1969 Camaro Wheel Housing - Rubber Room

On the inside, the new tub and the corresponding outer wheel house are joined. Again, because the metal involvement is thin, a series of tack welds spaced every few inches is the best way to ensure a warp-free finish.

With the new tubs in place, the trunk hinge support mounts are reinserted. Some tweaks to the flange are needed to ensure a perfect fit with the contours of the new wheel tubs.

A look through the fender shows the new tub installed with the metalwork more or less completed.

Another part of DSE complete kit is a new shock absorber crossmember, which is recommended to ensure optimal suspension travel, the right stance and uncompromised handling. Here, a section of the trunk floor is removed to make room for the new crossover section. Camaros with staggered shocks, like the '69 used in this story, will have an angled mounting of the crossmember.

The shock crossmember is inserted from the top of the trunk, but the installer must get under the vehicle (shown here) to trim the crossmember's edges to fit the profile of the floor pan.

A new bracket must be fitted between the tubs and the rear seat frame. DSE supplies the templates for the brackets, which are constructed from .18-guage steel. Pre-made pieces are not included with the kit, because production variances between cars and deep tub kits makes it difficult to offer a one-size-fits-all bracket.

Our '69 Camaro project car had the rare fold-down rear seat option, which required additional surgery. DSE took the stock seat back and sectioned it to fit. This step is not required if the standard rear seat is used.

The back corners of the rear seat must be modified to clear the new tubs, but only slightly. Basically, the seats and a couple of springs are notched on each side. The modification is subtle but necessary. Luckily, the stock seat cover will fit over the slightly modified seat.

Although the stock fuel tank will work with the DSE tubs alone, it will not fit with the DSE complete kit that includes offset leaf spring shackles. That means the stock tank must be modified or an entirely new tank must be sourced. DSE offers a custom, stainless tank for F-cars and that's exactly what was used here. It bolts to the stock locations.

A slightly narrower rearend also is recommended (unless you want to roll on rims with a really odd-looking offset). In the case of our project car, which already had a beefy 9-inch underneath it when we started, approximately 2 inches on both sides will be chopped off; DSE recommends all-new rearends for cars that started with one of GM's weaker axles.

Insisting that form and function are equal, DSE determines the width of the narrowed axle by first placing the new rolling stock in the fenders to judge the look. This way, the wheels and tires are positioned just right for the g-machine look.

DSE's Kyle Tucker says the deep tubs in a First-Gen Camaro will accept 315- or 335-series rubber. He likes wheels, then, that offer about 5.5-inches of backspacing, such as the wheel mocked in position in this photo. With the wheels and tires mocked in place, measurements are taken to determine the necessary width of the rearend.

Here's the finished deep tub installation. Compare it to the "before" photo at the beginning of the story and its hard to tell this shot from one of a stock Camaro. DSE's craftsmanship is top notch, but thanks to a well-designed kit, the results can be replicated by a qualified shop or experienced at-home enthusiast.

There's still quite a bit of work involved in the completion of this Camaro's transformation. In addition to fitting the narrowed rearend, the rear suspension must by modified to accommodate the narrower confines. Yes, DSE has that covered with a kit containing offset shackles and new lowering leaf springs, too.