1974 Camaro Z28
Discussion
Having sold my RX7 over a year ago, I've been hankering for a new toy. I've always had fast(ish) Japanese cars but after one weekend in Wales spotting average cameras on almost every bit of road, I decided to go for something completely different. I've never scratched the V8 or the classic itch, so when I spotted this Camaro come up for sale I figured it was worth a go.
As per the title, its a 1974 Z28. It's a numbers-matching car running an SBC 350 with a Manual 4psd, so probably fairly rare. It's seen some paint in its life but the chassis is solid. Unfortunately it means its missing the iconic Z28 ducktail spoiler and the mirrors at the moment, along with an annoying panel gap where the bonnet meets the bumper. The interior is also in various stages of being put back together.
Following one wet and windy test drive, I paid the deposit and headed back up North. The chap very kindly offered to deliver the car for me, so a week later on my way home I happened to spot it on the A1.
Home in the Sunshine.
Didn't even have chance to wash it before its first run out to the American car meet in Leeds a couple of days later. The shifter is taking some getting used to and I ended up needing a push as it just didnt want reverse at all! Typically as they were pushing it went in, and then wouldn't come out so I thanked the guys and then set off backwards several times in a row.
Had my first couple of hours with the car last night so gave it a good wash and a polish. It scrubs up alright!
Made a start on the interior but there's still lots to go back in.
Then I need to make a start on cleaning the engine bay.
First real job though is to get these mounted!
All in all, absolutely loving the car so far
As per the title, its a 1974 Z28. It's a numbers-matching car running an SBC 350 with a Manual 4psd, so probably fairly rare. It's seen some paint in its life but the chassis is solid. Unfortunately it means its missing the iconic Z28 ducktail spoiler and the mirrors at the moment, along with an annoying panel gap where the bonnet meets the bumper. The interior is also in various stages of being put back together.
Following one wet and windy test drive, I paid the deposit and headed back up North. The chap very kindly offered to deliver the car for me, so a week later on my way home I happened to spot it on the A1.
Home in the Sunshine.
Didn't even have chance to wash it before its first run out to the American car meet in Leeds a couple of days later. The shifter is taking some getting used to and I ended up needing a push as it just didnt want reverse at all! Typically as they were pushing it went in, and then wouldn't come out so I thanked the guys and then set off backwards several times in a row.
Had my first couple of hours with the car last night so gave it a good wash and a polish. It scrubs up alright!
Made a start on the interior but there's still lots to go back in.
Then I need to make a start on cleaning the engine bay.
First real job though is to get these mounted!
All in all, absolutely loving the car so far
Edited by Rogue86 on Thursday 18th April 12:27
Thanks guys - Here's a quick sound test. Barely ticking over even when revving. It sounds quite savage at full throttle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wy8eveo80k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wy8eveo80k
Cheers folks 
I'll get some proper photos of it on IG when I get near it with the DSLR.
LHD is proving fine so far, there's plenty of visibility in the car. It's a very tight squeeze in a single garage, mainly through the door. Once the mirrors are on I'm worried it'll be stuck in there!
I'll get some proper photos of it on IG when I get near it with the DSLR.
LHD is proving fine so far, there's plenty of visibility in the car. It's a very tight squeeze in a single garage, mainly through the door. Once the mirrors are on I'm worried it'll be stuck in there!
If I'm honest I quite like the Mad Max-style rake it has going on at the moment, but I have a pair of Koni classics in the box of spares waiting to go on.
It was the Malton Big Breakfast meet this weekend, so I wanted to make the annual pilgrimage up as I normally meet my old man and my brother there. However I needed to sort a few things on the car in order to take it (legally) so I got some of the spare mirrors out of the box to find which one would go on easiest. Unfortunately the most suitable was also the one with paint all over the glass...
With a bit of headlight-restoration polish and some paint thinners it came up fine. The mounting was tricky using what I had so I just kept my fingers crossed that they would hold up at motorway speeds!
Next up was the lights. Most didn't work and the chap I bought the car from simply left me with "the wiring will need going through". I thought I'd try the simple option first and checked the bulbs. Result! They all work and I was lazy enough to keep some old bulbs from my MK1 MR2 (probably about 10yrs ago!) in my toolbox that went straight in.
There are some bigger issues - mainly the ignition timing and the gauge cluster not working but I didn't have time to fix them before the meet. So I touched wood it wouldnt break, cleaned the engine bay and filled her up.
Well I say filled, the pump didn't cut off even after £70 so I figured that should get me there and back.
Since being imported in 2016, the furthest the car has driven in the UK is 20miles. Malton is a roughly 80 mile round trip so should show up any real issues. The main one I guessed would be the running hot, so I kept an eye on the aftermarket gauge and hoped for the best. Made it without any issues!
Despite annoying the neighbours at 0700hrs I still wasnt early enough and ended up in the field as I have for the last few years.
Some images taken by other photographers on proper cameras:
My brothers Monaro
Leaving for home (favourite pic from the day)
All in all the car did me proud. Some nervous moments watching the temperature gauge rise in traffic on the way home but the car ran faultlessly!
It was the Malton Big Breakfast meet this weekend, so I wanted to make the annual pilgrimage up as I normally meet my old man and my brother there. However I needed to sort a few things on the car in order to take it (legally) so I got some of the spare mirrors out of the box to find which one would go on easiest. Unfortunately the most suitable was also the one with paint all over the glass...
With a bit of headlight-restoration polish and some paint thinners it came up fine. The mounting was tricky using what I had so I just kept my fingers crossed that they would hold up at motorway speeds!
Next up was the lights. Most didn't work and the chap I bought the car from simply left me with "the wiring will need going through". I thought I'd try the simple option first and checked the bulbs. Result! They all work and I was lazy enough to keep some old bulbs from my MK1 MR2 (probably about 10yrs ago!) in my toolbox that went straight in.
There are some bigger issues - mainly the ignition timing and the gauge cluster not working but I didn't have time to fix them before the meet. So I touched wood it wouldnt break, cleaned the engine bay and filled her up.
Well I say filled, the pump didn't cut off even after £70 so I figured that should get me there and back.
Since being imported in 2016, the furthest the car has driven in the UK is 20miles. Malton is a roughly 80 mile round trip so should show up any real issues. The main one I guessed would be the running hot, so I kept an eye on the aftermarket gauge and hoped for the best. Made it without any issues!
Despite annoying the neighbours at 0700hrs I still wasnt early enough and ended up in the field as I have for the last few years.
Some images taken by other photographers on proper cameras:
My brothers Monaro
Leaving for home (favourite pic from the day)
All in all the car did me proud. Some nervous moments watching the temperature gauge rise in traffic on the way home but the car ran faultlessly!
That red car looks lovely, I'm wanting to go with the bumpers being body-coloured too.
marksx said:
Lovely car. I'm only in Wakefield so might have to come to a Leeds meet one day for a nosey. I have a real hankering for something like this.
Well worth the journey there, some really nice motors turn up!Had the weekend to tidy/fit some bits and de-chrome some others.
The chrome light trim surrounds had come off, leaving the lights looking a bit gammy.
The headlight buckets:
Along with the grill which had started to flake.
Rear light trims back on:
Got the hammerite out and tidied up some of the exposed metalwork, starting behind the front bumper:
Underneath the rear:
Lots of engine bay metal:
Front end back together:
Back end with the new metal plates on:
Unfortunately in getting the headlights working I came across the next project - the wiring...
The chrome light trim surrounds had come off, leaving the lights looking a bit gammy.
The headlight buckets:
Along with the grill which had started to flake.
Rear light trims back on:
Got the hammerite out and tidied up some of the exposed metalwork, starting behind the front bumper:
Underneath the rear:
Lots of engine bay metal:
Front end back together:
Back end with the new metal plates on:
Unfortunately in getting the headlights working I came across the next project - the wiring...
Edited by Rogue86 on Tuesday 7th May 14:48
andy43 said:
Epic old thing. I was about 15 years old when one of the journalists on Street Machine (or Custom Car, can't remember which) ran one of these, just the same, black over black. Electrics look interesting but it's still very very 
I'll have to see if I can dig any info about that car out!The good thing about these cars is the availability of parts. I've managed to find places in the US that sell replacement (new) wiring harnesses, switches, gauges...everything. I don't think I've ever owned a car so well catered for!
For what it's worth, I'm glad you passed on the car That 70 is stunning, I think they got the back end of that car in particular so right.
I've been buying bits I dont really need, but I couldnt pass up on these door handles. There's no real Camaro badging on the car (other than 'Z28' on the back) so hopefully these should look good.
That 70 is stunning, I think they got the back end of that car in particular so right.I've been buying bits I dont really need, but I couldnt pass up on these door handles. There's no real Camaro badging on the car (other than 'Z28' on the back) so hopefully these should look good.
Its really not that bad. Im far from a mechanic but Im comfortable taking something off knowing that at worst Ill have to put it back the way I found it. If anything on the Chevy there is so much space that everything is accessible and because its all mechanical you can physically see what parts do. A far cry from trying to work on the Japanese stuff Ive always had which is covered in solenoids and anything you need to get to means taking off several major components first!
Unfortunately she is a far cry from how she looked...
Shame to see this done to a Type R, theres really not that many of them and Im not sure why she was broken.
Still, I had 6 great years with her and Im sure Ill have another at some point. Though maybe an N/A 20B next time!
BenLowden said:
Superb! Sad to see you've sold the RX7 but look forward to seeing more of this
I made several attempts at buying her back 6 months or so ago, but the current owner wasnt interested in parting ways with her.Unfortunately she is a far cry from how she looked...
Shame to see this done to a Type R, theres really not that many of them and Im not sure why she was broken.
Still, I had 6 great years with her and Im sure Ill have another at some point. Though maybe an N/A 20B next time!
Shnozz said:
Love the car. So, tempt me, how much TLC does it need to keep her running well?
Day to day? Absolutely nothing!The lack of a choke means it currently takes a bit of starting from cold, but that's an easy fix I haven't got round to yet. Besides, I think there's a charm to an old car not starting on the first turn of the key. Other than that it's arguably more reliable than my daily - a 2003 Suzuki Ignis Sport. In fact I've ended up taking the Chevy to work twice when the Suzuki had broken down!
Despite that, there's an unpredictability about the Camaro that makes me a little afraid of it and I can't put my finger on why. It genuinely feels like riding a wild horse. There's no reason to be afraid of it and yet there's something about it that keeps you on edge. It's not a particularly powerful car by modern standards and slower than most things I've owned or driven for work over the years. But I took it for a drive last night and when I got out of it I noticed a slight tremble in my right hand. It was adrenaline. I don't think I went above 60mph all the way there.
It's an odd sensation and not one that a car has ever really given me before, but it's addictive! That said, the car is an absolute nobhead magnet. Theres an almost endless sea of pud-faced Seat Ibiza drivers stuck to the back bumper of it wherever I go and maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, but I just don't have it in to me to waste the fuel these days.
I think you'd have to be a braver person than me to rely on one completely for work, but I think the days you were glad you made that decision would outweigh the ones where you realised you were a compulsive moron
Shnozz said:
Problem is the cars will sit for long periods unused and reliability of the older set worries me.
I don't really think that would be an issue for a car like this to be honest. Lots of stories from the US of barn finds firing up after several decades without too much bother other than a battery. They're pretty agricultural in that sense.Let off some steam Bennett said:
Im finding myself in a similar position regarding fast cars.I have been thinking about selling my tuscan and buying a yank.I would like a late 60s chevelle or nova.
I do like to go everywhere i can in my cars so how do you find the lack of a fifth gear. Whats cruising like,i imagine at 70 on a motorway the revs are up a bit.
Car looks ace by the way
Thanks!I do like to go everywhere i can in my cars so how do you find the lack of a fifth gear. Whats cruising like,i imagine at 70 on a motorway the revs are up a bit.
Car looks ace by the way
I think if you're coming from something like a Tuscan you'll be used to a fairly uncomfortable motorway drive so the experience is unlikely to shock you. Youll probably find yourself just driving a bit slower to suit, they are great cruising cars afterall. I was looking for a Nova initially and probably would have ended up with one if the Camaro hadnt come along. Much cheaper than the Chevelle and I think prices will only go one way with them.
I'm not actually sure about the exhaust. It's incredibly loud, but having never been underneath an OE car I'm not sure how they would sit from the factory. Most aftermarket exhausts tend to sit under the bumper though.
One thing I did notice this week is that none other than Stone Cold Steve Austin has picked himself up a 74 Z28 with his many millions of dollars
Bob Dong said:
Can you not just take that wipe clean one home from work?
Nice Yeah parts are cheap and plentiful. Websites like RicksCamaros and Summit Racing sell pretty much every nut, bolt and washer you could need. To be honest the UK Owners Club is a pretty good source for bits too. Luckily the Camaro is essentially the same as the Firebird/Trans-Am (known as 2nd Gen F-bodies) of the same era so there are lots of potential donors still kicking around.
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