Messages

NVU makes a very nice set of aftermarket gauges that I would like to use in my 69.  However, they are in backorder on the gauge pods used to install their gauges.  If anyone has a set they no longer need, I am interested in buying them.  Thank you. 

We've all seen this...right?


NOT FOR SALE.  GOING TO FIX IT UP ONE DAY.

If you have not yet gotten a hold of any window trim stainless...I was cleaning out my spare bedroom and came across an almost complete set of front/rear stainless that I forgot I had.  They've been sitting in a box for the last 20 years or so.  They are not perfect, but quite nice.  Still show some wear and are not perfect.  I have every section but the rear lower D/S.  Let me know and I can send you some pics. 

sadekar@bellsouth.net

Thanks,

Steve

I have a OE set leftover from my 69 I can part with.  Not sure if they are the same, but if so, let me know. 

Until seeing that photo, I would never have thought it possible to fit a 69 grille in a 67-68.  But there it is.  I guess if you have enough modifying skills, you can do anything.  It could not have been easy I bet.  I would like to see closeup photos of the ends of the grill where they fit to the fenders, and see how they fit it in. 

I have...but had to customize the firewall.  I've seen some guys beat the firewall in and though it works, it looks bad.  What I did was make a cutout to allow for room for the larger HEI.  I then made a flanged box out of sheetmetal and riveted in over the hole with sealer.  It worked fine. 

Now, if you simply want HEI, you can convert your the small distributor already in your car.  It's super easy and not all that expensive to do.  I did this to my 69 Camaro and noticed an improvement for sure.  Easier starting and more responsive throttle. 

I used Crane Cams XR-i Points to Electronic Ignition module.  You will have to upgrade the coil as well, and they make one that looks exactly like the factory round one and will fit in the existing coil bracket.  I did this over 20 years ago, and it still runs great.  One of the best upgrades I could recommend. 

Here it is at Summitracing -
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fst-750-1715

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Installation of 4th gen Camaro seats and 5th gen console and emergency brake in a 1969 Camaro.

Before I did this I looked for examples of others who might have done this.  I could not find anything decent.  So, I thought I would post a few photos of what I did, and if you have any questions, please ask. 

For the console, I removed my original emergency foot brake and all the factory cables.  My rear brakes are wilwood disc brakes.  I used the rear cables from a 4th gen to attach to the rear emergency brake levers.  What is very important is that you get the small rectangular bracket that is spot welded to the underside of the donor car.  This is what the other end of the rear cables attach to.  After test fitting the console where it seemed to be correct, I then took the 5th gen E-brake lever and drilled holes and bolted it to the floor.  I then drilled holes and mounted the underside cable bracket just aft of the E-brake lever.  Now here was the big issue.  The 5th gen E-brake cable does not connect easily to the rear 4th gen cables.  The cable brackets connect very differently to the cable, so I simply made a hybrid by connecting both cable brackets together using small cables with crimps (see pic).  Basically, the 5th gen E-brake lever cable attaches to its proper bracket and the 4th gen rear cables attach to their appropriate bracket, and I simply connected the two cable brackets together with a small section of crimped wire. 

Finally, once I fitted the 5th gen console, I had to make small brackets...one in the rear, one in the middle, and one at the front.  I used the consoles original attachment points and fabricated a bracket and attached it to the floor.  I was lucky too, as the 5th gen console I got had the optional LED lights in the cup holders and at the front...so I get a nice glow if I want them.  If you look at the console bezel, you will see I installed four switches.  These cover up the factory traction control button and the power port.  I made sure to connect the rear power port however, so I can plug in my charger in the console if I want.  The four switches control the following:  Electric fuel pump, Electric radiator fans, low-speed wiper and high-speed wiper.  I installed a 4th gen wiper motor using an Astro/Safari van wiper motor bracket.  The 4th gen wiper motor bolts up perfectly to the van bracket, which bolts directly onto the factory 69 firewall using the exact same screw holes.  No modification needed. 

As for my shifter, which was in the stock position, it had to be raised a bit and moved down and to the passenger side about 2 inches.  I took some plate steel and made a "Z" shaped bracket with spacers that accomplished this.  I then bought a new shifter handle and boot from amazon. The 5th gen donor console was from an automatic, so I took the shifter cover (the one with the PRNDL) and ground down the perimeter until it allowed me to fit the shifter boot over it and then used contact cement to hold it in place.  Once I placed the bezel over it, it looked great.       

When sourcing my console from the junkyard from a 5th gen, I got both, the one with and without the gauge cluster.  As most of you know, the 5th gen duplicated the 68-69 console gauge cluster.  And though they do look cool and it would have been nice to install them on my 69, the wiring does not translate.  The 5th gen console gauges have a single plug harness that connects to the computer the sends the info to the gauges.  I could not find anyway to make the gauges work with traditional engine sending units, so I opted for the change tray instead.  Autometer (part # 5286) makes a dual gauge bezel for 2" gauges for the 5th gen console, but I thought it looked wrong, and chose to just keep the change tray. 

As for the seats, I got the houndstooth covers from Camaro Central, and a set of 4th gen front seats from the junkyard.  The driver seat fit the factory floor holes without too much issue.  Just run a power wire for the power seat and it's all good.  As for the passenger seat, the manual seat brackets are not even close and will not fit.  The legs of the passenger seat bracket are on the wrong side of the bracket, do not line up with any of the holes in the floor pan, and would have required a lot of engineering to fit right.  So, what I did was find an 8 way MANUAL driver side seat bracket from a 4th gen.  This is the optional seat bracket that not only goes back and forth, but has an extra lever for tilt, but is not powered.  I bolted this unit on the passenger seat, and now the front holes line up perfectly with the factory holes on the 69 floor pan.  As for the rear holes, if you try to line them up, you can do it, but the seat will sit cockeyed and not look or feel right.  So, I got a two small 3x2 steel plates, drilled a hole where the floor pan hole was, and about an inch or so over from that, ran a bolt up through it that lined up with the rear seat bracket holes.  The seat fit perfect. 

As for seatbelts, I bought Morris 3 point harness seat belts (they are NOT cheap however...OUCH).  As for the seatbelt rings that attach to the 4th gen seat, I recommend getting ones for a convertible as they have a slot in them for sliding the seatbelt in and out.  What is great is that you don't have to try and find a convertible donor car, you can get these on Amazon for cheap. 

Again, if you have any questions, please ask. I have way too much time invested in making all of this fit properly, and if I can help someone else avoid hours of trial and error, frustration (and swearing), I would be happy to help.   


     

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I see that there are very few options for cool side mirrors on our first gen Camaros.  I have seen quite a few Camaros with 2nd gen bullet mirrors and they look decent enough.  However, I did this back in 92 and so it is not really a new idea and has been done.  Plus, it's not like you can find bullet mirrors easily in the junkyards anymore and they are becoming a bit expensive online.   I came up with a new side mirror that I am betting no one has done at all, and is still easy to find. Power mirrors from a mid to late 90's buick LeSabre.  The switch for the mirrors in embedded in the door with the window switches and so not practical.  If you search around and look for a vehicle with a power mirror switch that is all by itself, you can probably use that.  I ended up using a Chrysler/Jeep power mirror switch to make my mirrors work (PT Cruiser or Grand Cherokee). It involved sanding the base a bit to get the right angle, but I think I got it perfect.  I spent hours figuring out the wiring and have made a schematic of what goes where.  If you are interested, let me know and I can send you that info.    Anyway, let me know what you think.

I was able to convert my 69 Camaro to have delay/pulse wipers and not look horrible. 

First, I got the wiper motor and bracket from a GMC Safari/Chevy Astro Van.  It will fit the firewall of the first gen Camaro, as the triangular bracket fits the firewall perfectly, with the bolt holes lining up with no issue.  Next, I removed a wiper/washer switch from a GM steering column.  I then took the turn signal stalk and cut it down so that I only had just a bit of metal and plastic that fit into the switch.  I then mounted it on a small retangular metal plate and drilled out holes to fit the switch as well as holes to line up with the mounting tabs on the back of the dash bezel.  Next, I purchased a factory radio knob kit, and attached the tone/balance knob to the plastic turn signal piece, and the main radio knob I fit onto the metal shaft of the turn signal switch.  Finally, I ran new wires to match up to the wiper motor harness, as well as the washer bottle/motor that I had from a vehicle I do not remember, but it the engine compartment.  Now, I have delay wipers and can also use the squirters, and best of all, the knobs match the headlight switch and the factory radio knobs as well.