Project 8-Oh

[ReorangeCamaro]

I would get a new set of hinges if the pin wore the hole out that bad....Its what I did, long term will probably have better results

I did. Well kind of. I got a new set of old hinges from the junk yard. You see ive never mentioned that this car was in a wreck when the previous owner was t-boned right where the door meets the fender. Anyway...the old hinges were a bit out of alignment when compared to my newsed hinges. The top hinge, bottom holes of the newsed aren't nearly as bad. Actually look pretty good and the new bushings are pretty snug. Same on the passenger side. We'll see when I'm done. Worst case scenario I'll buy the upper hinges and restore the bottoms. But I'm confident it can be done!

http://www.classicindustries.com/product/1980/camaro/parts/1706371.html

I think hinges were a tid bit cheaper at National Parts Depot.
https://www.npdlink.com/store/products/hinge_assy_door_upper-108562-7.html

 

[ReorangeCamaro]

Driver Side Hinges Done

The driver side hinges are now done. I used a larger pair of channel lock pliers to get the spring back in. It wasn't easy. The spring sprang out and around the garage a few times. I must have tried everything. I'd lose my patience and walk away. Once I regained my Camaro Zen I'd give it another try from another angle. I saw that people had used a spring depressing tool. I don't have one. So I even tried to use a C-Clamp. The youtube video shows that they removed the other detent pin thinger and placed it in a vice. I didn't need to remove that pin so... I finally realized I needed a bigger pair of channel locks! So I squeezed into place and it went right on! The solution always seems easy in hindsight. Am I right?

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[ReorangeCamaro]

Now for those subframe bushings...

I seen on the subframe sticky a lot of argument about whether to get solids or something from the polyurethane variety. I think we can all agree that newer is better than worn out bushings eh? I was fortunate that the cage nut didn't spin around. I used plenty of PB Blaster and followed the advice of the forum. The bushing bolts did seem loose. And I could rotate them slightly. I mean they were sticking right out of the frame! That's 35 years of rot! So I was prepared to have them all spin on me. I used a deep socket and breaker arm to slowly wind the bolts off. No impact wrench for me. I was too scared!!! The crazy thing was... the tip of the bolts were in great shape. No rust!

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=246867

http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2902068#post2902068

I also saw this youtube video on the project eco nova. But I don't recommend the impact here like they did. Just doesn't seem like a good idea to me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jttN5T-Dk0

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[ReorangeCamaro]

Huge Fan of Youtube Channels!!!

I am a huge fan of watching youtube channels. And when I mean watching... I mean binge watching! It's better than T.V.!!!

Here are a few of my favorites that I've subscribed to:

https://www.youtube.com/user/fatstercat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFBJfKOyZbM

https://www.youtube.com/user/AutoRestoMod/videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/Fbodywarehouse1/videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/Myvintageiron7512/videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/MrHevyshevy/videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/gregmporter

 

[8pack]

I have had poly in mine for close to 20 years, They have not deteriorated in any way and are very solid. They have only a small amount of flex from what I can tell. I have no comparison to aluminum, but I don't think they move much if any once torqued down.

 

[legierk]

Thanks for those YouTube links! I just killed about an hour.....! Car is coming along. Good work!

 

[phat80]

porn

love surfin' car porn.

 

[ReorangeCamaro]

YouTube Links

Yeah I agree with you both phat80 and legierk! We live in a different age now with YouTube. Such a simple concept. When I first started this project in 1997 we didn't have Youtube. I had internet, but I don't remember using it to seek restoration advice. I had to rely on the parts guy behind the counter! Sounds like a story to tell me son or the grandchildren someday! But yeah....I find myself learning so much by watching others, especially when they admit to their mistakes and what they learned in the process! I think gone are the days where t.v. shows (with an endless budget) edit out their mistakes and make everything look so easy. Or they cut to commercial during those difficult times. I learn by making mistakes and by watching others on a budget make the mistakes. That's what it's all about I suppose. If there was an A-Z listing of youtube videos all on how to specifically restore your 2nd Generation, I'd subscribe to nothing else!

 

[ReorangeCamaro]

Not going to win any awards for my welding skills!

OK. So this is what I've done thus far this spring:
1. Removed the driver side door.
2. replaced worn out / bent door hinges.
3. patched the swiss cheese on the driver side door (little bondo to cover up weld/grind job cause you'll never see it going by in a jet!)
4. Lap welded a piece to the inner fender for structural support (not going to win any awards for my welding abilities! But Hey...form follows function! or is that just an excuse?)
5. Learned from all of my mistakes again! (i.e. remove all of the swiss cheese metal even if it looks like there is no rust...it's too thin to weld to!)
6. Applied thin layers of bondo to even out the metal work.
7. Sprayed primer over to prevent any surface rust before it's time for epoxy primer.
8. My other excuse / piece of mind... no one will really see these areas because they are underneath etc.

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[ReorangeCamaro]

Monza Mania!!!

Were Chevy Monzas modeled after the Camaro? Well... we all know that Chevy design engineers (maybe still do) often borrowed parts and applied such parts/concepts to other cars as necessary. But the seats and arm rests of a Chevy Monza look so similar. Check out the arm rest a pulled off the ground next to a Monza. I'm not sure if it was a Camaro arm rest. It bolts right up on a Camaro door. However there is a slight difference. See if you can notice it!

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