Neil

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

More photos.....

Neil

and some more........

Neil

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

iTrader: (4)

Lookin good.

CarterCarbureto

iTrader: (1)

nice build, keep us updated

Airpak

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

Spike-Z

iTrader: (4)

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

sully91rs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Neil

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

Neil

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

I wasn't bashin him, just jealous. Who sells the peel-n-seal anyway. Keep up the good work guys!

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

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

iTrader: (10)

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

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

iTrader: (10)

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

iTrader: (25)

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

cadman277

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

jetblast

iTrader: (1)

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

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

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's) and 17 x 9.5 (275's). I am not quite sure with the wheel I will be going with now, i'll keep you posted though, of course!

Neil

Some more.......(thanks John for the pics!)

Neil

On Saturday I removed the steering column & box, brake booster and all front brake lines, so the engine comp. is clear of big obstructions. The k-member will be replaced so I am not worried about that.

Neil

As you might have figured already I am having some panels, doors, quarters replaced because before I owned the car it had been wrecked and the repairs performed were horrible (excessive use of Bondo and fiberglass) or due to rust. Rust was from the wonderful salt used up north (Ontario, Canada) Oh, well that will be gone now!!!
Anyway, here are photos of the driver side quarter "widening" and one showing the "new" left rear tail light section.

Neil

and a couple more....

CYARS92

How are the factory taillights going to fit with the quarters going out the extra couple inches?

87CIZ

iTrader: (8)

very good question. taillights are going to look funny unless you do something custom with them also.

Fastcamaro87

man, i cant wait to see this car when its done, great work so far!! This ride is gonna be so sick,

I Agree about the tail`s guys, my thought was to move them out further, and just make new black filler peices on the inboard side near the license plate. maybe take 2 of em and plastic weld/epoxy them etc. or just make new ones outta fiberglass

Vintage Rest

The whole rear end and tail lights, center piece etc will appear "factory". Unless you know the F body well, you won't be able to see that anything has changed from factory lines

Fastcamaro87

well right now you are talking to a bunch of guys who know these cars inside and out, every nut n bolt, so of course we will notice...

i can understand that this is a work in progress tho, and i see how you did the other side.and it is pretty indistinguishable from stock.

rocluvr0013

hmm interesting.

Looks great thus far, but im skeptical about the taillights. Keep it up and us posted.

Vintage Rest

you will just have to wait and see, btw, not even GM had created an F body that will tuck 335's with a standard rear end, from what I understand. Neil will probably have one of one!

Neil

I love the tail light controversy! IMO, if it is necessary to add material to the tail lights to fill in the license plate area, no problem! However, I don't believe that will be necessary.
On another note, I ordered the C6 ZO6 calipers, rotors, and all e-brake hardware and that should be in by the end of the week. I can't wait to post those photos, this is a mod I have been waiting to do for quite a while. Once I get the brakes on, i'll determine the correct backspacing and spoke clearance for a set of i-Forged Aeros: 18x9.5 and 18x12.
And, some more pics.....

MikeH

iTrader: (10)

Awesome cant wait to see the finished product!

Just how tall are 335s?

Arent those stock viper sizes?

Neil

Yeah, to my knowledge they are stock viper tires. As to how tall, not sure but i'll show you another pic.

NomadTA

iTrader: (1)

Neil,

Did you get the car from Ontario originally? Curious why you wouldn't have started with a cleaner and undamaged shell. I picked up our latest Z28 from the bottom oy NY state. Up here they are pretty much toats if they've been winter driven.

Steve

Neil

Steve, well, in short I bought the car in London, Ontario originally and was a dumb *** and had a roll cage and SFC welded in and just couldn't part with the ole rust bucket (actually the rust wasn't too bad)! But, you're right that would have been the smarter approach. I drove the car on snow (when it was stock) once and it was ridiculous to control, but man was that fun!

Vintage Rest

Hey Neil, great thread. I'll measure the ht of the 335's for these guys, they are pretty much the same as your 315's on the zr1 wheels though

BADNBLK

iTrader: (11)

I really like what you've got started here. Makes me jealous! Make sure you keep us posted

NomadTA

iTrader: (1)

Neil,

I used to have an 85 Z28 that I drove all year until 93 when I traded it on a mini-van. I found that with a 100lb sack of grain in the back well it would go through most snowstorms and icy roads with the stock Eagle GT's, even towing a snowmobile trailer.

The winter took a toll on it though and it was rusting when I got rid of it. Now the Camaro's and Firebird are summer use only. The Dodge Magnum I have handles the snow fine but only with winter tires, otherwise it's useless.

Anyway didn't want to mess up your thread. Nice car underway and looking forward to the completed pics.

Steve

Neil

BADNBLK very nice car, your jealous why? Your car is awesome! Very cool ride you have.

BADNBLK

iTrader: (11)

Don't get me wrong I love my car, but there are things that I would love to do to my car (widen fenders) body wise that would not make sense untill there is a reason, like damaged paint, or win the lottery. Untill that time I will just have to be jealous of those folks that have went these routes .

Again great project, and keep me posted... I may have to copy, if the lottery plan comes together

CYARS92

Somethings going to be necessary in that area if they just plan on moving the taillights out as far as the quarters. Doesn't look like a major problem compared to everything else going on though!

Neil

More pics...of the almost final product.