Project "Dorothy" daily driven 1969 Camaro [Archive]

Aschle

05-12-2022, 09:33 PM

I've been toying with my Camaro for many years now. I think that the only difference between my "build" and many others on these forums, is the fact that I drive the car daily, usually 5-600 miles a week. My knowledge and ability is less than stellar, but I'm trying.

I purchased the car from the original owners son, that kept it garaged after she passed away. Her name was Dorothy, so I felt it fitting to name the car in her honor. When I bought it, the car was all original, aside from tires, battery, some door/ side guards and a dash mat... My initial plans were to keep it original and enjoy it, no mods, no changes, just to enjoy it. Those plans lasted about a week. :lostmarbles:

I changed out the steering wheel, installed the seat track extenders (I'm 6'-4") and that's when the modifications began to snowball. I had another 69 Camaro that I had been planning to build for my toy, and this car was going to be my driver. I'm pretty sure we can all relate to the sidetracking of project cars. The changes started coming quickly, and before I knew it, the other 69 was sold, and the daily driver started getting better and better. :G-Dub:

I'll try to keep on track and with a somewhat "in order" photo trail here...

Enjoy

Jason

Aschle

05-12-2022, 09:50 PM

After the steering wheel swap, I decided to put a cowl hood on it, along with the rear spoiler. I had a set of 15x8 GM rally wheels, which ended up all being slightly out of round. That turned into using the wheels off of my 57 Chevy, so there were no vibrations while on the freeway. Custom wheels on a stock vehicle looks a little funny to me, so lowering the car came next. After adjusting the height, the stock drum brakes looked awful behind billet wheels. lol

Aschle

05-12-2022, 10:03 PM

Fast forward a few years... Don't think anyone wants the -entire- story here. haha

Motor and transmission ran flawlessly, but a 307 with a 2 barrel / T350 and a 2:56 gear out back makes for a big lack of fun factor. I decided to pull the engine and trans from my 91 Camaro (got tired of dealing with California smog nonsense).

Healthy SBC /T56 and 4:11 makes for much more fun

Aschle

05-12-2022, 10:20 PM

Now traction was a big problem. I decided to get some tires that would hook. Here is where things began getting (in my mind) serious.

Aschle

05-12-2022, 10:28 PM

Like I said at the beginning, it is my daily driver, so I am constantly making changes to suit my likes / needs. I hope to paint it this coming winter, but time will tell.

camcojb

05-12-2022, 11:19 PM

Great project and I love that you drive it a lot! :thumbsup:

srode1

05-13-2022, 04:09 AM

how cool, very nice

camcojb

05-13-2022, 09:53 AM

Set the videos to auto-start.

How to embed Youtube videos on Lateral-G (https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48663)

Aschle

05-13-2022, 11:07 AM

A few random videos along the way

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lkjsXKR7ssM

zHSmK4XIooU

camcojb

05-13-2022, 11:41 AM

I just fixed the first one.

How to embed Youtube videos on Lateral-G (https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48663)

Jimbo1367

05-13-2022, 02:14 PM

Very cool car. What brand rear end and gears?

Aschle

05-13-2022, 02:37 PM

Very cool car. What brand rear end and gears?

Thank you !

The rear end housing came from Detroit Speed (GearFX I believe)
Axles are Moser, from DSE
Center section is a Moser carrier, Currie "posi" , Yukon gears and Timken bearings, aluminum Daytona bearing support.

The gears are noisy and I hate them. I set them up with 7 thousanths backlash, so they are well within spec according to Yukon. Everything I have been reading lately, is that every aftermarket 9" gearset makes noise. I'm sure there are a few people out there that get lucky, but I am not one of them.

Firebird68corona

05-13-2022, 03:17 PM

Love the car and fact that you daily drive it. That green color grows on me the more I see it. I plan on daily driving mine once I wrap a few things up, what size rear tire did you go with ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Aschle

05-13-2022, 04:14 PM

Love the car and fact that you daily drive it. That green color grows on me the more I see it. I plan on daily driving mine once I wrap a few things up, what size rear tire did you go with ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you. The car is British Racing Green, if you look closely, the hood and rear spoiler are Fathom Green, and are a shade or so lighter. I thought the car was fathom when I bought it... After looking through the enormous pile of receipts that were given to me, she had the dealership paint it BRG back in 69.

the tires are 335/30/18 in the rear

F'in mine

05-13-2022, 07:31 PM

I like the paint as is, this way you don't have to worry about it too much but I get it..........fresh paint of your liking really finishes off the vision you have.
Quick question about your Caltracs, I'm presuming you're using the low pro option. It looks like in one of your videos that the leaf spring brackets on the 9" are different from Caltracs one that came with their kit. Did you bolt up the Caltrac one that was trimmed under the DSE leaf spring bracket. Reason I ask is I have the DSE leaf brackets and want to add the caltracs to my leafs for better hookup. Tks & keep posting some updates along the way.

Aschle

05-13-2022, 10:03 PM

I like the paint as is, this way you don't have to worry about it too much but I get it..........fresh paint of your liking really finishes off the vision you have.
Quick question about your Caltracs, I'm presuming you're using the low pro option. It looks like in one of your videos that the leaf spring brackets on the 9" are different from Caltracs one that came with their kit. Did you bolt up the Caltrac one that was trimmed under the DSE leaf spring bracket. Reason I ask is I have the DSE leaf brackets and want to add the caltracs to my leafs for better hookup. Tks & keep posting some updates along the way.

Thank you 😊

Yes, low profile Caltracs are what I’m running. The front brackets are as delivered from Caltracs, the rears, I cut / modified to work in conjunction with the DSE plates. I’ll PM you pictures if you would like

WSSix

05-14-2022, 06:44 AM

Very nice! Thanks for sharing the pics and the details. Glad you're putting the miles on it. Hope you enjoy them all.

F'in mine

05-14-2022, 07:34 AM

Thank you 😊

Yes, low profile Caltracs are what I’m running. The front brackets are as delivered from Caltracs, the rears, I cut / modified to work in conjunction with the DSE plates. I’ll PM you pictures if you would like

Jason, thanks send away. I have a feeling my LS transplant from last Nov. is gonna need some traction help.

Aschle

05-14-2022, 01:11 PM

Here is what I did. Just cut the shock mount portion of the Caltracs brackets, and trimmed them to fit inside the DSE plates. Very simple modification, works just fine and has been like this about 2 years now. The only thing I don’t like about the bars, is the rattle they can create. The slop in the heims and the front bracket annoys me when I’m on rough road. It’s not bad enough to remove them though. lol

F'in mine

05-16-2022, 01:56 PM

Here's a possible cure for the rattling taken directly from the Caltrac website.
78134

Aschle

05-16-2022, 08:55 PM

Thank you. I actually just did that yesterday. Haha

Aschle

05-18-2022, 11:51 AM

Here are a few pictures that I thought were cool next to each other.

waynieZ

05-18-2022, 08:35 PM

Not too much difference between the two pictures LOL Nice!

Jimbo1367

05-19-2022, 08:08 AM

Any future plans of swapping some sort of LS in this puppy? I really dig the green. Factory color?

Aschle

05-19-2022, 05:51 PM

Not too much difference between the two pictures LOL Nice!

Any future plans of swapping some sort of LS in this puppy? I really dig the green. Factory color?

Thanks ��

I am on the fence about the LS swaps. I know it’s worth it for power per dollar, and it’s relatively easy to do, but I’ve always liked being a little bit of an outsider and keeping things different. I get ALOT of people shocked that I’m still running an old school SBC. Also, the sound of an LS (from my experience) cannot compare to a stout SBC or BBC. One day down the road, I may give in and swap over, but for now, I’m staying traditional.

As for paint, it’s original GM paint, but not fathom green. It’s British racing green.

Jimbo1367

05-20-2022, 08:06 AM

Thanks for the reply. I couldn’t remember the name of green GM used. I really like it (yours).

You can be different being one of the last 69 Camaros to switch to LS power. Or…… go L86 GenV. You may not be the first but every time you start it of fill it up, you’ll really notice the gas mileage increase

JON Q

05-20-2022, 09:14 AM

Cool car, looks it was originally Frost green based on the trim tag and the still visible fenders. 1968 is when they offered what you have now British Green

Aschle

05-20-2022, 10:15 AM

Thanks for the reply. I couldn’t remember the name of green GM used. I really like it (yours).

You can be different being one of the last 69 Camaros to switch to LS power. Or…… go L86 GenV. You may not be the first but every time you start it of fill it up, you’ll really notice the gas mileage increase

One day maybe. haha

I have a 5.3 from a truck that's sitting on the side of my house right now, but I have planned to use it in my 57 Chevy, so that may sway me to swap the Camaro too if it works out well.

Aschle

05-20-2022, 10:25 AM

Cool car, looks it was originally Frost green based on the trim tag and the still visible fenders. 1968 is when they offered what you have now British Green

You are correct, the car came from the assembly line in the frost green.

The original owner went to the dealership and there was this car in the frost green, and a Z28 4 speed next to it in Fathom green. She didn't want a 4 speed car, so... According to the story (and paperwork / receipts I have) the dealership made the sale by painting the car for her in the darker green that she desired. Definitely don't get that service these days. haha

The paperwork states dark green, not Fathom or British Racing green, so when I purchased the car, I had assumed it was Fathom. I bought paint for the hood and spoiler, and once sprayed, that's when I realized the shade difference. I was at a car show locally and parked next to a 68 Camaro in BRG. Before then, I hadn't heard of the color

JON Q

05-20-2022, 10:48 AM

I like Frost Green, it looks sharp. 1968 was the only year for the British Green color on the 1st gen Camaro. You've done good on the upgrades while driving it and not blown apart in pieces in the garage lol

Aschle

05-20-2022, 12:38 PM

This is, to me, what these cars are all about !!!

Getting out and enjoying them !!!

ScotI

05-20-2022, 02:11 PM

This is, to me, what these cars are all about !!!

Getting out and enjoying them !!!

Agreed 110%

Cramer4918

05-22-2022, 03:14 PM

Very nice! You have an awesome ride and have done well with it! I am planning on having my Biscayne as a Daily Driver once it is complete as well.

I'm with you. You're not enjoying it if it sits in the garage 99% of the time. :thumbsup:

Vegas69

05-23-2022, 10:39 PM

This is, to me, what these cars are all about !!!

Getting out and enjoying them !!!

Oh, I thought we were supposed to take out a 3rd mortgage and build them for a decade only to never drive them? LOL

Aschle

05-31-2022, 09:05 AM

Decided to try a new intake manifold that's closer matched to the cam/ heads

Aschle

10-26-2023, 02:57 PM

Still driving the snot out of this car. I blew up the motor last November, built a new 383 for it, switched out the Flowmaster mufflers, with Borla XR-1 I am extremely happy with the current setup, aside from still not gotten around to painting it. lol

Jason

WSSix

10-27-2023, 08:10 PM

Congrats on continuing to drive it and persevering through the blown motor.

Jimbo1367

10-30-2023, 03:41 AM

Looks good. So what AFR and cam is in the new motor?

Thanks,
Jimbo

AMSOILGUY

10-30-2023, 01:27 PM

This is, to me, what these cars are all about !!!

Getting out and enjoying them !!!

Just scrolled through sweet driver. If you need a dependable oil to protect that beauty on the many miles ypu will see let me know. I'll get ya the best price. Cool car!

214Chevy

11-01-2023, 07:32 AM

Sweet new motor...

ULTM8Z

11-04-2023, 01:01 PM

Cool you're going with the Gen1 SBC. And a SuperRam EFI to boot.

I know LS is all the rage these days, but the SBC is a definitely tried and true engine.

EDIT: Just saw the Miniram in a later post. Awesome manifold... I'm also running one.

Aschle

11-06-2023, 03:34 PM

Looks good. So what AFR and cam is in the new motor?

Thanks,
Jimbo

Thank you

383ci
AFR 195 comp cnc ported heads
Comp XFI 280 hydraulic roller

Aschle

05-15-2024, 11:54 AM

Update

Aschle

05-15-2024, 11:59 AM

Decided that I am finally going to paint the car. The drivetrain is pretty solid, so now the cosmetics are the priority. I'm shaving all of the emblems, filling all of the unnecessary holes that have been poked in the past for door edge guards. There have been a couple spots pop up that I was not aware of under the old paint, so that all needs to be addressed too. I bought the paint, went with "Tropical Glitz" brand, Seductive candy blue... Should be nice when I get it done, at least I hope so !!! haha

Jason

camcojb

05-15-2024, 02:35 PM

Great job Jason!!

WSSix

05-16-2024, 07:06 PM

Good luck with the paint and body.

Aschle

06-18-2024, 08:41 AM

Making very slow progress... I hope to have the rest of the car epoxy primed tomorrow, then I will have a buddy give me a hand with the body work. I found a few damage areas that were likely "repaired" in the 70s Regardless, the car is relatively solid.

Aschle

06-18-2024, 08:50 AM

A few more shots

syborg tt

07-10-2024, 08:28 PM

Nice work and I looking forward to seeing it in primer.

dmc69

01-23-2025, 08:46 PM

Any updates? Can’t wait to see what you’ve done!

Aschle

03-12-2025, 12:43 PM

Any updates? Can’t wait to see what you’ve done!

Far from the progress I have hoped for, but I am slowly getting closer.

Aschle

03-12-2025, 12:54 PM