Hello and Help! (longwinded)

[Hatya]

Hi folks, Im new to the site, Thanks Matt Jones for giving me this link. Great site very informative.

I have been a car guy for along time, got my first 68 camaro when i was 17, got my 2nd at 23, and now i got my 3rd on at 39. Im planning on this one being the car I have always dreamed of.

My initial plan for this car is a PT car. So i looked hard to find a car I could transfor into anything i wanted, without the guilt of chooping up a possible collectors item. The result was a bare bones no option 1967 Camaro convertible (I absolutely had to have a vert.) I think i got it at the right price, I drive it alot as is, and i paid 8k.

Aside from having a new top, the car needs everything, which means i have a lot of work to do. And alot of decisions to make. So i need some help and guidance. I have set a list of parameters the car must meet when completed. yet with a budget in mind I really dont want the car to sit apart for years, so im hoping to do it in stages that allow me to drive the car in the summer, and work on it in the winter. (yes i realize im nuts)

The part i need the most help with is the suspension. I have looked hard at the SWE full frame and the Art Morrison Max-G frame. Both of these option seem to be extremely attractive when it comes to making a vert handle well, especially seeing how i have a body sag issue. But, both require extensive amounts of work , and the car will be a complete teardown.

So Issue 1 would be to frame or not to frame, and in doing so trying to fix the body sag.

So since im in the planning stage of this car I was hoping to hear some ideas from you folks. Pretend there is no budget, and let me hear your suggestions.

Im tring to post pics also, have to resize them and Ill have em up soon..

[XcYZ]

I think full frames for the unibody cars is the next step for an all out g-machine. There are issues with headroom as it changes the floor, but you have a Vert, so that's a plus.

Oh, and welcome to the site. :thumbsup:

[ccracin]

I agree with Scott. A full frame is next in the evolution. If you have the means go for it. I would also say go with Morrison. Those guys are great. I just ordered a front end and rear suspension package for our project. Craig, Matt, and Don have been very helpful. I talked to alot of the big names and these guys are the most helpful. They do it how it should be done. Just my 2 cents. 2 more cents, get in touch with Tim at PRRC for the rest of the build. Again the help he provides is great. Good luck sounds like a great project.

[overlap]

Welcome,
Looking at the pictures you provided the door glass or quarter glass is out of adjustment or there's a problem with the regulator, track, and etc. internally. Looking at the door gap at the rocker panel and where the door meets the quarter panel, it's not any different from most GM cars of this era.
This isn't to say don't do any frame or suspension mods, I say go for it with some discipline and planning and you'll have a nice ride to enjoy.
Gerald

[youthpastor]

Welcome- great buy on the convert, i"m building a '68.

Lots of cool parts out there, you are at the right place!

question: do you plan to cruise a windy road on the coast top down, or enter it into competion. That will determine how crazy you need to get with the suspension, brakes, etc.

Also as you have notices from another threat (s-curve paint poll) spend the money NOW for a designer, it is well worth it. Some things i though were cool even 5 years ago, are way out dated, a number of designers on this site can steer you in the right direction-Chris

[Hatya]

Im not planning any competitive driving. Its going to be my everyday car when its done, weather permitting. My biggest issue is myself. I tend to go over the top on everything i do. I'm trying very hard to restrain myself from turning this into a complete teardown 2year project. I love driving the car so much, even in the condition that its currently in.

I did a ton of reading last night and I may be swaying myself towards the hotchkis X bar & SF connectors, along with completly redoing the F&R suspensions, rather then a full frame. I think ill be very happy with the results.

This way i can keep from doing a complete tear down, then i can save the full frame for my next project.

But i wont make any final decision just yet, Im going to budget both options and look at the difference first.. I'll let you guys know which way i go

[ProdigyCustoms]

http://prodigycustoms.com/mikes-prodigy.asp

Let us know if we can help. Project Prodigy can be jacked up in the center of the rocker and still open and close the doors. It can also hang on a post lift and open and close the doors. And we do not have the raised seat issues. it is belly paned and the seats are mounted at the bottom of the rocker instead of on top.

[customcam]

cool project
me personally The MaxG will give you the stance that will always make u drool!
keep us posted on the build :thumbsup:

[Leadfoot1]

8 Grand! What a steal!!! Looks kinda original too.

Great deal/ find!

Good luck on the project and welcome!

Lead.

(Full frame would be Killer! What are the floors like? Rockers? trunk?)

[BThibodeaux]

You may want to check out Schwartz Extreme Performance. They have just come out with a full frame chassis that they claim is a bolt in. In bare form it is priced about the same as most bare aftermarket front subframes. There is an article on Schwartz in November CHP, and they have been on V8TV.

http://www.schwartzperformance.com/products.htm

[Hatya]

1 section of the rear floor board was replaced by someone with no skills at all , its horrible. The rest seams very solid. I been thinking if i had to replace the floor anyway , why not full frame it. I have seen the Scwartz chassis and spoke with Jeff himself. I'm still wieghing the options, I'd love to go full frame, but I dont wanna start something i cant finish either.

[Leadfoot1]

You might want to check this out...

http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=3210&highlight=morrison

Unless you saw it already.

Talk to him, he know's how involved it is and i don't think he regrets it one single second!

I have a friend who's also in the middle of doing same on a 69 as well but is presently contempling building his own frame or farming out to a reputed local circle track car builder.

BUT, if you know you don't really want to do it, might as well not look at Highwayman's, because once you see how MEAN it is, (and also from understanding your motto might as well be "BIGGER IS BETTER") you're gonna be in it before you know it. :thumbsup: :D

I say, if you've got the means and patience...GO GO GO!!! ('Cause if its what you wanted in the first place...because you said this is the car you want to reflect the car YOU ALWAY'S WANTED... well, you probably don't want to end up telling yourself you should have done it everytime you look at it in your garage)

Again, i sold my coupe because it was opened up alll the way and setted on the jig...and i figured i would never have enough time to finish it in this century...So i got one i'm building while enjoying. (even tought its bugging me a bit still to put it up on the BBQ...) :willy:

Just sayin' i know how you feel.

Anyway, keep us posted! And good luck!

Lead.

[Hatya]

Well #%^@ !! Highwayman just cost me a few grand and lotsa late nights, not to mention the busted knuckles, and cut fingers in gonna be getting.

Its over I must have that stance/look....so much for driving my car this spring, I feel this taking me a while to complete.

The only major concern i have is how to correctly remount the body to the frame. I have no experience with this part at all..links post and pictures please

[Leadfoot1]

I will check, i have read other threads where he showed how he mounted the body (Directly to the rockers-easy). But otherwise, you could do a search for the threads Highwayman started or send him a pm.

Sorry to hear seeing his car got you into this major project. I'm feeling bad knowing your gonna have a totally Bad A$$ car because of me... :lol:

'Later.

Lead.

Hey, FYI, I think Sears has the big sawZall on special this week, might come in handy... :unibrow: hehe.

[customcam]

there was a guy with a 68 coupe on the Other site also doing a maxg but fairly slowly i have pics of it
im sure you can either bolt her up or weld her in
Know make sure you pik the right size wheels lol :unibrow:
They will help you im sure

[Leadfoot1]

Hey Customcam,

I'm just curious.....What would be the ideal wheel size in your opinion??? ;)

Come on, lets hear this.

Lead.
(I feel like i could dig it!) :thumbsup:

[customcam]

on a 68 id look at 20 inch rears. the beauty of the maxG is that you tuck everything under the car What a look :yes: iv seen a cpl of 67/68 with an 18/20 inch combo looks ok but 19" front "Like urs Lead!" will look killer
Remember Alloway built that Challenger it had 22 inch rears and didnt even look like it. i thought they were 20 inch rears. can any 1 argue about that car? :hail:
Silver maybe with Black/Dark Grey 3 piece wheels and Black drop top at 4" off the ground man :wow: ls2/ls7 TT? its all over lol :willy:

[ProdigyCustoms]

Its over I must have that stance/look....so much for driving my car this spring, I feel this taking me a while to complete.



A few things. Since the fender and quarter openings are round on the 67 / 68 instead of square as on the 69, the 67 / 68 will never have the same look as the 69 pictured. The sheetmetal simply will not cup the tire and wheel combo like that. If you plan to have a functional folding top, without spending HUGE money on a custom top mechanism, Project Prodigy is as low as you can go and still use the top. I want to say Hiway mans rocker is 5" height in those pics, and BTW, there was a lot of talk of him raising the car becuse of the suspension being in droop in those pics. Prodigy for comparison is a 6" rocker height, but to glance at the two cars it looks like a 3" or 4" difference, not one inch or less. It's those wheel well openings

Prodigy runs 19s and 20s and swallows them pretty well. You will need to plan a tire in the high 26" to 27" height range