My baby isn't looking so good...

[bgtaylor]

Update:
http://s1176.photobucket.com/albums/...20Camaro%20v8/

Sorry About the old pics not working.

Both fenders are now off. The Driver's side was a breeze, but the passenger side took a bit longer. Two bolts that held the fender to the front fascia decided they didn't want to come out, so we had to saw-zaw them in order to separate the fender from the nose. If anyone has their hood latches off already, I would really appreciate it if someone could send me a pic of what it looks like under the hatch on top of the fender. Mine is torn so I'm hoping someone can send me a pic of what it is supposed to look like so I can replicate it with some metal of my own. Thanks. P.S. Thanks Eric for the donation!

[TORN]

pics not working FYI

[bgtaylor]

pics not working FYI

I believe I fixed the problem. Thanks for the heads up.

[masterfab]

i had that happen to me in my camaro but it was my own fualt. had just got the motor running and tuned for the first time, i grabbed the hood slid it on (no bolts) push it down and let the hood latch lock and to the road i went. started driving down 8-mile just south of grand river by the flower shop. i think i was doing 35 and the hood lifted up and went right over the top of the car and landed in the repair shop drive-way. i thauhgt i had a heart attack. and was glad no one was hurt. i only put the hood on becouse of redford cops being sucj a%* holes.

[bgtaylor]

i had that happen to me in my camaro but it was my own fualt. had just got the motor running and tuned for the first time, i grabbed the hood slid it on (no bolts) push it down and let the hood latch lock and to the road i went. started driving down 8-mile just south of grand river by the flower shop. i think i was doing 35 and the hood lifted up and went right over the top of the car and landed in the repair shop drive-way. i thauhgt i had a heart attack. and was glad no one was hurt. i only put the hood on becouse of redford cops being sucj a%* holes.

Lol Ya thats how I felt at the moment it flew up. I had a huge urge to drive hood-less, but my mom wouldn't let me. Now I cant even if I tried because the fenders are off. At least you didn't have to go far from where the hood fell to get it fixed.

[bgtaylor]

Got the new hood yesterday from Curt_Irocz. Thanks Again. Got it home by tying it down to the top of the roof of our Tahoe. Kept having to look at it from the passenger side mirror to make sure it wasn't lifting or moving at all. Washed it a few times, waxed it twice, rubbing compound between waxes, then a clay bar to make it shine flawlessly so to speak. It still has a couple areas I will need to touch up but I'm going to wait to repaint it until I get my quarter panels replaced, then I can have the whole car painted.

http://s1176.photobucket.com/albums/...%20new%20Hood/

[MP81]

Gee...that looks familiar, hehe...

[bgtaylor]

Still waiting on getting primer, paint, and clear for the new fenders.... I can't wait to finally take the Camaro out of the garage.

[Gregs_gsxr]

any updates? is she all back together ?

[efpardo]

Hope you get her back on the road soon. Glad you weren't hurt.

[2002Z4CSS]

Wow, lucky the windshield did not get broken. Must have been a heck of a hood latch failure since the latch had a primary and secondary latch to usually prevent this from happening.

[bgtaylor]

UPDATE: The Camaro is still in pieces, unfortunately... My mother has recently had another surgery on her back and is now recovered. My father still needs to get the fenders matched before we get them painted. I'm debating whether to repair the old fenders, because I will just need to remove the dents and rebuild the lip that gets held on to the body with the hood latch bolts. Just for the winter and then my next spring I can put on the new fenders, get the quarters replaced, maybe front fascia. Then have the whole car repainted. Unfortunately finding a job is still slow going. Oh ya and I got pulled over by a cop at 31 and Gratiot for my first time ever for a failure to yield at the light. The light was red and I was stopped at the turn lane getting ready to turn left to go to Kroger, and as soon as the light when green I approached the intersection. The oncoming driver who was also stopped at this time either was too busy with the occupants in his own car or fiddling with an electronic device while the light was green. So I decided to make my turn since he clearly wasn't going anywhere. I completed my turn before he even started idling forward and a cop was driving by while it happened and decide to pull me over. So now I have to pay aprox. $200 and go to court and explain what happened so I don't ruin my perfect driving record. To make it even better, my mother was in the car with me and the officer didn't give me a break nor care about my explanation on why I decide to turn. Anyways my mother an I are going to go to court and hopefully get out of the points. She also thinks the ticket was bogus. So after court then I can start funneling any money I do earn into the paint for the car.

[bgtaylor]

Wow, lucky the windshield did not get broken. Must have been a heck of a hood latch failure since the latch had a primary and secondary latch to usually prevent this from happening.

Before I get everything back together, I will post pics of the hood latch and show how much was gone on the hook itself that was supposed to catch the hood in an event of it having initial failure. It had half of the "hook" so to speak on it. Looks like the previous owner had some problem with it as well.

[Gregs_gsxr]

did you get a new hook and or latch? back together ?

[bgtaylor]

Well the Camaro is finally back together. I had to repair the fender lip with coats of JB Weld. I then traced the holes on the new fenders and transferred them to the repaired old ones, drilled the holes out to match, and put them on. Its not a perfect patch job, but not too bad for a first try with fabricating without the proper tools. It has been for about a week since it has been initially put back together, and just in time for my new job. Start Monday laying up carbon fiber and a painters helper. Can't wait to actually be able to get the car running proper. Surprisingly, the hood matches pretty good to the paint job put on by the previous owner. I put the old fenders back on for the winter season, even know I will drive it very sparingly if my mother does not need the Caprice. Now that I will actually have some money I can get some things done that should have been done a while ago with the car. (throttle position sensor, throttle body, AC stripped out until I decide I want to put new AC in, New Quarter panels, new floor pan, possible new fascia in the future, radiator, and a couple of other things that I can't seem to remember. Oh ya and some darn hood pins!!! I don't want to see my hood glued to the windshield ever again. Thanks again to Curt for the hood and MCHP for the fenders. The car still wouldn't be together without their parts.