1969 Camaro bodywork

idrivejunk · May 01, 2016, 12:04:34 PM

So as I was working on a 68 Camaro job a few weeks ago... another first gen arrived for the same kind of work. Mostly fixing work previously done improperly by others. In this case, the owner had done some decent work already, and some not so decent. In either case, "make it right" is the goal.

So let the mayhem begin.

Our story begins humbly. At first sight, my reflex comment was: "Awright, Camaro on a stick!", and heres why-

As you can see, it is jammed full of parts. But thats a sho-nuf '69 Chevy pony car. The owner has already replaced the roof, patched quarters, replaced tail panel, rear window filler and shelf panels, all floors / cowl / firewall, and added mini-tubs. I don't know if the body has ever been fitted to a subframe or front end sheetmetal since metal work began.

Once tasked with the job... first I unloaded the parts inside it and inspected them. Show you those later. I just wanted them out so I could make a quantifiable assessment of the major issue I found upon initial visual inspection. Now I needed to measure it thoroughly.

Before touching anything, I had taken pics and made a laundry list of issues that I could see, and made a few triage-type "X" measurements underneath. I determined then that the floor and tail panel, and suspension and frame mounting areas' dimensions were all in order. Like the 68, this car is also square and level on it's foundation. Whew!

But having spent a decade in collision repair previously, there was something screaming at me from across the room. A glaring problem that would raise the eyebrows of most body guys I know. So I improvised...

Yes, thats a ladder, 2" square thick walled tubing, a ladder, transmission jack, a magnetic level, and a tape measure. An IDJ upper body measuring fixture, if you will. To insure accuracy, the dolly and car were assured to be level as the first step. Then several key points on the body were established as being sufficiently consistent side-to-side, and level.

But what I was seeing was a problem with the rear window filler panel area. My trouble was I needed a way to measure the upper body and find out if the roof was skewed or what. So I concocted the jig seen above. This particular spot on the slab is amazingly flat, but before you bodymen start screaming... thats not my datum plane, its the dolly.

We have done a bunch of these cars and this dolly is the perfect width (4') to just set the rockers' pinch-welded seams right on the beams. It sits level just like that, no shims or fuss, at least in this spot on the floor. The accuracy is satisfactory for the task at hand. But yes, if you lean on the tail panel, you'll lift the front so when work begins, the tail section needs support.

Heres the drama shot, see what I mean?

Get a load of that height difference of the trunk hinges! Oh boy...

chris spokes · May 01, 2016, 06:26:17 PM

jeez it looks like the drip rail runs down hill from left to right all so maybe just camera angle but rear window lower looks to run down hill as against the dash

idrivejunk · May 01, 2016, 06:57:01 PM

Its like it melted a little, ain't it? Just keep your eye on that spot and here we go...

By the way, thanks Carnut. The program is slick and worked nice for me. I reduced dimensions by half and file size went way WAY down. You guys let me know how the pics are for you. These might be easier to view for some.

Backtrack just a little here, to when parts were still piled in it-

Thats two full quarters plus, piled in there-

idrivejunk · May 01, 2016, 07:15:31 PM

I scratched my noggin for awhile and measured twice twice. The upper edge of the rear window opening is correct dimensionally, as is the windshield opening. In relation to the left side, the bottom edge of the rear window opening is 3/4" lower on the right. At the trunk gap, the rear window filler panel's face sits 1/2" low.

So its not just down, its twisted. The package tray, that is. And the structure.

My first thought was to cut this loose and jack it up with a bottle jack just to see. But I didn't really see anything.

See the difference in the angles of the trunk hinges?

It didn't respond to force the way it should, so I went in-

HEY. Whats this, a lawn mower part? Dadgummit.

idrivejunk · May 01, 2016, 07:54:29 PM

So I cut out that unidentified scrap that had been welded in to patch a rust hole somewhere in history. I was then able to position the window opening correctly to within about 1/8". But the package tray (thats what I call it) was obviously installed in a hurry and mistakes were made so it will be replaced as well. Once I cut off the filler panel, another welded-in misfit at the right end became obvious.

So mystery solved, right? Oh but theres more. Whats going on here at the sail panel seam? Oh, my. They didn't...

... yeah, they did. Cut the middle out of the old one and tacked this to it. Nifty move!

I raised the red flag for a roof waiter. Fortunately, thats OK! So I continued...

idrivejunk · May 01, 2016, 08:04:00 PM

Uh-oh. Those roof supports tell a smashy story. Looks like dirt daubers might have kept people from ever fixing this thing.

Yep the side flanges had been neatly trimmed from the roof skin on top. This is scraps in the drip rail, of the old roof edge.

idrivejunk · May 01, 2016, 08:33:38 PM

Oh joy, double flanges to grind away!

When I had a buddy close by to spot me, I stood with hands on knees in the car and carefully but firmly pushed up with my back on the center of the roof braces at certain spots. It appears to have worked and without injury.

Still whittling away the windshield flange. That brings this thread to the current state of the project. Updates as progress continues. As always, comments, questions and suggestions are welcome. I really don't know a thing about the drivetrain plans for it, or colors or anything.

kb426 · May 01, 2016, 09:40:13 PM

Every time you post something in the beginning, I'm reminded of how much I dislike rusty metal. Yeechh! I suppose it would be correct to assume that any of the cars from the 60's will be like this.

idrivejunk · May 02, 2016, 08:21:22 AM

Yes sir, that is correct.

UGLY OLDS · May 02, 2016, 10:31:38 AM

QuoteWhen I had a buddy close by to spot me, I stood with hands on knees in the car and carefully but firmly pushed up with my back on the center of the roof braces at certain spots. It appears to have worked and without injury.

NEAT :!: :!: Good thinking outside the box ..Should we start calling you "Porto-Power" :?: :?:

This body looks to need more "rework" than the last one as you need to correct more mistakes ...

Did anyone notice that the "inner gas hole" does not line up with the "outer gas hole" :?: ( Maybe it does not cause any issues .. :?

)

Keep up the good work... );b(

Bob...

chris spokes · May 02, 2016, 05:52:20 PM

nice work it looks a lot better

idrivejunk · May 02, 2016, 08:04:00 PM

Thank you sirs. :!:

I was talking to boss about zipping the roof brace "cross" off and straightening those on the floor. Then I thought porto-power. Then I just wondered if I myself had adequate horsepressure. Might have. We'll know when I see a roof. Pretty sure it will work, those braces bend fairly easy. Glad that worked out like it did because those could actually affect how the panels they attach to sit.

By the way there is a part available that includes those braces

and the front and rear window opening braces. Heck I started looking at the catalog and almost asked for drip rails. It would be faster if those were being replaced rather than saved. Look at the construction, you'll get it. The design was indeed set up for easy roof skin replacement.

Ah yes, the case of the discombobulated gas hole-

( :oops: :mrgreen: :-}

I have studied that misalignment

but not too hard because I really don't want to R&I the tail panel.

If when I fit the quarters it gives me misfits... well then, yknow... prolly chop chop. ~:)

So... On a Monday, this is how it went-

Got the windshield flange exposed-

Hammer n dolly-ed then cleaned that flange up with a grinder and strip disc after that.

Hacked the left quarter off-

Ran the crud thug over the roof inner structure then hit it with rust converter on a brush and clocked out without even sweeping up all the dirt dauber nests. Think I'll watch a western while I chow on leftovers and crash. It was kinda cool today, made it tough to get a move on.

Tomorrow I plan to try quarters on.

idrivejunk · May 03, 2016, 08:34:41 PM

I did make it that far... barely. But the right outer wheelhouse is too far down and maybe back a little. Clocked wrong maybe. I will need to get that cut loose and reposition it so the quarter will go over it toward the front. Makes sense to me, since it was installed when the car's dimensions were incorrect. Anyway, right now these are just up there with a clamp or two. The prognosis is good!

BFS57 · May 03, 2016, 08:57:50 PM

Hello;
Wish I could do this kind of work but it takes way too long for some of us "brain dead" folks to "get trained!"

Bruce

idrivejunk · May 03, 2016, 09:13:40 PM

Quote from: "BFS57"Hello;
Wish I could do this kind of work but it takes way too long for some of us "brain dead" folks to "get trained!"

Bruce

I'll keep putting it out there. Pretty soon I know you'll find you know stuff you didn't know you knew. I mean maybe some of it will rub off on ya. If nothing else, you're fixing Camaros vicariously here.