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Chronicles of an 88 5-Speed Camaro, my restoration.
Before I begin, I'd like to say sorry if this is in the wrong board, it seemed appropriate for this thread.
I bought my 1988 Camaro Sport Coupe on March 3rd 2008 less than a month after my 16th birthday, my Dad, Brother and me went to look at it on the first of March. I can honestly tell you that after being around Camaros, Firebirds, and Trans Ams all my life, that I fell in love with this car at first sight. It had everything that I have always wanted in a car, 5 Speed stick shift, V8(even if it was just a wimpy 305 TBI), a nice stereo system already installed, working A/C(never use it though haha), and a straight body with no rust or damage!
OH! and besides a cracked dashpad, MINT interior!
After looking at and test driving the car, I began drooling... however my dad and brother told me "we can find something better" and we went home. I guess they had seen how upset I was about that considering I told them I didn't want to look at cars anymore.
So to my surprise, my dad picked me up from work as usual and I talked to him about that Camaro and how bad I wanted it, he seemed unusually quiet. To my amazement that pretty little red Camaro was sitting in my driveway!
That's a picture of her on the first day in its new home.
Now lets pick up the pace a bit.
After throwing a few parts on and a few mods, the "restoration" process had begun!
A few months later.
Progress got put on hold for a long time, as I had to go under the knife for two spine surgeries in June 08' to put rods in my back to correct scoliosis after losing almost all feeling in my body from my stomache down.
Finally with full feeling back in September I was back driving my car, and doing light duty work on it.
Nothing serious got done to it for a long while, just didn't have the money.
Then, with three days left of my Junior year of high school, this happened...
Some Genious 18 year old blonde girl in her 93 Mercury Tracer Wagon decided it was a good idea to have her young, untrained dog in the passenger seat while stopping by to pick up her cap and gown for graduation. Well as the story goes, she was on her way out and her dog got a bug up its *** and lodged itself in her steering wheel causing her POS to hit my PARKED car.
So as of right now, the check from her insurrance company for $1100 is being sent out tomorrow. Plus since I plan on doing the work in my garage, that money is going to go alot farther rather than a body shop could stretch it.
My plans are going to be below.
New door(obviously)
CORRECT rear bumper cover
IROC hood in the junkyard
Chin spoiler
Fill in and hide the antenna under the fender or elsewhere
To top it off my neighbor told me we could do all of the body work, prep, and paint for under $500(for the WHOLE car)
and yes he does have experience painting.
So all in all at this point, this is my goal, besides the IROC-Z on the doors, black headlight buckets, and the IROC rims.
Any comments or suggestions are more than welcome!
__________________ Before paint
1988 Camaro Sport Coupe
305 TBI/T5, Open element, 8000K HID, Modified LO5 build in progress. 4th Gen. 3.73 Posi/Disc rear. Much more to come!
Re: Chronicles of an 88 5-Speed Camaro, my restoration.
Time for an update!
I have all the parts, plus more that I just couldn't pass up.
Door was $50
Picked up a set of grid taillights for $40 that look almost brand new
Rear bumper cover was $50
Picked up an IROC hood for $100(louvers and all)
Then got my chin spoiler from Cam91rs locally for $50
The new door after painting the jamb
The temporary Bumble Bee hood, the louvers are getting shot with semi-gloss black today.
Can't forget about my new bumper cover/taillights
The door is going to get bolted on in the next day or two.
Already started picking up paint supplies too, paint should start next week.
Re: Chronicles of an 88 5-Speed Camaro, my restoration.
Well, its been going a little slower the last few days. But there is some progress!
The other day I took off the louvers and scuffed/shot with a can of black.
I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Now, body work on the door is beginning. I started to sand down the face after ripping off that fugly piece of crap in the middle of the door(the bump guard thing)
Found alot more high/low spots than I was expecting...
Just to put it out there also, I was using an "X" motion, the swirls are from a wet cloth I used to clean it up to put it in the house(help against rust forming overnight)
I picked up most of the paint supplies for about $350(DA sander, HVLP gun, and all paint stuff)
Hoping that next weekend yeilds time to knock it out of the park!
Re: Chronicles of an 88 5-Speed Camaro, my restoration.
Paint is finished!
will post pictures in the morning, and later after I finish assembling the rest of the car.
For a ~$300 paint job, it came out excellent.
__________________ Before paint
1988 Camaro Sport Coupe
305 TBI/T5, Open element, 8000K HID, Modified LO5 build in progress. 4th Gen. 3.73 Posi/Disc rear. Much more to come!
Re: Chronicles of an 88 5-Speed Camaro, my restoration.
Lookin good from what i can see and for 300 bucks you cant complain really. Are you doing the headlight buckets semi-gloss black as well to continue the iroc look?
Re: Chronicles of an 88 5-Speed Camaro, my restoration.
Sorry fellers, I just now got the update thing for this thread in my profile.
Due to switching from part time to full time jobs, I haven't had much time to do any more work. But I have my eyes on a 350, and a Holley 4bbl sitting in front of me.
I haven't and wont be painting the headlight buckets, it just looks too good as is. My only planned exterior upgrade is the black and silver stripes that go above the ground effects.
