Family Heirloom: December 2007

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Second try at welding ever!!!

Thanks to my buddy Julio at work who lent me his mig welder I

finally got to try some welding. The left fender was my second

attempt ever. Can you see where the seams are?

(lower right corner in blacked out area)

I Loved welding!!! Thanks Julio

First Welding Attempt EVER!

Here is a pic of the right fender. This was my first try at welding.

A little rough but nothing a thin coat of filler can't fix.

Another Right Fender Weld View

It's amazing what you might accomplish just by trying. Can you imagine how much I would have paid to get these things fixed?!?!?! The holes in the metal were about 4" long and oblong. I use nothing but tips provided by my buddy Julio and "Musclecar", a show on Spike TV's Powerblock on Sunday mornings. Everyone told me I was nuts to learn welding on this car. But the way I saw it was... the fender is trash anyway, if I make it worse who cares and if I save it I save big bucks, keep my original part AND learn something really usefull. Plus satisfy my urge to create.

Next BIG Project

I keep flip flopping. Paint the subframe and upgrade the suspension or move on to the engine. What to do... what to do?

Close up

Here's a close look at the end product of

underhood black made by Eastwood Co.

The Car

The car is a 1967 Camaro RS coupe. 327 V8 small block with AC & power steering. 2 Speed automatic Powerglide transmission. Originally Granada Gold (soon to change). Full Rally package with a few specialty add ons like the interior layout and leather design. All original parts.

The Goal

My goal is not a show quality car. I wish it could be but being the head of a family of four and being the only money maker makes that an impossibility. I want it to be what it's always been... a daily driver. I want to enjoy the crap out of this car and I want to get started with that ASAP. I can't begin to imagine spending tons of money on something like a paint job only to break down into tears the first time a pidgeon craps on it or someone runs a shopping cart into it.

I intend on doing as much of the resto work on this car myself. Am I a super car guy? No. I've never done much more than simple little tune-ups. Hell, I've never worked on a carbureted car. I have already learned sooooo very much (most of the times the hard way), but I hope to learn a heck of a lot more. I intend on seeing if an everyday average shmoe like me with little knowledge of cars but some mechanical know-how can do a basic restomod. And I intend on seeing how much it really costs to do this well without falling into the "I might as well since I'm at it" trap. By the completion of this restoration, I'll try and post a spreadsheet I've been maintaining that lists every last penny I've spent on this car.

The Story

The car was purchased new in October 1966 from the Van Nuys GM factory by my wife’s Grandfather. He watched it being built then drove it to a dealership in Tujunga, CA to complete the purchase. Don’t find that kind of trust in a dealership nowadays. My wife’s grandparents drove off in it when they were married in July 1967 and relatives had placed rocks in the hubcaps instead of cans on the bumpers. Must have been one hell of a racket!

Her Grandfather used it as his daily transportation until his death in May 1997. My brother-in-law purchased the Camaro from his grandmother and stored it on his driveway in Costa Mesa, CA hoping to keep it in the family, but about 10 years of sitting by the beach took its toll. Being the only person in both families with a bit of mechanical know how (small bit mind you) he gifted the car to my wife and I in hopes that the family car would not fall apart completely. So now here we are with the money pit from HELL!!!... but loving every minute of it.

Wish me luck

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Second try at welding ever!!!

First Welding Attempt EVER!

Another Right Fender Weld View

Next BIG Project

Close up

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