Phase I done, Phase II-interior almost done, and now Phase III-drivetrain (454 LSX!) - Body - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Neil · 09-07-2006, 03:55 PM

I am going crazy with this car, I plan to make it a daily driver, yet a show car. Vintage Restoration of the Woodlands is the body shop in the Woodlands, Texas performing all the body work. It took me a while to find a body shop willing to do all this work and willing to do this within reason. (John Evans - owner 832-477-6066 e-mail: jre30@hotmail.com)
Here is what is going to be done: The radiator support, the pass. fender rail, passenger door and quarter panel are being replaced. The rear quarter panel sections are being widened by approx. 1" on each side of the car to accomodate the 335/30/18 meats and this just looks sick! The door handles are going to be shaved and the C6 corvette style "handle" fabricated and welded in. A typical door popping mechanism will be used along with either a pressure switch or micro switch to manually pop the door(s) open on the inside of the door edge (like the C6 vette). The gas door, well I am going to pull it off and throw it as far as I can throw and have them put in a flat metal door that will use a push/lock switch setup to open and close.
Anyway, here are a few pics pics.....

Neil · 09-07-2006, 03:58 PM

More photos.....

Neil · 09-07-2006, 04:01 PM

and some more........

Neil · 09-07-2006, 04:03 PM

Ok, last set of pics for now. These are showing the widening of the passenger side quarter panel. I saw it in person yesterday and I am very pleased!

cooltc2004 · 09-07-2006, 04:11 PM

Lookin good.

CarterCarbureto · 09-07-2006, 06:09 PM

nice build, keep us updated

Airpak · 09-07-2006, 07:25 PM

Can't wait to see a booty shot. Good luck.

Spike-Z · 09-07-2006, 08:12 PM

Uh.. and I thought I had a lot of work... lol
Keep it up dude.

sully91rs · 09-07-2006, 08:26 PM

Dude... awesome.

Good luck with everything and keep those pics coming.

What kind of lower control arms are you using? They look huge.

Vintage Rest · 09-07-2006, 08:30 PM

Thanks for the plug Neil. We're enjoying the fab work and build on your car. This is sure to be a one of a kind show stopper!

CYARS92 · 09-07-2006, 08:47 PM

Are you stuck like I am using the same outer (rusty) wheel housing. Can't find a new one anywhere. Nice work Neil! I take that back, you're just handin out the cash!

Nice work Vintage Rest! Can't wait to see it done.

Vintage Rest · 09-08-2006, 07:39 AM

Neil has done a lot of the work to his car, he has re wired the whole car, gauges, stereo, helped with the orginal engine build and done a bunch of the frame strengthening etc. So he's very involved in the work on his car, not just paying someone to do it.

Neil · 09-08-2006, 10:41 AM

Thanks guys! This is definitely fun and in regards to handing cash out, well yeah there is some of that going on. Also, I know my potential and there is NO WAY that I could do this work myself. Once the body restoration and mods are finished i'll take the car and begin the interior and engine work. Here is what I have planned:

Engine: A 402 LS2 with a FAST intake & TB and I am unsure of the heads at this point, Hawks/Spohn LSX tubular K-member, tubular A-arms, leaning towards coil overs BUT might go with Air Ride if the $$$ is there, Hawks LSX stainless headers + y-pipe with Random Tech. cats (which are on the way). Oh and also going with a T-56, possibly a G-Force trans so I can customize the gearing

Interior: a 4th gen camaro dash and center console with 4th gen T/A door panels. Now, I really like the T/A door panels especially how they position the speakers BUT we'll see how they look in the car???

I'll leave you with some pics of what the car used to look like and i'll keep you posted with the restoration.

Oh, Sully91rs, the lower control arms "were" Hotchkis, but since I have been running 315's out back I had to have them notched to clear the tire. The outer side was notched and more metal was added to the inner side of the control arm to provide strength. They are slightly heavier but much stronger than the original!

Neil · 09-08-2006, 10:47 AM

Here are some more pics of the interior and I am selling the guage bezel/cluster with all of the Autometer Ultralite guages if anyone is interested. It has a mechanical speedo.

I made the guage bezel out of a really nice, thick piece of black plexiglass. It is cut to the same shape as the factory bezel and I made arrows for the turn signals and the two narrow windows for the information lights (high beams, SES light, seat belt etc.) functions like its from the factory.

Neil · 09-08-2006, 10:55 AM

Ok, a few more pics of my last engine....

Neil · 09-08-2006, 10:59 AM

Oh, and here are the C5 brakes and the underside of the car

Neil · 09-08-2006, 03:27 PM

more pics....far left shows all the Peel-n-Seal I used to help deaden the sound and it has actually worked quite well. Dynamat is better because it is slightly thicker and heavier, however for the price of $13.00 a roll, Peel-n-Seal it was worth it. I might go back and put another layer over this one? The middle pic shows a nice hole in the pass. side wheel well right around the seat belt unit. There is a little bit of rust on the seam of the wheel well which is going to be cut out and replaced with nice, new sheet metal! The last pic shows my donor door from a GTA Trans Am, looks like it fits really well.

CYARS92 · 09-08-2006, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vintage Rest

So he's very involved in the work on his car, not just paying someone to do it.

I wasn't bashin him, just jealous.

Who sells the peel-n-seal anyway. Keep up the good work guys!

xpndbl3 · 09-08-2006, 07:31 PM

peel n seal is roofing insulation sold at home depot, i might be putting some into my camaro to quiet down the interior with my motor.

MikeH · 09-08-2006, 08:01 PM

Man that is one serious machine...I would love to install some meat like that out back. Cant wait to see how it turns out.

Good Luck!

Neil · 09-08-2006, 10:50 PM

It's amazing how much these guys are getting done! They have had my car for two weeks and it was a complete car going in and now look at how much has been done! I am amazed!!! I've been trying to download pics that John emailed me, but I am having some downloading issues, probably will have to wait til Monday. Just to give you an idea.....new sheet metal was welded in the pass. side rear wheel well and it looks nice and clean now. They are starting to work on the driver side rear wheel now and most importantly all this work is paying off. I bought a Michellin Pilot Sport 335/30/18 and it tucks nicely under the quarter panel, very sweet! So, i'll post these pics as soon as I can.

MikeH · 09-09-2006, 10:00 AM

That could look really good if done right. Like stock to the untrained eye. I love the whole stealth approach.

Im interested to see where they add the material. Looks like its at the body line.

Do you know what rims your using yet? The ZR1s are they 11"?

Wheres the pics?

IROCZman15 · 09-09-2006, 07:34 PM

wow man, lotsa work, great build up.. good luck

cadman277 · 09-09-2006, 08:37 PM

Awesome with everything you are doing,it will be one bad*** ride!

jetblast · 09-09-2006, 08:56 PM

I have a 68 camaro just sitting in my garage, do you think these guys at The Woodlands can work on it? It needs a lot of sheet metal. I live in spring too.

Vintage Rest · 09-10-2006, 09:24 AM

Jetblast, we would be happy to take a look at it. Feel free to stop by any time and check out the work on Neils car.

Neil · 09-11-2006, 01:22 PM

Ok, finally here are some more pics...the pass. side wheel well with new sheet metal (all the crappy undercoating will be of course removed and new coating applied which will make these wheel wells look nice, new and clean!) The 335/30/18 photo shows how insanely wide this tire is, it's ridiculous!(the tire above the 335 is a 315) Who in there right mind would put such a tire on their car??? Also, photos of the driver side wheel well cutting/mod process. The ZR1's that were on the car were 17x11 (315'