Long Neglected Camaro Soon To Get Better

[Bill Pritchard]

A friend owns a 68 L89 Camaro which has been long neglected. A bunch of us have been trying to get him motivated to get it restored. Looks like it's finally gonna happen http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

I have personally known every owner of this car since 1972, including a 3 month period when I owned it. I sold it to my friend Brian, the current owner, in March 1980. The following few small pics are from when I owned it in 1980.

[Bill Pritchard]

another

[Bill Pritchard]

3

[scuncio]

Cool! Let us know how it progresses.

[Bill Pritchard]

Typical 70's mods...Hurst Super Shifter, aftermarket gages, no regard for interior cosmetics http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Bill Pritchard]

engine. Car ran really strong.

[Bill Pritchard]

engine 2

[Mr70]

Cool pix Bill..Glad to see this come to fruition.
I know you've talked about this car before here as well as with Tom Purdy in the past.
Got any pix of what it looks like right now?

[MosportGreen66]

awesome stuff. neat car that deserves attention.

[Bill Pritchard]

Today. After 27 yrs of storage, it's a little dirty.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_100_0541.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Air cleaner off....aftermarket DP Holley

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_100_0542.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Pass side head

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_100_0536.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Intake

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_100_0537.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Dr side head

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_100_0538.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

more

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_100_0532.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

In talking with the original owner, he said the crank was not cross drilled properly and the car spun main bearings within a few days of taking delivery. New short block was installed under warranty. CE stamp on pad today...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_100_0544.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Sequoia green, BVT, black std interior.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_100_0528.jpg

Brief story on the car.....original owner drove it daily until about 72. His house was like a raised ranch with garage underneath. Heavy rains came and flooded his garage and the Camaro. He said the car was smoking a bit, needed tires and brakes and some other minor work so he let his insurance company total it and pay him off. Insurance company sold it to a local salvage yard, where a friend of mine bought it in late 72 or early 73. He had it a few years, sold it to another friend, who sold it to me in 1980, and I sold it to the current owner when I bought my old Hemi Challenger. Car has 28K miles on it, hasn't had 500 miles put on it in the past 35 years. It will soon be headed to Springfield MO for a rotisserie resto. About time http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Chevy454]

[ QUOTE ]
It will soon be headed to Springfield MO for a rotisserie resto.

[/ QUOTE ]
Who in Springfield? That's not very far from here...

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]
Cool pix Bill..Glad to see this come to fruition.


[/ QUOTE ]

Me, too, Rick http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif Every year we go to Barrett-Jackson together and he would say "one of these years....". Well, now he has money down holding a spot at the resto shop and he's diligently working at unburying the car - no small feat in itself.

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]

Who in Springfield?

[/ QUOTE ]

Rob,

Guy's first name is Clay, can't remember the name of the shop, but I think I have it noted at work. Have to check tomorrow. He does race car chassis as well as restorations. He did a 92 Firebird Super Stocker for another friend of mine, and I am not kidding, the car is too nice to race http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[Charley Lillard]

Cool car. Is it orig paint ? Tail panel gloss or semi ?

[hvychev]

Bill, is it a local car?

Man, your whole crew has had their same cars for DECADES! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]

Who in Springfield?

[/ QUOTE ]

Rob,

Clay Phillips is the guy's name, Performance Paint & Chassis is the business, in Battlefield MO (just outside Springfield). Website....
http://www.clayphillipsracecars.com/

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]
Cool car. Is it orig paint ? Tail panel gloss or semi ?

[/ QUOTE ]

Charley, to the best of my knowledge it is all original paint. Not sure who sprayed rattle can primer in some areas, it was that way when I got it. I have known of the car since 72 or 73 and for sure there's been no repainting done since then. I will get a better picture of the tail panel some time, but I would say with 98% certainty that it is semi-gloss.

[Zedder]

Very cool car Bill!

I was asking about CE motors on Team Camaro on the weekend...based on responses I got, that would be a 1970 CE motor due to the "0" after the CE...for those familiar with "CE" motors, is this correct?

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]
Bill, is it a local car?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Frank,

Yes, it is a local car. Can't remember which dealer sold it new but it was either on the north side of Chicago or in the north suburbs. Original owner lived up near the Chain-O-Lakes area.

[ QUOTE ]
Man, your whole crew has had their same cars for DECADES! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, for the most part my crowd doesn't trade cars too often http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Sitting next to the 68 Camaro, on a trailer and covered up, is Brian's Aztec bronze 66 L79 Chevy II which he's owned since 72 or so. He bought it when he was working at Ed Fanning Chevy - original owner traded it in on a new car. Originality is long gone as it's now a full chassis race car.

[MosportGreen66]

looks like its well preserved! Best of luck!

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]
I was asking about CE motors on Team Camaro on the weekend...based on responses I got, that would be a 1970 CE motor due to the "0" after the CE...for those familiar with "CE" motors, is this correct?

[/ QUOTE ]

Mark,

Hmmmmmm, that would blow the theory that this is still the 68 warranty block http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Would this car still have been under warranty in 1970? What was the powertrain warranty on a new 68 Camaro? I suppose it's possible that the orig owners mind is a bit foggy on dates after many years, but he thought the bearings spun very shortly after taking delivery. Motor will be pulled before the car goes to the resto shop, so I will have to check block casting date.

[Zedder]

Bill, I am not an expert on this topic, so maybe someone else will chime in. My take is that it's a 1970 block and that it could be the warranty block as the car would still be under warranty in'70. Likely, the owner's memory is not as good at it once was and the motor blew a little later in the car's life. Heck, I can't remember too many details of my first few cars and that was in only going back to the late '70's!

Either way, it's very cool car!!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[L34Pace]

Hi Bill, I'm known as 36j1967 over at Team Camaro and I have been doing a little tracking of the CE Tonawanda assembled blocks. Read this thread and if you have any questions I'll do my best to answer them. I'd like to have the cast #'s and dates from this block and have you check the surface under the starter for an assembly date. I've also found some of these blocks to have a matching partial vin at the rough casting near the oil filter. Check it out when you have time and post it up.

Look for that partial to the right of the CE code as well. I enlarged the photo you posted and I might be seeing a digit?

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=96301

[Bill Pritchard]

Pat,

I think I follow the twisted logic as explained in the Team Camaro thread http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif The engine is coming out and staying locally before the car goes to MO, so I will have relatively easy access to check out casting numbers, dates, and any stampings. I will also look for anything stamped on the starter mounting flange - first time I've heard of that, but interesting. I'm pretty confident there are no other characters stamped on the pad in front of the cyl head. It may take a few weeks, but will check it out.

[Bill Pritchard]

Does anyone know how aluminum cylinder heads are date coded? I looked in Colvin's book and it didn't seem to give a clear example. The only two codes that looked like they could be date codes do not follow the 'letter-number-number' configuration of cast iron cyl head date codes.

Pictures of the Camaro's cylinder heads follow here...

Left cyl head

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_Lcylhd1.jpg


The code in this next picture reads upside down, and looks to me like '589' http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif


http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_Lcylhd3.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Right cyl head....the second picture shows a code totally different in appearance and format than the left cyl head http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_rcylhd4.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_rcylhd3.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Rear axle.....BV code is 4.10 posi http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif 4/22 axle assembly date to go along with the 04D build date on the Trim Tag http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_axlecode1.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Trans tag

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_transtag.jpg

[SuperNovaSS]

The date codes are on the underside of the intake runners. They can only be seen with the intake off.


Jason

[Bill Pritchard]

Trans stamps. CON VIN matches the car's VIN....4/16 trans assembly date for the 04D Trim Tag http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_transstamp1.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

tag from RF spring

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_rfspringtag2.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Tail panel is definitely NOT gloss black. You can see the line where it was masked off from the body color on the rear valance.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_tailpanel.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

The Hurst Super Shifter is hard to beat, but it sure wreaks havoc with the trans tunnel http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_dsfrtflr.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

The only place in the floor pans or trunk pan where there was any rust...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/tn_trunkflr2.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

The car is headed to the restoration shop this week....more pics to come.

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]
The date codes are on the underside of the intake runners. They can only be seen with the intake off.


Jason

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent, thank you, Jason http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif Will check those as the engine is disassembled.

[MARK B]

hey bill,

i was just looking through this post and guess what
my 68 is a 04d built car also with my vin 421XXX

so i did the math and my 68 is 1888 in front of your
friends.

my camaro was a island teal with a black vinyl top
and black standard interior.

small block with a 3 or 4 speed w/o a console

my trans tunnel was hacked also for the hurst super shifter too.

small world huh

thanks for your time
mark b

[Bill Pritchard]

Mark,

Small world indeed http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I would guess that your car has always been in the Chicago area, too?

We picked up a trans tunnel repair panel at D&R Classic....they make them specially, just because there are so many hacked trans tunnels http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[MARK B]

heres the info i know about my camaro:

a guy traded the camaro in at dave cory ford (chicago suburbs)for a new pick up back in 78 or 79.

the guy might have been from IN because the camaro had
IN license plates on the car at the ford dealer.

the camaro had a 327 sbc,munice 4 speed, and a olds
spool rear end.

the camaro went to tennessee for a couple of years then came back to the chicago area in 1982,which at this time
my brother brought the car as a roller with the olds rear
end still on the camaro.

the 327 sbc had a cracked block so the parts where used on
another motor and i guess the block was junked.
(maybe my original motor)

the munice 4 speed found a new home too,and was not the original trans for my camaro because where the speedo
cable goes through the firewall.

i pulled the olds spool rear end out back in the early 90's
and put an open rear end from a 69 camaro in so i could move
the car around easier.

it was painted white and the black vinyl top was removed back in the early 80's.

i brought the camaro from my brother back in 1987, and still
have the camaro today.

im trying to find a person who has pictures of my camaro
that was painted blue with black vinyl top still on before
the car went down to tennessee.

thanks for your time and sorry for the long post
mark b

[SIR-VIVOR]

Bill, I remember seeing this car many years ago when I lived in Morton Grove, IL. I co-founded Stencils and Stripes Unlimited and remember the whole story about the flood. We went to see it to examine the original stripes on it. We often wondered what happened to it. Glad it's still around! One of my cars is a '68 L78 Camaro that my former partner in the business purchased in 1969. Chris

[Bill Pritchard]

Chris,

That's amazing! Did you look at the car when the orig owner still had it, or was it at the salvage yard in Aurora?

BTW, that is a stunning collection of machinery you have pictured along with your 62 Belair http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[Bill Pritchard]

Here's a question for you first gen Camaro experts. When removing the radiator, we noticed that on the pass side, the attaching bolts went into weld nuts on the core support...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_coresupportr.jpg


On the drivers side, there were just round punched holes with rubber grommets in them, and bolts & nuts holding it in....no weld nuts....

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_coresupportL.jpg


None of this appeared to be hand fabricated or mickey-moused together....is that the way they came???

[Bill Pritchard]

Here's a paint mark toward the rear of the trans tunnel, passenger side....

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_psrrtranstunnelpaint.jpg

[SIR-VIVOR]

Bill, I remember seeing it when someone had just got it out of the salvage yard. I was totally Camaro crazy back then and if I heard about something cool and original, I had to see it for myself. Getting that crazy feeling again. Will post my two owner unrestored '67 Z28 pictures that I purchased from an old friend that had it from the '70's when he purchased it from his next door neighbor. Same on my '68 L78. I'm not in the parts business, but have tons of NOS spare parts for my '68 that Ralph bought just to have when he worked at Nickey in the early '70's. Thanks for the comments! Chris

[Bill Pritchard]

Other than the hacked shifter opening and the small rust area in the trunk, the floor pans have only light surface rust in some places...

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_psfrtflr.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_rflr.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i115/bpritchard/68%20L89%20Camaro/tn_trunkflr1.jpg

[Bill Pritchard]

Chris,

That would be my friend Bruce. He bought it from the salvage yard (Stafford's) in either late 72 or 73. Bruce sold it to another mutual friend, who sold it to me in 1980, and I sold it to the current owner later in 1980. What a small world http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[Enoch]

Bill,
First I'm no expert I just have worked on alot of original cars but that is correct,
on the radiator support 1 side has weld nuts and the other side has rubber well nuts.
Rich

[Bill Pritchard]

Rich,

Thanks for the reply http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif