Got the brakes and pinion gear off of the 12-bolt tonight. The impact drill was a life saver!
Will need to remove bearings and then clean it up for inspection. Will rent a tool for removing the bearings.
70 Camaro 12-bolt tear down part 2
Continued the 12-bolt tear-down and initial inspection. Looking good so far, but more to inspect before ordering new parts. Also going to have to get some more tools to complete the job.
70 Camaro 12-bolt tear down
Started the dis-assembly of the 12-bolt for inspection. First had to get the drum brakes off with a big hammer:
I had to get the drums off (will be replacing brakes with disc) so I can get the spindle out which is a part of the bolts that hold the wheel on.
Once the spindle is out, I think the 4 bolts (2 shown in red) will be all I need to remove to get the rest of the brakes off the axle.
This is my setup for working on the read axle. Got the cover off without breaking any bolts (sprayed with Kroil for a couple days prior). I can still wheel it around the garage with this setup. Will let it drain over night before doing much more. I have a DVD to refer to for the rest of it. I need to inspect the portion that holds the posi in place. If they are in bad shape, I won’t be able to use the axle as they are matched to the rear axle. So I will need to do some inspection before determining if I can use this and before ordering replacement parts. I do know I will be changing the gearing to 3:73 gears.
Got to use my magnetic bowl – those are great for holding bolts and not losing them if you kick the dish!
Engine Dress-up
Polished-up the valve covers and put them on the engine along with the MSD distributor – still need to get a matching air cleaner to match the style of the valve covers. Also have a new radiator and fan shroud to put on the engine stand:
73 Camaro RS Braces
The two braces in the picture are a 1973 Camaro RS only part that currently is NOT being re-produced. I finally not only located a pair, but they are New Old Stock (NOS) – off the shelf parts that were never used. Still has the original GM stickers on them! These attach between the fender and radiator core support and were required on RS models in 1973 to strengthen the front-end in case of a crash. It is going to be a hard decision to put these on the car, but I have time to think about it.
Garage Organizing
Progress has been slow… I have been doing some garage re-organizing and still have some more to do along with some clean-up. Worked on the 2nd level first. Before pictures:
Added some boards for storage:
Added some shelving:
After (not the best pics – at night with flash and poor lighting, but you get the idea):
427 BBC on Engine Start Stand
Started the engine last night. Will be working on the engine and tuning it up some within the next couple of months to get it ready for a Daytona 500 party in February. It started right up after pouring some gas in the carb!
Nov 5, 2014 Update – 70 SS RS parts car
Time for a long overdue update on the project. I made a deal on a 1970 Camaro SS RS. I really didn’t want another complete car in the garage for the winter, so to make a long story short, I am able to take all the parts I want off it and leave the main body which is no good behind. I am almost done with taking the parts off of. What I don’t use, I can sell. Refer to this page for details on SS and Rally Sport (RS) options as this has both.
The main two things I wanted from this car was the 12-bolt rear end (only available in 1970) and the RS options and a few other hard-to-find items. I need to take one more trip and will take more pictures. But here are a few photos of the car\parts:
The first thing to notice here is the split bumper and round turn signals. A closer look shows the roof to be bowed – Would have needed a new roof which I didn’t want to do.
Note the interior is all there – The bucket seats and the seat tracks can be sold. The center console can also be sold along with the dash.
I took the chrome window trim off of the front & rear windows along with the trunk lid and spoiler – all that can be sold.
Close-ups of the RS front-end. The Urethane nose and bottom valance will need replaced, but the rest of the parts are in good shape:
The tags on the plate were from 1985:
12-bolt Rear-end was only used in 1970 for the second gen Camaros – I will rebuild and use this in my car:
The RS tail lights are in great shape
Complete engine & trans – I kept the hood hinges – The hood wasn’t worth keeping.
Special wood grain dash and 150 mph speed odometer I will use. I also got the steering column & wheel, and the rest of the dash.
Note the rims – two collectible rims and another one in the trunk along with the original jack – I will sell those.
Also got the ratchet shifter:
I also got the hidden windshield wipers, gas tank, some misc interior parts, and a few other odds and ends. Plan on going back to get the seats, more interior parts, fenders and remaining front-end pieces.
Will post more pics after I go back.
Status Update
I updated the website. Made some visual changes as well as updating the Word Press platform to version 4. Still not done priming, but might put that off until next Spring as there were some other projects that needed my attention. The car is in a heated and dehumidified garage, so rusting will not be much of an issue.
Aug 31, 2014 Update – Priming
Got the drivers side floor pan sanded & ready for priming… Nice & rust-free!
