Books every firt time 1st gen restorer should have!

[ogbean]

Ok... trying to build up my "resource and reference" area of my upcoming resto on my firts car...my 1968 camaro. So far i have the Assembly manual, and alot of parts vendors books...ricks, year one, paddok, classic industries, etc... i plan on getting the following as well:

1. The wiring diagram manual
2. the chassis service manual
3. the fishey body service manual
4. the overhaul manual...(if i can find a copy)
5. Chevorlet by the numbers 65-69
6. Camaro..by Bill holder
7. 67-69 Camaro restoration guide..by Jason Scott
8. Origional Camaro..by jason scott
9. A bishko reprint of the parts book

Does any one on here have any more recomendations on literature?

Also... does ANYONE know where i can get a copy of "The 1967-1968 Camaro Reference Book From A to Z" i used to have a copy of this book but have lost it... everyone says it is out of print... i really want a copy if any one has one they would part with or knows where i could get my hands on a copy i would greatly appreciate it!!!

[RamAirDave]

Looks like you have it covered pretty well there.  The ones I mainly use are the AIM, Chassis service, and MacNeish's books.  The fisher manual is probably a good reference also, though Ive never used it.

And dont forget, your actual car is a great reference.  Take "too many" notes, diagrams, and pictures of it while your tearing it down.  Because your (or at least mine) memory usually isnt a great reference when its time to go back together.

I'm not familiar with the "A to Z" book you mentioned.  I'm guessing that if its out of print, some of the data may be out of date, also.  The quality of info out now is often better than the stuff written back then.  Dont know about that particular book, though.

dave

[bertfam]

The Hooper book is currently out of print, but they come up on ebay from time to time. As a matter of fact, HERE'S ONE NOW!

For other books, check out THIS THREAD. It should be enough to get your library started...

Ed

[ogbean]

thanks ed and dave!!! i want to learn as much about these cars as possible...im bad about teaching myself extensive info on things...lol...u could say i get obsesed very easily...and im hooked on 67's and 68's right now!

[ogbean]

Durn...bertfam.. i was bidding on that book by hooper that was on eBay... i watched it through the last few seconds... there was a major bidding war going on there.. i decided to pass once the bids went past $35... it ended at $52.56 ...whoa thats major change for an outdated book... do they usually get this high?

[bertfam]

Yes, some of these books bring big $$$ on ebay. The big one is "Camaro, 1967-1969 Fact Book" by Frank Incremona and Dr. Murrell Dobbins. I've seen this book sell in the mid 100's!! I spoke to Dr. Dobbins once about this and he said it was nuts the money this book was bringing. (I was asking about the chances of him putting out another release...) He said he would be happy to Xerox it and send it to me for free if I wanted, but at that time (about a year ago) he didn't have any plans on another release. He said the book was too dated and would have to be totally revamped if he were going to do it again. Not something he was planning on...

But anyway, as these books go out of print, the prices go up. The old law of "supply and demand"... Start scouring the used book stores in your area. I actually found my copy of Dr. Dobbin's book in an old Seattle book store for a buck!! And in excellent condition yet! This was about a year ago, abouit a week after I spoke with Dr. Dobbins!! So you never know where one of these will turn up.

Ed

[ogbean]

IMO i think that someone needs to write year specific reference books for the ast gens. Think... the muscle cars are booming so it would definately have a chance to sell. Plus we all need a nem modern corrected book for specific years...make them multi author if it was desired...combine all the knowledge!