low probability of someone jumping up and down on it once the seats are in, I didn't see the point in adding anything else. I may change my viewpoint once it's in use but all the cars I've seen running similar setups with Recaro's have just barely enough room for someone's feet back there so for now there's a "No high heels" rule in the back seat!

I'm certainly not an upholstery guy so my method may not be the best but I'd be interested in what others have done. I've seen in some of DSE's build photos where they use wood to fill in the areas. Not sure if they're using it as a template for something else or if that's what actually stays in the car but I do know that they "smooth out" the rear footwell areas (and front too in most cars) with some type of filler.

[kevin_l]

Thank you! I was shocked although at first I didn't think it was as bad as it turned out. Once I got it home and had a better chance to look it over, it became apparent that it was a hot mess.

For filler I went and got a 4x8 sheet of 5/8" thick blue housing insulation. I layered up each area and used a 4 1/2" grinder with an 80 grit flapper disc to "grind" the styrofoam into the shape I needed in order to follow the floor pan or side slopes. I was going to top it off with a 1/4" layer of furniture grade plywood for rigidity, but honestly, the foam was quite sturdy by itself once the layers were glued together and since there's really low probability of someone jumping up and down on it once the seats are in, I didn't see the point in adding anything else. I may change my viewpoint once it's in use but all the cars I've seen running similar setups with Recaro's have just barely enough room for someone's feet back there so for now there's a "No high heels" rule in the back seat!

I'm certainly not an upholstery guy so my method may not be the best but I'd be interested in what others have done. I've seen in some of DSE's build photos where they use wood to fill in the areas. Not sure if they're using it as a template for something else or if that's what actually stays in the car but I do know that they "smooth out" the rear footwell areas (and front too in most cars) with some type of filler.


I can only imagine how sick that made you feel. But it turned out great. The foam and plywood sounds good. With my subframe connectors I am needing to level out the rear floor area too. Thanks for the info.

[Gmachine1911]

Just a quick update...been working a lot at my J.O.B. but reached a huge milestone last week. What started out as simply getting the gauges to light up and check function turned into "well let's see if the engine turn over" which then turned into "let's puts some fuel in the tank and see if it'll start!" I'm happy to report that the only issue was a fuel leak at an AN hardline fitting that required some attention. Once that was fixed, the motor fired right up, open headers and all!:cheering:

[Gmachine1911]

So here's the DD VHX gauges all lit up. This was some of the best money I've spent so far. Super easy to install. Super easy to wire up and absolutely brilliant quality. The pictures really don't do the clarity justice...

[waynieZ]

I love them they look sweet!

[67_camaroRS]

That's a nice steering wheel, is that suede? Was it easy to install?

[Gmachine1911]

I love them they look sweet!

Thank You!

[Gmachine1911]

That's a nice steering wheel, is that suede? Was it easy to install?

Yeah, it's black suede with silver stitching. Install was easy, too. Never had a suede steering wheel before but it feels good in the hands!

[Gmachine1911]

So not really any huge strides to report, just been going thru doing some detail work. Got the heat/AC lines plumbed up. Everything's done on the engine side, now I just need to get the inside lines done to the evaporator unit.

I got the rear brake lines wrapped up and some detail items on the interior. I installed a Retrosound Long Beach stereo and remote mounted the body of the radio under the rear package tray to conserve space in the dash. It's a nice piece, looks pretty much factory and has a huge amount of features such as Bluetooth, hands free phone calls thru the sound system, Sirius XM, USB ports, etc. Basically the only thing in the dash is the radio face and knobs but you can't tell the difference by looking at it.

I also got my Borla mufflers, extra V-band clamps and odds and ends and have it scheduled for the exhaust shop next week but, until then, here it is sitting on the ground again...

[Gmachine1911]

Here's a shot with the finished heater/AC lines...gotta tuck a few wires away and wire up the trinary switch. Once I get the exhaust done where I can run it without scaring the neighbors, I'll make sure there's no leaks, etc. and then get the front sheet metal reinstalled.

[Gmachine1911]

I went ahead and sprung for a pair of the Truck-Lite 27270c's... I wanted something more modern yet not out of place sitting next to what's essentially a stock park lamp lens. I searched high and low for a more modern, clear park lamp lens but there's basically nothing out there. These lights are awesome! Worth every penny. They fit perfectly in my stock headlight buckets, plugged right into my wiring harness and put out a bright, clean light. They've got just enough modern flare to be noticeable yet they don't look out of place on a 50 year old car.

Next on the list is an LED park lamp and rear light upgrade...

[Gmachine1911]

Truck-Lites on dim...

[slimjim]

Trucklite actually make a matching 4.5" fog light (80275), They're only really advertised for Harleys, I'm yet to make mine fit but it'll look great when they do.

[Gmachine1911]

Had the car loaded up and taken to my exhaust guy yesterday. Got some 3" stainless bent up to go along with the Borla mufflers...

[Gmachine1911]

....

[Gmachine1911]

When I get it home, I'll remove it and clean up the welds.

I'm curious, what's anybody else doing to keep the emergency brake cables from rubbing on the floor pan? At the least I'm gonna have to put some type of sleeve over them but I'd love to see pics of what others have done...

[Gmachine1911]

He nailed it on the exhaust hangers for the mufflers. I had provided some isolators for the hangers but he ended up using some S10 isolators that had metal inserts so they won't tear or break as quickly over time. I'm still waiting on my driveshaft so they mocked one up from 3" exhaust tubing.

Despite all my hopes and prayers, it appears I'm gonna have to do some surgery on the trunk pan corners to create enough room for the tail pipes to clear:superhack::bang:

The one time I should've cut "cut corners" on this build...anyway, now I get to do it after the fact.

[Gmachine1911]

Got my front seat belts today...normally, the "Schroth Racing" emblem would be in yellow, however, I had them cut it off and sew on the black/silver emblem in its place. They went above and beyond on the customer service side to get me the belts I wanted in the configuration I wanted.

[randy]

did you use the engine setback mounts? i wondered if the dse headers would clear with the factory location mounts.

[dcracing]

Great looking build! Cool seeing your progress. Got to drive it yet?

[WSSix]

Nice work on the car. Love that it's dark blue.

[Gmachine1911]

did you use the engine setback mounts? i wondered if the dse headers would clear with the factory location mounts.

Yeah, I used DSE's 1.5" setback mounts. I figured since I used their frame and headers it only made sense to go with their mounts. Although they offer standard mounts, I liked the idea of moving the weight back a little. I'll attach a pic of the header clearance around the driver side, which would be the tightest but even there, you'd have plenty of room for their standard mount...probably even more room then me due to how the front primary tubes split to go around the steering shaft. It's a little hard to distinguish in the sea of black, but if you were to move the engine forward, the tube clearance around the steering shaft would only increase and there's no other obstructions close that would interfere.

[Gmachine1911]

Great looking build! Cool seeing your progress. Got to drive it yet?

Not yet, but it's close! At this point, the only thing I need to drive it are seats. I've been waiting for my Recaros for what will be 4 months IF they end up shipping on time at the end of this month. At any rate its scheduled to go into the body shop and have the front sheet metal reinstalled. Then it's just a matter of finishing the trunk mods and having the 3" tail pipes plumbed up.
I still have some small stuff such as modding the rear seat to fit between the tubs and getting the alignment done, etc. but then she'll be ready to drive and tune!
It's definitely a weird feeling when you get this close, it's been a year and a half and so much has changed that you feel like you're forgetting something!:knokwood:

[tubbed69]

Great job,car is really looking good:trophy-1302:

[Efi69Cam]

Yeah, I used DSE's 1.5" setback mounts. I figured since I used their frame and headers it only made sense to go with their mounts. Although they offer standard mounts, I liked the idea of moving the weight back a little. I'll attach a pic of the header clearance around the driver side, which would be the tightest but even there, you'd have plenty of room for their standard mount...probably even more room then me due to how the front primary tubes split to go around the steering shaft. It's a little hard to distinguish in the sea of black, but if you were to move the engine forward, the tube clearance around the steering shaft would only increase and there's no other obstructions close that would interfere.


I just bought the mounts and headers for my dse sub. Setback mounts are required with the headers.

https://www.detroitspeed.com/img/product/description/Engine%20Fitment.JPG

[Gmachine1911]

While waiting for my car to go to the body shop for trunk pan mods and front clip assembly, I installed my Digitails LED tail lights. Nice kit and super bright. The only thing I'm not too fond of is that on the Standard Camaro lens, because you have to trim the gasket away that separates the tail light from the backup light, it allows red light to "bleed" over into the white lens when the lights are on. Nothing major, I'll pull them back apart and use something to create a barrier without affecting the LED strip's need to lay flat. I tried posting a video but it's not liking the URL...anyway, here's a pic of the reverse lights. If my headlights ever fail, I can at least drive home in reverse with these babies!:relax:

[Gmachine1911]

Installed my front harnesses. Now if I just had some seats! Going on 4 months and still no Recaros...:hairpullout:

[Gmachine1911]

Ever have one aspect of your project that you procrastinate doing because it's gonna be a pain and you know that unless you're in the "mood" to do it, it's just not gonna turn out right? Well, I've been working around, delaying and just not in the right frame of mind to deal with that God-forsaken engine fuse box for awhile now and finally got stupid thing stashed away in the glove box. Although that's been the plan all along and at times I've fabbed up brackets, etc. I never really liked where or how it looked (or the glove box door didn't shut right).
I searched high and low for other types of brackets offered but to no avail with the exception of a GM bracket that didn't offer much use as it turns out. So yesterday I ditched the GM bracket and spent some time test fitting and mounting the fuse box and I'm happy to report that it's no longer hanging from a zip tie on the passenger window crank! Now that the glove box door is back on, it's finally starting to resemble a complete interior...

[XLexusTech]

May I ask you for a huge favor ?

Could you tell me the measurements from floor to top of those seat brackets ? I am trying to see if I can fit my ecu under my seat

[Gmachine1911]

May I ask you for a huge favor ?

Could you tell me the measurements from floor to top of those seat brackets ? I am trying to see if I can fit my ecu under my seat

It measures 3/4" clearance between the carpet and the bottom of the bracket. In my case, in addition to the thickness of the carpet (which is thin), there's a layer of Dynamat as well as a layer of 1/4" Dynaliner. The Planted brackets are pretty typical for mounting Recaros I think and there'll be maybe a little more room by the time you add the seat adjuster plus whatever open cavity there is in the bottom of the seat. Hope that helps...

[XLexusTech]

It measures 3/4" clearance between the carpet and the bottom of the bracket. In my case, in addition to the thickness of the carpet (which is thin), there's a layer of Dynamat as well as a layer of 1/4" Dynaliner. The Planted brackets are pretty typical for mounting Recaros I think and there'll be maybe a little more room by the time you add the seat adjuster plus whatever open cavity there is in the bottom of the seat. Hope that helps...

Thank you very much !

[DT69Cam]

He nailed it on the exhaust hangers for the mufflers. I had provided some isolators for the hangers but he ended up using some S10 isolators that had metal inserts so they won't tear or break as quickly over time. I'm still waiting on my driveshaft so they mocked one up from 3" exhaust tubing.

Despite all my hopes and prayers, it appears I'm gonna have to do some surgery on the trunk pan corners to create enough room for the tail pipes to clear:superhack::bang:

The one time I should've cut "cut corners" on this build...anyway, now I get to do it after the fact.

Beautiful car!! Can I ask a question about your exhaust though ? I have a similar set-up with my mufflers, do you think the driveshaft will hit the drivers side muffler ?? Thanks.

[67_camaroRS]

Ever have one aspect of your project that you procrastinate doing because it's gonna be a pain and you know that unless you're in the "mood" to do it, it's just not gonna turn out right? Well, I've been working around, delaying and just not in the right frame of mind to deal with that God-forsaken engine fuse box for awhile now and finally got stupid thing stashed away in the glove box. Although that's been the plan all along and at times I've fabbed up brackets, etc. I never really liked where or how it looked (or the glove box door didn't shut right).
I searched high and low for other types of brackets offered but to no avail with the exception of a GM bracket that didn't offer much use as it turns out. So yesterday I ditched the GM bracket and spent some time test fitting and mounting the fuse box and I'm happy to report that it's no longer hanging from a zip tie on the passenger window crank! Now that the glove box door is back on, it's finally starting to resemble a complete interior...


Where did you mount those under dash LED lights? they look great, makes the interior pop. also, where is that shifter from? thanks, nice work sir.

[Gmachine1911]

Beautiful car!! Can I ask a question about your exhaust though ? I have a similar set-up with my mufflers, do you think the driveshaft will hit the drivers side muffler ?? Thanks.

Thank you! No, the driveshaft doesn't hit anything. The mufflers are quite secure so there's no movement there and as long as the U-joint holds up, the driveshaft won't hit anything. It rotates nicely under there.

[Gmachine1911]

Where did you mount those under dash LED lights? they look great, makes the interior pop. also, where is that shifter from? thanks, nice work sir.

Thank you, 67_camaroRS, much appreciated! The light sockets are the ones that came with my AAW Classic Update kit so I mounted the passenger side light just under the Astro Vent ball on the dash (out of sight) and the driver side light is mounted just a couple of inches to the left of the ash tray. I just used some LED bulbs that were white to match the gauges, radio display, headlights, dome light, etc. I'm pretty happy with the result.

As for the shifter and shift boot, they're from Finch Performance. I thinks it's the 8" curved handle and the boot is the smaller of the two sizes he offers. Like anything I've bought from them, both are nice pieces and the quality is excellent! Hope that helps:cheers:

[DT69Cam]

Thank you! No, the driveshaft doesn't hit anything. The mufflers are quite secure so there's no movement there and as long as the U-joint holds up, the driveshaft won't hit anything. It rotates nicely under there.

Thank you. I hope mine is good as well.

[Ricochet]

Great build!! Just chewed through the whole thread. Keep up the great work! Saw one pic in with possibly your son in there? Good times! Hopefully he is enjoying it also!

[Gmachine1911]

Great build!! Just chewed through the whole thread. Keep up the great work! Saw one pic in with possibly your son in there? Good times! Hopefully he is enjoying it also!

Thank you, much appreciated! Yeah, I'm lucky to have some good help. My hope is that both my boys will learn some skills from me just like I did/do from my Dad.:D

[Boris632]

Just read through this whole thread.
Sorry about your wife.

But this is exactly what i was thinking of doing. A kick ass 1st gen with LS for a daily driver.

Can't wait to see it finished.

[Rick2964]

Great build! So much good info and you have done everything clean and top notch. Which Recaros are you running? Im getting ready to order a set of CS sportsters... I pray they dont take months

[Gmachine1911]

Just read through this whole thread.
Sorry about your wife.

But this is exactly what i was thinking of doing. A kick ass 1st gen with LS for a daily driver.

Can't wait to see it finished.

Thank you, much appreciated! It's been a good outlet, for sure. I'm excited to see it finished. I'm waiting on my body shop to get thru the SEMA crunch so they can wrap up a few things and hang the front sheet metal, then once I get my seats, I'll be ready to drive it and enjoy it! It's definitely been worth the effort so far:flag2:

[Gmachine1911]

Great build! So much good info and you have done everything clean and top notch. Which Recaros are you running? Im getting ready to order a set of CS sportsters... I pray they dont take months

Thank you, sir! It's nothing exotic but I'm excited about it and it'll be a blast when it's done. I went with the Recaro Specialist S in black leather. You'd think they'd be plentiful or at least somewhat available on the build schedule. I hate to compromise on the things I like/want but my patience is starting to wear thin. Everybody assures me they're worth the wait so I'm hopeful!:geezer:

[clill]

Great build thread and very informative for others that might be doing something similar in the future. Looks killer.

[Brianstanford]

awesome build! lots of good info! got them radiator hoses ordered from my local napa

[Gmachine1911]

awesome build! lots of good info! got them radiator hoses ordered from my local napa

Thanks! Love the silver on your car and glad to see it was on stands when the flood hit! Keep up the good work!

[Hutch69]

Great build. Thanks for all the info.

[Gmachine1911]

Thanks guys for your support! I haven't had time to work on it too much but I did manage to get some work done on the back seat today. Got the seat bottom cut down, cleaned and primed. Just gotta get the seat back narrowed now. Here's one of the corners after modification.

[Gmachine1911]

67233Primed and ready to paint...not sure why my pics are suddenly uploading sideways, but anyway...

[XLexusTech]

Thanks guys for your support! I haven't had time to work on it too much but I did manage to get some work done on the back seat today. Got the seat bottom cut down, cleaned and primed. Just gotta get the seat back narrowed now. Here's one of the corners after modification.

Look g good Shane what did you use for the seat mods for instructions?

[Gmachine1911]

Look g good Shane what did you use for the seat mods for instructions?

Thanks! I can't take credit for the know how, someone on here had already done an excellent write up on the process. Below is a link to the thread. I had to make a couple of additional mods to mine but this got me going in the right direction for sure!

https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=28606&referrerid=30096

[Gmachine1911]

Major milestone arrived today!...:hapdance:

[Gmachine1911]

Even though these have to come back out to finish the back seat mod, I had to see them in the car!!

[DT69Cam]

Wow, love those seats!! Which Recaro's are they ?? Ahh, Recaro Specialist S .

[Gmachine1911]

Wow, love those seats!! Which Recaro's are they ?? Ahh, Recaro Specialist S .

Close!...Specialist M's. Thank You! I was worried the bottom of the seat might look too large but they fit perfect, sit great and are 100% quality made. I'm super happy with them:cheering:

[XLexusTech]

Close!...Specialist M's. Thank You! I was worried the bottom of the seat might look too large but they fit perfect, sit great and are 100% quality made. I'm super happy with them:cheering:

Where did you source them and how long to get?

[Gmachine1911]

Where did you source them and how long to get?

Well, it's a bit of a long story. I'd originally ordered and paid for the Specialist S from another vendor but after waiting 5 months, still had no information on ETA and it got to the point where my inquiries were being ignored by the vendor. Long story short, Northstar Motorsports was able to get me the Specialist M in black leather (same material I originally ordered) and I had them in exactly one week. Renee was very helpful and the communication was superb! I highly recommend them.
It's the same place I got my seat belts as well and they went above and beyond to get me exactly what I wanted, i.e. having the yellow logo patch removed and the silver patch sewn on.

[DT69Cam]

Close!...Specialist M's. Thank You! I was worried the bottom of the seat might look too large but they fit perfect, sit great and are 100% quality made. I'm super happy with them:cheering:

Awesome!!

[Gmachine1911]

Thought this was a good shot, so posting it up...

[XLexusTech]

Sorry to keep peppering you with questions but what steering wheel nub and adapter did you use ?

[Gmachine1911]

No problem, it's an Ididit column with the DSE adapter and MPI steering wheel...

[DWC]

That interior looks great.

Daniel

[Gmachine1911]

That interior looks great.

Daniel

Thank you, Daniel!:cheers:

[dcracing]

Great shot of the interior. Looks good.

[Gmachine1911]

So I got the trunk corners cut out and raised so I can get my tail pipes made. That's a huge relief...got the car back together and tried to start it only to find my Optima battery was dead as a door nail. Not surprising as that thing was ancient. Bought a new one and got it installed and the engine cranks over like crazy but will NOT hit a lick. I can hear the fuel pump prime when I key on but no pressure at the rail..I double checked the supply/return lines were hooked up correctly but no fuel came out of either one. I'll probably drop the tank and verify the wires are hooked up correctly but I'm pretty anal about labeling everything so I have my doubts..Totally nuts, this thing was running when I dropped the tank to do the trunk:hairpullout:
Haven't had a chance to troubleshoot much else. It's got a 1/4 tank of fuel. Not sure what the odds are that the new Corvete regulator could've suddenly died.

[randy]

Any fuel at the rails? Unhook the fuel line and cycle the key and report back

[Gmachine1911]

Any fuel at the rails? Unhook the fuel line and cycle the key and report back

Hey Randy, thanks for the response. I unhooked the fuel line at the rails (no fuel present) and cycled the key 5 times. Each time the fuel pump cycled but no fuel ever showed up. Is it possible that I inadvertently transposed the wire connections?

[XLexusTech]

Hey Randy, thanks for the response. I unhooked the fuel line at the rails (no fuel present) and cycled the key 5 times. Each time the fuel pump cycled but no fuel ever showed up. Is it possible that I inadvertently transposed the wire connections?

Are you using a vsppoworx tank with the returnless system? I read for the first startup you need almost a half tank to get it primed up

[Gmachine1911]

Are you using a vsppoworx tank with the returnless system? I read for the first startup you need almost a half tank to get it primed up

No, I've got a Tanks, Inc. fuel injection tank with a Vette style regulator. The return line is only about 12" long. When I was checking things over last night, there was no fuel present at the regulator either. Thanks!

[MtotheIKEo]

I have hooked my tanks inc fuel pump up backwards doing some bench testing and it sounds close enough to normal that I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference. Very possible you hooked the wires up backwards.

Is there enough fuel in it?

[Gmachine1911]

I have hooked my tanks inc fuel pump up backwards doing some bench testing and it sounds close enough to normal that I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference. Very possible you hooked the wires up backwards.

Is there enough fuel in it?

Yeah, that's good to hear. I'm thinking that's gotta be the issue. It's got 1/4 tank of fuel so should be more than enough. I'm gonna take the gas back out and drop the tank to check the wires. It's gotta be something simple. I appreciate the feedback...it's a huge help!

[Gmachine1911]

Alrighty then, just in case there was any question about whether you're in tank fuel pump will supply fuel if wired backwards...it won't! lol it's those little things that make the difference!:smiley_smack:

[XLexusTech]

Alrighty then, just in case there was any question about whether you're in tank fuel pump will supply fuel if wired backwards...it won't! lol it's those little things that make the difference!:smiley_smack:

Awesome that you found it ...Loki g forward to the video 👏

[Gmachine1911]

So, while my Camaro's off getting the front clip reinstalled, alignment done and tail pipes made, I talked my Dad into putting a FiTech system on his 79 Z28. Fun fact about this car is that a neighbor up the street owned it for about 15 years when I was growing up. Used to see it cruise slowly by on occasion with the Wide Crager SST's on the back all jacked up. He was single and rode his Harley most of the time with the Camaro on garage duty except for the occasional drive on nice days.
About 1998 Tommy sold it to a buddy of his that jerked the motor and trans out so Dad and I bought it for $1500. We put a 350/350 combo in it and I drove it to college the last couple of years and then he took it back, had it stripped to bare metal and repainted. Unbelievably, the car was totally rust free with original paint and zero body filler.
Long story short, this, along with his '30 Model A streetrod are his toys and he puts a ton of miles on each of them. They get baby'd constantly but driven constantly, rain or shine! Kinda off subject but thought I'd share anyway...

[Gmachine1911]

It's been around a little...

[Gmachine1911]

Nothing crazy but it is a real Z28 with a stock GM crate motor that unmolested...a rare quality for most second gen Camaro's

[Gmachine1911]

....

[Gmachine1911]

Stopped by the body shop today to check out the progress...getting close! Haven't seen it as a complete car in a year and a half!

[Gmachine1911]

They're gonna tweak the front valance to fit up to the grill better; that always drove me crazy...

[Gmachine1911]

It's gonna definitely need a good cleaning.

[Gmachine1911]

Next week is front end alignment and tail pipe fabrication. Then off to the upholsterer to get the rear seat built to match the Recaros. After that, it'll be back home where I'll make sure everything is torqued down, topped off, adjusted, etc. Then it'll be ready to drive and get the rattles and any quirks sorted out. After all this time and dreaming about parts and stuff it feels weird to be this far along and I'm almost apprehensive about driving it for fear of being disappointed!! Sounds crazy, I know.

[MtotheIKEo]

That’s a beautiful car.

[slimjim]

Looks fantastic, I'm eager to learn your thoughts on the clutch

[DT69Cam]

Looks fantastic, I'm eager to learn your thoughts on the clutch

Hydraulic clutch ? me too. My McLeod seems to engage one inch from the floor.

[Gmachine1911]

Front valance is mounted, subframe connectors are tied to the subframe and dual elec fan patch with AC bump kit from PCM of NC is installed...

Anybody have any experience with the Clear Shot mirrors? Those crappy repro door mirrors have the life expectancy of a snowball in Hell.

[RdHuggr68]

Front valance is mounted, subframe connectors are tied to the subframe and dual elec fan patch with AC bump kit from PCM of NC is installed...

Anybody have any experience with the Clear Shot mirrors? Those crappy repro door mirrors have the life expectancy of a snowball in Hell.



Especially at 3 digit speeds!! :trophy-1302:

[Gmachine1911]

Have a couple of inquiries about my ECM mounting so thought I'd post up a couple of pics...I mounted it on rubber isolators using nutserts. If I had it mounted just slightly higher, it would've been easier to route my HVAC lines...

[Gmachine1911]

....

[130fe]

I have the clear shot mirrors from Morris Classic Convept. They are very nice pieces, light years ahead of the repro ones. They have two external screws to keep the tension on the mirror “ball”. No flapping.

[tubbed69]

Very nice work,great looking car:trophy-1302::thumbsup:

[kevin_l]

It's looking really good, I like the deep blue with black strips.

[Gmachine1911]

Very nice work,great looking car:trophy-1302::thumbsup:

It's looking really good, I like the deep blue with black strips.

Thank you!

[130fe]

Shane, I talked to Billy at MCC yesterday. They have redesigned their seat belt retractor brackets to accommodate TMI/procar style seats. They are coming out with a second gen mirror for our cars. Apparently the new ones will have a revised base, better glass in either normal or convex (for mirror) and have the option to get a blue glass version reducing glare from other lights (similar to auto dim on rear view mirrors). They should have the kits/price sorted out after the first of the year.

[moparnut]

I can’t wait to see this thing in person-I’m in Evansville I sure hope you plan on brining it to some cruise in’s!

[Gmachine1911]

Shane, I talked to Billy at MCC yesterday. They have redesigned their seat belt retractor brackets to accommodate TMI/procar style seats. They are coming out with a second gen mirror for our cars. Apparently the new ones will have a revised base, better glass in either normal or convex (for mirror) and have the option to get a blue glass version reducing glare from other lights (similar to auto dim on rear view mirrors). They should have the kits/price sorted out after the first of the year.

Hey Chris, thanks for the heads up! I'll keep an eye out. I know that myself and XLexusTech on here tried repeatedly to get ahold of MCC about a month ago but no one ever answered the phone or returned messages. We wanted to get a couple of their rear seats. I ended up making other arrangements to have seat made but you might let Billy know...if you don't know, you can't fix it. :)

I can’t wait to see this thing in person-I’m in Evansville I sure hope you plan on brining it to some cruise in’s!

Thank you! Yeah my plan is get it out and enjoy it as much as possible so you'll be seeing it around! You'll have to let me know what you drive so I can be on the lookout:goggles:

[130fe]

Shane, are you talking about Mikes custom cars http://www.mikescustomcars.com/projects/projects.asp?proj=Catalog1stgenseat Or Morris Classic Concepts https://www.morrisclassic.com/ for the rear seat. I was referring to Billy at Morris Classic Concept for the seat belt and mirror stuff.

[Gmachine1911]

Shane, are you talking about Mikes custom cars http://www.mikescustomcars.com/projects/projects.asp?proj=Catalog1stgenseat Or Morris Classic Concepts https://www.morrisclassic.com/ for the rear seat. I was referring to Billy at Morris Classic Concept for the seat belt and mirror stuff.

Gotcha, my fault, I was referring to Mike's Custom Cars...ill be sure and keep an eye on Morris Classic Concepts. I had looked at their 3 point seat belts originally but went a different direction. Thanks for the clarification!

[Gmachine1911]

Rear seat fabrication...

[Gmachine1911]

And here's the finished product! Super happy with how this turned out. Got my 3 point harnesses mounted so I can have peace of mind when the kiddos are back there. Just gotta get the rear door panels in and the interior is pretty much complete.

[Gmachine1911]

A shot with the cross bar reinstalled...

[tubbed69]

Very nice work:trophy-1302:

[waynieZ]

That looks sweet ! Nice work.

[Gmachine1911]

Well, got everything pretty much buttoned up and cleaned and got to put some miles on it yesterday! I have two things to say...1) Holy crap that thing runs, and 2) I have never had a car that handles like that. I didn't get too crazy but I did stretch the legs a bit on some twists and OMG! I still had the mindset that I was in a 50 yr old car so it was weird to have it obey every command and for it to do flawlessly! I couldn't be happier with how things turned out...no rattles, no squeaks, no leaks and no major issues at this point but I'll be going over everything several times making sure. Anyways, I'll post up some pics...

[Gmachine1911]

Here's some completed pics...got to take it for a drive yesterday...All I can say is O.M.G. :Tomcat::drive:

[Gmachine1911]

So far, no squeaks, no leaks and no issues!

[Gmachine1911]

Completed front end...

[kevin_l]

Looks tight and right!

[Gmachine1911]

Looks tight and right!

Thank You, much appreciated!

[jason]

Beautiful build, what size and back spacing are the wheels?

[kmart401]

Beautiful!! How do like the Remaster and manual brakes?

[Gmachine1911]

Beautiful build, what size and back spacing are the wheels?

Thank You! Below is the wheel breakdown...

Forgeline ZX3P
18x9.5 6.375” BS / 18x11 5” BS
Center - Transparent Smoke
Inner - Matte Black
Outer - Polished (flat lip)
Hardware - Exposed


Beautiful!! How do like the Remaster and manual brakes?

Most appreciated! I like it, it gives great feedback. In the 26 years I've owned the car, it's never had power brakes and I was thinking I might go that route but I talked to several guys at various autocross events and many seem to prefer the manual setup so I thought I'd give it a shot since I had already bought the parts. My Remaster has the 15/16" piston I believe. The combo has an excellent pedal and I'm really happy with them.

[CMillwheels]

Incredible build! You’re inspiring me to hurry up and get mine done.

[Gmachine1911]

Incredible build! You’re inspiring me to hurry up and get mine done.

Thank you, Sir! Now get to it! :D

[DWC]

Looks great, very nice build!

Daniel