One of the shortcomings of the early Camaro is the lack of room to stuff some serious rear tires under the stock quarters. The shock mounts are outboard of the framerails, and the framerails themselves angle outward toward the rear corners of the car starting at about the axle centerline. These two factors have eliminated the option of traditional mini-tubs-that is until Detroit Speed & Engineering developed a kit to make mini-tubs, and a 335 tire, possible inside the stock F-body quarters. The Detroit Speed kit comes with a DVD and detailed instructions for installing these parts in a solid body, but this car needed both quarters and a trunk floor which, in a way, makes things easier because removing those parts grants greater access to do the wheeltub and framerail modifications. Because high-quality, accurate parts are essential to the success of any restoration, Muscle Car Restorations (MCR) in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, uses Auto Metal Direct (AMD) as its source for sheetmetal. The modified inner halves of the wheeltubs from Detroit Speed played very nicely with the outer halves from AMD. Although we're taking a pretty big bite doing the quarters, trunk floor, and mini-tubs all at once, this is more than likely what most of you will be faced with. So let's go for it. Start by getting all of the old parts out of your way to gain better access for drilling out spot welds. Be sure to properly brace and support the car so everything stays straight and square. In this photo, the outer and inner quarters have been removed, exposing the rusty wheeltubs and trunk extensions.Start by getting all of the old parts out of your way to gain better access for drilling o Even after the spot welds are drilled with Blair Rotabroach Cutters, some parts may need a little help getting separated. You should also plan on using up a few Spedecut cutoff wheels and an air chisel to aid in removing some of the remaining pieces.Even after the spot welds are drilled with Blair Rotabroach Cutters, some parts may need a When you are pulling panels, be sure to leave the shock mounts in place, as you will be cutting them per Detroit Speed's measurements.When you are pulling panels, be sure to leave the shock mounts in place, as you will be cu Before you remove the inner part of the wheeltub, add a brace to support the trunk hinge mount and rear valance area. The mount will need to be removed, shortened, and fitted to the new inner tub.Before you remove the inner part of the wheeltub, add a brace to support the trunk hinge m Surprise, surprise! MCR found some hidden damage and determined that it would be best to replace the framerails also. It's not that much extra work with everything else out of the way, but custom jigs must be built prior to removing the originals to ensure that the new AMD rails will fit exactly like the old ones. A positive surprise was that the AMD rails were made from 0.095-inch steel; the factory ones were made with 0.040-inch.Surprise, surprise! MCR found some hidden damage and determined that it would be best to r The quarter is actually glued into the driprail channel, so you'll need a grinder to remove that edge. Again, cut away the major portion of what's left so you can gain access to the various spot welds and can then pick away at the rest of it.The quarter is actually glued into the driprail channel, so you'll need a grinder to remov Leave the original doorjamb in place so its gap can be adjusted later for a perfect fit. Try to save a short piece of the quarter along the rocker seam, as it's difficult to gain access to weld the new quarter to the rocker. The new metal will be cut and butt-welded to this old section.Try to save a short piece of the quarter along the rocker seam, as it's difficult to gain Here you can see how the shock mount and the marked section of the framerail would prevent a larger inner tub from being installed. Detroit Speed provides a template that marks the section of the frame that needs to be removed.Here you can see how the shock mount and the marked section of the framerail would prevent Even though Detroit Speed provides templates for making the filler plates, MCR chose to make its own patterns with some extra height so the inner half of the tub could be welded directly to the plates.Even though Detroit Speed provides templates for making the filler plates, MCR chose to ma Here you can see how notching the rail makes that 2 3/4 inches available to widen the inner tub.Here you can see how notching the rail makes that 2 3/4 inches available to widen the inne A section of the floor under the rear seat also needs to be moved inboard to make room for the forward part of the inner tub.A section of the floor under the rear seat also needs to be moved inboard to make room for This really should go without saying, but given the variations from one car to the next, you absolutely must mock up and test-fit every part (as many times as it takes) to be sure it fits properly on your car before any final welding is done. Auto Metal Direct and Detroit Speed are both producing superior quality parts, but don't assume that every part will just slip effortlessly into place. Be prepared to massage the parts and do some custom fitting. Clamp it all in place and mark the parts so the proper registrations can be duplicated during final welding.This really should go without saying, but given the variations from one car to the next, y This Detroit Speed crossmember is part of the mini-tub kit and not only provides a mounting location for the upper shock mounts, now inboard of the framerails, but also adds considerable additional strength to the back half of the car.This Detroit Speed crossmember is part of the mini-tub kit and not only provides a mountin For added strength, MCR opted to close up the openings in the sheetmetal with 1/8-inch plate. The red line marks the lower edge of the inner wheeltub and provides a reference for its exact location.For added strength, MCR opted to close up the openings in the sheetmetal with 1/8-inch pl As part of the final welding of the modified part of the framerail, an additional piece was added to the top of the rail to fully box in this section.As part of the final welding of the modified part of the framerail, an additional piece wa Holes were punched about every 2 inches in the flange of the outer half of the tub before it was tacked to the inner half. The tub assembly will then be clamped in place while the trunk floor is being installed. Note the reference marks that will ensure exact proper fit when it comes time to do the final welding.Holes were punched about every 2 inches in the flange of the outer half of the tub before To allow space for the upper shock mount crossmember, the trunk floor needs to be cut per a Detroit Speed-supplied measurement. Leave some extra material for final trimming later. The extreme forward portion of the original floor will be kept.To allow space for the upper shock mount crossmember, the trunk floor needs to be cut per This trunk floor radius has to be sectioned and moved back to the new frame profile to accommodate the new inner tub location.This trunk floor radius has to be sectioned and moved back to the new frame profile to acc With the trunk floor fit confirmed and clamped in place, the shock mount crossmember was turned upside down and a straightedge used to mark the final trim point. The floor will eventually be welded directly to the crossmember.With the trunk floor fit confirmed and clamped in place, the shock mount crossmember was t From underneath the car, draw a trace around the frame so its location is known when drilling the holes for the plug welds that will attach the floor to the frame. Holes will need to be drilled everywhere there was a factory spot weld so the parts can be plug-welded together.From underneath the car, draw a trace around the frame so its location is known when drill Once you are sure that all the parts fit perfectly together, final welding can begin. All the factory spot welds are replaced with plug welds. Remaining original parts will have the holes created by drilling out the spot welds, while the new parts will have to have holes punched in them.All the factory spot welds are replaced with plug welds. Remaining original parts will hav The trunk lid hinge support had to be shortened about 1 1/2 inches. The trunk floor drop-off must be in place before the quarter goes on. Cleco pins are a great alternative when an area can't be reached with a clamp. Once the drop-off is properly located with the quarter clamped in place, remove the trunk floor to clamp and plug-weld the drop-off to the floor.The trunk floor drop-off must be in place before the quarter goes on. Cleco pins are a gre MCR no longer re-leads the factory seams, preferring instead to weld them and use the latest body fillers. Of course that means any remaining traces of lead must be removed to guarantee a trouble-free weld. A Scotch-Brite Clean and Strip disc does a great job. All e-coated surfaces should be cleaned, too.MCR no longer re-leads the factory seams, preferring instead to weld them and use the late If perfect panel seams are desired, lay the trunk lid in place before final welding of this part of the quarter so minor adjustments can be made while the quarter can still be easily moved.If perfect panel seams are desired, lay the trunk lid in place before final welding of thi Leaving the original doorjamb in place allows MCR to adjust the door-to-quarter gap before final welding. Enough material is left so the new quarter will overlap the old. The 0.035-inch Spedecut wheel can then cut through both parts leaving the perfect sized gap for butt welding.Leaving the original doorjamb in place allows MCR to adjust the door-to-quarter gap before Once the cut is made, fine adjustments along the entire length of the gap can be made. The secret to achieving invisible, distortion-free butt welds is to place successive tack welds in between each other, quenched with compressed air only, until the gaps between the welds are about 1/4 inch apart. It is then OK to use no more than three quick tack welds to close the gap. Never try to run even a short bead. No stitch welding. Only simple tack welds.The secret to achieving invisible, distortion-free butt welds is to place successive tack MCR prefers a 3M Reinforced Weld Grinding Disc to smooth out the welds. Be careful not to remove any of the sheetmetal. It's easier than you think to produce a thin spot. When done correctly, the seam practically vanishes.MCR prefers a 3M Reinforced Weld Grinding Disc to smooth out the welds. Be careful not to Use a 36-grit sanding disc (Norton Speed-Lok) to grind the plug welds flush with the sheetmetal so they'll disappear under the finish. This quarter is in place and ready for paint prep.Use a 36-grit sanding disc (Norton Speed-Lok) to grind the plug welds flush with the sheet TOOLS DESCRIPTION SOURCE PN PRICE Norton 3-inch, 36-grit Speed-Lok TR discs NortonAbrasives.com 62328 $34.99 Spedecut Abrasives A60TBXX type 1 cutting wheels Spedecut.com S1260 $1.50 3M Green Corps reinforced weld grinding wheel 3 x 3/16 x 3/8 3m.com 1991 $28.69 Scotch-Brite Roloc Clean and Strip Disc XT 3m.com 7470 $9.97 Blair 3/8-inch Rotabroach Cutter BlairEquipment.com 11108-3 $20.00 Replacement pilot drills BlairEquipment.com 11097 $13.46 Arbor BlairEquipment.com 11122 $14.99 Replacement pilots for Arbor BlairEquipment.com 11121 $4.99 PARTS DESCRIPTION SOURCE PN PRICE '69 Camaro quarter-panel OE-style, left AMD 700-3569-L $449.95 '69 Camaro quarter-panel, OE-style right AMD 700-3569-R 449.95 '67 Camaro rear framerail left AMD 895-3567-L 249.95 '67 Camaro rear framerail right AMD 895-3567-R 249.95 '69 Camaro trunk extension (drop-off ) LHAMD 840-3569-L 32.95 '69 Camaro trunk extension (drop-off ) RHAMD 840-3569-R 32.95 Deep Tubs-'67-'69 Camaro/Firebird Detroit Speed 40401 399.00 SOURCES 3M Corporate Headquarters 3M Center St. Paul MN 55144 888-364-3577 www.3m.com Auto Metal Direct 940 Sherwin Parkway Suite 180 Buford GA 30518 866-684-5942 www.autometaldirect.com Muscle Car Restorations 11371 20th Ave. Chippewa Falls WI 54729 715-834-2223 www.musclecarrestorations.com PPG Refinish Strongsville OH 440-572-2800 www.ppg.com/coatings/refinish By Mark Ehlen Enjoyed this Post? 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