Preservation of a 68 Camaro

[cook_dw]

Thanks guys.

Got a couple hours yesterday to rough in the drivers door and get the drivers side of the roof sanded and polished and then my Meguiars maroon pad that was on its last leg finally let go so I had to order a few new ones.. Oh well... Again same of the previous, wash rinse, sand, buff repeat.

Photo 72 - Driver side roof before

Photo 73 - Roof after cleaning, sanding and polishing and loaded up with #7 a left to sit overnight

Photo 74 - Drivers door before

Photo 75 - Drivers door after wet sanding and before polishing

[cook_dw]

After allowing the #7 to soak in overnight I hand buffed it off the rest of the car (doors and roof back minus the drivers door). Also polished the drivers door handle and lock so at least that mini project is now finished.


Photo 76 - Door handles and locks finished

Photo 77 - 78 - Roof & quarter after #7 soaking

Photo 79 - 81 - After hand buffing

Photo 82 - 84 Roof after hand buff

[cook_dw]

Over the weekend between periods of rain and Christmas shopping I was able to get a couple things done and started. New pads finally showed up Friday afternoon so I was able to wrap up the drivers door.

Photo 74 - again this was before

Photo 75 - was after wet sanding


Now with new photos

Photo 85 - 87 - After da polishing



I then moved my attentions to getting the remainder of the parts that I had inside the trunk and interior so I can move forward in the cleaning to the insides of the car.

Photo 88 - 89 - Trunk area after removing parts and before cleaning


As you will notice in the previous photos the tail light harness was just hanging outside of the trunk. Well... That was due to me not being able to get the thing out of the trunk drop off. It was hung on something.. So with my trusty archeological digging tools (screwdriver, flash light and magnet) I began the excavation of what was causing the resistance. I also found one of the (what I believe to be the original) barrel nuts that fit into the tailpan for the dealer emblem. And yes I have all the tools soaking in evapo so I can have them with the car as who knows how long they have been in there and I think it's fitting for them to continue to travel with the car just not in the drop off of the trunk..

Photo 90 - 91 - Tools found


Now that the harness is out of the way I figured I'd see just how well the trunk would clean up.

Photo 92 - drivers side cleaned vs untouched passenger side

Photo 93 - Both sides after starting the cleaning process.


Keep in mind this is just the beginning of the cleaning of the trunk and you will more than likely see areas that still need attention but rest assured I will be going back and doing a deeper dive into the trunk over the next few nights if time allows with the holidays quickly approaching.

Photo 94 - 103 - Misc trunk photos

[scuncio]

The trunk cleaned up nicely - wow.

[napa68]

I'm with Tony.....WOW!

[cook_dw]

Slid out to the garage today while the in-laws were visiting and knocked out a couple small tasks.


Photo 104 - 113 Defrost duct

Photo 114 - 119 Gas tank before. You can see a previous owner black spray painted the tank along with many other places. As I continue on this project I am going to attempt to remove all of the overspray and get it back to its current condition. I didn’t wanna evapo the top of the tank in fear or ruining tank coating plus I used Cosmoline Rust Veto spray on the rusted areas. I’m not concerned with it spreading any longer. Also not the 2 1/2” tank clamps with 4/67 date with the larger “80”


Photo 120 - 126 Gas tank after. All I used was M.E.K. And a 0000 steel wool as well as citrus degreaser and a brown Scotchbrite pad. Finished it off with Meguiars Hot Wheels metal polish. Then a layer of Rust Veto. Original sending unit reused. Seemed like it should work giving how clean it looked. I’ll test later on once I go back in with the tank.

[1967Z28]

Darrell, Van Nuys Camaros got their gas tanks painted black on the assembly line. Also, the pinch weld along the lower rear of the quarter panel in many cases got the blackout treatment.

[169indy]

The over the axel exhaust pipe (outboard exposed lower) also?

[1967Z28]

Looks like that pipe may have been painted on this car. I think the primary focus was the blacking out of the tank. I have seen the lower part of the muffler done and also seen some varying levels of black on the leaf springs, aft of the axle. Some coverage, to minimal or none.

[cook_dw]

I thought for sure this was done by a previous owner.. Well that sucks.. I assume this carried through into 68 then. Valuable lessons learned here. Hopefully having this discussion on a forum will help someone down the road that has a LOS built car. I learned something and had to pay a valuable lesson in assembly line correct.