Restore original parts or leave them alone?

[Survivor 69/Z28]

I have a 69 Z28 that is truly a time warp. This was not a barn find. But a car that has been treated really well over last 38 years by the previous 2 owners.
Over 90% of the car is all original. 30% of the paint on the outside is still original. The body paint was freshened up some time in the late 70's. The interior is untouched but looks almost new in appearance. All the sheet metal is original. The entire drive train has never been monkeyed with or removed from the car. Still has the "O" stamped on all of the rocker arms. Still has the original fuel pump and starter. So I think you catch my drift that this is a pretty nice original old car that has been very well taken care of over the years.

But here is my dilemma.
I want to clean up the underneath of the car and the engine compartment. For example, clean the frame the best I can and paint it or touch it up. Clean the differential and paint it. I have already started taking a few engine compartment pieces off and have repainted of course back to the original colors. I have left the original stickers alone.

My big question is....Is it a bad thing to freshen up some of the original parts on such a survivor type car? (some parts just need to have paint on them so that they don't rust...in my opinion)
To me, I am doing things that anyone would do with the upkeep of their vehicle. For example if the paint has warn off the differential then you simply paint it.(Which it has..)
I have never owned a car like this, so I want to make sure I am doing the right thing. Of course its my car and I can do as I please. But on the flip side, I do not want to hurt the value or anything like that.


Thanks for the help! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

Anthony

[Bill Pritchard]

Anthony,

My Chevelle is in a similar condition to your car. I have had the same dilemma, to freshen/restore or not to. Thus far (with one minor and, to me, justifiable exception) I have just left it alone. The real killer is, once you start, where do you stop? You can clean & paint your rear axle, but then your brake lines look crappy. You could pull the engine and repaint it, but then the rest of the engine compartment looks shabby. Know what I mean? You could just keep going.

I think it all depends on what you want to do with the car. In my case, all I do is drive it and enjoy it. I do not enter any competitive shows with it and couldn't care less about winning any awards. It looks good going down the street and from a distance, and that's been good enough for me thus far.

The only thing I did involved the exhaust manifolds and heat stove. The heat riser valve had frozen up and I wanted it to be in working order, so I took it off. Of course, one of the studs holding it in place snapped off when I was removing the nuts, and to replace the stud I had to pull the exhaust manifold. It was so rusty and crappy looking I just couldn't put it back on like that, so I cleaned and painted it. And of course, I couldn't do just one side http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif If I had to do it over again, I would just wire brush them and treat them with that Calyx stuff. The heat stove that goes around the pass side manifold was still in good shape but very rusty. Those are practically non-existent anymore, and it's only sheet metal, so I felt the need to preserve it too.

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Bill,

I plan on driving it to neighborhood car shows and just having fun with it.
After talking to some guys on the street they all have different opinions. So I am really not sure what to do if anything. Its not like I am wanting to take the body off and go to town. Just clean up stuff mainly that will include some painting.I can not see how that would hurt anything. Good point on brake lines and such. I will just clean stuff like that and leave it alone. I am really only referring to painted items that are really showing age.


Thanks,

Anthony

Anthony

[WILMASBOYL78]

Tony, best thing to remember with "survivor" type cars: less is more......keep it clean and well maintained but try to advoid cosmetic maintenance if possible. I faced a similar situation with my 70 black L78 Nova...pretty much untouched original car....a little paint work done in the late 70's, but nothing else. If you are concerned about rust or oxidation then coat the parts with WD-40 or some other suitable protectant. Keep any and all maintenance items you remove, eg; fan belts, hoses, clamps, fuelpump, brakes, etc....store and label all of these items for future historical value and reference. Most of all...enjoy it for waht it is, a time capsule of our hobby!

wilma http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[prototype]

Don't touch it!!

Cleaning up stuff is like cancer, once you paint one item the next thing you know it's in the body shop. I may sound negative but nothing stands out better than an untouched car, patina included. If you don't believe me ask any concours judge, originial is where it's at.

One of the best products out there is Boeshield T-9. It works miracles on saving original items. There is a fantastic thread on an orange second gen Camaro on here. That fellow knows how to preserve a car. I'm certain the car was judged afterwards and scored very well. If he had a mish mash of painted and original components I don't think it would carry the same WOW factor.

Just one mans opinion.

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Wilma,
I was afraid I was going to hear that. LOL!
Its tough to leave stuff alone sometimes.

Thanks,

Anthony

[Salvatore]

Don't listen to Wilma. He is a day-2 addict! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Oh, what about the oooold set of headers that are on it. Forgot to mention... They look a little rough. Would it be ok to kind of revive them or just leave em alone?

[micky69396]

Dont do any paint, just a good cleaning and leave off the repro stuff, decals, etc. If things like your latches were puff canned, strip the paint off, probably lacquer thinner will work fine for that, then oil. The Boeshield is great. There is detailing you can do without hurting the survivor status. Painting parts isnt good for that.

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Where do I get Boeshield?

[SS427]

Sears, some marine stores, bicycle stores and wood working stores.

[ORIGLS6]

Boeshield is great stuff. I couldn't find it locally so I ordered it direct.

www.boeshield.com (http://www.boeshield.com)

[CamarosRus]

Boeshield can be bought now at SEARS Tool Depts. I also suggest looking at Boaters Discount World. You could also do a GOOGLE search. I have seen a wide range of prices, so look around.
Jack Seymour is a fellow Carlisle 2nd Gen LEGENDS judge, and the owner of the 70 H.O. Z-28 Survivor refered to above.
Jack has photo documented his 70 UNMOLESTED SURVIVOR better than any other 70 I know of. Not sure what to use for search terms on this site or over at www.nastyz28.com (http://www.nastyz28.com), but MANY pics have been posted.......
I will post a few below and hopefully Jack will chime in.

Jack, I love you man!!!!!!!!!!!!!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1Lc.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1Ld.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1m.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1ma.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1mb.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1mc.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1md.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1me.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1mf.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1mj.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Camaros%20at%20Carlisle%202005/Carlisle1mn2005.jpg

[DaJudge]

Boeshield is awesome stuff. Here are some of the results from my old survivor Boss 351. Nothing painted just cleaned and treated.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/L67WT1/BOSS%20351/100_3634.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/L67WT1/BOSS%20351/100_3632.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/L67WT1/BOSS%20351/100_3358.jpg

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Nice pictures Chuck http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Charley Lillard]

Chuck...I gotta say thanks for the text and highlighting in the pics you posted. You have posted similar pics in the past and it really is nice to have someone taking the time to record this kind of stuff for future reference.

[firstgenaddict]

What we did on the black 69 Z was to use the safest rust remover if the part had any rust then used cosmoline spray after.
The engine compartment had been touched up over the years and I used enamel reducer to take off the "new" paint without hurting the orignal paint.
If a nut or bolt was painted or was corroded and should not have been I took only one out at a time and soaked it in enamel reducer or safest rust remover and then coated it in cosmoline and re-installed it.
The result has been an engine compartment and chassis that is original... IMHO it looks great.
I am really interested in duplicating the appearance on the GTO I am restoring... I do not want a PLASTIC show car, I want one that looks like it just came off of the Assm line, with imperfections like runs, drips, scratches, and etc!

[SS427]

[ QUOTE ]
Chuck...I gotta say thanks for the text and highlighting in the pics you posted. You have posted similar pics in the past and it really is nice to have someone taking the time to record this kind of stuff for future reference.

[/ QUOTE ]

I will second that. Chuck has spent hundreds of hours doing this and seldom gets enough credit for his efforts. I know that I use his photos as often as I can and he is doing what I have always wanted to do but never took the time. Thanks Chuck!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Chuck...I gotta say thanks for the text and highlighting in the pics you posted. You have posted similar pics in the past and it really is nice to have someone taking the time to record this kind of stuff for future reference.

[/ QUOTE ]

I will second that. Chuck has spent hundreds of hours doing this and seldom gets enough credit for his efforts. I know that I use his photos as often as I can and he is doing what I have always wanted to do but never took the time. Thanks Chuck!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

The best part is the photo editing - otherwise I wouldn't know all of the details that made the photo worth taking in the first place, ie; a pointed bolt w/out threads to the end vs. one that is. Cool stuff!

[DaJudge]

I thought I posted a before cleaning and Boeshield pic.

Before
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/L67WT1/BOSS%20351/100_0335.jpg

[firstgenaddict]

Mike, Nice job on the stang.

[DaJudge]

Thanks,
Thank you to Jack S as well for talking with me on the phone about Boeshield and some cleaning tips. It is so hard not to start taking a car apart and just restore everything. They are only original once. Sorry it's not a Chevy or GM product guys just an endorsment for the product. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif I am doing some cleaning and Boeshielding on my all original 69 RAIII GTO car. I will send Bruce (Xplant) the pics for a members ride when done.

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Wow, sounds like I can use Boeshield on everything. Wonder if this stuff would be ok to use on a old set of headers?

[Xplantdad]

Thanks Mike! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[firstgenaddict]

regarding the plating on the hood hinges of Jack's Z... do you think it may be some type of heat treating? From the photo's it looks an awful lot like the finish on a sway bar...

[DaJudge]

Yes I was thinking that may be the case as well. My 69 GTO's hood springs have the same finishes on the springs and hinges as the Camaro's.

[47Hammer]

I need to use that stuff on my original '69. I also want to clean this thing up but don't really want to paint. 69,000 miles never apart.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/megavin/DSCN2058.jpg

[47Hammer]

Previous owner used a spray can under the hood in some spots that need to be addressed. And those headers are from the early seventies.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/megavin/DSCN2059.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/megavin/DSCN2060.jpg

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Nice Fathon Green Z!
Any more pics?

[PeteLeathersac]

Great cars...quite amazing really! .
I sure like these Survivor episodes more than the one's on TV! .
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif
~ Pete

[47Hammer]

It's had one repaint in the '70's and born in drive train has never been removed. Interior is all original (black standard) except dash pad. Glass is also all original. Check out those old style T/A 's.


http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/megavin/DSCN2074.jpg

[47Hammer]

I really need to shoot Bruce some pictures for the members rides on this car.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/megavin/DSCN2070.jpg

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Very nice car and very similar to mine.
What exhasut is on yours?

[Survivor 69/Z28]

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/wac_Z28/10-21-06Z28008.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/wac_Z28/Z28EmoryTXShow015-1.jpg
ttp://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/wac_Z28/Z28EmoryTXShow014.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/wac_Z28/Z28EmoryTXShow006.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/wac_Z28/Z28RockersO005.jpg

[Survivor 69/Z28]

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/wac_Z28/Z28EmoryTXShow014.jpg

The guages you see were done a LONG time ago. The car did not come with the gauge pack so the second owere put those in. It does have the fuel gauge between the speedo and the tach.

[47Hammer]

I don't know who made the headers, the exhaust from the headers are 2 1/2 inch with flowmasters. Sounds great. Your engine conpartment looks great. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Thanks!
I really need to put an exhaust system on this car. But I am having trouble trying to figure out what to do.
I bet those flowmasters make the 302 sound good!

[70 Forest Green Zee]

Ya gotta just love those Fathom/Forest Green Camaros! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/megavin/DSCN2074.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l232/rmitch120/tn_DSCF0029.jpg

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Oh, here is the original spare with old Firestone Sport car 200 tire. You never see the restored Z's with these tires. Wonder why??? Most seem to all go with the Goodyear's.... But the Sport Car 200's was a factory tire alond with the Goodyear.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/wac_Z28/Z28EmoryTXShow001.jpg

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Not that you race those things. But which Z feels stronger?

[mockingbird812]

"... with old Firestone Sport car 200 tire. You never see the restored Z's with these tires. Wonder why??? "

They don't reproduce these. Quite rare and desirable. Yours looks very nice! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Sam,

Coker Tire sells these tires for $211 a tire.
I have tried to find someone running these but havent been able to. I would love to put these Sport Car 200's on all 4 corners. But maybe they do not drive as well as the Goodyears??? Not sure what the story is on them.

[SuperNovaSS]

I know a guy that runs them on his 69 Z and loves them.


Jason

[Keith Tedford]

Randy Mitchell shows a Green Z/28 with Goodyear GT Radial OWL tires. I have a set on our '72 Lemans Sport. Any idea what factory cars used them. Possibly the '78 Pace car Corvettes? Kind of hijacking the original post.
If you start to take parts off a car, take too many pictures, documenting everything and label and bag all the parts. It's amazing how quickly you forget what went where. I've found that glass beading brackets at 80-90 psi doesn't mess up the original metal finish like sand blasting. It takes me a while but I like the results. The high pressure commercial sand blasters really mess up the original finish.

[Mr. Duece]

[ QUOTE ]
Great cars...quite amazing really! .
I sure like these Survivor episodes more than the one's on TV! .
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif
~ Pete

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll second that. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif