Messages

Did you ever measure the wheelbase from side to side? Back in the '80s we "staggered" the front wheels in my Chevelle drag car to get about an inch and a half more rollout in the starting beams. If you slammed the brakes and weren't ready for it, the car would dart to the right because that front wheel was set back farther than the left. I'd try measuring the centerline from side to side and then get the car in the air and get it "squared". If for nothing else, it might eliminate something else from the equation.

And thanks for the "Welcome to the site" and the kind words. I've been dabbling with these old cars since I was but a wee lad (really)! I must say that I have had a lot of fun (still do) and met some awesome people over the years through collecting and racing.

My family and I have been with what used to be  the Oldsmobile division of Anderson for a looooong time! Losing Olds brought a tear to my eye as it was a big part of our lives for so many years. I have some real neat Oldsmobile-related stuff if anyone is interested.

Yes Ed.

I'm the third generation in my family to be in the new-car business (for the same dealership and I campaign the dealership's last NHRA Stocker) and can tell you with both honesty and certainty that we never used the bait-n-switch tactic. We would order a base model car with zero options and advertise that specific car at dealer cost to attract buyers. Perfectly legal and nothing underhanded. That advertisement clearly listed what the car was and also listed the VIN and the amount of cars available at that price. Absolutely nothing deceptive and when a customer inquired about that car in the ad, they were directed to it as normally, it was on the showroom floor with the ad affixed to it. More often than not, it took some time to sell because of the lack of optional equipment. When it was sold, we'd pull the ad, and replace the car with another ordered with zero options. Lawfully, a car couldn't be advertised unless it was in stock and readily available for public consumption. As for Stock numbers, we tried several methods of internally identifying the inventory, ultimately using the last eight digits of the VIN as the year indicator was included. Prior to 1980, we used a system with the year and what number chronologically that specific car hit the lot.

Sounds like the seller is hoping for north of $5000 and is still fishing for the owner of the car with that VIN.

I might be interested in some of the old race parts if you decide to sell them. Neat car for sure!

I initially thought the same thing.....what if the left front brake isn't working making it FEEL like the right one was overworking, but I think we're past that.

Does the r/f lock up with no weight on it? If the car is off the ground will the problem occur? I'm wondering if the issue isn't brake related but suspension. Earlier in the thread, Charley made mention of a wheel bearing and nobody really followed up on it. I'm asking about the lock-up or "dart" while driving because if it doesn't occur in a static state, possibly the r/f steering and/or suspension pieces could have irregularities. I'm also wondering if the subframe is "tweaked" with a difference in wheelbase from the left side. If the lock-up does occur while on stands or a lift, then this theory would all but be overruled.

Is that last picture your car.....I'm so confused! If so, why all the fittings at the end of the lines where they connect to the valve? And, is the m/c new? Old? Rebuilt/refurbished? There is a missing link here and/or an old part that hasn't been addressed. In my mind, there is no reason this can't be rectified by duplicating the factory set-up. What in this system isn't new???

My guess is that there is a kink in one of the steel lines. In one of the latest posts, you said something about replacing the front steel lines; are you now telling us that the current front lines are old? Have you examined all of them CLOSELY and looked for any kinks? If a previous owner installed headers, there is a good chance one or more of those lines were bent, either intentionally or unintentionally. Many headers make contact with brake lines or junction blocks making an "adjustment" necessary. Shadetree mechanics are not fun to follow!
Please keep us posted on all updates or discoveries.

I was gonna recommend the 303, but was late to the show. Great stuff! You didn't mention what color the top it is, but if it is white, don't let it get too dirty; repeated use of harsh cleansing will dry out the vinyl and cause premature cracking. As a kid, my first '69 Camaro had a black top (Azure Turquoise w/ Black top, hockey stick and seats) and I used to treat it with a product made especially for black vinyl tops....can't remember the brand, but it was a black paste that really left a nice sheen and wouldn't run down the sides if the car got wet (remember I was a kid living at home with no garage). Also, try to make sure your top is clean and the inside of your car-cover is clean before you put it away.

Maybe it's me, and I'm probably older than a lot of the young whippersnappers here, but here are my thoughts: Rufcar, you have a fair amount of money invested in a '69 Camaro that is sure to appreciate in value. PROTECT yourself and your investment! That bunch of mangled brake lines looks like a day-old bowl of spaghetti! Instead of chasing the rabbit that you apparently can't catch, buy a kit from Inline Tube, Ground Up, or the Right Stuff and stop aggravating yourself! The kits, while technically not 100% concours correct, appear relatively like original (get the correct kit with the '69 hold-off valve) and WILL STOP YOUR CAR without you WHITEKNUCKLING THE STEERING WHEEL!!! As another member posted earlier, and I agree,  GM spent tons of money and employed many engineers perfecting that disc front/drum rear system. If it worked in 1969, you can make it work in 2016 by simply replicating the system! I get that you wanna save money, but skimping on brakes isn't the place to do it! What happens if you are out exercising those 400 ponies and a kid jumps out in front of you, or somebody texting in the intersection up ahead doesn't see the light change? I may have some used-but-still-usable parts in my stash, but when it comes to safety my friend, I blueprint every item in the steering and braking all of my cars. Good luck, Sir!!!

"Loose lips sink ships"......"and a closed trap won't let out the catch" (that second one is my own line by the way). Go get it and let us know the outcome!

The only positive thing I'll say here is that the '68s are great looking cars and get treated like a red-headed stepchild. I personally like them, just not THIS one!