What should I expect to pay for plain Jane 6 cyl? Lets say it is in decent condition and drivable but body may need paint and has some rust. Interior is 90% complete but would need reconditioning to look nice. Engine is running but not in showroom condition or not even rebuilt. I guess I have described a rare first generation that some old lady was driving without making any mods or major upgrades :)

Asking because the prices are all over the place. I do not have a specific car in mind but would like to get my hands on plain first generation 6 cylinder car and make it a daily driver. All I see at the car show are 350s and up. I would like to enjoy the car with less power but more often (which is also driven by the price of Z28/SS models).

Thanks.

Can expect to pay around 10k upwards. It gets to a point where 6cyl vs v8 does not matter because these cars are often converted to suit the new owner, so no real bargin basement deals simply because its a 6cyl is my take on it.

You looking to pick up and make a daily driver then I would just look for a solid camaro without drivetrain and do a modern engine swap. You can pick a drivetrain from a newer camaro, etc... and have modern drivability, etc.. in your classic ride. Or go even cheaper and simply buy a GM crate engine & trans (if needed).

/shrug

The point is no reason to go with a 6cyl unless thats what you like, plenty of people run 327's, new car engines, etc... and get 20ih mpg. But I personally would not want to make my camaro a daily driver without modernizing the suspension, drivetrain etc...

Alex, I agree with Jeff. If you're going for a daily driver, I would find the most solid car you can find (you can often find them without an engine), and then drop in a new Chevy crate engine. You'd have a fairly trouble free car at a very reasonable cost. Then, from there, you can work on the suspension, etc at your leisure.

Additionally, from experience, I'd look for a west/southwest car. The $1000 shipping cost to NJ will be more than worth it if you don't have to saw out/replace half the car. Trust me on this one. I'm dealing with it now.

6cyl Camaros are becoming more expensive, I've been looking for one too. I just missed one on Ebay, a rust-free car, original 6cyl, my max. bid was 12K and that's where it ended. Buyer said he'd take $16.5K for it. Being a base model with almost no options, that seems expensive to me... you really have to shop around, I've been looking for over a year.

Thanks for the replies.

Unfortunately, I am not handy when it comes to fixing cars. I can do simple repairs but putting in engine is way beyond my abilities. I guess I would have to pay more to get it in already running condition.

When I mentioned 6 cyl. engine, I sort of wanted to be unique (if there is such thing as 6 cyl. uniqueness). Pretty much all 67-68 Camaros I see have V8s in them :-)

It is very difficult to a little old lady Camaro anymore. If you find one, I think the fair market value on 67 or 68 would be $10K and a 69K around $13K. These prices would vary based on the amount of rust, transmission, color, etc.

Alex,

I agree its kinda fun to have something different.

I am currently restoring a 6 cyl convertible. My wife wants it to look like it did the day it left the factory.

I'll have it on the road this spring.

http://69camaroragtop.com/uploads/2003-12-31-23-0030.jpg

Tell me your gonna paint the surround part of the grill.....

I recently bought a rust free 69 that was a one owner car with low hp 350 and had to pay 15K. The amount you save on body work is worth every penny. I got it on Ebay and there was someone else really wanting it also.

My wife wants it to look like it did the day it left the factory.
You are lucky your wife is into Camaros. My wife would go nowhere near my Camaro if I had one. It could be a good thing though. She did total one car already and scratched another one :-)

My original plan was to get second generation but after visiting antique car show this weekend I am thinking about first generation. Still like the look of the second generation so it will all come down to money I guess.

Thanks for all the replies.

Tell me your gonna paint the surround part of the grill.....

Actually I have another grille that will be silver with the Glacier Blue surround.

Hey Drabina, My wife loves her Camaro and is very anxious to drive it after 20 years of being in boxes, but my 17 y/o daughter wants nothing to do with any classic cars (Thinks they're ugly). Oh well that's her loss on cruising nights.

Jeff, my daughter learned to DRIVE with my old camaro...she's hooked for life (though she now drives a GTI)

http://home.comcast.net/~tmannett/summer2003%20012.jpg

Jeff, my daughter learned to DRIVE with my old camaro...she's hooked for life (though she now drives a GTI)


My daughter seems to be coming around. She made Homecoming Court this week, and wants me to finish my convertible for her trip around the track.

Well maybe if she starts getting lots of attention in that convertible she'll come around...it's kind of funny, NO car gets as much attention in a high school parking lot as a first gen!

Well maybe if she starts getting lots of attention in that convertible she'll come around...it's kind of funny, NO car gets as much attention in a high school parking lot as a first gen!

She is now 17 and drives a '07 Sunburst Orange Pontiac G5, That gets her ENOUGH attention.

https://www.bestcpapprice.com/assets/images/misc/Hope-Camaro.jpg

Is this starting early enough? :D Four years old and already rowing the gears. Maybe by the time she's old enough to drive, I will get around to restoring the car. :o And she LOVES musclecars - although she has also developed an intense attraction to Herbie the Love Bug. :p

tmannet, is that a granada gold 67 in the picture? My other car was originally GG - I am thinking about restoring it to its original color - some day...

Cool picture RSSS.

Kids love to "drive" or should I say mimic parents doing so. My two year old, gets in the front seat and pretends he's driving. He also loves to play with the radar detector which has welcome message when you turn it on.

Tell me your gonna paint the surround part of the grill.....

Hey Charley,

Finally got the grille painted and installed:

http://69camaroragtop.com/uploads/2008-09-22-18-084.jpg

love that guard dog by the Camaro!! Good Boy!

well, I hate to hijack this thread but I gotta chime in about kids and cars. These above pics are precious. I have an 11 year old daughter who likes to make fun of how much I "baby" my car. She tells her friends to be careful around my car or daddy will "freak out". Just to see what she'd say, I asked her how she'd like her first car to be a '69 S.S. hugger orange, big block. (as if)... she thought for a while then said, "depends.. what color is your '68 gonna be when it's done"

well, I hate to hijack this thread but I gotta chime in about kids and cars. These above pics are precious. I have an 11 year old daughter who likes to make fun of how much I "baby" my car. She tells her friends to be careful around my car or daddy will "freak out". Just to see what she'd say, I asked her how she'd like her first car to be a '69 S.S. hugger orange, big block. (as if)... she thought for a while then said, "depends.. what color is your '68 gonna be when it's done"
Want to adopt me? I am not picky about colors :D

I'm adoptable too...yes to me it was more than a bonding thing to get my kids excited about classic cars...it was the way I was raised, too. To this day my kids will call me on the cell phone and tell me they just saw a camaro in town, and sometimes we'll even go cruising around looking for it. It's a life-long obsession, no doubt about it!

Terry: that's great. I grew up with a pilot for a dad and we did the same thing with air shows. we lived by an Air Force base and, thanks to dad, my brother and I could tell what kind of jet was flying over just by the sound. I think about those days every time I go to a car show with my daughter. I give her my camera and tell her to go take some photos of the cars she likes.

My 7 y.o. thinks she is going to drive my 68 when she turns 16....Ah...No....maybe with a couple of plug wires pulled off.

She does love hanging out in the shop with me working on it...As long as i am not making too much noise. 1.5 y.o. son heads for the shop as soon as we go out in the back yard...starts pounding on the door till open it. :-)

Ok, back to topic...I guess the days are long gone of the $500 6 cyl. car...that is what i paid for mine back in 82.


Scott

Ok, back to topic...I guess the days are long gone of the $500 6 cyl. car...that is what i paid for mine back in 82.
That's true. There is one selling here locally for $8K and I have missed one for $5.5K about month ago. I may need to look for second generation that I originally wanted.