68 Pro touring Camaro.
Discussion
Well where to start,I had seen my camaro a few times over the years in a truck MOT station local to where I work,the owner of the station had imported it in 2007 from the states.I had asked him several times to sell it but he said no so many times untill about 18 months ago i asked and he said ok you can buy it.
I was over the moon as the car was the spec i wanted for trackdays.I picked the car up an on first driveing it i knew i,d made a bad move buying it,it drove terrible,i stopped at a garage to fill up with petrol an after putting £25 in the tank petrol was pouring out under the car,i quickly looked underneath to find the tank was leaking at the fuel pipe where the weld had cracked.I drove home at a steady rate thinking what can go wrong next.
On getting home i looked under the car an where new coilovers had been fitted they were on the softest setting so i adjusted them to a harder setting,the tyre pressure,s where all over 50 psi.I got the tank repaired which took a few days then took the car out and it drove much better.I adjusted a few more things an the car was great for about 200 miles then the oil pressure failed an it which ment a new oil pump and engine out.
I tried all the engine builder,s but they all said we dont take engines out, you need to just bring us the engine.Well at a last resort i went back to the guy i bought it from and he agreed his mechanic would do all the work but i had to pay for parts and labour which was,nt cheap.On collecting the car after the work which included new ends,mains,oil pump etc,the starter had a problem.On getting the car home it would,nt re start an when i got the starter off the mechanic had jammed the wrong thread bolt into the alloy block and split the side of the block and damaged the starter.
On phoneing the the mechanic i was called a liar an they said i was the one that split the block.At this stage i was ready to give up on the car sell it at a loss an forget about it.After laying in the garage for weeks i could,nt fit a new starter because only 1 bolt could be fitted to it,then by chance i met an old mate that had worked on race car,s all his life an he said he could make a block to fit on the starter so it could be fitted to the bell houseing.After a week the starter was fitted an the car was fine again.Then a few weeks later i took the car to margate on a car run,on the M2 coming home bang the engine makes a terrible noice an i shut it off an coast to a stop.
Transported the car home an thought this time i can,t go through taking it all out again but then it,s no good as it is.I took the engine an box out with the help of a freind an took it to a reputable builder.On stripping the engine the rod bolts had,nt been torqued down an the mains had,nt been either.The builder did a fantastic job getting the block all repaired includeing where the starter bolt had been broken,all new piston,s,cam,lifters,heads stripped new valves,springs,roller rockers in fact i bought everything new so this would be right this time.I fitted the engine back in 2 weeks ago an now after all this time i can use the car knowing everything is good.
After all this ive been through with the car im just so annoyed that that previous owner would,nt believe i had nothing to do with the starter problem and his mechanic was to blame but i guess thats life.Even buying off of a garage or private don,t let your heart rule your head when you see a car that looks fantastic have a drive in it first don,t take it for granted that it drives as good as it look,s.
I was over the moon as the car was the spec i wanted for trackdays.I picked the car up an on first driveing it i knew i,d made a bad move buying it,it drove terrible,i stopped at a garage to fill up with petrol an after putting £25 in the tank petrol was pouring out under the car,i quickly looked underneath to find the tank was leaking at the fuel pipe where the weld had cracked.I drove home at a steady rate thinking what can go wrong next.
On getting home i looked under the car an where new coilovers had been fitted they were on the softest setting so i adjusted them to a harder setting,the tyre pressure,s where all over 50 psi.I got the tank repaired which took a few days then took the car out and it drove much better.I adjusted a few more things an the car was great for about 200 miles then the oil pressure failed an it which ment a new oil pump and engine out.
I tried all the engine builder,s but they all said we dont take engines out, you need to just bring us the engine.Well at a last resort i went back to the guy i bought it from and he agreed his mechanic would do all the work but i had to pay for parts and labour which was,nt cheap.On collecting the car after the work which included new ends,mains,oil pump etc,the starter had a problem.On getting the car home it would,nt re start an when i got the starter off the mechanic had jammed the wrong thread bolt into the alloy block and split the side of the block and damaged the starter.
On phoneing the the mechanic i was called a liar an they said i was the one that split the block.At this stage i was ready to give up on the car sell it at a loss an forget about it.After laying in the garage for weeks i could,nt fit a new starter because only 1 bolt could be fitted to it,then by chance i met an old mate that had worked on race car,s all his life an he said he could make a block to fit on the starter so it could be fitted to the bell houseing.After a week the starter was fitted an the car was fine again.Then a few weeks later i took the car to margate on a car run,on the M2 coming home bang the engine makes a terrible noice an i shut it off an coast to a stop.
Transported the car home an thought this time i can,t go through taking it all out again but then it,s no good as it is.I took the engine an box out with the help of a freind an took it to a reputable builder.On stripping the engine the rod bolts had,nt been torqued down an the mains had,nt been either.The builder did a fantastic job getting the block all repaired includeing where the starter bolt had been broken,all new piston,s,cam,lifters,heads stripped new valves,springs,roller rockers in fact i bought everything new so this would be right this time.I fitted the engine back in 2 weeks ago an now after all this time i can use the car knowing everything is good.
After all this ive been through with the car im just so annoyed that that previous owner would,nt believe i had nothing to do with the starter problem and his mechanic was to blame but i guess thats life.Even buying off of a garage or private don,t let your heart rule your head when you see a car that looks fantastic have a drive in it first don,t take it for granted that it drives as good as it look,s.
Edited by boyzee on Wednesday 2nd November 14:36
Edited by boyzee on Wednesday 2nd November 14:38
Edited by boyzee on Wednesday 2nd November 17:16
[URL=http://s249.photobucket.com/user/Boyzee_photo/media/DSC03290_zpsxhx84ndb.jpg.html]
[/URLEngine 427 cu in all alloy small block by world pro.Motown ally heads.
Gearbox Richmond 5 speed c/ratio with twin plate carbon clutch.
rear axle 12 bolt posi with Main line shafts
brakes Willwood 6 pot with 13 inch rotors front 4 pot willwood rear.
Coilover f/r chassis connectors,completly poly bushed with large anti roll bars an 4 link rear
f/rear wings have been widened an had 2" taken off.
Iva Barchetta said:
"Being painted all black"
I like the white with black stripes.
Are you going to refit stripes, in a different colour obviously ?
As others said the best shape.
Yes the car is being painted all black no stripes,the wheels have had the spokes painted satin black,i have 2 sets of the same wheels thats on the car,one set will be left all polished.I just think the car looked to blingy as it was and i just wanted to be differant from when the previous owner had it.I like the white with black stripes.
Are you going to refit stripes, in a different colour obviously ?
As others said the best shape.
boyzee said:
es the car is being painted all black no stripes,the wheels have had the spokes painted satin black,i have 2 sets of the same wheels thats on the car,one set will be left all polished.I just think the car looked to blingy as it was and i just wanted to be differant from when the previous owner had it.
I was going to say "I don't like the wheels, something in satin black would be better". Lovely car!
Cupramax said:
Out of interest what makes it a "pro touring" Camaro? is it an actual model or just a fanboy name for a modded one?
Pro Touring is a style, muscle cars modified to actually stop and handle, typically sitting lower on large wheels. A bit like that^^^ETA which looks absolutely stunning, congrats to you OP. I don't see the benefit in going black, looks perfect as it is...
Edited by Google [bot] on Saturday 5th November 21:11
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