My New Toy

[Wolfe64]

I wasn't going to post this until the car was home in my garage but what the heck........
I wanted to get an old car in the springtime, something I could cruise around in and occasionally take to the dragstrip and beat on.
I had been watching a car on Kijiji and it had disappeared a few times and came back so the last time I had had enough and called the guy to go see it.
So my son and I made the 4 hour drive to Bancroft on Tuesday and ended up buying the car.
1969 Pro Street back halved Camaro, 355 inch small block, 33" tall 18.5" wide Mickey Thompson Street Et tires, 10 point roll cage also tied into the front sub frame.
It's an x race car that came out of the Ottawa area originally
The car needs a bit of TLC but it is exactly what I was looking for, other than having a small block (I'm a big block Chevy guy at heart).
My Son David's friend knows where there is a 468 inch big block Chev that needs a rebuild
Going to bring it home next Saturday if the weather co operates.
Spring can't get here fast enough lol

Mark

 

[grillebilly]

Congratulations!! Should be a ton of fun to blast around in!!

 

[MaxxVolume]

Very cool project....congrats !

 

[Christian B]

Nice!

 

[Wolfe64]

Thanks
There are a few spots in the paint to touch up, door pins and bushings and tidy up a bunch of things, nothing too major.
It's gonna be a sleepless week until next Saturday.

Mark

 

[Oldsansui441]

Looks like a beast, very nice!

 

[savatage1973]

Nice ride--ENJOY!!!

And don't underestimate what you can get out of that small-block--it may surprise you

 

[Mystic]

Great vehicle and in one of my favourite Camaro finishes, Le Mans Blue IIRC.

Here's to you having a blast w/ that pony car!

 

[Wolfe64]

Thanks guys I'm sure it will be a blast to drive.
I'm sure the car is fast the way it sits, a trip to the local drag strip will tell the tale.
David and I have sort of set a goal for this car which is to have a legitimate low 10 second street car. Anything below that would be a bonus, however if the car dips into the nines then the chassis has to be certified by NHRA/IHRA, which probably wouldn't hurt to do anyways the next time there is a chassis certification day around here.
I got a text from the guy I bought the car off of, the previous owner who had the car built saw it marked "SOLD" on Kijiji before he took the add down, contacted him and told him a bit about the car.
I have the guy's email address now and am supposed to contact him if I want the history of the car.
He said it ran 9.0's with a 496 ci big block Chev and also sent him a pic.

Mark

 

[Wolfe64]

The Camaro is safe and sound in my garage now !!!
Had a great trip to Bancroft to pick up the car today with David and my old racing buddy and his son.
Weather was cold but clear and the trip went off without a hitch !!! Even the drive through Toronto was good.
Lots of looks and thumbs up on the drive home
Got a few pics here and David has some on his phone I will get and post.
Let the fun begin !!!!!

Mark

 

[ZebraBlvd]

Reminds me of days gone bye. For me it was my '59 T-bird with special engine overhauls. High Speed - Low Drag. Wish I was you Wolfe, enjoy and be safe!

 

[Wolfe64]

Cool Stuff !!!!
It should be a blast to drive, cant wait for better weather.
Couple of pic loading the car.

Mark

 

[ZebraBlvd]

Please have someone video tape your 1st true run in that beauty. And then post back with it. From the looks and description of the power house it has, it has to fall into the category of "Shit & Get". Be safe!

 

[grillebilly]

Looking good all safe and sound back at home. If you want to figure out how quick your times will be there are a bunch of ET calculators available. The 69 with a small block weighs about 3200 pounds less driver, big block 3600 pounds. Looks like 675 HP with a small block will get it in the 10's. With a big block it needs 1000 HP to go 9.0's.
I had a 69 Camaro with glass doors and front end, gutted interior, Plexiglas windows and a Dana 60 with a turbo 400. It had a very nice engine for it's day, but that was before aftermarket heads were popular. The heads were over-the-counter HiPo Chevy "Turbo" castings, which is what the NASCAR teams were using at the time, and the heads and intake were ported by Reed Cams in Ga., which were porting for the big dogs in the sport back then. 13.5-1 aluminum rod 355 inch lower end with a Lunati roller cam. It ran 10:30s. Everything is better nowadays so I expect you to be able to get into the low10's or high 9's with carefully matched components and still be able to cruise the hot-dog stand.

 

[Wolfe64]

Will do Zebra, David has a GoPro and I was thinking of buying one too so we could have one in the car and one outside.
Dad would probably do a video from a spectators' point of view too.
Grillebilly I use Wallace Racing website for their calculators and that 468 I have in mind would run the car 10.30 on pump gas.
I have a decision to make here as to whether to try and keep the car streetable on pump gas or make it faster but have to use race fuel.
The ultimate goal for the car was to race it anyways.....................
David and I installed the wing and parachute last night just for the h**l of it.

Got the car all changes over into my name this morning too so now it is all mine lol

Mark

 

[Wolfe64]

Forgot to mention it's got a glass hood, trunk lid, door skins and front fenders.
Funny thing tonight, we had David in the car when we were pushing it back off the trailer into the garage on Saturday. Tonight he tells me that when he was trying to look back out the side window, he moved his left foot and thought he heard something click.
I said that was probably the low/high beam switch for the headlights, and he says "on the floor" ???
So sure enough I moved the carpet a bit and there was the switch, he had never seen one before lol
I also spotted a momentary pushbutton in the radio volume hole, I'm guessing it is the horn button. The guy I bought it off of said the horn didn't work, I bet he never saw this. Hard to see it if your not looking. The steering wheel is on a quick release so you can't use the steering wheel centre for the horn.
I did order door pins and bushings and some window weatherstripping from Classic Industries in California, should arrive on Monday.
I know it's January but I wish warmer weather was just around the corner, I really want to get working on this.


Mark

 

[dyche01]

suh-WEET!

 

[Wolfe64]

Thanks again, I'm stoked about this and warmer weather can't get here fast enough.
After talking this over with my son, and this was going to be the end result anyways, I decided to jump in headfirst with this endeavour this weekend and purchased # 2 piece of the puzzle, I hope to get this one home tomorrow night.
It was only an hour away, not 4 hours, like the Camaro was.

Mark

 

[Wolfe64]

Where does the time go ???
It's been a while since an update, the truck is on the road, besides the new windshield all it needed for a safety was 6 tires, the old ones were too weatherchecked to pass.
Passenger seat is gone and I made a new seat mount for the driver's side, which lowered the seat about 2 1/2 inches so now my head is below the rollcage. I also moved the shifter ahead 3" and mounted it on an angle, much more comfortable now.
New rubber weatherstripping for the windows, I have oil and plugs to do yet before initial startup, which if the weather stays warm may be next weekend.
David and I went to Leaf Racewear in London today and got measured up for fireproof jackets, pants and shoes and I ordered a 5 point camlock harness.
I don't think the car will be fast enough(with the motor that's in it now) to need the pants and shoes but I thought what the heck, I really don't want to race wearing jeans anyway and the shoes were the same price as a good pair of running shoes.
Everything is made in house and will be delivered to me in 2 - 4 weeks.
I am also having an open trailer built as I couldn't find any used ones I liked and was a decent price. Month wait for that. 18' with a 3' beavertail and 4' ramps, wood floor
It's nice that it is a bit warmer out tonight working on the Camaro. Got the seat mount done and David was taking some pictures again.

Mark


Trailer will be like the black one only with an adjustable height hitch

 

[TEA FOR ONE]

Looking forward to seeing how this evolves. It should be a very fun summer for you. Best of luck!!