69 Z/28 Day II Project (Air Force Brat)

[ZLP955]

Rob/Graeme, whereabouts inside the quarter panel is that stamping?

[NorCam]

Stamped vertically on the inside fender return behind the wheel opening on the drivers side. You can see it here in this picture. Might have to clean some crud away but original returns are stamped with the plant code and an assembly date. Rob taught me about this one as well and a couple others found on original floors.

[rlw68]

Originally Posted by NorCam

Rob, I need to hit it with some thinner and get the numbers more readable but it appears we have the same date as it's K08 L8573 (last looks like could be a 9)

Thanks for checking this. The K08 is the date but I have no idea what the L8573 might be. Interesting though, it appears to be same number on both cars.

[X66 714]

Graeme. That panel is considered the trunk drop. I think I saw some of those numbers on mine....Joe

[NorCam]

I had a little text session with the original owner earlier today. I asked him the following questions and here is how he answered them;

Paul, did you happen to keep the blue warranty booklet with the metal protect-o-plate that was attached to the inside of it?

Answer: Sorry Graeme. All that stuff was in the glove box when it was traded.

I'm also wondering if you knew who the second owner was? I am curious if that 302 was ever saved when it was pulled out?

Answer: I can't recall the name but he worked for the maintenance dept. of Haltom City, Texas in 74 to 75 while I was working there as a Police Officer. That's when he told me that he blew up the motor and put in the 327. The next time we talked he told me he wrecked the car and it was totaled? The car was in pristine condition when I traded it in. I got a little pissed at him for being so irresponsible and I never talked to him again. When I traded it, the car had 456 Zoom Gears, a 4500lb Zoom Clutch, Hooker Headers, and Lakewood Lift Bars.

Paul went on to say...About 1972 my wife came home from work one day and the motor was missing. (Broken Valve Spring) I pulled the head to check the cylinder and it was OK, so I then decided to pull the motor and go through it. The motor was then totally blueprinted. My wife continued to drive it to work every day and we would bracket race the car on weekends. It was in top shape when we traded it in 74!

Wow! Sounds like you really had some fun with it back then. Do you recall ET's with the car?

Answer: Stock 14:30's about 93 mph. After the rebuild with gears and headers 12:80 at about 118 to 120 mph. That was shifting into 4th gear just before the traps at 7000 rpm. I really needed 513 gears but that was a little much for the street. My wife had to get used to it, she thought it needed another gear!

I then sent Paul a picture of the balanced and blueprinted small block that's going into the car when the body is finished up and painted this off season. The response was quick!

Paul's reply: Beautiful. I want to drive it. Maybe I'll take a trip to Calgary when you get it done. Further conversation ensued and he was invited up to visit when it's finished. He said he'll be putting it on his bucket list!

[ZLP955]

Great info from the previous owner!
Thanks for confirming stamp location, I see it now on the trunk drop-off, couldn't figure out where it'd be on the quarter from Rob's initial picture. Just checked my car, and I see something stamped in that location on both trunk drop-offs. Need to clean the area up before I can read them, but yet another interesting detail learned on these cars!

[NorCam]

Had a hard time getting 5 gallon buckets of Evapo-Rust up here in the Canada so I ordered some up through Fastenal. Now that they have arrived, I can start cleaning up all the bit and pieces that have any light corrosion or any minor rust. The first item to start with are the V75 liquid tire chain dispensers. They were tired looking originals that I knew I could clean up, and after a quick 12 hour dunk in an old tub of evapo-rust, they are already look 5x better.

I've cleaned them up and wiped them down now. Next I will soak them for 24 hours in a fresh pail of this miracle juice before adding a couple new AC Delco labels to the old lids. These are going to look great when they are done and have just the right patina now. Can't wait to have the entire system installed in the car. Here are some progress pics of the cannister clean up.

BEFORE CLEANING


And After a quick soak in Evapo-Rust


I love this stuff!


More when the cannisters come out of a 24 hour soak in the new batch. Should be good to go after a rinse down with a wipe.

[NorCam]

Still hunting down more parts while keeping an eye out for more interesting Day 2 stuff...but can't afford take my foot off the gas here in the interim. Today's project is cleaning up some more seat belts that arrived to complete the deluxe set, and finishing up on the LTC dispensers. This one is almost done while the other is out getting a couple of Tig welds on the lower tabs. Next up I'll print two new labels for the dispensers and they are good to go.

[SuperNovaSS]

Looking great!

Jason

[NorCam]

The first of two V75 LTC Dispensers is done. Now to figure out a way to load these aerosol cans up with bleach.