'79 Camaro Restomod

[Swims350]

Cool car, Andy. Just read through the whole thread.


I doubt you'll be able to get 275's up front. Especially since you've gone with drop springs (good decision). I had 245/45R17's on the front of my '79 and they would rub bottom rear portion of the wheel well at the steering locks. They might've rubbed the top edge of the wheel well on really big dips too, but it's been years since I had those tires so I can't remember for sure. A little less back spacing might have fixed it though??? 235/45's I currently have on the fronts are no issue. Next set I'm going to try 245/40R17s up front. I can't remember how wide my wheels are at the moment. 315's will be the biggest you can fit in back, and will require the seatbelt hump to be smacked in and likely the quarter lip to be rolled.

Something to look for... These cars regularly have the rear axel biased to one side. I don't think it was intentional, just a product of the quality control at the time, or lack thereof. The rear end in my car is off center by at least a 1/4" or more. Take a look at how your axel sits before you get too giddy about 315's out back. They might fit well on one side but rub on the other. Some guys on another forum have been anal enough to cut the perches and reweld them just to get the axels centered. I envy their ambition, but my car is driving and I don't like taking it apart for nit picky things like that.

A couple other things... Get the '78/'79 Z/28 fender vents. They look better than the '80/'81 vents IMO, and they're correct for your '79. Also, FYI, Classic Industries reproduces the '79 grill emblem now. No need to run the incorrect one ('78?) you have shown in post #36 when the funds are available.

you should see my 79 TA it's off to the pass. side I'd guess an inch or close. I had reversed offset cragars on it and the pass. stuck out a full tread block, while the driver's was near flush on some 255 60 15's 7 inch wide wheels with 2.25 BS

 

[scrap--metal]

you should see my 79 TA it's off to the pass. side I'd guess an inch or close. I had reversed offset cragars on it and the pass. stuck out a full tread block, while the driver's was near flush on some 255 60 15's 7 inch wide wheels with 2.25 BS

It's odd that they didn't have better fixtures for the axel assemblies in these F-bodies. I guess that might've cost something extra...

Thanks for confirming that this is probably applicable to Andy's Camaro too.

 

[TotalyHucked]

My square is like that, though not quite as bad. IIRC the pass side wheel sits inboard about 1/4" more than the driver's side

 

[bucket]

Cool car, Andy. Just read through the whole thread.


I doubt you'll be able to get 275's up front. Especially since you've gone with drop springs (good decision). I had 245/45R17's on the front of my '79 and they would rub bottom rear portion of the wheel well at the steering locks. They might've rubbed the top edge of the wheel well on really big dips too, but it's been years since I had those tires so I can't remember for sure. A little less back spacing might have fixed it though??? 235/45's I currently have on the fronts are no issue. Next set I'm going to try 245/40R17s up front. I can't remember how wide my wheels are at the moment. 315's will be the biggest you can fit in back, and will require the seatbelt hump to be smacked in and likely the quarter lip to be rolled.

Something to look for... These cars regularly have the rear axel biased to one side. I don't think it was intentional, just a product of the quality control at the time, or lack thereof. The rear end in my car is off center by at least a 1/4" or more. Take a look at how your axel sits before you get too giddy about 315's out back. They might fit well on one side but rub on the other. Some guys on another forum have been anal enough to cut the perches and reweld them just to get the axels centered. I envy their ambition, but my car is driving and I don't like taking it apart for nit picky things like that.

A couple other things... Get the '78/'79 Z/28 fender vents. They look better than the '80/'81 vents IMO, and they're correct for your '79. Also, FYI, Classic Industries reproduces the '79 grill emblem now. No need to run the incorrect one ('78?) you have shown in post #36 when the funds are available.

Over on the NastyZ28 site, there are some folks running 275's on the front, but some of them are a bit vague with their widths and backspacing measurements. I'll do as much as I can to get the widest combo possible. It's something I've always wanted to do with a car. The beauty of my test wheels is they have far too much backspacing, so I can play with wheel spacers to figure out exactly what backspacing I need. I'm also willing to modify/re-contour the inner fenders, if needed. Oh, and my steering box is from a 3rd gen with 16" wheels, so the internal stops will cut down on the overall steering angle.

Yes, my rear axle is offset somewhere in the 5/16"-3/8" range. I planned to fix that, along with removing the seatbelt humps and trimming the fender lips.

I'm a stickler for some things, but it doesn't bother me that I don't have the correct for '79 fender vents. I've actually always liked the '80-'81 style just a bit more. The grille emblem is just what came with my used grille. I did plan on buying the proper emblems for front and rear, along with a '79 stripe kit.

 

[scrap--metal]

Over on the NastyZ28 site, there are some folks running 275's on the front, but some of them are a bit vague with their widths and backspacing measurements. I'll do as much as I can to get the widest combo possible. It's something I've always wanted to do with a car. The beauty of my test wheels is they have far too much backspacing, so I can play with wheel spacers to figure out exactly what backspacing I need. I'm also willing to modify/re-contour the inner fenders, if needed. Oh, and my steering box is from a 3rd gen with 16" wheels, so the internal stops will cut down on the overall steering angle.

Yes, my rear axle is offset somewhere in the 5/16"-3/8" range. I planned to fix that, along with removing the seatbelt humps and trimming the fender lips.

I'm a stickler for some things, but it doesn't bother me that I don't have the correct for '79 fender vents. I've actually always liked the '80-'81 style just a bit more. The grille emblem is just what came with my used grille. I did plan on buying the proper emblems for front and rear, along with a '79 stripe kit.

Sounds like you have a very solid, but involved, plan. I dig it!

Please take lots of pictures when you center up that 10 bolt. Someday I'd like to do that to my car if I can muster up the ambition.

Regarding the '80-'81 style, do you also plan to add the Z/28 rear quarter flares from those years?

My opinion has gone back and forth on them. I used to like them a lot, and then I thought they were a bit much, but now I'm kinda liking them again, just not as much as before. Someday I will add the front spoiler and '78/'79 fender vents to my '79, but I don't plan on adding the rear flares.

 

[bucket]

Sounds like you have a very solid, but involved, plan. I dig it!

Please take lots of pictures when you center up that 10 bolt. Someday I'd like to do that to my car if I can muster up the ambition.

Regarding the '80-'81 style, do you also plan to add the Z/28 rear quarter flares from those years?

My opinion has gone back and forth on them. I used to like them a lot, and then I thought they were a bit much, but now I'm kinda liking them again, just not as much as before. Someday I will add the front spoiler and '78/'79 fender vents to my '79, but I don't plan on adding the rear flares.

I've also debated going to a standard type spring perch and getting away from the stock setup with the isolators. My thought is that it will reduce the likelihood of wheel hop, but I'm not sure.

I did get a set of rear flares with the car and if I were building the car 10 or 20 years ago, I for sure would have installed them. These days, I think I like the looks without them on the rear. I have no plans right now to install them, but maybe that will change later on. They can always be installed even after the car is eventually painted.

 

[RecklessWOT]

It's odd that they didn't have better fixtures for the axel assemblies in these F-bodies. I guess that might've cost something extra...

Thanks for confirming that this is probably applicable to Andy's Camaro too.

and my Trans Am. I was wondering if it was in an accident or something, but probably just crappy "that era" GM fitment now that you mention it

 

[bucket]

Dead project thread revival coming...

If finally reached a point where I can get working on this car again. Our move a few years ago just killed everything. But anyway, I did some test fitting with my mockup wheels. They are 17x11, with a 315 tire. As it turns out, my axle AND springs are shifted to the passenger side a bit. To get the wheels the same distance inward of the wheel lips, the passenger side would need 1/4" more backspacing. It's also about 1/4" closer to that leaf spring, which puts it like 1/8" away from the spring, or maybe a little more as I didn't actually measure. But way too close. So when I change the springs, bushings and shackles, I'll just get everything shifted 1/8"- 3/16" back to the left.

Other than a portion of the seatbelt hump, the combo fits in the wheelhousings great. The rear of the car still needs lowered 1.5"- 2". Trimming the wheel arch lips will need done to gain clearance for that.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[bucket]

Today I set out to determine if driveline angles are good enough. Without knowing that, I didn't know if the trans crossmember needed lowered or not.

My brain wasn't working good enough to comprehend the angles I was getting, so I decided to cut down the original driveshaft so I could install it. Then my dumb ass could SEE the angles too, lol.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Overall I rememoved somewhere around 4" from the shaft. It fits well and the front yoke clears the floor crossmember with room to spare. Provided I stay with the stock sized u-joint.

Here's the angles I'm getting:

You must be registered for see images attach

Now, that will change a bit with a spring swap, but it should be ballpark. The pinion might need a degree or two of shim, but other than that I think it's ok. So now I can hack up the trans tunnel some more, knowing that the trans isn't going to get any lower.

 

[brooksman9]

All Camaro rear ends are shifted that way. I can’t remember the exact reason. I know it’s on NastyZ28 if you get that curious

 

[bucket]

All Camaro rear ends are shifted that way. I can’t remember the exact reason. I know it’s on NastyZ28 if you get that curious

I haven't happened across that info there yet. Even if GM did it on purpose, I'm going to change it, lol.

 

[Swims350]

@bucket glad to see an update buddy, reminds me I need to do some as well, some things have happened and changed, and some bad things have happened as well.

 

[brooksman9]

Here is one post I found on the topic

Differential Off-Center?

I noticed that this seemingly unmolested '80 that I picked up in the fall seems to have a slight offset in the rear end. I'm measuring 152mm from the outer wheelwell lip to the axle hub on the driver side, and 162mm on the passenger. Has anyone else had this on theirs? Thanks!

nastyz28.com