HELLO ALL. I am new to this forum. Not sure if this will be well received, but here goes. I live in Australia, and bought a 1968 big block coupe 3 years ago from a regular importer.
I liked the car very much, although I didnt know a great deal about it, or Camaros in general.
I did establish it was not an original SS, or originally a BBC. Just a regular V8 coupe that had been modified in the USA before it was imported.
Re-painted in metallic burgandy with white Z28 stripes. Nice looking, no rust, and pretty good to drive. I work overseas and regularly drive LHD cars.
This year I had enough of driving a LHD vehicle on the left side of the road., and the crappy steering and choppy idle, so I have started, (and nearly completed) the RHD conversion, and I have hopefully improved the car along the way.
I figured the car, although nice, is not numbers matching, or even a significant model, or original in any way.
There are very strict rules regarding roadworthiness, modifications and imported LHD vehicles in my State, so I have done this conversion with a lot of help from my mechaninc and friend. it has also passed one of two scrutineerings by an auto engineer, who must certify the conversion before I can register it as a regular car. I previously had it registered as an historic vehicle, but you can only drive it 90 days per year, and have to fill in a log book every trip, join a car club, etc, etc...not for me.

I had to alter almost everything in one way or another, starting with the steering. The biggest risk with converting American cars here is getting the steering geometry perfect. Drag links have to be custom made for RHD, and the steering box cut and notched into the RH chassis rail. A big job, expensive, and you never know for sure if it is right. You also have the same old steering components you started with. I finally found a custom RHD rack and pinion power rack made for the 1st Gen Camaro with a BBC. this is when i decided on the conversion. It is the key element of the whole thing. It was 2500 AUS$ and took about 45 mins to install.

The steering column was measured and marked. The dash was sectioned and new steering mounts fabricated. Heater removed, firewall smoothed, dash sections swapped, fitted, welded. Wiring loom extended to reach the new dashboard position, new heater/AC unit installed. About a million little things done, and quite a few to go.

At present I am waiting on the new cam so I can start the engine rebuild, but I did want to get involved in an American Camaro forum since there is so little knowledge shared about these cars in Australia. Every problem I encountered had to be researched. Every part imported or fabricted. It is a pity really, they are great cars, and I get so many people asking about it. I could have sold it 5 times already.

I have some questions regarding the 65 block I have. I know it is supposed to have a groove cut in the rear journal to provide oil flow to the rockers/valves, but the cam I pulled out did NOT have a groove, although the cam bearing in the block does have the groove and large oil holes. What is going on here? From what I have read, this engine should have been starved of oil in the upper galleries and shredded itself. I have run this car for three years, and many times it has been run hard! Has anyone got any advice?
I am thinking I should go ahead and have the groove cut into the new cam and re-install it.

Regards, and sorry for the long post.

LR

 

G'day mate.......

Outstanding work! and very nice car.
I'm sure one of the engine gurus will chime in on the cam soon,I don't recall a groove on the cam in old big block '69 Camaro but it's been a long time back that I last worked on it.
It was an OEM Chevy solid lifter big block Corvette cam so it was stock GM stuff even though a fairly lumpy 565 lift.
Sold the car in '91 after owning it since '78.

Isn't the Holden Monaro pretty much the same car under the skin as a Camaro?
Just wondered if you couldn't use some parts to convert a Camaro to RH drive.

 

Howdy Roadtripper!

Thanks for the reply. Some parts from the HK, and later model HQ Monaro can be used. I used a HQ steering support, to get the brake pedal to hang on the correct side, and mount the brake switch, but it is a crude box compared to the LHD Camaro unit. I converted the drum brakes to disc fronts last year, and I fitted HQ spindles with a custom plate to mount the (HZ - 1978) calipers. I have used as much of the original Chevrolet parts as possible. If I absolutely had to lose an original part, I tried to find good quality and superior aftermarket components. The ages of the HQ and HK vehicles makes it dificult to find decent parts suitable for use on a Camaro, even in Aus. Plus, one of the aims for my conversion was to improve the steering, handling and to update the Camaro for a daily driver. The poor old HK/HQ Monaros are not much to shout about in those regards. You have to remember Holden had to make do with cast off or inferior GM parts, or make their own, usually inferior parts, for many years, and certainly in 1968. Engines, transmissions, suspension, rear ends, brakes, you name it. I remember my dads cars. In 1978 AC was still an expensive option in Australia (and he didnt get it!)It was only about 5 years ago we got the 5.7 LS motors available here, and it was big news indeed! Before that it was the 3.8 litre V6 (buick) engine. Before that was Holden designed and built 5.0 litre (308 ci) V8's. Like your Chev 305's and about as loved!!!

I decided to change the wipers to sweep for the driver on the right, so we had a tricky and time-consuming job to cut and re-locate the original wiper studs. It involved a lot of metalwork to the wiper cowl panel, and the undercowl itself. Extended the wiper main lever inside the cowl, and kept the motor in place. Had to disconnect the washer since we had to reverse the polarity of the wiper motor, and the washer doesnt work in reverse mode.
The dash looks perfect. it took a lot of hours to finish the welds, grinding, filling and rubbing down. there would not be more than a thimble full of bondo in the entire dash. Really a lot of work.
Thanks for the pic - they are a rare car here.

LR