For the scrappers, whats good to save of a mid80s camaro?

[Gambler]

..theres one down the road, in a field, (near a gate, thankfully). I inquired if I could take the rims, and they said sure..as long as I got rid of the whole car.

On closer look, the engine and tranny are gone, the only piece of glass left is the pass. window (drivers door is missing). I figured I'd yank it up here with the truck, and grab:

the tilt steering colum
the rear end
the torque bar if its still there (that went from rearend to tranny)
the power brake master cylinder and booster
the few hoses and little things left in it
the great spare hidden in the rear (i had a camaro, I know the hidey spots)
possibly the gas tank
exhaust
seats (ragged, but all there)
cut out the wiring harnesses for spare wire
motor mounts.
any brake lines I can cut and save

I thought about the whole front suspension clip, but I'm not sure about that. At least the front calipers and discs.

Any other ideas? I figured all this would be good to have for the Rambler, since its getting a chevy drivetrain anyways

I have no idea what it had for an engine, it had single exhaust (most 2.8's had a fake dual, that sounded like a sick cat throwing up when you stomped on the gas)

I also scored a neat old 50's steering wheel, and an unidentified air cleaner assembly.

oh yeah, and the rims  

[GPster]

I just got my computor back. I've spent the last couple of days reading this forum on the computor at the library and haven't even tried to post. With-out going too far I'd pull the rear end and back spring out of it. It's bound to be narrower then your "big car" rear end and it might be easier to find a place for the leaf springs under that Rambler of yours. It's certainly no disgrace to change your mind on how you're going to do something in the middle of a project. If nothing else the rear end and springs would make a dolley under the back end to get the wagon home. GPster

[Gambler]

I just got my computor back. I've spent the last couple of days reading this forum on the computor at the library and haven't even tried to post. With-out going too far I'd pull the rear end and back spring out of it. It's bound to be narrower then your "big car" rear end and it might be easier to find a place for the leaf springs under that Rambler of yours. It's certainly no disgrace to change your mind on how you're going to do something in the middle of a project. If nothing else the rear end and springs would make a dolley under the back end to get the wagon home. GPster

That is a great idea!  You probally missed an older post of mine that I bought a Kaiser-Jeep J3000 4x4 with 4.11's and an AMC 327 2b  I used it today to pull the camaro up here to the house.  What a blast!  (yes, I know, its only enjoyable the FIRST time you do it lol)

I'm in the process of raising up the car, will letcha know what I do.

I WAS going to bolt the 65 rearend in to get it home, but the unibody gets in the way (no exposed framerail at THAT point, where the arms go in..still arranging to get it mig'd onsite and get it back here.

Neither car has leaf springs, the rambler or either GM rear end I have. Coil on all 3 setups

-Ryan

[GPster]

The Camero has coil springs too? Been too long! Here's an idea that I did once. Some might say it's dumb but it worked for me. Duplicate the rear suspension that's in a mid'60s to early '70s Chevy pick-up that has coils on the rear. Use the lower track arms and mounts on the'65 rearend you have. I believe they are mounted to angle towards each other towards the front. Make those track arms longer so that they will reach to the transmission crossmember. Build brackets to capture the rubber bushings on the tranny crossmember. It should be plenty strong because this is almost a duplicate of the original suspension because the original closed driveshaft used the back of the tranny as a suspension link. To legthen  the track arms you can use other track arms and weld the end-to-end using as much as you need to get the length you need or you might do it the way I did. Electricians and plumbers use to use a "U" shaped channel called "Unistrut" or powerstrut that is a deep sided formed channel with small "U"s on the edges for stiffening. There was a size that was about    1 5/8" wide and about 2"deep and it worked for me by cutting the track arm in the middle and using a piece of powerstrut in the middle to make it the proper length. I don't suggest making the arms out of square tubing because there is a certain amount of twist that needs to be allowed  in the arms use. Even the pick-up arms are an "I" beam shape to allow for twist. When you get this thing together and you allow for proper universal joint angle on the driveshaft the the arm and the bracket on the rear end need to be fastened to not allow any movement and then you will have long traction arms in effect. Think about this for a while. It would eliminate the use of the top arm on the rear end and might make it easier to find a strong place for the front joint on the arms. GPster

[Gambler]

That sounds like a good setup for down the road.  This camaro does have that bracket I believe you or Enjenjo spoke of a while back, that bolts from the rearend to the tranny, it would take care of the torque twist? I think. The arms on the 65 rear end are rather short (28 inches I think), the ones on this newer f-body are much longer (and alot flimsier in comparison).  I'm going to tear it out over the next few days so I can see it all in the open, make some measurements, and see what I can do.  I like your idea, because it would give it plenty of length, strength, and would save me from trying to use that 3rd arm..theres only old sheetmetal to weld to, I'd have to weld in some kind of crossmember beneath the trunk just to attach it to anything.

Thanks!

[Dirk35]

My old Camaro had the 12 bolt posi with disc brakes and 3:73 gear in the rear end. If your lucky, that rear is quite saught after!

That camaro column is the same steering column I shortened and put in my 35. Real easy to shorten!!!!!! I took 8" out of mine. I think it still has its collapasibility (in case of accident) too .

That torque arm breaks. Mine in my camaro broke at the front mount, my bothers in his 84 Camaro actually broke in two. Looked like a stress crack that just kept growing.

[Gambler]

My old Camaro had the 12 bolt posi with disc brakes and 3:73 gear in the rear end. If your lucky, that rear is quite saught after!

That camaro column is the same steering column I shortened and put in my 35. Real easy to shorten!!!!!! I took 8" out of mine. I think it still has its collapasibility (in case of accident) too .

That torque arm breaks. Mine in my camaro broke at the front mount, my bothers in his 84 Camaro actually broke in two. Looked like a stress crack that just kept growing.

Nope, this camaro has a dinky 10 bolt with finned drum brakes. I will check that brace for cracks, looks like stamped steel to me though. I was considering grabbing the front discs and calipers.they're not frozen closed, but the sure dont look in good shape, so I'm not sure its worth it.

The main rear end I have for the rambler is BURLY.  It came out of a 65 Bel Aire Impala with some big v8 in it..I checked everything out on/in it, totally fine, and rebuilt the brakes/new hubs..I think I spent $130 on the rearend, and twice that much on brake parts (not quite, but close). It's a 10 bolt with 3.73s non-posi.

I'm going to try and get the column out today, I'm not sure where to disconnect it in the engine bay though, and whether I should keep the powersteering box too..I dont have immediate plans for any of these parts, but the car itself (the camaro) has to vacate the yard fairly soon.

[GPster]

I'm somewhat lost on these newer vehicles (?). Does this thing have a front subframe? If it's like the older ones if you un-bolt it from the radiator support and some big bolts to the floor you can pull the front suspension from the body. Then you could take the front bodywork apart and throw it in the car body. Whats left you could probably get in a "U-Haul" trailer and pull with your new vehicle. GPster

[Fat Cat]

I'm somewhat lost on these newer vehicles (?). Does this thing have a front subframe? If it's like the older ones if you un-bolt it from the radiator support and some big bolts to the floor you can pull the front suspension from the body. Then you could take the front bodywork apart and throw it in the car body. Whats left you could probably get in a "U-Haul" trailer and pull with your new vehicle. GPster

Joe after 82 the camaros no longer have a subframe. They went to a strut style front suppension.

[Broman]

Hey I dunno if you know this guy from the "other" message board. But we have talked about useing the rear ends from these cars for our Buicks. He has done it and says it works out great. He cut out a notch for the arms and mounted them to the frame. Makes his rear end nice and low and I am sure it rides nicely. Link to his site for your pleasure: http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/

[Fat Cat]

Hey I dunno if you know this guy from the "other" message board. But we have talked about useing the rear ends from these cars for our Buicks. He has done it and says it works out great. He cut out a notch for the arms and mounted them to the frame. Makes his rear end nice and low and I am sure it rides nicely. Link to his site for your pleasure: http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/

Broman you don't have to be afraid to mention the name HAMB here. Many of us are members there as well as here. Myself and enjenjo included. Glen is also a member here as well.

[Broman]

Broman you don't have to be afraid to mention the name HAMB here. Many of us are members there as well as here. Myself and enjenjo included. Glen is also a member here as well.

I figured as much, just being safe.....