SPEED TECH -Tubular front suspension install on the 68 Camaro

SPEED TECH parts are high qulaity pieces with laser-cut profiles, high quality inserts, power coating and hardware -

 First thing was dissassembly - which included busting the ball joints free -

                            Camaro already has adjsutable coil-overs, which just needed agood cleaning

Removal of the coil-overs was straight forward, Lower pocket mounts needed to be swappd over.

 Hopefully they are compatible with the new arms....

I put the same numbr of shims back in each side for now, 

but a professional wheel alignment will be required

New sway bar was also ordered in. Pretty sure the one I took out was already over-sized, 

but another 1/8" can never hurt - right?

Out with the old. I did take a photo yet, 

but the new control arms came with an ultra high end roll-bar end kit.

                       With the car way up on the lift now, it was easy to get at the last bits of wiring up front, so I connected up the dryer switch, as well as the AC ground conenctions.

I mentioned the O2-sensor install a couple posts back and here's the actual install. Even though it comes with 6 wire-looms, USB plus, 50 feet of 22 gauge "spaghetti" wire, it turns out to be reasonably simple - if far from straightforward.....

First up was to find a spot to mount for the gauge. Unfortunaltey there are no empty gauge holes (or the like) in the dash and I certianly wouldn't drill any mounting holes in the console - so I went with the supplied tin gauge bezel, tucked next to the kick panel. This spot gives the wiring a straight shot to the sensor mounting location, a bung mounted in the drivers side header collector.

Here's the massive - and daunting looking - wiring look that came with.....looks scary...

But after cutting back all the "optional" bits, we are left with 4 key wires: 12V-switched, ground, tach and dash lights....

                       Here I'm cutting and isolating the unused wires with shrink wrap -

And after all the prep was done, everything on the right went into my "spare wire" collection. The bit on the left gets connected to the gauge, with the USB cable being used for laptop tuning.

To run the 6-pin look from the 02 sensor located in the exhaust runner, I ran a thin piece of welding wire through an unused hole in the firewall and down through the wheel well. Then I taped the wire conenctor to it and carefully pulled it back through.

The exhaust had pre-welded bungs for sensors with bolts in them. Removing them was a cinch -

                        And the sensor, pre-lubed with anti-seize, was installedin the same bung -

Here you can see the wire-end coming from the 02 sensor...

Since this plug will be sujected to the elements, I cut the ends off a long thin parts (I keep everything..) and slid it over the plug, leaving enough to zip-tie at eithher end.

The plug was then tied off to a brake line. I'll fabricate a little splash sheild to further protect both.

Other items I took care of this weekend included the door seals and window opeing rubbers.

New seals are the best.

When putting a car back together I NEVER leave things half-done.
               The ash tray insert - and an underside bracket - where painted prior to re-assembly...

                 Come back for tomorrows mission: Speed Tech suspension parts: tubular control arms.

                                             www.E-tekRestorations.googlepages.com !

Carpet installation - what a difference

It's finally time to get the carpet in. Of course it could have been installed any time, 

but why get it dirty while doing all that other work? 

High beam foot switch re-installed first - 

Taped up any last bits until it was all perfectly sealed -



                                                  I kinda like the all-silver look....

To get the carpet to fit up front a hole for the trans cable was required. I always use a soldering iron to melt - rather than cut -  carpets for any holes require, including seat bolts, seat belt hold-downs and the like. Melting is more accurate, easier and -most importnantly - doesn't leave areas where the carpet can fray, split or tear. Just be sure you carefully measure and locate the holes before melting!

After a few days - and some well-placed weight - the carpet will lay down flat, helped by tucking it into the kick panels, install the door sill plates and pushing it under the rear seat. What a difference!

           All this shop work is HARD on the hooves!  I use Shoe-Goo for a lot of things around the                                shop, but only rarely for what is was originally intended for - shoe repair!