My New '68 Camaro Z/28 Butternut Yellow

[dannystarr]

Here is the tag stretched out. Made of what looks to be thin clear plastic. Glad it wasn't paper, cause that would have been gone.  Danny

[69 Zee]

Danny, Just read thru your 68 Z find.  Sweeeeeeet deal !  Butternut, very cool... awesome job !

[dannystarr]

69 Zee,
 Thanx man.. You can have it for 40K!!.... As you know it is SO much fun. I really like searching out numbers, as I am an original numbers matching guy. I am not a hot rod guy, or a rat rod guy. I appreciate the talent. But I don't want a John Deere Tractor part in my interior.
 Funny I just finished reading your score... Super cool... a little more work than mine, but you will love it. If you start to get stressed, walk away and come back another day. Good luck... Danny

  

[dannystarr]

YEA!!! JUST scored a 3959 "326" Water Pump for the Z/28. Wow these babies are scarce and pricey for sure... Contacted Bill Mock and he got right back to me the next day. Bought a fully rebuilt ready to mount dated E 3 8 with the 1/2" FIP hole in the top. My engine assembly is 5 23 8. So 20 days prior. Now almost everything is matched from top to bottom except hoses, belts, battery and cables, tune-up items and tires.... Danny 

[1968 Z28]

You had good luck on your water pump....quick results.  I was looking for three years on eBay and finally found one this year for my car.  Scored one that was in excellent condition and only needed a rebuild.  My pump had a cast date of E-1-8 which closely matched the casting dates on my block and heads but my engine build date was 6-19. 

[dannystarr]

Hey,
 Yes I did get lucky. I have heard all the horror stories. Sucker cost me ALOT!! But Mr. Bill Mock has been doing this for corvette and Camaro guys since 1978. He has about 425 pumps. And keeps a rebuilt of each style and month ready to go. So he called me the very next morning and it will be here in a few days... Danny

[dannystarr]

HELP.. I pulled my distributor cap last night and wanted to rotate the engine to number one, get it ready for the dist. to drop back in. Brought it to TDC and the rotor was facing right at the center of the right hood hinge. So I thought, well, I need to go around, so I went around again and the rotor ended up right in the corner of left inner fender and cowl. What's the deal, what am I doing wrong? Is it because I needed to only go 180 degrees instead of a full 360? I pulled it out and will worry about it later. The rubber advance limiter bumper was gone! Just as you guys said it probably was. The shaft is very tight in it's hole with no movement side to side. BUT the shaft moves up and down 3/8th's of an inch or more.. Yikes!! The 532 point plate WAS there after all. Previous owner said it might have been changed. So that's a plus. Taking it to a speed shop in San Fran for a set-up. Hoping to have the Master, Dist., Alt all rebuilt internally ONLY. No outside restoration. That way I can keep the survivor visual. Then along with the new WP, throw it all back on in a month or two and see what I got... Danny

   P.S.
 Which way do I turn the center crank pulley bolt for removal. Is it standard thread? The old righty tighty, lefty lucy?

[1968RSZ28]

Which way do I turn the center crank pulley bolt for removal. Is it standard thread? The old righty tighty, lefty lucy?

Correct.  And it's "righty tighty lefty loosy", Ricky!

Paul

[6667ss138]

Paul, you crack me up 

[janobyte]

Lefty "loosey"

Not going to write a lot about it because it may only confuse you.

How are you checking TDC ? Both valves (I/E) closed? While you are into it.....pick up some Miister Gasket timing tape for your balancer...trust me on this. Also ,I believe John Z has an article on finding if your "pointer" (on timing cover) is off in relation to the line on your balancer. You may find it to be a few degrees off.

May be as simple as when they,at one time,pulled the distributor they just set it back in the easiest way it would drop in.And rerouted the plug wires to compensate on the cap.

Also when you put it back in,give the gear up a good coating of assembly lube.

[TRLAND]

Also ,I believe John Z has an article on finding if your "pointer" (on timing cover) is off in relation to the line on your balancer. You may find it to be a few degrees off.

May be as simple as when they,at one time,pulled the distributor they just set it back in the easiest way it would drop in.And rerouted the plug wires to compensate on the cap.

Lars Grimsrud also has some short reference papers on checking your balancer marks, finding TDC, and installing a distributor so it is in the correct factory position.

[68camaroz28]

HELP.. I pulled my distributor cap last night and wanted to rotate the engine to number one, get it ready for the dist. to drop back in. Brought it to TDC and the rotor was facing right at the center of the right hood hinge. So I thought, well, I need to go around, so I went around again and the rotor ended up right in the corner of left inner fender and cowl. What's the deal, what am I doing wrong? Is it because I needed to only go 180 degrees instead of a full 360? I pulled it out and will worry about it later. The rubber advance limiter bumper was gone! Just as you guys said it probably was. The shaft is very tight in it's hole with no movement side to side. BUT the shaft moves up and down 3/8th's of an inch or more.. Yikes!! The 532 point plate WAS there after all. Previous owner said it might have been changed. So that's a plus. Taking it to a speed shop in San Fran for a set-up. Hoping to have the Master, Dist., Alt all rebuilt internally ONLY. No outside restoration. That way I can keep the survivor visual. Then along with the new WP, throw it all back on in a month or two and see what I got... Danny

   P.S.
 Which way do I turn the center crank pulley bolt for removal. Is it standard thread? The old righty tighty, lefty lucy?

Danny, sometimes when dropping the distributor back in the hole the oil pump shaft needs to be aligned so it drops in correctly.  Check the bottom of the distributor on how you want to align it and see how the gear will match the oil pump shafts slot. Many times a long screwdriver is needed for slight adjustments for alignment and full drop in. Not sure what you have but that might be the issue.
Love that butternut 68 Z/28.....

[janobyte]

Also ,I believe John Z has an article on finding if your "pointer" (on timing cover) is off in relation to the line on your balancer. You may find it to be a few degrees off.

May be as simple as when they,at one time,pulled the distributor they just set it back in the easiest way it would drop in.And rerouted the plug wires to compensate on the cap.

Lars Grimsrud also has some short reference papers on checking your balancer marks, finding TDC, and installing a distributor so it is in the correct factory position.

Would be good reading. Forgot to mention the shaft, Chick caught it. Turns very easy.

Just post when you get ready to install it--steve

[dannystarr]

Too Funny, of course it's not a woman's name. Guess I was tired. I got some splaining to do...

I was checking TDC by lining the line in the balancer with the "0" mark on the timing cover. Isn't that it? I remember taking a long screwdriver and moving the oil pump shaft to line up for dist. drop in many years ago.

I dropped off my dist. for rebuild, and the guy wants to re-curve it. For better off line power. Should I say yes? Does it work well? Does it ruin the value of the unit?... Danny

 

[JoeC]

I had a feeling the rubber bumper would be gone

ask the speed shop what he wants to do before he does it

be sure to get all your original parts back from the speed shop

he may change the springs and weights and add the brass stop

you don't need to install the timming tape on the balancer , you can just mark the balancer at 38 degrees or whatever you want to set your total timming at