1974 Camaro Z28
Discussion
I didn't make it out for the rest of the lasers as the weather didn't play ball. Halloween though...
I genuinely made two separate groups of women scream last night driving through Wakefield (dont worry they laughed afterwards
). Afterall, what's the point of having a car look this evil if you can't have some fun with once a year!
I genuinely made two separate groups of women scream last night driving through Wakefield (dont worry they laughed afterwards
). Afterall, what's the point of having a car look this evil if you can't have some fun with once a year!
Took the day off yesterday and decided to get my tyres finally changed over. The Nankangs are laughably poor and definitely dont look the part! Finding anywhere that will fit supplied tyres has become near-impossible these days, but thankfully there are still some old-school garages left in the wild.
Quick shot to show the tyre mounted, as well as the Rally-wheel trim cover on the bench that pops on and off. That took us some very gentle tapping and prying to figure out how to get that off without breaking it!
Unfortunately, in what might be the most appropriate 2020 thing to happen, the nearly new tyre had a hole in it.
Fortunately it was in the meat and after a quick patch I was on my way. The writing on the sidewalls has faded, so out with the trusty tyre pen... If you've never done this before, it's an infuriating way to spend half a day, even more so in cold weather!
I've got to say though, the results are worth it.
Although I might not be saying that by the time I've put a second coat on and started the other side...
Quick shot to show the tyre mounted, as well as the Rally-wheel trim cover on the bench that pops on and off. That took us some very gentle tapping and prying to figure out how to get that off without breaking it!
Unfortunately, in what might be the most appropriate 2020 thing to happen, the nearly new tyre had a hole in it.
Fortunately it was in the meat and after a quick patch I was on my way. The writing on the sidewalls has faded, so out with the trusty tyre pen... If you've never done this before, it's an infuriating way to spend half a day, even more so in cold weather!
I've got to say though, the results are worth it.
Although I might not be saying that by the time I've put a second coat on and started the other side...
Thanks for this thread.
Some lovely photography, both about town as well as on the road. The shot of your dog "smiling" through the open door is perfectly charming. Well-lighted close-ups of various parts and components.
Creative use of fabric in the interior. On-brand, as it were, and with just a wee bit of irony that also feels correct.
Originally a malaise-era car... and saddled with that ungainly bumper: 5 MPH impact... this iteration of Camaro doesn't typically receive the stewardship and thinking that you've brought.
Really well done, in my opinion.
PS: I enjoyed seeing Steve's first-gen and Rat Fink's split-bumper car as well.
That's a refreshingly thoughtful and complimentary post to make, I genuinely enjoyed the positivity there so thank you!
You're right, the smog-era 2nd gens have always been overlooked so I'm happy to be making mine more suited to the Camaro name. I took the car out for its first drive on the new tyres and I can't believe the transformation to how the car looks. I think it's finally starting to look like a muscle car!
You're right, the smog-era 2nd gens have always been overlooked so I'm happy to be making mine more suited to the Camaro name. I took the car out for its first drive on the new tyres and I can't believe the transformation to how the car looks. I think it's finally starting to look like a muscle car!
unsprung said:
Yes, this is more than a restoration.
There's an engaging story -- one of equal or greater interest, I'd say, to any second-gen Camaro project over here, where the car came from.
One of the things I've actually enjoyed most about the car so far has been decoding the various tags on the car to see where it came from. I'm not sure I ever did post this (apologies for repeating myself if I did!) but for anyone else who is interested...There's an engaging story -- one of equal or greater interest, I'd say, to any second-gen Camaro project over here, where the car came from.
- The body was built at the GM plant in Norwood, Ohio during the last week of July in 1974. A month earlier, the engine had been assembled somewhere else in the factory. The serials match so the engine and body are both original.
- The engine was the 1974 Z28 spec, a 350SBC V8 producing 245bhp and 280lb-ft. It was subject to the new (at the time) California emissions laws, so the engine was essentially choked to this power. From the brochure,
"Includes special 350 CID, 245 hp V8. Four-bolt main bearing caps, forged steel crank, impact extruded aluminum pistons, heat treated & shot peened connecting rods "big valve" cylinder heads with high speed valve train. Cast aluminum rocker covers with internal galleries. Hydraulic lifters cam & cast iron intake with EGR. Rochester Quadrajet. 17-quart cooling system with 18" 7 blade flex fan. Oil pan windage tray and high speed crankshaft damper. Dual Exhaust pipe system. Same setup as 1973, HEI (high-energy ignition) introduced in mid-year (January 74). Special dual snorkle air cleaner with chrome lid."
A lot of that equipment has since been removed and the car now has an uprated Edelbrock 4-barrel carb, a high-rise intake and an uprated cam.
- Having had the 4spd Super T10 gearbox off as well I know the serials match to that too. All built in Norwood. The Super T10 seems to be fairly rare as a factory box, although the regular T10 did replace the Muncie in January 1974. As well as being a little lighter than the regular T10, it also has a 26-spline input shaft (as opposed to 10 on the regular T10) and a bigger output shaft. The biggest bonus for me nearly 50 years on is that the Super T10s are apparently still built new under licence in the US!
- The original colour for the car was midnight blue with black vinyl interior, fitted with factory bucket seats. The trim-spec for the instrument panel and steering column was black.
- Being a non-LT Z28, it was one of 79'835 built and would have cost around a smidge over $3000. I guess that would make it the equivalent to around $15k today.
So essentially, the car rolled out of the factory looking like this:
I actually really like the blue, although I'm not convinced I would replace the black. Over the years, it seems that someone replaced bits of the interior with LT-spec trim (such as the woodgrain instrument panel which has now been replaced with black).
Anyway, its Christmas time so I've been decorating mine.
Ordered myself a staple of American toolsets, a leather working cover so I can get into the engine without scratching the paint. Complete with cheesy slogan!
Our club was also approached last week by the Barnstorm Motor event group, an upcoming show based in Yorkshire, for a private photoshoot. I was half-and-half whether to bin the shoot off; the car is finally gleaming and the weather looked awful. With a gap in the rain I decided to go for it and get the old girl out.
Predictably, it hurled it down all the way there but the car didn't miss a beat. Lots of surprised looks from people who I assume thought I must be mental to be out in the downpour in a car like that.
The organisers wanted to showcase a variety of cars and I think they absolutely nailed that - not many photoshoots where you'll find a Fiesta next to a McLaren and a Camaro next to a Honda E!
It was really nice to hear the organisers say they liked my car the most, high praise considering the company it was in! A kind chap sent me this video of my car rolling up to be shot, I didnt realise he was filming at the time so excuse me being an absolute
Video link:
I'm looking forward to seeing the finished shots, but for now here's a couple off my phone from over his shoulder.
Our club was also approached last week by the Barnstorm Motor event group, an upcoming show based in Yorkshire, for a private photoshoot. I was half-and-half whether to bin the shoot off; the car is finally gleaming and the weather looked awful. With a gap in the rain I decided to go for it and get the old girl out.
Predictably, it hurled it down all the way there but the car didn't miss a beat. Lots of surprised looks from people who I assume thought I must be mental to be out in the downpour in a car like that.
The organisers wanted to showcase a variety of cars and I think they absolutely nailed that - not many photoshoots where you'll find a Fiesta next to a McLaren and a Camaro next to a Honda E!
It was really nice to hear the organisers say they liked my car the most, high praise considering the company it was in! A kind chap sent me this video of my car rolling up to be shot, I didnt realise he was filming at the time so excuse me being an absolute
Video link:
I'm looking forward to seeing the finished shots, but for now here's a couple off my phone from over his shoulder.
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