I'm a Wesco guy myself,made in Scappoose, OR since 1918.
https://builder.wescoboots.com/
My highliners are about due for a second rebuild at 30 something years old,many years working and then retired to motorcycle riding duty only.
I had them rebuilt at Wesco once already at half the cost of new ones,wear like iron.

 

Yes, many many years ago, I was given a pair of well-worn Wesco climbing boots by my brother-in-law. He was a lineman for PP&L for most of his working years, and he gave them to me when he came down off the poles. We just happened to have the same foot size, and I wore them for several years. To be honest, I no longer remember what happened to them. Too many moves and maybe some close calls...

I didn't keep my Whites for long; too heavy for me, although almost certainly built like that brick structure we all occasionally mention. My Filson's are incredibly light yet apparently indestructible: I'm not particularly good at feeding and watering, but they shine me on... Also, they have a removable cork foot-bed, sorta like Birkenstocks, and also apparently indestructible. I'm reasonably sure they will outlive me, given how long I have worn them and how good they still look. I was originally concerned that they didn't have a top eyelet, but they have never come unlaced. Ever.

And yes, concerning Ricky, I have a really bad case of the Wants/Can't Waits... Today, I spent a ridiculous amount of time staring at the rear-end shot at the ends of the headers, just imagining what the exhaust system will look like, and still trying to decide how to terminate it: in front of the axle, just behind the axle, out the side, out the back. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

 

I can relate. I built this PC in 2015, and it's starting to get tired and throw tantrums. I think Windows and hardware have a lifetime, just like us. My friend, a Jedi Knight of the Computer-force, and I are now shopping parts to build a new one, and kiss this fine beast goodbye. Selected the Motherboard and chose the Pentium, memory and SSD, and a case to stuff it all into, last night. Now I just have to convince my Chief Financial Officer, so she won't divorce me. And decide whether to stay with Windows or wander over to Linux...

Anyway, Ricky advances! Here he is, 396 surrounded by metal to make an engine compartment. It is so cool to watch my car take shape, a bit at a time:



They're just waiting for the wiring loom to arrive so they can begin the wiring install. Meanwhile, brakes and fuel will be finished, and I think they're scheduling the upholstery sub to come put in roof vinyl and headliner. They have also installed the heater core, finalized on the outside and just soft-mounted in the cabin:


The Lizard Skin looks really good! A quiet yet noisy car! Darn, I can't wait for them to cut the excess off the aircleaner stud...

 

Looking awesome...I'm very excited for you. Also glad you have a couple mile stones ahead of me. Gives me change to see what I did wrong... What are those two holes in the passenger floor? Is that an AC thing?

 

Shop describes the two holes as "access points" and said there are grommet seals that will close them off. Not sure what needed access, but I'll move on. Does your car not have those holes?

I also asked if the hole through the tunnel was sufficient for the shifter range from reverse to 4th, and he assured me the hole was enlarged to fit the boot that came, and that they have verified all shift points have clearance. Today, they will remove the inside heater box cover, which was temporarily placed to allow the permanent mount of the engine-side portion. They needed to install the engine-side portion using body sealer that prevents water running down the firewall from intruding into the heat compartment, where it would do ungood things over time. Boy, 'time' is sure hard on us, both people and 1st gen Camaros. Anyway, now that the seal is set up, they can do the in-cabin half of the job, and finalize the heater-core placement. They also have a new heater control panel which they will temporarily place, cable and test that all works smoothly.

Turns out the headliner has still not arrived, but when it does, the interior from top of windows up will be completed, allowing lighting to be attached to wiring harness once they get that far.

Here's a couple more shots of the install to date, for those of us who like pictures...





Oh, and I was given a picture, at my request, of the clearance between distributor and firewall with the dished-in location providing an additional inch or so of clearance between tie-downs and wall:



Bodywork at its best. Looks totally original, yet isn't...

 

My car does not have those holes or any plugs. With the extensive floor repair you had done, they more than likely drilled those two holes to view and access in between the panels of the floor and the fire wall. There is a cavity location at the body/subframe mount location that is difficult to see and access. Some people call it the "mustache" panel. You should notice that those two hole are not visible from the fire wall side.

The hole for the shifter will be just fine. The shifter has a short throw and will not hit the side of the tunnel. Just make sure that the shifter handle/**** is not in an awkward position. You will more than likely have to sit in the car and get a feel on the shift *** location. You may want have it custom bent or fabricated to fit your size and driving style. My hurst shifter came with a very short straight 8" handle, so I ordered a longer 12" and had it bent to custom fit and clear the tunnel. Worked out great with my long legs. I can lean back comfortably without having to constantly sit forward to shift. The pic below is blurry, but can see how far back it goes. Got a good 4-5" clearance between the shift **** and the dash and can sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

Looking good and that's a nice '70? Chevelle SS,just say'n.

 

Here is a picture of my firewall during initial repairs, before the new bottom pan was installed:



You surely called that one. Although they are not in the area of the mustache. Just to the left of the rotisserie hub, you can see the cavity that the inner two holes access. I have other pictures where you can actually see one of those holes on the other side of that cavity. There is a corresponding cavity you can see on the driver side , and these cavities seems to be where two of the mounting points for the sub-frame are positioned, to attach it to the cabin.

You will notice a small jagged hole right through the middle of the mustache. Body Master ended up cutting the entire mustache out and making a new one, due to error by an assistant. He was not happy, but luckily, he is an artist in metal.

Also note the major hole through the firewall about where the accelerator pedal would be. The edges of the hole indicated that whatever made the hole came from the general direction of the right front tire. To make that hole, the engine was very "in the way", hence the replacement 327, and possibly the Saginaw tranny. I wonder if the driver still had a foot afterward...

Ahh, life in the fast lane.

I might mention that additional holes were patched prior to this application of primer. This firewall had seen better days.

 

Oh man, you would love the shifter in my old motor home. Because the engine sat between the driver's seat and passenger seat, the 2-ton truck tranny was back a ways. The old guy who built this unlikely rig made a shifter arm that came up out of the floor, hung a left to clear the engine compartment, turned forward to my side, bent straight up toward the ceiling, and about level with top of the seat, ended in the shifter ****.


When I was negotiating to buy this "Chevrolet" motorhome, I remember saying to the guy, "Man, I will never be able to shift this thing!" He said, "you grew up on a farm, you'll figure it out" and I did for around 300,000 miles... When I was parked at a job site, I would use the horizontal section of the shifter as a towel rack for kitchen wash cloths. Hah! Those were the days, my friend. I still wonder where he found the giant bow tie for the radiator.

 

OK, enough of this 'Chevrolet Motorhome' nostalgia, let's get back to business! First, and foremost, the question that is burning in everyone's (or at least, Y2Keglide's) mind: YES, that is a 1970 Chevelle SS, sitting alongside Ricky Camaro. Just got a brand new 496 stroker with Sniper EFI kit. Also, a new Eaton Detroit Trutrack differential with Ricky's same gears: 3.42. Very nice.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... some progress has been made. The heater is fully installed, along with the temperature control panel, and all linkages connected, plus core is plumbed into engine. All pedals are mounted, with accelerator hooked to carb, clutch linkage completed, emergency brake fully functional, but brake pedal not, as they are leaving master cylinder and power booster off until the wiring loom is installed. Wiring kit arrived yesterday, and that will engage the next week or two of their efforts. Rear shocks go on Monday. All brake lines are complete through to all wheel slave cylinders, so when they are ready to mount master, completing the brakes will take hours rather than days. Fuel line is run from tank area all the way to fuel pump, where it is attached. The brand new fuel tank is waiting for a coat of bed liner over in the body shop. A large job is getting ready for a coat like Ricky's, and they will do the tank at that time to minimize wastage. Shifter is installed, but still wrapped in protective cover.

On order are brand new gauges for dash (speedometer and Tic Toc Tach), plus a new console with new gauges. The steering column has been sent to a specialty shop to be completely refurbished, and the owner tells me it will be, to all intents and purposes, new. Only my steering wheel and horn button will be untouched. Headliner and Morris Classic Concepts seat belts have arrived, and the upholsterer will be scheduled. He will install headliner, seat belts, sail board panels, and roof vinyl in a single visit, so the car from side windows up will be complete, with dome light ready to be wired in.

Interior looks like this:



It is so cool to see my car gradually go from less than a shell to complete. It is sobering to realize how many tasks are involved to make this story happen. I cannot fully express my appreciation for this build shop and their dedication and knowledge!

I will attach my updated task list, with a few modifications, and double strike-throughs for completed tasks. I believe the first three, under the heading of Body Shop were completed before they moved Ricky to the Restoration Shop, but am awaiting confirmation before I line them out.

I was sorting through a stash of old pictures and came across a pretty good one of Ricky Camaro when I had very recently bought him, probably Spring of 1979. A fitting place to end this segment: