Do your scalp a favour and wrap a few turns of masking tape around the splined end of the steering column. They usually take a layer of scalp every time your head comes into contact with it. I have the scars to prove it.
Yeah mine doesn't compete with these fellas, never will lol. Lewk that's a solid start man, let me go through your cul pile when you're done
Went to an old yard this week and the guy has about 15 Elky's with about 4 1960 - no 1959's.....and he's still asking for better parts for his 1960.....!
Are the vortec heads compatible with your intake? I remember some have a different profile at the intake mounting surface. I hope I am mistaken.
Yup, it’s the bolt pattern. I need a vortec specific intake. The Edelbrock is $$$ but Jegs has a $170 copy. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Oh damn, I hadn’t seen your El Camino yet. I’ve been watching your wagon. I’ve been kinda looking at 56/57 wagons for a while. I almost got a 56. I’ll go through your thread later. I’m trying to get my butt off the couch and go weld now... it’s cold out. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
4 ‘60s? Sounds like heaven. Too bad I’m halfway across the country. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
So I got the last half of the smugglers compartment floor in. A couple little patches and the trans tunnel and that’s done. I’ve been staring at the frame and cowl and things just haven’t looked right. The car has never had matching tires on it so I’ve been thinking that was the reason things looked crooked. The frame horns ahead of the crossmember are clean and I couldn’t find any damage until I finally noticed this kink on the passenger side right by the firewall. They must have jumped the fucking thing or hit a curb hard. I feel blind not seeing that before. I’ve looked and looked for damage. I put the back of the car on jackstands and got everything dead nuts level and then check the front side to side. The passenger side is a thumb knuckle higher than the drivers. Factory tolerance is 3/16”. I’ve either got to get this frame straightened or buy a parts car and just swap it out. I know of a couple cars I could buy, but then I’d have another rig at my house junking up the place. My buddy strongly feels that I should be shopping for a 4x4 chassis, but I don’t think I could do that to a first gen El Camino. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Fixing that is easy for someone with chassis alignment setup in their collision repair shop. Chain front and rear down to floor anchors , jack up under the damaged area with the application of GENTLE heat until it's the same dimensions as the other side, then add a bit more for bounce back. Could also be done in the home shop using a universal beam ( I don't know the American term for it). Not worth the hassle of swapping a frame.
With most of the frame shops in the USA equipped like spanners ^^^ mentioned that is a fairly easy frame to straighten.
Some of my decisions are cost driven. Getting a shop involved sounds expensive. I can get a parts car for $400. I guess I better price frame shops. I do have an big I beam sitting around (I assume that’s a universal beam to you). I’ll need to think about where to chain it to my X frame as the shape is weird. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Setup time plus repair I'd guesstimate 4 hours maximum barring 'oops' moments. I used to be in collision repair in my younger days, back when stuff was repaired.
Not that does any kind of autobody stuff. The closest we get is diesel tech and welding courses at our local community college. I'm kinda in the boonies so choices are limited.
I know how that is. I have a frame-chain thing that was used for straightening frames, I’ll round it up and send you a pic, might or might not work for your needs. Heck, didn’t think I’d find it that quick
So this happened. The frame is twisted, torn, cut, and welded. I’m not having happy feelings about this frame. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Kind of a flashback to my wagon being pulled of a 4x4 suburban frame. Looking forward to more updates
Pretty much If I keep saying it will be done by June, maybe it will happen. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Oh man, my buddy keeps pushing me to make mine a 4x4. I’ve gotta hurry up and get it low so he’ll calm down. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
It’s frame harvesting season. Luckily, my buddy and his uncle with an excavator were around to help. The junkyard guy has a pretty badass old Chevy V8 powered forklift too. We (I) missed the parking brake cable and when it broke as the excavator rotated that body started spinning and bobbing. I nearly had to buy a Subaru. Missed it by 3”. Not bad for a Saturday. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
So you just need to convince Lloyd that his Gasser Camino needs a nice 2x4 rectangular tubing front clip for the straight axle conversion and he needs to donate that heavy old factory stuff to your project. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Are the sedan and Camino frames the same? I always assumed the Camino, wagon and convertible frames would have been strengthened somehow.
The Jalopy Journal
