Dan Babb Posted March 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Yup...a 1968 Camaro. Ive got it for sale (or trade) now too...looking for something different. Here are more pics www.photobucket.com/1968CamaroForSale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Babb Posted March 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Feeling really good tonight. Got the lights wired up and took it for a spin around the neighborhood today. With the suspension properly lubed up and a leaf taken out, it rides so much better. I need to clearance the driver side exhaust just a bit (it just taps the frame on bumps). The front driver side sits about 1 inch lower than the front of the passenger side. It also sits a bit lower overall in front than the rear, so I think a couple of spacers will solve that. Will find a shop to tune the carb (just to make sure it's running as good as possible) next. I think I went too quiet on the muffler too...doesn't really have that cool sound. I don't want the big block dragster sound...but would like it to sound better than a v6. Might have to fix that mistake soon. I'll get a video posted after I get it tuned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 SWEET MOSES don't that feel good to roll that thing out for a spin after all them problems?!? well done! My two cents: drive that thing around for a few months before fiddlin' with that muffler, and put several hundred pounds of ballast in the back to test how far down it drops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buds truck Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I only have one word...."SLEEPER"!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48Dodger Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Ya need this...... http://www.quicktimeperformance.com/QTEC/index.php 48D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fstfish66 Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 looks great i agreee sleeper,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Babb Posted March 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Took the truck to Home Depot the other day to get some mulch and am really surprised at how much better it rides. The softer springs feel great and I was cruising along doing 55 barely turning over 2500 rpms. I guess the ride loosened up a fitting because I had a dripping fuel line where it went into the fuel filter, so I spent last night replacing the fitting and now it's dry. I'm sure I'll have more of these initial shake down issues pop up over the next 100 miles, but so far - so good. Don't know if I want one of those exhaust openers...but that could be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave72dt Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Don't know if I want one of those exhaust openers...but that could be fun. I've read of one person who installed electric cutouts who wasn't happy at all with them. Turns out the gears inside were made of plastic and the exhaust heat turned them into goo. I'd find out what the insides are made of before buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 I knew a kid a while back who had them on his roadrunner. Only trouble he ever had was with the cops.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 I have a set of the cast iron ones....while I am not that fond of some of the "fit" I dislike most the cast iron and connecting it to steel...as for the use, if you do not have excessive restriction in your muffler/pipe to the rear you should really have little problem with leaking I too was leery of the electric ones and the internal gearing...and at the price they charge..WOW...I am thinking the mechanical cutouts and a small vent motor like in a Dodge mini van rear vent application and a bel crank..you could easily open and close the units with rods and the motor far enough away so as not to be concerned of the heat.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Babb Posted May 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 Since my last post, I had more troubles. The engine started to run rough again. When I pulled it apart, found another broken pushrod. I wound up replacing all of them with custom length non-adjustable pushrods and now it runs fine. Feels good to have the truck running right. Still want to get the carb tuned and put some interior panels in it later on, but I'm going to try to take it to a vintage hot rod event next weekend. Here's a short video I took today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Two questions: (1) how did you hook up the E-Brake? (2) one of the U-bolts on the driver's side is not 90 degrees to the shock mount. If thetop of that u-bolt moves, will that u-bolt come loose. I just put in the same rear axle, lots of work, I made certain my U-bots were parallel, it may be a mute point, not a criticism,just and observation. You do GREAT work. I'm envious. VERY anxious to drive my truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Babb Posted May 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 I haven't done the ebrake yet. I think I might get the Lokar universal setup and put it under the dash on the left side of the steering wheel. Not 100% sure yet. I'll checkout the ubolts and make sure they're still snug. Thank you for the tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Some one suggested I take mine down a bumpy road then recheck. I have a lift I can use so I am going to do that. I will put a white paint pencil line on every nut first. If that line is broken, I will know that nut moved. It's a little mfgr's trick to keep customer's honest. Customer's always tinker and mess things up. Usually in the first 30 days. Put a female worker on a machine and it will be a better machine in 30 days, put a male on it and he may destroy it overnight! Crazy world An acquaintance in the 70's could get you guys for his texas to North Dakota harvest crews so his high school daughter put together an all female crew. After two years he went back to guys. When asked why, he said: the girls cut more wheat in less time and far less expense . Every town knew when we were arriving and I had more work then I could handle, but I couldn't sleep a night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bach4660 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 I think I went too quiet on the muffler too...doesn't really have that cool sound. I don't want the big block dragster sound...but would like it to sound better than a v6. Looking good. I am hopefully within a few weeks of starting mine, I was thinking of using glass packs for the exhaust. Maybe the cherry bombs. I live on the bottom of a hill so coming home I can always coast in, its just the leaving that will disturb the neighbours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albolton Posted May 15, 2012 Report Share Posted May 15, 2012 cool video Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Babb Posted May 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Took the truck out yesterday for it's first road-trip. Drove about 1 1/2 hours to a car show yesterday. Highway speeds ranged from 60-70mph and it drives surprisingly well. The steering it a bit loose, but maybe the alignment will help. I need to fix the front driver spring before doing the alignment. Here's a shot at the show Question: Was thinking about this while I was driving yesterday. Tell me if I can do this: Take out all but the two longest leafs. I know they won't do squat for support...I'd be leaving those just to keep the front axle located. Then put coil-over shocks in the front with the right spring rates. Those would allow for adjustment of ride height and probably a smoother ride due to modern springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 Yer finished product looks dandy...I bet ya were on cloud 9 during the whole cruise As for the ride, I'm afraid yer gonna be at the mercy of the limited tire choices we have for the factory rims. LT215/85R16s are usually E-rated, and that's mighty stiff for a 1/2 ton truck. Tires and leaf springs need to have very close spring rates so that the ride will be "controlled"...if the tires are stiffer than the leafs, then the ride has a whip-saw effect: instead of one bounce from an input, there are actually two, as the two springs are releasing at different rates. The tires that were on my '48, which my Dad said he put on back in the mid-70s, were 6.50-16s that were C-rated. When I did my first test drive, that truck rode smooth, but the tires were so hard & weather-checked that they needed replacement. Going to bias-ply 6.50-16s did not help the truck ride, as it tossed the truck around on the lumpy roads, but was decent on improved roads. If ya could find some P215/85R16s, I bet yer ride would smooth out enough that ya wouldn't have to mess with altering your spring package. Coker has some radial 6.50-16s listed, and I'm on the fence on whether to invest that kind of $$$ without knowing if that brand would be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted May 20, 2012 Report Share Posted May 20, 2012 the sidewall of the higher profile tire is needed to prevent roll when cornering..you go to a high series P rated 2 ply sidewall and I really supect you will not be happy with the ride..even modern SUV's suffer from P series tire issues especially roll and sway during lane changes....do investigate this carefully..tires are an expensive necessity for your vehicle..you cannot just mount tehm.ride a bit and get you money out of them when you decide the ride is just quite right.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Babb Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Wonder if tweaking the tire pressure would help a bit? What tire pressures are you guys running on your radial tires? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted May 25, 2012 Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 I have Firestone Transforce ATs on my '02 Ram 2500, and the rear tire psi rating lists 80psi for rated load capacity. I inflate to this rating when I pull a trailer or a full load, but most of the time I'm running errands only. I tried reducing to 70psi to smooth out the ride a tad, and it has helped significantly. Dropping to 65psi makes them tires start to bulge a little, and I assume this will drag down the fuel economy. I recall half ton tire pressure ratings to be at the 32-35 psi range on older trucks that ran 15s or 16s. However, since the Transforce is a heavier rated tire, 45psi might be a pressure to start with to see if the ride is smoother and the sidewall doesn't have too much of a bulge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave5711 Posted May 25, 2012 Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 Very very cool look to that combo. What were those old hemis rated at? would it even be 200 hp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Babb Posted May 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 The 354 Hemi was actually the first engine that put out 1hp per CuIn. Mine isn't built up as much as it could be. I'm probably capable of 275hp range with 300+ torque. It still needs some carb tuning to get those numbers though. It pulls strong, but feels a bit sluggish. They're great blower engines because they are stout and lower compression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Boger Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 beautiful work. Do you have any pictures of the hole you cut to fill your master cylinder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Babb Posted July 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Just looked and I don't have anything that shows it. Nothing special about it though. I just measured where it needed to be and then cut a hole in the floor. I then used the cutout piece as a template and made a cover for it that bolts to the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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