'79 Camaro Restomod

[Swims350]

ball joints and tie rod ends are cheap insurance. I'd get the cheapos from rockauto, done it plenty, like 5 each per ball joint or so maybe 20-25 for moog, knock the knuckle loose, pop it out pop it in, I just bought a ball joint press, be easy enough to use and do. I know I checked them when it was together and something was loose, can't remember if it was a tie rod end or a ball joint something had play. The control arm bushings I'd say F it unless they are falling out. The tie rod ends are also pretty cheap like 5-10 a piece and the sleeves are like 2-5 each. I'll knock them off as a side both inner and outer with the sleeve intact and tight, measure, assemble new, and check side by side and reinstall. I also feel that way on brakes, rotors here are cheaper to buy new then resurface, but I've been known to throw new pads on old rotors and run it, same for calipers and flex hoses if they work run em, but if you got the coin buy em and change em. I know that car like the TA had some brake lines twisted off so new lines are in order anyways, and that car sat since like 93 or so, or 97.

I already bought flex hoses for the TA and don't have any other brake parts, same for drums if you can get new hardware kits, then do so since they are cheap and throw on new shoes, drums to turn are a lil cheaper then buyign new.

Honeslty I wished I had stuck to the plan of building an engine, and putting it in the TA to get it going. If I had though I would have missed the rotted subframe spot until afterwards most likely been driving or something. I would have missed the front coil spring broke in 2 spots. I would have also missed the rot hole floor pan but not such a huge deal.

I should have done the same on the 83 4wd as well, but would have missed how bad the floors were and the cracked frame at least on the motor mount portion.

 

[bucket]

I'm not one to replace tie rods and such if they are still good. I spent enough time in the shop to know that often a slightly worn quality part will far out last it's new replacement. It's just one of those areas that I don't buy into the whole "preventative maintenance" thing. If it's worn, yeah I'll replace it... but if it's still snug and takes gease, it will stay and serve the rest of it's time.

 

[Swims350]

good point but most crap we get around here has never seen grease and has seen tons of potholes. I can respect that, just as you should get the full weight in and check her out.

I know I'd be doing that frame rail and floor pans before driving lol. I also know you said your third gen was in far worse shape and was still on the roads.

If you get it done and on the road and drive it here sometime I might have to keep it then LOL

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Uh yeah, I'd bet sanding that liner off would be a terrible job, lol.

I’ve got a dustless blaster guy down the road from me. That would be a good test. I should of kept one of the first set of fenders to see how well it does.

 

[bucket]

good point but most crap we get around here has never seen grease and has seen tons of potholes. I can respect that, just as you should get the full weight in and check her out.

I know I'd be doing that frame rail and floor pans before driving lol. I also know you said your third gen was in far worse shape and was still on the roads.

If you get it done and on the road and drive it here sometime I might have to keep it then LOL

Yeah, floor and frame rails will be getting done for sure. I've got the body up on tall stands so it's easy to work on.

And it looks like I'll be blowing apart the subframe anyway. The lower control arms need to be out so I can put in my poly engine mounts. I think the subframe is solid still, I've shook a crap ton of dirt and crust out of it though. And there's one area on the left underside that is crushed enough to bust the weld. It's in the area that Chris' subframe had rot. I'm not sure what to do about that yet.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Yeah, floor and frame rails will be getting done for sure. I've got the body up on tall stands so it's easy to work on.

And it looks like I'll be blowing apart the subframe anyway. The lower control arms need to be out so I can put in my poly engine mounts. I think the subframe is solid still, I've shook a crap ton of dirt and crust out of it though. And there's one area on the left underside that is crushed enough to bust the weld. It's in the area that Chris' subframe had rot. I'm not sure what to do about that yet.

Put it on a rotisserie and be done with it. They aren’t to hard to make and it’s all but stripped to that point anyway.

 

[bucket]

Put it on a rotisserie and be done with it. They aren’t to hard to make and it’s all but stripped to that point anyway.

I've thought about it. I don't have much overhead room though. But if I do make one, it will get used again at least two more times with what I currently have as projects. So that would be a plus.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

I've thought about it. I don't have much overhead room though. But if I do make one, it will get used again at least two more times with what I currently have as projects. So that would be a plus.

Win win. If you need steel let me know you know I can find it. Lol

 

[Swims350]

well somebody make me one I'd love to put the TA on one to roll it over and clean, paint the underside and fix that one rotted floor pan.

I remember that big dent, I'd be willing to bet it might have rust inside and weakened it, my first thought was a jack, but the way things are around here and where the guy I got it from lived, I say it got curbed on a rock in a ditch or off the gravel road, dirt rut etc.

I was actually thinking of trying to weld my subframe, fill in the voids the factory left open for strength and stiffness, and some I saw needed beat down to lay flat and then weld the seam.

Speaking of curb'd I think the TA control arms got curb'd before neither of the bushings wanted to line up from hole to hole when they were straight on in the outer hole, unless when the got removed they sprang open or something. I had a rough time getting them done. I still got one lower to do and gotta order another cross shaft due to my own OCD LOL then I can finish the other top. Now I gotta clean them off to paint. On a side note the ball joint press worked perfect doing the ball joints lol, a bit harder on the bushings but I got the lower done with it.

 

[bucket]

Best I can tell, the metal is not too thin at the dent. It just looks like it really got clobbered. There are some concerning areas up at the front though that I need to look into. I need a boroscope attachment for my phone.

I found out something interesting about engine mount clamshells though. I only have one single mount from a friend's old '75 Camaro. Comparing to 3rd gen mounts, it's a no-go. But somehow I have accumulated a bunch of gmt 400 clamshells. Small block, big block and deisel too. Well it turns out they are all dimensionally the same as 2nd gen F-body clamshells. So I've got mounts covered, lol.

 

[Swims350]

Best I can tell, the metal is not too thin at the dent. It just looks like it really got clobbered. There are some concerning areas up at the front though that I need to look into. I need a boroscope attachment for my phone.

I found out something interesting about engine mount clamshells though. I only have one single mount from a friend's old '75 Camaro. Comparing to 3rd gen mounts, it's a no-go. But somehow I have accumulated a bunch of gmt 400 clamshells. Small block, big block and deisel too. Well it turns out they are all dimensionally the same as 2nd gen F-body clamshells. So I've got mounts covered, lol.

I'd be willing to bet the reason those are right is because of the extra plate usually found behind them for the 700r4 support rods to run off of they were almost a 1/4 thick, and thus used some of the 2.5 from back to center of thru bolt mounts just like a 2nd gen.

As you said though in the 80's and in trucks most had the taller ones, I had a set I cut up to try and make work on the s10 stock steel 4.3 frame pads.

I have yet to dig for that radiator but I'm sure it's here if you don't have it I must have, and if not I got the TA one, should be the same.

 

[bucket]

I had always assumed the mounts were very application specific, but I guess not. However in the case of the 3rd gen, the mounts are different sizes to offset the engine. I never knew this before, so apparently I've just been lucky with my 3rd gen engine swaps.

 

[Swims350]

I think I may have decided to build myself a tip over jig from wood, like some had done on youtube, and fb for their 2nd gen f bodys.

reason, frame rail aint so great on one side FML

You wanna finish my subframe along with yours then come get the TA shell and weld up the rear frame when you do yours LOL

it's the Pass. side of the TA, the bottom where the 2 holes are is swelled bad and split, not really any holes or huge hole like in the side of the camaro one, but I bet a good scrubbing might find some, and I can see crap dobbed up in it too dirt etc.

 

[yevgenievich]

I was able to use poly insert from second gen mounts with some trimming inside 3rd gen clam shells. And the 85 square I had use same size as a thirdgen. Not really sure on the reasoning behind those changes

Best I can tell, the metal is not too thin at the dent. It just looks like it really got clobbered. There are some concerning areas up at the front though that I need to look into. I need a boroscope attachment for my phone.

I found out something interesting about engine mount clamshells though. I only have one single mount from a friend's old '75 Camaro. Comparing to 3rd gen mounts, it's a no-go. But somehow I have accumulated a bunch of gmt 400 clamshells. Small block, big block and deisel too. Well it turns out they are all dimensionally the same as 2nd gen F-body clamshells. So I've got mounts covered, lol.

 

[Swims350]

You ever see the thing about making your own urethane mounts? I remember seeing the post somewhere when I had the s10 about guys buying new rubber pads or even using old stockers, and then buying a tube of windshield urethane and just filling any voids with the urethane.