I went to school for cars (Vale Tech in PA). While I was in school I work in a body shop as a "grind boy" prepping cars for paint.I went to work for a dealership once I graduated as a mechanic, I got my GM certification as a Mr good wrench and 6 ASE certification in the 80s. Due to a bacK injurery that involved a 87 Olds442 and a warranty crate engine I had to stop working on cars. I consider myself decent at car repair but I want to take it to the next level and get into the restore game.It is my intention to do 100% of the labor when I restore my 67 (see my sig).

I started last year and have been gathering information and tools. I bought a truck to practice on. The reason for this post is I want to share what I have learnedthrough research to help other and get input on better sources for more or better information.
Truck Pic.
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/d...0/My68C-10.jpg

Tools:
Harbor Freight: Seems to be the hobbiest best friend.Do they have a competitor? Watch for sales.Just about all their big stuff goes on sale for 50% off and I away keep 15% off coupon with me at all times

Welder, This was a big one for me. I tried the Harbor Freight flux welder ($90) and has some success welding exhaust and making fixtures. The owners manual does not recommend this welder for metal under 14 gage. I tried it for sheet metal and I warped it. Also the fact you have to De-slag every weld makes it tuff to use on finish sheetmetal.I did end up buying a Lincoln 110V Mig with the gas setup. If you can afford a name brand this one tool its worth it on. There are 2 basic kinds of 110v migs the one likemine, 135t (taped voltage) this means the voltage is in steps, mine has 4 levels of voltage. The next is 100% adjustable volts like the 140C. This type cost about $150-$200 more. I paid $288 for my Lincoln. Figure the welder is only part of your welding cost. By the time I got a cart,tank, decent helmet (auto darkening) weld gloves, blanket and clamps I ended up at about $600.

Paint guns, I use the Harbor Freight guns for primer but I plan on getting these
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=12296&itemType=PRODUCT&pat h=1%2C2%2C1334%2C1339&KickerID=306&KICKER

How to:
Video's seem to be the best source on how to for me.
I have watched a lot of How to videos. I was buying them on ebay and reselling them on ebay to keep my cost down but I found a web sight that rents them at $10.I was losing about $5-$10 buying new and selling used so it was a wash and a lot less headaches.
Paint-u-cation videos are all good for restore andthe Rust repair and body panel replacement are great. Also any from Ron Covell are gold tho Ron tends to be a little high end (in his basicwelding video he recommends a 4K welder). Some the videos are a bit drybut I normally pick up a thing or two from each video.
http://smartflix.com/


Supplies: These guys are all about restoring.
www.eastwoodco.com

Parts:
I have a local guy that is tuff to beat in prices. He knows all the stuff thats out there and he knows when to use after market and when OEM is needed. Who has the best online prices?
http://www.dennyscamaro.com/

As you can see if anyone reads this whole post I do not address engineor electrical so if someone wants to add info on that.
I have been looking of information about [size=2]upholstering. I have found l

 

Welcome to the forums. Sorry to hear about the injury, at least you are getting back into it. Thanks for the info, harbor freight rocks. Lookinf forward to hearing from you in some of the tech threads, always looking for a different flavor for some of our questions.

 

I have been hanging out in the 3rd Gen Forum cause those are the cars I worked the most on. Once I get thru all this body stuff I think I might get into building my own Mega squirt computer and wiring harness for a LT/LS1. That ought burn up a good six months.

 

Hello, Welcome to the forums.... Enjoy

 

Got any more pics?

 

http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/d...2067%20Camaro/
Top of steetmetal on the car is not straight, At one point in it life it was in storage with stuff piled on it. The sides and underside are orignal andfactory straight. It has 14K on it. It has all the original interior but it is very fragile. I bumped the door pannle getting in and it stated to pull apart. The original owner must have beat it pretty hard cause the engine has been replaced. I would have thought the miles where wrong butthe enginehad to be replace earlyin its life. In the first month I owned it the motor mountbroke. It was the original, without the safty hooks. They quit making those in 1970.I have owned this car since about 1996.


I was showing these pics to a co-worker and he said"I see that brick there so the braked don't work"If I had thought about it I would have moved the brick but I would have put it back afterwards the pics where taken. My park brakes are fine.

I live in the mountains in PA in an old farm house,As you can see my drive is on a grade, that gradeleads right down into a big valley. One day my 7 year old was palying in my 86 Monte SS I heard the sound of the park break pop, I started to walk over to reset it and give her some instruction on safty. I was not in a rush cause the keys where in my pocket and the automatic was in park. I thenheard a second pop it didn't register but then the car started rolling. I caught up to her about a 100 yards intoa wheat field. I had to dive through the open passenger side window. When the car stoppedmy feet wherestill out the window the head was on my daugthers lap and my hand on the brake petal.

I guess the 20 year on theshift cable allowed her to disengage the parking paw, I do remember the clicking sound of the paw trying to engage. Needless to sayuntil my kids a grown and driving themselfs there will always be bricks under the wheels

 

welcome to the site