Preservation of a 68 Camaro

[cook_dw]

Photo 15 - is the tail panel before being stripped down to begin cleaning of this area. 

Photo 16 & 17 - That decal is a parking sticker for a local University here in TN.  Middle Tennessee University and is dated to expire in Aug 15 1976.  This was when the previous owner finished high school and attended MTSU in '75 but never finished as he was hired on full time with the postal service in Nashville, TN.

[cook_dw]

Photo 18, 19 -  are the tail panel cleaned and prepped.  Again using the same procedures listed in previous posts.


Photo 20 - you can see how the panel was popped outward around the guard mounting hole due to previously discussed tap.  I will address this once I am ready to reinstall the components of the tail section.  Also not that every bumper to body bolt and bracket had dum dum around the opening. 

[rocco376]

Amazing stuff.  Keep the photos coming please.

[cook_dw]

Photo 21 & 22 - While the trunk lock is out I went ahead and did a cleaning and polishing of it.  Granted there is some residue in the key hole after polishing but will be removed and clean when reinstalled.

[cook_dw]

Photo 23 - 25 - Also while out I cleaned the tail light bezels and housings.  Bezels were done with Zep Citrus Degreaser (can be purchased anywhere I'd assume but I get it at Home Depot) and a hand polish.  Then the housings I did the same Zep cleaning and after wiping them down I used #0000 steel wool and a soap water solution and cleaned the galvanized.  I think they turned out ok being originals. 

[cook_dw]

Photo 26 - 29 - Rear side marker lights were soaked in dawn soap and hot water to get them cleaned and then I used the da polisher and #205 to clean up the lenses.  Sorry no before photos on these.

[cook_dw]

Photo 30 - 32 - Last updates for today.  This was the original license plate light before cleaning.  Cleaning procedure is pretty much the same citrus degreaser but then I soak it in evaporust.  Once out of the evapo I coat it down with RPM (Rust Preventative Magic).  From my experiences the evapo will remove zinc plating or cad plating.  I decided to proceed as I was going to protect it with RPM. 

[cook_dw]

Photo 33 - Lens was the same citrus degreaser and then a minor polish.

Photo 34 - Assembled and ready to install

[cook_dw]

Continuing on.  As mentioned previously the passenger side bumper guard was damaged and wasn't repairable without welded and damaging the chrome on the shiny side.  So I dug around my pile of parts and found a suitable replacement as well as a set of very clean original rubbers and installed them.  I am pleased with the finished product.

Steps of cleaning were:

1.  Citrus degreaser
2.  Evaporust bath (submerge into 5 gal bucket).  This took a solid 2 days with the weather in the 30-60F
3.  Hard metals polish (green stick) on a buffing wheel on a pedestal mounted grinder.
4.  Finish with RPM on the back sides of the guards and hand polish the chrome

Hardware for the guards while using all the original components consist of markings of RBW (bolt supplier).  Something to note while I was going through my other guards I had 2 "A" lettered bolts from one of the sets.  Food for thought.

EDIT:  Like to mention the upper bracket and bolt were zinc plated and required soaking in evapo on the bracket and a cleaning & polishing of the bolt  Lower bolt is phosphate and only soaked in evapo and then coated in a silicone based lubricant.  I used PB Blaster Silicone Lubricant.

Photo 35 - 37- Before photos of the chosen replacement and the original guard from the drivers side.

[cook_dw]

Photo 38 - 41 -  After results

[cook_dw]

Before I get too far ahead I wanted to go back and clean up the passenger door handle and lock.  The handle had a very small amount of micro pitting but I feel like I was able to reduce it some.  So a thorough cleaning with, yep you guessed it, citrus degreaser and then hard polish on the buffing wheel.  Something I'm not sure many realize or maybe its me and I had forgotten but don't forget to button gasket.  Luckily mine was not damaged and still pliable so I reused it.

Photo 42 - Before handle and sorry didn't get a shot of the lock prior.

Photo 43 & 44 - After.

[cook_dw]

Photo 45 - 46 - Door lock clip in its original finish along markings

Photo 47 - Trio shot including the trunk lock.

[cook_dw]

As I mentioned yesterday I was going to have to source a trunk lid emblem and a header panel emblem which came in the first part of this week.  No pitting and a little worn.  Should fit perfect with the layout of the car.



Photo 48 - Header panel emblem

Photo 49 - 51 - Trunk emblem.  You can see the original painted stripes have the contour cutout for the emblem which is why I removed most but not all of the body work that had been done prior to me getting my hands on it. 

[cook_dw]

Not much of an update over the weekend due to other projects but I did want to tie up the loose end of the door handle bolts and their markings.  Cleaned in Evaporust and then soaked with PB Blaster Silicone Lubricant.


Photos 52 - 54 - Pass side door handle bolts

[cook_dw]

Next major milestone in this project will be building a small form to soak the rear bumper in Evaporust and see how well it can be revived.  Here are some before photos of the bumper brackets, bolts and nuts.  Again soaked in evapo and the sprayed with silicone lubricant.

Photos 55 - 58 - Before photos of the brackets etc.  Note the overspray on the outer bumper bracket due to the repair on the quarter.