Survivor '69 Coupe with a 6-cylinder and a 3-speed manual

[68SixBangerRS]

The Fisher Body 21 plant is one of the easiest factories to do urban exploration in as it hasn't been boarded up to the point that it's unbreachable.  On each floor are remnants of the tracks that moved the vehicles...either overhead or in the floor.  I was last there this past May when I took my son to a cars and coffee at a buddy's house on the north side of the Detroit metro area (we drove the '70 Camaro with a 6-cylinder engine...a great highway car).  This was the cleanest I have ever seen the factory...I could tell that much debris had been removed since the last time I explored the building...15 or so years ago. 

The neighborhood surrounding the plant is known as Milwaukee Junction, and it is full of historic (and mostly closed) auto plants.  It is not a good area to be in during the evening or night, but isn't too sketchy during the day.  During my last visit there I encountered a group of half a dozen middle-aged urban explorers from Chicago. 

https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/fisher-building
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milwaukee_Junction

[68SixBangerRS]

I'm in the process of doing several things to the '69 at once...trying to figure out the rough idle issue (just bought a supposedly good used distributor on Ebay to swap and further narrow the problem), continuing to work on the dash pad and heater box (the box's movable flap is stiff from sitting for 39 years...it's slowly getting loose again with a dab of lubricant and working it), and the chattering clutch issue.  My buddy Scott and I dropped the tranny last night and put eyes on the clutch and pressure plate.  The clutch disk and PP are original GM parts and had probably never been out of the car.  The disk was approximately halfway worn down...still plenty of miles left in it, and the PP was very shiny, just like a mirror.  There is probably less than .010" of wear on the PP, but I'm dropping it off at NAPA today to get resurfaced.  The mirror smoothness of the PP explains why the clutch chattered...it was hard for the disk to grab onto.  I'm replacing the clutch, PP, and throwout bearing to get the car back to peak drivability.  Still looking for a 3-on-the-tree column (in case anyone on here knows of one).

[MO]

Sorry to hear it wasn't as easy as just a plug wire. Hopefully the distributor rebuild will do it so you don't have to pull the head.
Best of luck and let us know how it goes!

[GMAD_Van Nuys]

Thanks for posting the photos of the Fisher Body Plant.  When I worked at GM, I didn't travel much, which was okay with me.  Sad to see all those abandoned facilities.  When GM demolished the Van Nuys Plant, the cost to remove all the toxic material was substantial and the solvent used to clean the bodies before painting was taken to a place in Texas.

[MO]

Wow, saw your newest progress after I posted! Sounds like you have a lot going on at once. Hope even more that you don't have to pull the head now!

[MO]

Wish I had seen the plants when they were operational. I appreciate hearing the stories and seeing the pics from both of you. 

[68SixBangerRS]

MO and GMAD...I'm glad to post interesting bits about GM...I love GM's history and absorb and explore all I can.  I am a member of the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America and have spoken to many retired GM guys who are members of the VCCA about their memories of the plants where they worked. 

During a recent little car show I met a guy who has a maroon '69 Z28 (I can identify real ones from their cowl tags) with 12k original miles (a flat hood car with no spoiler...refreshing to see one like that).  His car was completely restored due to sitting in a high moisture garage...lots of surface rust on everything.  He said my '69 was the most original unrestored 1st Gen Camaro he has ever seen.  He commented on the PTB inspection stamps, untouched brake lines and master cylinder, and the splash guards.  One of the splash guards is right below the master brake cylinder (very difficult to photograph...really no good way to capture it) and he had never seen that particular guard on an original car.  Another thing that obviously needs correcting is the heater hoses...red and too short...those will be replaced this week.  I'm posting pictures on here and would be glad to take measurements of all of the splash guards in case anyone is interested.  I'll post some better pictures once the heater hoses are replaced.

[68SixBangerRS]

Note...flywheel being resurfaced, not the pressure plate...duh!

[GMAD_Van Nuys]

Your 1969 Camaro is in excellent condition!  My 1979 Trans Am has original paint, with the exception of one rear quarter panel that was keyed and repainted by the second owner back in the early 1980s.  The chassis is also rust-free, which is good as I had to remove the fenders in order to replace the power brake booster and master cylinder.  I thought I would have to replace the clutch, but it turned out that the rear transmission mount had separated and caused the drive chain to sometimes shudder when I would start out in first gear.

[68SixBangerRS]

GMAD, it sounds like you have a rare W72 '79 TA, and it sounds like it is a survivor...awesome.

I'm at a standstill right now on the clutch and PP replacement...the NAPA kit came with a 10" clutch disk (which is what their parts database says is correct), but when I got it out of the box and compared it to the original disk I realized it was too big.  The original disk is 9" and NAPA no longer carries that clutch.  I found one online on a website called Partsgeek.com and ordered it...should be here by Wed.  I could've upgraded to a 10" clutch, but decided to keep everything 100% original.  My '70 Camaro had a 250 six and a 3-speed manual and used a 10" clutch...it shifted like a dream.  NAPA did a beautiful resurfacing job on the flywheel...they removed only .010".

I have been cleaning everything I can on the engine, including the starter.  Note that it has the GM # 1107735 and is dated "9 E 10"...original to the car.  Like virtually everything else on this car, it is nearly immaculate.

[68SixBangerRS]

Like nearly everything else in this car the radiator is original.  I don't know if a radiator sitting for 39 years is good or bad, but I will assume that it isn't great for it.  The driver's side radiator tank was weeping a small amount and I pulled it to have Columbus' only remaining radiator shop, Arrow, look it over and repair it if necessary.  They strongly suggested I have them recore it, so I bit and told them to do it.  I took the ident tag and coolant overflow hose off so they wouldn't get lost or damaged, then reattached them once it was done.  I also asked them not to paint the radiator because I didn't want incorrect gloss black sprayed on everything. 

Note the "CB" and "IH" stamped into the end tanks.  The tag is a "UC" code, which the radiator chart on this site says is correct.  Between the "C" and the "B" is a small "C" which denotes the month of March as its date of stamping.  The driver's side of the radiator has two small bolts with brass nuts and rubber grommets.  I'll bet these pieces of hardware are difficult to find.

[x66 714]

The little grommet pieces are called Well Nuts. Lots of places have them....Joe

[169INDY]

Hillman 5/16-in x 18 Brass Well Nut

Item #137185Model #880512

1.50 avail at Lowes

verify size required<?>

[68SixBangerRS]

Wow...this is good news.  You mean I can walk into Home Depot and actually find replacements for all of the original nuts and bolts on this car?  Maybe it would be best for me to replace the worn out originals with repop stuff so it can be like almost every other 1st Gen Camaro.

[x66 714]

I used whatever I could during my restoration but sometimes you can't reuse items. Those well nuts is one of them....Joe