Project: 1969

Chevrolet Chevelle

SS

Status: Completed

Here are some details about the 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS:

Engine:

The base model was equipped with a 396 cubic inch V8 engine that produced 375 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 415 pound-feet of torque at 3600 rpm. It featured a 1 x 4 bbl fuel system and had a compression ratio of 11.0:1.

Performance:

The 1969 Chevelle SS could accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds and complete a quarter mile in 14.5 seconds at a speed of 101 miles per hour.

Transmission:

The Chevelle SS offered seven transmission options, including two manual three-speeds, two manual four-speeds, an overdrive three-speed, and two automatics.

Body Styles:

The Chevelle SS was available in hardtop, convertible, and post-coupe body styles.

Safety Features:

The 1969 Chevelle SS included new safety features such as a collapsible steering column as a standard feature.

Options:

Optional features for the Chevelle SS included Superlift air shock absorbers, Strato-ease headrests, and full instrumentation.

Wheelbase:

The wheelbase measured 112 inches for two-door and convertible models, and 116 inches for all other models.

Dimensions:

The Chevelle SS was 76 inches wide, with heights ranging from 52.7 inches for the convertible to 54.3 inches for the station wagon.

History

and Facts

PROGRESSION PICS

The Final stretch

Mechanical Labor

Paint & Body

with Andrew

    • Body removed frome frame

    • Chasis sanded down

    • Primed Chasis for paint

    • Painted Chasis

    • Prepared underside of body for Raptor lining

    • Lite sanding and a wipe down with degreaser

    • Sprayed Raptor (x2)

    • Mounted body back to the Frame

    • Finished the custom box for the Subwoofer

    • Adjusted kick panels for speakers

    • Made custom panels for the trunk to mount the amp

    • Ran power cable from engine bay back to the trunk to provide power to the Amp

    • Cable management & looming

Fabrication

& Mechanical Labor

with Tyler

    • sanded speedo gear to get proper clearance

    • installed speedo cable bullet and gear into transmission

    • installed speedo cable at transmission and ensured minimal issues with shifter linkage

    • ran speedo cable up through firewall and installed it's gromet

    • added pedal pads and polished old pad trims to match the new ones

    • installed clutch rod boot

    • unpacked new glass and window track kit

    • looked into what needed to be modified and what didn't

    • made a list of materials needed

    • finished creating horizontal cross bar for glass

    • test fitted bar and dropped glass in place.

    • Hooked up cross bar and tested window movement.

    • partially removed driver's inner fender

    • ran front ebrake cable through floor and hooked up to pedal

    • mocked up cable routing

    • reinstalled bolts for inner fender

    • mocked up front cable mount

    • drilled and nutcerted cross member for E-brake mount

    • cut cable

    • installed mount

    • hooked up cable

    • adjusted E-brake cable

    • marked steel bar where cutting was needed and deburred

    • cut custom glass insulators

    • cut old window mounted brackets

    • made new ones to mimick original style for a 69 Chevelle

    • welded sliding bracket together

    • welded rear fixed bracket together

    • installed cross track

    • snugged all ends

    • test slid into passenger door track with great success

    • started modifying other parts of window tracks to create the horizontal cross bar

    • prepped body for windshield install

    • prepped windshield for install

    • installed windshield with not great success

    • removed glass and cleaned body up of excess urethane

    • removed urethane from glass to prep for second attempt at install the nfollowing day

    • cleaned windshield of all primer

    • reprepped glass for another install

    • installed windshield with success

    • installed windshield trim clips and trim

    • organized gauge wiring and repositioned speedometer cable

    • dropped steering column for gauge panel install

    • hooked up speedo cable to speedometer

    • hooked up wiring to gauges

    • installed gauge panel

    • remounted steering column

    • instaled under-column panel

    • found ideal location for console mounting

    • melted holes in carpet for cleaner install

    • drilled mounting holes

    • mounted center console and reinstalled top metal panel

    • Test ran the car with the key

    • found that carburetor electric choke was sticking

    • removed and disassembled choke

    • cleaned and lubricated choke

    • reinstalled and readjusted

    • test ran again

    • tested cutouts and found they didn't work

    • investigated cutout issue

    • resoldered a wire into its control board

    • unpacked radio and started installation

    • wired in radio

    • mounted radio

    • tested for radio power

    • revised some wiring for radio

    • tested cutouts again: found that there was insufficient power

    • ran power wire to fuze block (switched so key needs to be on)

    • tested cutouts and ran car

    • unpacked Convertable top rams and hydraulic pump

    • installed rams

    • installed pump in its place

    • double checked proper plumbing for hydraulic lines

    • installed lines

    • found electrical connector for pump

    • hooked up rear connector

    • ran wire extensions for Convertable top switch

    • found connectors for top switch and hooked up top switch

    • hooked up battery charger to make sure battery didn't die during top operation for bleeding

    • filled pump reservoir and ran system multiple times

    • tightened some adjuster bolts for Convertable top and retested

    • lubricated all top joints

    • installed blinker lever and tested blinkers for functionality

    • unboxed drivers side window tracks

    • drilled out spot welds on tracks

    • prepped larger track to be welded together

    • welded larger track together

    • staightened larger track and cut to length

    • mounted horizontal shaft to glass to ensure proper fit

    • cut steel to weld front sliding track to mount to glass

    • welded small sliding track and bolts to steel

    • made glass insulators

    • mounted front track to glass

    • cut rear track wheel off of kit

    • cut piece of steel to weld to it as a spacer/mount

    • drilled hole and welded bolt inside

    • welded wheel to mount

    • mounted rear wheel to glass

    • installed horizontal bar to power window track in door

    • adjusted rear vertical track

    • slid driver's door glass in place

    • mounted horizontal track to glass

    • tested functionality

    • removed old broken Convertable top tension springs and cables

    • installed new ones

    • adjusted rear side of Convertable top to get the arms straight to be able to adjust door glass on both sides

    • installed washer bottle and bracket

    • adjusted washer bottle lip to fit cap better

    • adjusted and installed battery hold down for Optima style battery

    • installed shifter ball

    • installed drivers side astro vent in dash

    • brought over passenger side door panel and test fitted

    • cut hole for inside door latch

    • found ideal location for door panel armrest to utilize original holes

    • located ideal spot for window switch

    • cut hole for window switch

    • mounted window switch

    • installed clips in door panel

    • measured for even screw hole locations for bottom of door

    • installed arm rest and all handles

    • installed licence plate light

    -DRIVERS DOOR PANEL ↓

    • found ideal location for door panel armrest to utilize original holes

    • located ideal spot for window switch

    • cut hole for window switch

    • mounted window switch

    • installed clips in door panel

    • measured for even screw hole locations for the bottom of the door

    • installed armrest and all handles on the driver door

    • installed wiper arms with some modifications on the driver's side arm

    • adjusted the driver's side wiper arm

    • tested for functionality

    • cleared out the trunk and organized what parts were left to install that are here

    • hooked up rearward console courtesy light

    • tested door locks and found the switch was backward.

    • unpinned 4 wires on each side and pinned them in the proper order for correct functionality

    • installed rear glass with minor modification

    • preadjusted rear glass

    • encountered and found wiring issue with relay box causing a dead leg headed to the fuze block preventing some things in car to not have power

    • installed front right astro vent

    • started making center dash vent

    • Finished trimming center A/C vent

    • Glued a/c vent together

    • adjusted mount locations to clearance for screws

    • installed center A/C vent

    • installed hood louvers after some massaging of hood and louvers on passenger side

    • installed new ididit box

    • installed glovebox and lock

    • removed passenger side door panel and installed the respective outer window felt

    • adjusted passenger side door window to finished top

    • fixed a broken roller on front of window and replaced with more appropriate length one after modifications

    • new ididit ignition relay box blew a fuse internally

    • tacked wires and found that too many accessories was wired to the same leg on the relay box so the power windows are now on its own separate relay leg

    • added some major modifications to passenger rear window track to match up to the finished top and finally got it adjusted properly

    • wired in switches to rear windows nicely in center console so rear windows can be operated without getting out or moving as requested

    • modified and adjusted drivers side rear window tracks to close nicely to the finished top

    • marked proper locations for rear seat hold down brackets and are ready to be bonded

    • reinstalled door panel on passenger side door after that door is finished

    • hooked up center vents to A/C box

    • cleaned good trim and rear top trim

    • installed hood trim

    • trimmed holes, painted washers, and tightened bolts to inner fenders

    • adjusted drivers rear window

    • adjusted drivers door window

    • bonded rear seat brackets to floor

    • installed all remaining window felts

    • finished adjusting passenger side windows

    • Installed rear door panel

    • removed back of seat to install the rest of side panel that covers the convertible top

    • finish adjusted drivers side windows

    • Installed drivers side panels

    • installed rear seat and both window crank handles

    • found any remaining required or missing parts

    • installed front shocks

    • installed passenger front seat

    • fixed hood safety latch

    • installed new trunk weatherstrip

    • installed trunk floor plugs

    • installed windshield pillar weatherstripping

    • finished a multitude of other small things and adjustments that needed to be done

    • found that engine was incredibly out of tune. Removed vacuum advance, adjusted timing, adjusted idle mixture significantly, adjusted timing again, adjusted idle speed, reattached vacuum advance

    • checked transmission fluid level

    • adjusted alignment for test drive

    • test drove

    • adjusted idle mixture with vacuum gauge reference

    • checked plugs for color

    • test drove again

    • prepped header trim panels for fiberglass molding

    • installed visor brackets

    • installed rear view mirror

    • installed horns to front of car

    • restored steering wheel center cap and horn buttons

    • tested horn buttons on both sides

    • improved horn ground

    • made fiberglass header panel molds

    • trimmed molds to be read to make new panels

    • attached fabric convertible top "basket" to rear seat

    • swapped convertible top outer rear trim to a new set

    • adjusted clutch pedal throw

    • removed windshield trim and convertible top clamp plates

    • installed factory style vinyl sheet to header in prep for header panels

    • reinstalled windshield trim

    • used header panel molds to make new panels

    • fixed any defects from the molding process

    • bodied new header panels and are ready for primer, paint, then install.

    • made new windshield washer squirters to mimic factory style and installed

    • ran new washer pump lines

    • filled washer bottle, primed, and tested

    • fabricated new rear convertible frame covers

    • test drove at cruising speed and found that new driveshaft was bent and sent it over for it to get fixed via warrantee

    • installed finished fiberglass header panels

    • installed and adjusted visors after minor modifications

    • made remaining trunk floor plugs and installed

    • fixed lower plastic pieces on driver's seat so they tuck up where they need to be from the factory

    • installed trunk light

    • recieved new driveshaft and test drove

    • found that it still had a rough vibration at 50+mph

    • pulled driveshaft and inspected suspected unreplaced tailshaft bushing. Ordered new bushing and seal

    • removed exhaust, trans crossmember, shifter linkage, shifter, reverse light switch, speedo cable, and tailshaft from transmission

    • removed old tailshaft bushing

    • installed new tailshaft bushing and seal with flange sealer to minimize possibility of leaking

    • reinstalled tailshaft housing, exhaust, trans crossmember, shifter linkage, shifter, reverse light switch, speedo cable

    • test drove and driveshaft vibration is severely improved but vibrations are still coming from transmission

    • removed exhaust, trans crossmember, shifter linkage, shifter, reverse light switch, speedo cable, and transmission

    • disassembled transmission and found out that the input shaft bearings (outer and inner) wore down or not rolling smoothly as it should.

    • found proper replacement bearings

    • reassembled transmission with new bearings and resealed shifter fork cover, input shaft bearing retainer,midplate, and tailshaft

    • installed transmission back into car after cleaning the excess grease off of the throw out bearing

    • remounted crossmember, trans mount, shifter linkage, and reverse light switch

    • reinstalled exhaust system to headers

    • hooked up exhaust cutout wiring

    • added fresh gear oil to transmission

    • reinstalled driveshaft

    • hooked up speedo cable

    • adjusted clutch (further adjustment may be needed during test drive

Mechanical Labor

with Brian

    • Sandblasted flash rust on 2 wheels, sanded lips of 2 wheels with 180, wax & grease removed.

with Dylan

    • Ran power and ground cable for amp

    • Ran chassis ground

    • Started fabrication of subwoofer box

    • Mounted all 4 tires with Andrew by hand

with Bucky

    • Balanced all 4 wheels and tires

    • Began to wash the protective coating off the white letters with warm soapy water

    • Tyler ended up using his spray-on solution to whiten the letters

Paint & Body

with Jio

    • sanded glove box

    • masked glove box

    • set up glove box

    • mixed primer

    • sprayed primed on the glove box

    • blew off and wiped down with a dry rag to remove dust

    • wiped down the car with water

    • masked tail lights, Matt black trim and rear bumper

    • masked trunk jamb

    • masked both door jambs

    • masked hood jamb

    • masked hood louvers

    • masked head lights, grille, and front bumper

    • masked 4 marker lights

    • masked both door handels and lock cylinders

    • masked belt molding

    • masked and wrapped convertible top to protect from compound

    • buffed the vehicle twice with step one on the wool pad to get out a majority of the defects

    • went around and marked what needs to be addressed more aggressively with sanding

    • sanded a few spots with 800 grit to remove imperfections

    • sanded the 800 grit with 1200grit

    • sanded the 1200 with 2000 grit

    • buzzed the 2000 with 3000grit tract

    • buffed the 3000 with step one on a wool pad

    • bigger the right quarter panel, door, fender and half the hood with step one on The foam pad

  • Window Track Kit

    1968-72 Windshield Molding Clips KMC-68KITA

    1964-72 Chevelle Brake Pad IHQ-0191

    1964-72 Clutch Pedal Pad IHQ0191

    1968-72 Firewall Rod Boot SS-5053

    1964-77 Chevelle Door Striker BPX-1299

    1964-77 Chevelle Parking Brake Connector Cables EC-8001U

    Transmission Driveshaft Yoke 80292425

    License Plate Bracket AMD-W-309

    Convertible Top Cylinder Cables AUP-CCT1011

    Spicer U-Joint SDH-5-153X

    Air Cleaner SUM-239433B

    White Shifter Ball FZ-1420

    Turn Signal Lever IT-5174

    1969 Chevelle Convertible Top Switch Bezel MTB-17

    1968 -72 Vinyl Header Molding HEADERM10

    1968-72 Convertible Header Seal JSS-091

    Window Track Kit

    1968-1972 Chevelle Convertible Top Weatherstrip Kit JSS-5093

    1968-1969 Chevelle Hood Louvers NL-100

    1964-1969 Chevelle Windshield Washer Plastic Jar Mounting Bracket AWB-8939

    1964-1977 Chevelle Windshield Washer Cap, Hose & Screen Kit APX-9738

    1964-1972 Chevelle Stainless Steel Battery Tray Retainer ABR-9533-SS

    1966-1972 Chevelle License Plate Lamp MEH-1576

    1968-1972 Chevelle Rubber Stopper Kit JSK-82K

    1968-1972 Chevelle Front Arm Rest Pad And Base Kit Black ARM-KIT4

    1969-1972 Chevelle Bucket Seat Back Release Kit IFC-521K

    1968-1970 Chevelle Tilt Steering Column Lever IT-5168

    1968-1969 Chevelle Dash Vent Ball Retainer Bezel Right Side IDV-689R

    1969 Chevelle Dash Vent Ball Retainer Bezel Left Side IDV-69L

    1969 Chevelle Astro Ventilation Dash Emblem IK-0046

    1969 Chevelle 2 Door Coupe Replacement Style Outer Window Felts Only CH243R

    1968-1972 Chevelle Door Panel Adjustment Clip Rear IDP-14465

    1967-1970 Chevelle Long Style Hazard Lamp Flasher Knob IFK-1

    1969 Chevelle Door Jamb Vent JTE-5043

    1964-1972 Chevelle Lower Rear Seat Retainer Kit IBX-99KR

    1968-1972 Chevelle Cowl Vent Grilles With Air Conditioning N-4512

    Chevelle Dash Center AC Vent Housing Assembly ICV-702

    69 Chevelle conv quarter glass tracks/hardware CH28161-PR

    Notes: https://www.opgi.com/window/glass/quarter-window-assembly/assembly-quarter-window-1968-69-chevelle-coupe-pair-ch28161-pr.html

    FR ss 69 Chevelle wheel 15" WVI-50-5734438

    Astro vent hose adapter 3" to 2.5" VTA-49870-VCI

    70 to 69 Chevelle center air duct adapter VTA-62614VCE

    Notes: One needed to make the 70 air duct splitter fit and work in the 69. Minimal modification is still required

    69 Chevelle convertible header molding

    CONVERTIBLE TOP SWITCH 69 CHEVELLE W-081

    Notes: The old switch melted at the rocker end by spring internally causing the switch to not return. Presumably caused by bleeding the system

    14" Air Filter

    Pillar Post Seal

    Door Jamb Seals

    Trunk Seal

    Floor Pan Drain Plug

    OE Style Compete Horn Kit

    1969 SS396 Grille Emblem

    Front Shock

    Horn Repair Kit

    Spare Tire Anchoring Plate

    Spare Tire Retainer

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