Yes_to_83_z28

I have a 1983 z28 that is in decent condition considering its age. I want to restore it properly but i don't ave the time or the cash since im still in high school. I realize that i can take my time and build it up but i also want it to be my daily driver

My question is can i have both and if so where do i start

I would like to make a little more power but i am also wanting to keep the 305 with the crossfire injection.

All i have been able to do is odd and end repairs such as changing the starter and all of the fluids but where should i start the real work? ANY help or advise is greatly appreciated

Yes_to_83_z28

I have researched on many things but i just don't know where to start

hardon85

What exactly are you asking? We don't know what's wrong with it or what you need to fix but a little more info would be helpful. Whatever you do good luck.

KMK454

Well, if you want to DD it and also at some point restore it, I would say your first priority is getting it mechanically sound and safe to operate on the daily drive. Sort and tune up the engine, cooling system, fluids, and general wear items that may have faded like plugs/seals/wires/hoses/anything rubber. Don't worry about anything fancy like performance modifications or anything above and beyond stock; just get it operating safely. When it comes time to restore it, you're going to need another car to drive daily if you plan on restoring it correctly (ie - fully dismantling the car).

Yes_to_83_z28

Thanks i guess ill start on the engine i dont know a whole lot about working on one so i will be having someone with a little more experience help me out

92GTA

iTrader: (11)

I'll chime in......

I'm 31 now. I got my 82 Firebird for $350 when I was 16 and bought a V6 FI engine from an '86 Camaro for another $350. I spent all that summer putting the intake and carb from the original blown engine on the Camaro engine and doing the swap. By the time school started, I drove it and couldn't get it started in the parking lot after school the first day. I met my best friend of many years who I still know to this day because of that. He offered to help and I learn ALLOT about cars in a very short amount of time by hanging out with the right people. You can pick it up very easy but you MUST do everything your self with only a person to guide, not them do it. Even watching won't cut it.

Anyway, I would drive it as is. Find another long block to rebuild and once you have it rebuilt with the specs you want, cam, heads, etc, then in 1 weekend you can remove yours and swap your crossfire injection onto it. Then keep the original engine for safe keeping. Besides, why hot rod your original engine block and risk damage?

Then go from there. Once you have done that, you should be ready to tackle almost anything short of paint/body.

Good luck! ...and post some pics!

Alex

scottmoyer

There are many schools of thought on where to begin a restoration. I have heard that you start with the engine and mechanicals so that you can still drive the car while you fix the other areas. Now, I've also heard that building up the engine, cooling, electrical, etc in a car that has a bad body or sub frame is a waste. My opinion would be to park the car until you have the time and money to fix it. Then determine if the body is stable enough to handle the restore. You might find the car is a total waste. So start with the body and move to the engine.

In the dent world, the rules are to start with the biggest and nastiest dents first. It does absolutely no good to remove all the little dents and not be able to fix the nasty one. You can't charge for repairs if you can't complete the work. If you can't fix the worst dent, why waste any time on the others?

8t2 z-chev

first thing i'd do is get under it with light and check for
any rust(or road hazard/accident damage)and get that
taken care of before it can get worse if there is any
present-check all wheelwells,radiator support frame,
and shock towers too.After that check the engine and
drivetrain for leaks,loose bolts,rubbing wires or other
developing problems.
I bought my '82 back in 1990 and it is still going strong
better than ever with over 240,000 miles-you might
have that '83 z28 for a long ,long time
BTW is it a hard top?

Yes_to_83_z28

My father and i have been talking over what we are going to do with the engine( he doesn't want me to waste my money or his) but i have been doing odd and end stuff to get it on the road. I am now trying to fix the hood flaps which had a piece of plastic snap. BTW it is a hard top and i will post pictures as soon as i figure out how to

8t2 z-chev

Cool that it's a hard top,back when i was looking for
mine one of the requirements was that it had to be a
hard top-took me a while to find a hardtop.
What is wrong with the engine?-or are you just thinking
about what modifications can be done?(i have a c/f in
mine-modified for a big power increase)
very,very reliable induction system.

Yes_to_83_z28

Well from what i have read (I haven't opened up the crossfire to see yet) my injectors need cleaning because when it idles it will cut off if i am not giving it throttle and it has power surges when i drive it where ill be driving at a slower speed then out of nowhere it will just kick up without me increasing the throttle. I was also looking into the benefits that the new renegade manifold would provide if i do put that on would i have to tune the computer?

Thunder1973

Wow, this thread brings me back. In 1989 I bought a 1980 Z-28 as my first car and worked on it a lot. I was a high school kid. After two paint jobs, a motor rebuild, a transmission swap, a rear end change, and a new interior I had a pretty cool kid's car. Luckily, my father was an auto mechanic so I had good guidance. But I spent a lot of money. It was my daily driver as well.

A few things to consider;

Unless you have a lot of money, time, and a place to work on it, your daily driver will never be pristine. I felt great at 19 when I took home trophies at local car shows, but realistically, my car was a good looking, great performing 10 foot car. As a young guy, you probably don't have the finances, skill, or time to perform a restoration or extensive modification. But it doesn't mean you can't have a cool ride.

Right now you are in love with this car. But you may not keep it a long time. Know what happened to my Z-28? I pulled the motor and trans, installed them in a C-10 pickup I owned ( I had the car until I was 23 or so), and sold the rest of the car to a guy who installed a 454/TH400 and took it racing. He blew the motor, sold the car, and right now it has probably been recycled into about 4 different Hyundais.

Do you know what I wish I still had from that car?

All the money I spent.

You see, at the time I wasn't really able to keep the car or do what it really needed to make it a real "10". So it was like a big hole I kept throwing money into and never really got ahead. And I never got the car I dreamed of or wanted to own. It just wasn't in the cards for a young guy with not a lot of money who was just starting out.

Here's my advice. You're a young guy. You own a Z-28 and can take it out and hang with the guys or pick up chicks. Most of your buddies are driving mom's Camry on Fridays or going on dates in the family mini van. So you already rank a little higher on the cool scale. Take your money and make sure the car is safe, runs right, and repair what is broken, bad, or funky. DON'T spend a ton of money on upgrades, modifications, or making it a custom machine. Save the money for repairs. Make sure the tires are good, the brakes are good, the steering is tight, it doesn't leak, and motor runs right. And just enjoy it. Keep it washed, waxed, and clean. And when the time comes, put it away until you have the financial means to properly restore or modify it. Even if it sits in storage for a period of years. I wish I had done that with my 2G Z-28, but I didn't and now it will cost me 20X what I sold the car for just to replace it with something comparable.

Trust me, I am speaking from experience. Fix it, drive it, love it, and save the money on upgrades for later on.

Yes_to_83_z28

Thanks Thunder1973 I will sit down today and draw out some sort of plan or list of things to be done to the car in order of importance. I will continue to look around the forum for help and i will post some pictures in a while. Is there a guide on here showing how to post your pictures?

8t2 z-chev

i have always had a "fix it"list for mine-27 items on the
list right now
within one week of buying mine in 1990,i had done this
to it:
-removed the insulation pad from under the hood-there
was a hole in it above the fan and it was full of dust...
-replaced leaking axle seal
-took instrument panel apart,cleaned dust from behind
lens and(very carefully)cleaned dial faces-oxidized
paint on numerals and markings can smear....
-fixed the console clock
-replaced the cheap korean"jet sound"radio in it with
a much better alpine one i had on hand-added an
amp and better better speakers too

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Great advice!

Jason E

I agree...I couldn't have said it better. Take it from someone who just sold a '91 RS that had almost twice invested in it as what he sold it for 5 years later...keep it stock, keep it clean, keep it maintained, and enjoy it.

Where I lost all my money was the stupid mods I did that made it a) louder, b) ride harder and c) less enjoyable.

Stupid me.

KITT1983

iTrader: (3)

welcome to the crossfire club

try these sites for help and modding

http://www.crossfire.homeip.net/

http://www.crossfireinjection.net/

Yes_to_83_z28

Thanks i think that crossfire forum will really come in handy later on