Thread: Joe's Camaro

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Well, a new shop project begins. An old friend of mine is starting on his Camaro, it's like an '86 that he picked up at a very right price. Plans include a 430 horse sbc, 350 tranny, frame ties, suspension upgrades, new paint, and a general sanitizing of the entire car. Well, it looked good after removing the old power train and the interior. Been some other hands in it over the years, but not too much cobbling to straighten out. Then I pulled the carpet, and here's what I found on the driver's floorboard and footwell. Because of the unibody construction of the car, I'll be cutting out about half of the bad stuff, replacing it with new sheet metal, then do the other half. Had a unibody structure "take off" on me once when I was young and dumb, took about 3 hours on the frame rack to get it all pushed back to straight. Should be a fun project. I know it's one of the years considered to be a "loser" in the world of Camaro's, but it's Joe's car and he has some very specific ideas about how he wants it done....

Reminds me of one reason I left the North. Guess you guys out in the Mid-West get this too. Actually, this one isn't too bad, compared to some, like the Falcon pictures RJ and CJ used to post.

Dave, just a suggestion, why don't you keep this thread going as a how to as you replace this stuff. I'll bet a lot of guys could benefit, especially with the good work you do on things. Even incorporating all of the stuff you do to the car until it is finished would be neat to see. I know it's a pain sometimes to stop working, wash your hands, take a couple of pictures, then sit down at night to post what you did that day, but I and alot of others would love to see it.


And, I think there are one or maybe two guys on here who actually are Chevy guys............

Don

Kind of planning on it, Don. Unfortunately, over the year's I've done more then my share of panel replacement. This damage appears to have started at day one in the factory when some clown neglected to properly seal one of the seams in the wheel well...... The rest of the car is solid, just the driver's floor and footwell is rusted.....

I pulled up this picture from RJ and CJ's posts, when I saw these the first time I had to go have a drink. I HATE RUST.

Don


Do the FLINTSTONES come to mind.

Here is some sunny cali pics!!!

I can see where you get your signature from shawnlee

Years ago when the older cars wore more plentiful a guy didn't have to bother with the rust repair required projects. Now all the good ones have been picked over and it's down to the not so good ones that need the extra work. Still better then just letting them all get crushed.

And the price just keep going up. More times than one do I wish I had back the cars I've put in scrap yards over the years.

Well got a bit more done on the Camaro. Patching rust has never been one of my favorite jobs, but if you want to keep the car and fix the rust so it doesn't come back ya gotta do it.

Just some pics for the guys who haven't done the patch panel thing and shy away from a car they want because of the presence of rust.

First, I make a template for the area I had to cut out. This one happens to be for the inner side of the rocker panel on the driver's side. Then trace the pattern onto 20ga. (thickness of your choice, this is what GM originally had on the Camaro) and cut it out. The holes punched in it are for spot welds, about twice as many as GM had in it. Then I scuff the patch with 36 grit on both sides and etch primed and por 15 the back side of the patch. After this, just tack it in place, do it bit of pinging and dingin to make the patch match the contour of the rockers, and weld it in.

Next I'll replace the rusted area on the upper foot well, then add the last piec of flooring. Hope the pics help show the process.

i love RUST you should be happy you have a rocker to stick that steel on i would i have done so much of this stuff . the last one i did was a 55 chrysler that had no frame rail on one side and made the hole thing from front of the kick up to the back of the car i wish i had photos of that it look like it was not touched.hang in there dave make shure you do not get lockjaw

Know what ya mean on the lockjaw. As the quality of project cars continue to deteriorate, it's important to keep your tetanus shot up to date!!! The single most important thing to have in your tool inventory BEFORE starting on a panel replacement is a very good fitting set of goggles to wear over your safety glasses!!!!!!!

Great start to what promises to be a very informative thread Dave. I know it slows the work down to take pictures, but you are certainly going to provide a blueprint for others who might not have the experience of doing this. I wish I had someone posting this sort of stuff when I was first learning. Not that I know anything YET.


Don

Speaking of rust, my shower is starting to develop rust spots all over the bottom from when I shower after grinding stuff on the T. Sort of funny to see all that there, and I guess I am going to have to buy some of that CLR I see advertised on TV to get it totally cleaned up.

hey i even know what them old gm cars smell like when you weld on them and even know what they tast like when grinding on them and it duz not tast like chicken

Don

Speaking of rust, my shower is starting to develop rust spots all over the bottom from when I shower after grinding stuff on the T. Sort of funny to see all that there, and I guess I am going to have to buy some of that CLR I see advertised on TV to get it totally cleaned up. [/QUOTE] so this you would drink ? to clean your drain out don come to think of it maybe that is that is what is wrong with me

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

Don

Speaking of rust, my shower is starting to develop rust spots all over the bottom from when I shower after grinding stuff on the T. Sort of funny to see all that there, and I guess I am going to have to buy some of that CLR I see advertised on TV to get it totally cleaned up.:

so this you would drink ? to clean your drain out don come to think of it maybe that is that is what is wrong with me [/QUOTE]


I dunno.....at your age Don, you sure the rust is from the car?????????