My '01 SS restoration

[wildpew]

Originally Posted by TEGGSRB18C1

She doesn't look too bad. Always loved these later LS1 cars, test drove a low mileage '00 SS...I just didn't fit in it all that well. Still like the smaller body, they look great with that SLP front SS grille.

I totally get the fittin' in aspect, I am 6'6" and 225 lbs with a size 16 foot. not a lot of peddle room when one has 3 to deal with but I seem to make do and I really forgot just how much fun a stick shift is to play with especially a 6 speed like mine.


I need to get out to Rattlesnake raceway and get a couple time slips

[Blueovalman]

Congratulations and the best of luck with your build on your 2001 SS. Arctic White is a beautiful color on the Camaro. After seeing your pictures of your 2001 SS it doesn’t look like it will be very hard to restore as it looks to be in very good condition already just looks like it needs some work! If you need any advice or help I am always willing to help out. What areas of your 2001 SS really need attention?? I regret selling our 2002 Camaro SS what a mistake that was I loved that car!!

[wildpew]

Originally Posted by Blueovalman

Congratulations and the best of luck with your build on your 2001 SS. Arctic White is a beautiful color on the Camaro. After seeing your pictures of your 2001 SS it doesn’t look like it will be very hard to restore as it looks to be in very good condition already just looks like it needs some work! If you need any advice or help I am always willing to help out. What areas of your 2001 SS really need attention?? I regret selling our 2002 Camaro SS what a mistake that was I loved that car!!

right now the problem is finding switches, most seem to be discontinued. The main one is the headlight switch and if I can find a new one most of the gremlins should disappear. windows, power top, dash... they all work when they want to unless I operate the headlight switch then wallah it all comes together. Basically afraid to venture more than a hundred miles from home until all is well with it.


Car has damage on all 4 sides so I will need to get much done to make it right. I believe it's worth it though. love the performance of this car even though I had my butt handed to me a few days ago by something very exotic and FAST. not sure what it was but it was the size of a Porsche Boxter and even though I was winding out 5th I shut down before 6th gear. Never know what you'll see on the roads around here, place is loaded with millionaires and they have lots of toys.

[Jeff9962]

Originally Posted by wildpew

right now the problem is finding switches, most seem to be discontinued. The main one is the headlight switch and if I can find a new one most of the gremlins should disappear. windows, power top, dash... they all work when they want to unless I operate the headlight switch then wallah it all comes together. Basically afraid to venture more than a hundred miles from home until all is well with it.

There are new old stock ones on Ebay for $79 shipped.
Ebay AC Delco Headlight Switch

[Blueovalman]

Originally Posted by Jeff9962

There are new old stock ones on Ebay for $79 shipped.
Ebay AC Delco Headlight Switch

+1 I would definitely check eBay. Your Camaro is definitely worth restoring it will be a fun project! If you can’t diagnose the electrical grimlens yourself then have a electrical automotive technician, auto shop,automotive technician,or Chevrolet dealership service department you trust diagnose this for you it should not be too hard. Unless you are inclined to do paint and body work find a paint and body shop you trust and have them do the work for you. Restoring your drivetrain would be a concern. I would do a LS3 engine and T56 transmission swap like I did with some go fast mods it should give them a run for their money!

[Blueovalman]

Originally Posted by wildpew

right now the problem is finding switches, most seem to be discontinued. The main one is the headlight switch and if I can find a new one most of the gremlins should disappear. windows, power top, dash... they all work when they want to unless I operate the headlight switch then wallah it all comes together. Basically afraid to venture more than a hundred miles from home until all is well with it.


Car has damage on all 4 sides so I will need to get much done to make it right. I believe it's worth it though. love the performance of this car even though I had my butt handed to me a few days ago by something very exotic and FAST. not sure what it was but it was the size of a Porsche Boxter and even though I was winding out 5th I shut down before 6th gear. Never know what you'll see on the roads around here, place is loaded with millionaires and they have lots of toys.

What are your goals and plans with your restoration of your Camaro?

[wildpew]

Originally Posted by Blueovalman

What are your goals and plans with your restoration of your Camaro?

common sense has prevailed, and my pocket book.

I would like a Speedster type deck with twin roll bars right behind the front seats in place of the useless back seats but I didn't find what I wanted and on a fixed income can't really afford to have one fabricated so I will slowly replace the damaged parts as I can and most likely sell the car when we can break even on the cost. In the meantime I will enjoy driving her. I have to admit it is the best handling F body I have ever driven and I absolutely love the 6 speed.



Wendy and I would really like another 2nd gen F body as those are my favorite although this time around I will be looking for a Camaro instead of a Firebird. I may even luck out and be able to find somebody who happens to like my car and big bore motorcycle enough to make a trade, one can always hope. My motorcycle is near perfect and an '06 and American made.

[wildpew]

getting things together finally. just had knee replacement surgery Feb. 13 and relearning how to walk. every trip out through the garage I pass my brand new Z06 wheels and center caps (bowtie of course) and a few other parts. as soon as I can get in the car and use the clutch without pain I will have my wheels mounted and take care of a few matters under the hood. I also get to do a brake job at least on the front as there is this black goo that ran down my fl wheel. it's always something.


going to take it to a professional to fix the gremlins in the top and power windows, I have learned my lessons over the years and I know nothing about this model. last thing for this year is to take it to a body shop and find out how much of my house they will want to repair the body panels. Car only looks good driving or distance, she has been thrashed and I believe in an accident but fixed at home not in a shop. somebody dumped this car.

[wildpew]

Well things have been going my way so far this year but I'm done spending for now. I replaced the Rack and Pinion, Ball joints, Tie rod ends, motor mounts and bought 2 new tires so this car rides on the 275/40ZR17's it's supposed to, I also had the Z06 wheels put on too.



I finished putting the Ram Air intake together so I now have a complete SLP intake system. sure glad the car had been damaged enough to make someone purchase a replacement hood, and this hood does pass air so I know it's not a factory hood (lucky me).


Figured out the dead battery problem, after market alarm system. fixed that with a heavy duty battery switch designed for race cars. Since I park in my garage having it off is no biggie and if we take the car over a weekend it would be good, just went dead if parked about a week.


I still need to replace all the struts and I have not got around to getting the power top and windows working at will yet, first the struts as that is more important.


After I do all this I may start looking for a Arctic White "doner" car as I need both fenders and doors and a rear bumper. the less I need to paint the more I like it.



I'll get a better pic later

[Clyde Buenvides]

You're doing a great job with this build. This car has a clean exterior, I am excited to see it be brought back to life.

[wildpew]

Originally Posted by Clyde Buenvides

You're doing a great job with this build. This car has a clean exterior, I am excited to see it be brought back to life.

Thanks, lots of time is all it takes for a lot of this and not to get upset when it doesn't quite work the way I "think" it should.



I have a few other things that need attention such as an oil leak I can't seem to pin down, a sticky lifter, I need a new a/c compressor and some interior panels to repair damage from somebody's attempt at installing a stereo. in fact I have removed the after market stereo and made up a radio delete panel but the blown speakers are still in place for now just to keep something in the large holes.


Been too Hot here to do much of anything outside or in the garage, we have seen 9 days in a row of 100+ temps and a total of 14 days so far this year and summer has just started. even too hot to drive the car without a/c.

[wildpew]

OK guys, Life is good and this car is coming along fine but slow.
I ran into a guy who claims to be an LS engine expert who happens to own his own race shop so I dropped off my car early this year and came home with better than 450hp without doing any machine work on block or heads. The Calif. smog has all been removed as well as the smogger exhaust manifolds and cats, LS9 cam with all the right stuff up top. The 6 speed trans has been previously rebuilt so I now have new drive train, new suspension and steering. Found out that my car is equipped with a power steering cooler after trying to fix a leaky hose so am replacing that system too. this year cost a tad over $5 grand but we feel we got a good deal on the engine rebuild. as for the engine we found it is a 1998 block not the newer LS I thought it was so this car has been wrecked a bit more than I thought. My goul is still the same though as I really want this car right.



sorry I don't come in more often to visit but my online time is very minimal as Wendy and I are raising a grandson as well as an autistic daughter

[500hpbluez28]

Originally Posted by wildpew

OK guys, Life is good and this car is coming along fine but slow.
I ran into a guy who claims to be an LS engine expert who happens to own his own race shop so I dropped off my car early this year and came home with better than 450hp without doing any machine work on block or heads. The Calif. smog has all been removed as well as the smogger exhaust manifolds and cats, LS9 cam with all the right stuff up top. The 6 speed trans has been previously rebuilt so I now have new drive train, new suspension and steering. Found out that my car is equipped with a power steering cooler after trying to fix a leaky hose so am replacing that system too. this year cost a tad over $5 grand but we feel we got a good deal on the engine rebuild. as for the engine we found it is a 1998 block not the newer LS I thought it was so this car has been wrecked a bit more than I thought. My goul is still the same though as I really want this car right.



sorry I don't come in more often to visit but my online time is very minimal as Wendy and I are raising a grandson as well as an autistic daughter

Keep at it. Love the build and hope to see you finish it one day. Good luck.

[wildpew]

Originally Posted by 500hpbluez28

Keep at it. Love the build and hope to see you finish it one day. Good luck.

Right now I am at a total standstill as we are trying to find a clock spring part number GM 26069709 and it is not to be found anywhere or even sourced out. Seems that all my electrical problems are coming from the steering column as somebody at some point took it apart and smashed the wiring and broke the clock spring. Steering column is a 2 year only part applicable to 2 models each of Firebird and Camaro and yes top of the line only. looking at junkyards all over the country for the proper part.



my car has spent more time at the tech's garage than at my home this year.
after all this is fixed the car should be ready for interior and body, finally I hope.