Good As Gold

Before you can get to the final touches of completing such a project, there are a number of basics that must not be overlooked, and more often than not, more that you never counted on, because not everyone we deal with is as honest as one might expect. 

The whole premise behind this buildup was to provide our readers with some insight into such a project, and that was H&H’s approach. While outstanding in its final form, the project was such that anyone with the desire and will to tackle such a buildup could do so over time. Having said that, there are dangers when buying a supposedly restored project. Not everything is as it seems, which doesn’t always come to light until you get it home and begin to dig deeper into the car itself.

There are also situations when people who are selling a car don’t honestly know just what lurks beneath the skin. They may have not built the car, and they could have purchased it with the intention of doing more later. So, when someone tells you a car is rust-free, they don’t always know for sure, or perhaps shortcuts were taken during the build. Know, too, that when someone tells you that the project has been restored and that all matters concerning rust and corrosion have been taken care of, you owe it to yourself to check that out carefully. If you don’t, you may find yourself in the same predicament as many would-be builders do—having to fix and repair items and areas that you never thought you would need to touch. 

Be careful of whom you listen to and what they say. If claims are made, get them in writing or pass on the car unless the deal is simply too good. However, if you pay a high price for a car, make sure it is a premium car. 

Part of the problem with this project was that when the required mods were being done, there was evidence that the gas tank and the floor pan were not at all rust free, but in fact were rusted beyond belief. To make matters worse, someone at some time had masked those areas in an effort to hide or tidy up the problems. In fact, the trunk floor pan on this ’69—the piece of metal that virtually holds the gas tank in—was so rotted out that little was salvageable and the floor had to be replaced. This is not a condition that should be allowed to exist, as it can be unsafe. So, just because your restoration project is ending up being more work and costing you more than you bargained for, don’t shortchange your efforts by doing what others do by covering up the badly rusted areas with primer and paint. 

The good news is that Goodmark Industries offers lots of basic help in the way of replacement factory parts. Goodmark is well known in the restoration marketplace for its offerings that enable enthusiasts to more affordably add those replacement factory parts for classic muscle cars. In this case, not only did Goodmark have a replacement gas tank to replace the rusted tank, but it also offers the floor pan and required support braces to complete the job. 

It does take work, but don’t kid yourself. As you can see here, it is nothing that cannot be tackled at home, provided you have a welder or someone to finish-weld the new piece in place.

See for yourself. Read along and you will find that this car was in fact not a “like new” ’69 Camaro, but because of Goodmark, it was not a problem that could not be fixed. This Camaro was updated with new sheetmetal and a new gas tank that did not require hours of fabrication, but instead the final fitting of a pre-formed replacement floor panel. Such is the world of restoration, or in the case of the hidden woes on this Camaro, something that must be done. Check it out