Newbie here... Get me started? [Archive] - Team Camaro Tech

: Newbie here... Get me started?


Lord_Kobal
Jul 23rd, 02, 12:39 AM
Just don't tell me I'm an idiot.

I got my car for about $500 from this old guy down the road when I was 17. Since then I've invested about $5,000 into making it driveable. I've either fixed or replaced nearly every major component, and even some not-so major ones. It's got a new 350, a new auto 3-spd, new brakes, new a/c (though it stopped working shortly after replacement), new shocks, new paint, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I figure since I inadvertently put so much time into restoring it, I may as well finish the bitch off.

A year or so after purchasing, and after the new paint job, I moved to a bad area so I could go to school. The radio was ripped off, the car was almost stolen (I caught the bastards as they were hammering a foot-long screwdriver under the driver-side door lock), the front fender was keyed, and I drove it through an unavoidable puddle of wet tar on a interstate on-ramp (the splat on the side of the car is still there).

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it to be an ***-kicker. I love the car dearly; it handles better and has a quicker response than any new car I've driven. So, here's what I was thinking.

I want to strip and repaint it a green-color. Maybe avocdado or a dark lime. Maybe paint the spoiler, grille and headlight bezels black. Redo the camel interior in black and green, remove the lower part of the dash for more leg room (I'm a tall guy), take out the center-console and put a new shifter on the floor. I also want to do some engine work, but I probably can't afford to right now. It's solid as-is, anyhow.

Maybe I'm jumping into this to hard, and it's not really worth it, but I get comments everywhere I go on how the car is in better shape than any other they had ever seen. It turns heads, and sounds like a goddamn beast (there are no mufflers on it currently).

Anyhow, I just wanted to make myself and my dreams known. This is how everyone gets into this hobby anyway, right? If you feel like dropping me some comments, please do. I don't know a lot about this stuff yet, but I'll absorb the info as I go along.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

------------------
1979 Berlinetta
Brown n' Gold
Bone-Stock 350
Oh Yeah! ;)

Everett#2390
Jul 23rd, 02, 01:54 AM
Welcome to the club,

Every vehicle is a money pit, sometimes worse than a teenager.

From your story, the content shows you really don't want to get rid of it, you still enjoy driving it, which is good. This is the only return on investment you're gonna get, you damn sure ain't gonna get your money back on the improvements.

Yes, this how a hobby starts, sucks you (and your billfold) right up to the ears. Might as well get used to it.

In conclusion, you still like it, look at all the people turning heads to see you go by...

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Everett 68/350/PG/11.90/115mph

xodus921
Jul 23rd, 02, 01:57 AM
Welcome to the board. Sounds like you have a good thing going there man...I also have a 79 but mine is a Z-28. I did the same thing your talking about with your interior...pulled out the camel color and changed it all over to black. I even pulled out the console and put just the automatic shifter in. It looks really nice, I'll post some pictures soon of the interior. I didn't have a new 350, But mine was rebuilt just before I got it...I started some upgrades on the engine which was 2 years ago and I just got it fired up last friday for the first time. You can get alot of information off of this site. Its been one of the most helpfull things I found while working on my car...

You might also want to come over to www.nastyz28.com (http://www.nastyz28.com) .Its a second gen site and they deal more with 1970-1981...

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Tony
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>1979 Z-28, 350, Th350- Edelbrock Performer RPM cam and intake, Holley 650, Trick flow twisted wedge heads, dynomax headers,flowmaster american thunder exhuast
[/list]
http://hobbystage.net/camaro/xodus921/

stingr69
Jul 23rd, 02, 04:06 AM
I can't help but say there is something refreshing about someone using thier Camaro as it was intended. Modifying it as the desire, time and money permits and getting a few rock chips once in a while. There is something simple and satifying about it. I hope we can help you with your project in some way.

-Mark.