The Start of Project "Ratty Rat's" Metamorphis
 

Announcing:
Been gathering up the Day II goodies for some time. After a year of planning and parts scrounging, I am introducing hopefully by summer "Project Ratty Rat". Why Ratty Rat? This will be a little different departure than most builds on here. It is done on a budget. Huh? Yes, I am going to build the worlds(possibly)cheapest COPO clone 69 Camaro. The car I am using is my Daytona Yellow sport coupe. built the last week of March of 69 at Norwood, This car is the perfect candidate. I am purposely going to make the antithesis of Grady's beautiful real COPO. This car will look as if it was just pried out of it's tomb after 48 years of slumber. So don't look for a detailed rotisserie type build, but rather a COPO (clone) that you may need a tetanus shot to get close to. One unique feature of this car is that it retains much of its original paint and was ordered with D90 stripe.

At the heart of this build is a real 69 512 block 427 + .030. It will be a basic stock L72 with a real GM ZL1 cam. Plans call for my TR2X tunnel ram with my unique copper velocity stacks. There will be those that cringe and others, hopefully, intrigued? I am working hard to keep that early 70's vibe, wish me luck. I am thinking I can do the complete metamorphis for under 5 grand. one additional feature will be that this will not only be a clone of a COPO, but a Dick Harrell COPO. I will attempt to make things authentic, but reserve the right to add my own spin like "Motion" valve covers. Tonight's teaser pic is the engine on the stand. I have the short block complete now. I am slow, so don't look for daily or even weekly progress. Amazingly, ALL of the genuine COPO BB specific parts needed to do this authentic build, with exception of the radiator, are assembly line correct GM pieces I, literally, lucked into. No, I do not have a BE rear, but it will be 4.10. Hard to find BB stuff like heater core, fan shroud, booster, z bar, X member, 4 speed shifter mount, etc...all original 69 Camaro pieces found for next to nothing. It has been fun..so far. But now the work begins to put all this together.

In for the ride.

Should be a fun little project and a great Saturday night screamer. I'll be watching and I'm curious what you have scrounged up for Day II parts.

G.

I'm still looking for a TR2X for my next 427. I like the way you are going with this.

The Radiator Saga:
I have a displeasure and distrust for repop parts. That said, I had to swallow hard and make a decision on a radiator. The tendency these days are to lean aluminum. I could not find an aluminum that looked both correct and affordable. I zeroed in on a traditional brass 4 core curved neck made by US Radiator. Had I known that I would get something that did not reflect the picture in the catalog, I would not have bought it. To make matters worse, after the fact, I found a REAL curve neck 4 core all recored and correctly restored that the guy I bought the engine from had. Too bad the guy is a total D%#k and I really don't want any more dealings with him*. Besides, the added unplanned cost, since I had already checked off the radiator purchase, well, the money wasn't there and he was waffling on selling the thing anyway.
Back to the radiator I bought from US Rad. The curve neck, probably the most important visual was made all wrong. The picture showed one diameter neck, like the real ones. When I pulled it out of the box, only the 1st 1/2 in. was the correct diameter, then it necked down. On top of that, the neck was not angled up like it should be. Fortunately, I have a real curve neck for my other BB Camaro to go by in correcting this. I took a chrome "J" trap sink drain used in plumbing. I cut to length, removed the chrome and you can see the result. I also added the top rail slots like an original, as well. Total cost= $365

* Did I mention that I even found the guy a correct set of tanks for his '68 Camaro and bought them for him?

Love it! Can't wait to see more!

The 427 saga or the Good, Bad & Ugly:

Last July, I buy this "homemade" 427 using a late 70s 289 casting 454 block. It was not blown up. The guy could not find the balancer or distributor or air cleaner. Later he found the last 2, but would not give them to me. Is everyone crooked in this country? He said that he was mad because the heads (69 291 castings) were worth what I gave for the engine. Not my fault. Guy admitted he was not an engine guy and was disappointed that it was not a true 427. Besides the engine did not sound right, according to his late father in law, but no one investigated the problem. 1st picture is the day I bought it and it is in the back of my Explorer. The Good: Balanced 11:1 closed chamber square port with intake, CC Magnum 280 hyd. cam. The Bad: Problems found, detonation had beat the bearings to the copper at the top rod end on all 8. Blown head gasket on #7. Block has a sleeve and there is a slight taper getting bigger in the bottom of the bore. Crank needs turned. No biggie. Ugly: Bearings, crank needed turning, pistons fly cut valve pockets, no attempt to debur and smooth radiuses to prevent detonation. A cam that did not adequately bleed off effective compression.

more

Now, I already had most everything to build this engine before buying this one. I have 12.5:1 slugs, 454 blocks, 6223 cranks, 840 heads (plural on all), but I thought that I would save $$ because the machining had all been done. Wrong. That is why I generally do not buy someone else's built engine. I did not have 11:1 s. The block had been decked, line honed, bored,etc... 427 ($1100)Sold the block ($300), headers that came with engine ($300), cam ($100), intake, ($125), 1 chrome pulley ($25) found a fresh bored, sonic tested, magged, shot peened and deburred lifter valley 512 69 block= (-$450). So $1100-$850= $250+$450 (new block)=$700. Then I had to buy a 8 inch balancer ($75)Gasket, moly ring (Mahle) and bearing (King) kit, ($135), another ($50) for more bearings since I turned crank and jumped the gun ordering kit (ugh!).Already had a ZL1 cam and lifters 'cause I keep everything. Now, $700 + $260 = $960 into a fresh 512 block 427 with 291 square ports.

Bentley - this is going to be a blast! :biggthumpup: Glad to see that you have officially kicked off this project on sYc. Thanks for taking us along. I can almost hear this thing rumbling now!!!:shocked:

Can't wait to see how this goes, but already love the concept. Best of luck.

Good for you Bentley! Cool project, I'll be watching.

Great project. Glad to see these posted. Bentley has spent a great deal of time and effort into building this engine and shoveling away cool parts for this build. Upcoming photos should be very good. Congrats buddy.

Love it Bentley! I don't know how I missed this when you first posted.... Good luck!

Short Block All Buttoned Up
 

I finally have the bottom end and entire short block together. You may notice that I have an aftermarket SFI 8 inch balancer. You may also recall that I explained earlier that the PO lost the original balancer, so he said. I have several 8 in. factory balancers. Most are assigned to their original engine and I don't want to split them up from the engine they came with. The few other extra ones have severe hammer marks from using a sledge hammer to install BITD.
So, at a swap, back in the winter. this 8 in. gem presents itself. There will be a few items like this that are not technically "Day II", but I think this will be ok and hardly noticed. I did use the correct AOR timing cover, btw. The cam choice gave me more problems than I thought. I wanted something civil on the street. I did not want fouled plugs every other day. I also did not want detonation, so that meant bleeding off some "effective" compression. I also insisted on a solid lifter cam. It was finally decided that I would use my ZL1/ LS-7 cam. I may regret this choice. I also know better grinds are available. I wanted to use what I already had. So, this is the one and that is one less expense I will have. I bought a couple of other items at the swap and sold them for more than I gave for all I bought, so the balancer was free.
Last picture is a teaser- intake & carbs

Looking forward to following this build... I have all my shots, so this is my kinda car!

Cool build!!!
I have no regrets using an original GM 3959180 (9181) cam.
Much more power could of been made with a modern roller but I wanted a old school hard hitting solid cam that wasn't made of cheap material. Works well with Crower EDM lifters.

That TR2X, :Can-I-Have-It:

Freddie, that came out of Winchester, Ky. When I bought it, it had 2 tops. One was a single 4. I don’t think anyone that builds a TR street car and looking to create “eye candy” would want a single 4 top, so I sold it to recoup some money.

I had one of those back when I was about 18. I sold it with the 660s and linkage for about $250. I wish I had it now.

Looks like a real stout build Bentley. I like the cam choice, dig how you bought and sold some swap meet stuff to come away with a free SFI balancer (I have that exact unit) and gotta say the tunnel ram is just pure awesome!!!

Keep it coming' :flag:

The Patient
 

The Patient:
I have not dug the ole gal out of the shop, yet, this year. With the engine getting close to completion, this will be my next project to extract this car out to where I can work on it and start the transformation. Yes, this is a factory equipped 4 speed and gauge car and that is the original paint except roof and touch ups. So, here it is!

Love it! Do you need a set of vintage headers for it?

great project! Love the look of the tunnel ram, Good luck my friend.

Scott

Stay close by and keep in touch Scott, I will probably need a part, lol

Will do bud!

Don't feel bad about using a sink trap pipe section for your radiator. That was a great idea!

I used a PVC, 90-degree sewage pipe section for my truck's air filter box. It flows twice the air as the factory, squashed and restricted elbow. And it cost $3 versus the NOS elbow that cost $100 and can't be found anymore. :-)

Your build will be awesome bbbentley! I will definitely need to road trip down to check it out some day.

Thanks R68GTO (Jim)...I’d rather have your car! Maybe someday?

Make your build something I really like and the odds go up! You have a great start!

This outta be very cool when done,keep up the good work,let your buddies down here in Kentucky and Tennesse know,if we can help. Those of you who don't know Bentley,he's a good guy and very generous.He's gone above and beyond to help me before.

That Camaro has a lot of character. Like what I see so far!

Updates:Another pic of the car as it sits right now. Pic taken in the front yard a couple of years ago. Checked Valve-to-Piston clearance. A-OK. 69 291 castings. Had a little shaving done to true them up. Intake-2.300!!, Exhaust-1.88!!

Christmas in May!!! Many Thanks, Sam Griffith.:worship: Small print in blue area , "For Competition Use Only" Got me some shackles, got me a hot rod, ha!!

I know these are not real "Motion" . I made them from real Ansen's though. We are going for a look, kind of an illusion, not accuracy. May or may not use. I will leave as found (grungy). Opinions accepted.

Looking good! Keep the pics coming. I had a chance to get a real set of Motion valve covers a few years ago, but was just a little too late. I still know where they are and if the chance ever comes along again I'll get them. I'd still like to know where the Vette went that these valve covers came off of.

You’re welcome Bentley. Use them in good health!:biggthumpup:

Turned My Attention Away From Engine
 

Let the engine sit for a couple of days and turned my attention to the transmission. M20 (wide ratio). Did a "Hillbilly Rebuild" with degreaser and garden hose! Looks good to go. If there are problems, Ill pull it out and go through it or throw some other tranny I have in there. BB Camaro / Nova mavens will notice the factory BB specific shifter, shifter mount and correct oval adjusting nut and all correct fasteners. When I make a clone, the details are accurate! Oh, vintage NOS "roll control"too.

Looking good!

Cool! What are you doing for a rear end?