iceman

Brent, which plant is yours from? My Baltimore car was built about the same time but has sequence 4104.

Most of the reproduction houses carry the factory tips (Lutty's, OPG, Year One, The Parts Place, etc). If you look on Ebay you can find NOS ones occasionally. I've actually been able to buy NOS ones at the same prices as the repops over the years.

Tim, Unfortunately I don't and the car is in PA so I can't really get there to get some for you. What I can tell you is that when I tie the car down in the trailer, the tail pipes are low enough to interfere with the straps especially on the left side. The strap actually "polished" part of the pipe from rubbing. On the right side, I have to be careful snaking the strap over the axle then the strap actually pushes the tail pipe enough to create slack in last hanger. When I've looked at Chevelles with the Gardner system, the tail pipes are tucked much closer to the gas tank and don't have this problem.

This was early in the GM Performance parts days so things may have changed in how they do the warranties. It still comes down to buyer beware. I will say that my engine was built the week between Christmas and New Year so that might have something to do with the problems!

I priced a stainless full exhaust from Gardner with hangers for about $1200 last year.

I bought my system from The Parts Place. I'm not happy with the tail pipe bends. They hang too low in my opinion. I will be replacing it with a system from Gardner once I get all the cars back in CT.

Here's my crate engine story from GM. My 454HO burned oil from day 1 and always ran hot. I had about 2K miles on it when I had a local engine builder help me do some diagnosis. On the leak down test, 6 cylinders were less than 4%. #8 cyclinder was down 65% due to a bent exhaust valve and #1 was down 15% due to stacked rings. I took the car to a GM dealer to honor the warranty ... he told me to pound sand since they didn't install the engine. Since things had to be replaced anyway, I decided to rebuild the engine I had rather than fighting GM. I tried to drain the coolant but nothing would come out of the bottom plugs. When I popped the intake and heads, all of the coolant came up through the top. Why ... because the core sand was still left in the coolant passages so little coolant was running through the engine. This was also evident on the bearings because they were all scored from grains of sand. Fortunately the crank wasn't damaged (probably because it was steel). Then we started taking measurements on the block. There was about .060" rise in the driver's side deck, putting #7 piston down .065" when the piston was at TDC. So with a fresh machining and the assistance of a few really good gear heads with lots of engine building experience, I was able to salvage the block and crank but improve everything else to have the motor that I should have gotten from GM in the first place. For anyone choosing to go the crate engine route, just be sure to look at the fine print in the warranty to make sure that you are covered if you do any of the installation.

I'm thinking vacuum modulator as well. I had a similar problem with mine last summer that turned out to be a leaky vacuum line that ran to the modulator.

I thought that the wire to the temp sender was green. I'm not at the car now (stuck in Taipei and the car is in PA ... 10K miles away give or take) or I would check for you. I don't know if the wire colors were different based on whether the car had the gauge package or lights.

I do believe that the dual master cylinders like our cars have require a proportion valve in order to function properly.

Steve, My radials are on 8" ralleys. They don't really bulge at the sides like a stock tire but i like that look.

My stock SS has the factory G70-15 Firestone Wide Ovals. My clone is running BFG P225-70R 15.

Do you get Hemmings? There are several sources listed in the "Services Offered" section that do gauges and steering wheels. I know that the gauges aren't cheap to do anymore. One other consideration is to do it yourself. The printed circuit isn't difficult to replace and I believe that all of the gauges are repopped. That only leaves the plastic bezel. This can be polished with a dremel tool or buffing wheel and plastic polish available at most auto stores. As for the steering wheel, Eastwood sells a kit for the plastic wheels. The sport wheel is actually a polyurethane so it's a little more difficult. You're better off finding a replacement. Working with PU isn't easy (it's my living) if you don't have the proper tools and environmental controls.

wallaby is right on this one. The factory installed 6014 power beam headlights. You can readily find 6016 which were heavy duty replacements as I understand. They have gotten quite pricy since the Power Beams aren't reproduced. There is a guy on ebay that sells them routinely. He tests them before they are sold to make sure they work. I've dealt with him over the years at Carlisle.

There are actually 3 correct colors: Black, argent silver and dove gray. Some of the colors depend on the build date of the wheel. My wheels were built in May 1970. The 4 on the ground were black but the spare was gray.

You also need them for the air tank and the rear switch. I think you need 6 ... one for the tank, three at the switch, and two for the shocks.

The last I checked, you could still buy the brass fittings from GM.

If I remember correctly, the pins that fit into the body are spaced differently. I think that the 70 emblems are wider than the 71.

Rob, I thought about that but I can't see the 3 before the 857. I have the build sequence sheet from the flint plant (basically an inventory sheet for the interior) but I haven't checked to see if that number matches anything there.

Capri, The stamp was on the upper part of the door near the center ... just about the location for the pull strap on the door panel. Behind the Z20 there was also an 857 stamped but I can't figure this one out. I'll try to post pics soon.

Kat, I got the glass from Auto City Classic in Minnesota. You can get the glass with all of the correct markings and date codes if you want.

Yeah Mark ... the quarter windows are coming out today.

I'm replacing my glass in the SS this winter and found something interesting on my passenger door. Near the top of the frame on the inside it is stamped with Z20! This really surprised me since the doors for an SS car certainly aren't different from a non-SS car. How many of you SS owners/restorers have found this?

Well you know that the cowl hood was a factory option RPO ZL2! I know I have a build sheet ... wait ... my pink elephant ate it