Calling All Gearheads … Reader Feedback Needed to Launch ‘Project ’69’
Story by John Novak

I am going to ask for reader input for a series of articles!

By the time you read this, I plan to have all of the “Stuff” out of my four car garage that has filtered in over the years. All those bicycles, boxes, parts of cars that I don’t own any more, cars that I don’t want any more, etc.

I’m sure that you know the collection that I am talking about, everyone fights the same battle, as “Stuff” always expands to the space available. It just seems to appear, and one day without warning “Bam” you just can’t find anything anymore!


The reason for all of the house cleaning is that David, our Editor, has given me a challenge. He has handed me a very large carburetor and asked me to build a car around it! I have given this much thought, and have decided to do something different. I plan to provide a series of articles detailing the “build”, with lots of photos covering the process that we will call “Project 69”.

Project 69 is going to be a focus on the body-off customization of a 1969 El Camino. Here is where the CruZin’ readers come in. I want you to help with the design. I want to go in a different direction, a real head turner. You can send me your input at: cruzinproject69@gmail.com.

First off we will need to decide if this ride will be set up for drag racing, road trips, serious street efforts, or just mind blowing cruising. The one thing this project will not be is a “Trailer Queen” that never leaves the comfort of its heated garage or trailer. Project 69 will be driven hard.

I will need to know what you want to see in every area:

Suspension: Do we add a new front clip or an upgrade of the old “A” body stuff with trick new parts?

Do you want to see a Tubed 4 link in the rear, or a stiff upgrade to the stock setup.

Rear Axle: Update the original 10- bolt, build and swap in a 12-bolt, or go for a custom fabricated 9-inch to take up the horsepower.

Body: Tilt glass front end, shaved door handles, with a full cage, and a custom interior with carbon fiber dash & door panels or a sleeper that is stone stock.

Engine: Small Block, Big Block, Very Big Block. Remember I am looking for something different, something that will go for the “Double-Take” when they glance under the hood.

Transmission: TH400, 5-speed it’s your call.

All I need is your feedback, and the time to organize the project.

One thing that is not up for grabs at this point, unless someone blows my mind is the paint. I want that to be old school Garnet Red and Black..

Now to answer a few questions that crossed my desk:

I was recently asked if a smaller 8-inch power brake booster in place of a stock 11-inch unit could be used to gain the needed clearance for tall valve covers (installed for new roller rockers). Stock power boosters are sized for the weight of the vehicle. The smaller booster may not be able to keep up as there will not be enough vacuum available to exceed the demand for pressure. Some new aftermarket units have improved chamber designs and produce more pressure, so make sure you know the total vehicle weight that you want to stop before making this modification.

The “Sticky Wheel” holds the grease. Why do hard plastic steering wheels get sticky no matter how much you clean them? The plastic used in days gone by was actually very porous. Oils from your hands and oil based cleaners build up in the pores and soften when they warm up in the summer heat. Clean it with a solvent like lacquer thinner or acetone (Make sure it does not harm the plastic) then use a paste wax to seal the surface.

Will unleaded gas erode the valves in a pre 60’s engine? In a controversial word - No. Lead oxide melts at about 800-888 degrees Fahrenheit, far below the combustion chamber temperature. Lead was used as a cost effective way to raise the octane rating in days gone by. Valve recession as the engineers call it is usually a symptom of an engine under extreme load, or high RPM.

What is the best thing to do for a car that is being stored for a long period of time? I could fill an article with all of the little things that need to be done, but the single best trick is to “Just Drive-it” for 30 minuets per month! And isn’t that why we own them?

Finally, what is the best way to strip old metal? Well, several options exist and each has its own set of pro’s & con’s.

Sandblasting is the old standby. It is fast and cuts rust, however it gets into everything! You can tape off the whole car and sand/grit will still find a way into places that will show up later. I only like to sandblast bare heavy metal items like frames and castings. Sandblasting can distort and stretch sheet metal and work-hardens the surface making the panel stiffer and prone to future cracking.

Media blasting uses a hard plastic shot instead of sand. This will remove the paint and won’t harm the metal, but it will not effectively remove rust or body fillers. You will have dust everywhere, but no destructive sand in your parts.

Tanking in caustic solvents has been used for decades and is usually the most complete method, but you must wash off every drop of the caustic residue or the paint in those areas will eventually fail. This process is lethal to leaded panels, as the lead will oxidize which will make it chalky white and brittle. In most cases all of the lead will need to be replaced.

None of these methods are acceptable for use on aluminum! I would only use an approved chemical stripper applied by hand on aluminum, and carefully monitor the process.

I hope this helps everyone just a bit, and I look forward to your input on Project 69.