Hey everyone. Some of you know that I just got back into 3rd gens last summer after having sold mine 7 years ago. Well last week I was in Minnesota where I used to live and I decided to stop by a junkyard and look for some parts.
Believe it or not I actually found my first ever camaro sitting in the junkyard. It is almost fully complete. Why it ended up there I have no clue. The only thing missing is the rearend ....auburn posi with a Richmond 3.73 and the intake is gone too. I talked to the owner of the yard and he said he would sell it back to me for scrap price which is about $300.
So do I sell one of the 2 camaros I have now and buy back my original car and restore it or do I let it get parted and then crushed? i'd like to restore it but not sure if it will be a reality.
The body is still pretty solid with little rust. I think it is going to need new floor pans however, the front floor seems fine but the rear seems rotted. The entire interior is there but taken apart (good time for a 4th gen dash swap).
I don't know what to do here so help me out here fellow 3rd geners....if you found your first ever camaro in a junkyard, what would you do?
Well man it's really up to you. lol I know that's not what you wanted to hear but I guess you just got to lay it all out on the table. If you are not attached to one of your camaros then I would do it you seem to want your 1st camaro back. I guess if I put myself in your shoes I would do it cause that would be the camaro I have now that I when through high school with. I am really suprise it looks pretty good the camaro in the junkyards around here are picked clean.
well since i have my first car and i have redone it, i wouldnt sell it. but if i were you i would get it back. that would be one cool story on how u got it back when u tell people after it is all restored. like said above sit down and think what you really want to do though. Good luck
I would restore it, i held on to my 83 trans am for 8 yrs before restoring it it was my first car aswell, not many people can say they still have there first car. You will need about 3 grand to do it if you pull cheap you can make it look good
thanks for the opinion guys I'm pretty sure that I'm going to get it back. Already started looking for parts for it...which reminds me, if anyone has a 3rd or 4th gen rear end or any 4th gen Interior stuff let me know.
That's really a cool story. If it has any emotional value at all, you gotta go get it back. My first f-body was a 4th gen camaro actually, and if I could get her back for cheap, problems and all, I would.
I might have a 3rd gen rear end becoming available. I've got a parts car, and I need to get it torn down enough to see if the rear end is worth replacing mine with or not. If not, it'll be up for sale.
The main problem I'm running into is that the junkyard would only give me a bill of sale. There is no title to go with the car and I can't re-title it in IL without one. I have more checking to do but so far thats what the DMV told me.
Let me know on that rear end when you find out. Thanks
Check with a vehicle licensing services. You basically pay to have a helpful person fight the DMV for you. They will know what possibilities are for the title.
I'll let you know on the rear end, but it may be a few weeks yet, I'm pretty backlogged in stuff I've gotta do.
If you are interested, I have a limited slip drum out of a 91 z, I believe it is a 3.23. I also have black and grey front and back seats. Let me know if your interested
Man, where's that car at? I could use a pass side front fender and that one looks to be in great shape! -Just j/k..
Good luck getting it back, but getting a title for it may be a hassle if it's possible at all.
cam, I have a great hook up for thirdgen parts around here, I live about 30-45 minutes west of you, in Dixon, lots of yards around here, buddies with kevin from QC, also have a slight hook up with BOs around you.
If you are interested, I have a limited slip drum out of a 91 z, I believe it is a 3.23. I also have black and grey front and back seats. Let me know if your interested
Very Interested. PM Sent
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Man, where's that car at? I could use a pass side front fender and that one looks to be in great shape! -Just j/k..
Good luck getting it back, but getting a title for it may be a hassle if it's possible at all.
It's in antarctica, say hi to the penguins for me...lol Yeah Title will be a hassle but I have a photo copy of the old title I had so maybe that will allow me to get a lost title? One way or another I'll get it on the road.
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cam, I have a great hook up for thirdgen parts around here, I live about 30-45 minutes west of you, in Dixon, lots of yards around here, buddies with kevin from QC, also have a slight hook up with BOs around you.
I'm originally from sterling so I know right where you are. If I get it back I'll be needing all the parts I can get, especially 4th gen cause i think I'm going to do a full LT1 or LS swap including dash and other interior. Gonna be a long process though cause I want to do this right. First strip everything and do body work then drivetrain then Interior.
BTW, my girlfriend isn't too excited about me having 5 cars so my 2000 Mitsubishi Galant is up for sale and towards fall or next spring one of my two current camaros may be for sale.
In IL you can get a new title issued. The car has to be street legal before you can petition for it though; this is the mistake most people make and then it's a hassle to get it if the car is not ready for the road when you apply. You have to petition right to Springfield not your local DMV. If they give you a salvage title it is quicker, but the bill of sale will also work. A certified mechanic has to state the car is again street legal and be notarized and a new clean title can get issued. My friend did it a year or two ago...
Thanks for the info Kathi, I knew there used to be something in IL where you could get a car retitled if went through some type of inspection but the DMV was giving me the run around. I have a mechanic that will vouch for the car once it's rebuilt so I'll have to look into that.
UPDATE: I found a 98 Z-28 with the LS1 and a 4l60E in it with a posi rear end for $2000. Think I'm gonna jump on it and use that for the drivetrain then part whats left after the ls1 and Interior swap. Gonna have the LS1 beefed up and freshened before it goes in. Also I've been researching Carputer type systems and I think I can build one that will have all the features (Stereo, gps, internet,satillite radio, etc...) and also be tied into engine management so I'll have everything right from the drivers seat.
Going up in two weeks to Minnesota to get my car back and start assessing what it's gonna need for a full up restoration. If i'm gonna do it I'm gonna do it right....no half-assed job here.
I'm hopefully going to pick the car up this weekend and Sunday my 89 goes into the shop to get the tpi wiring done on it. So if all goes well I'm gonna have a good week
The 98 Z was sold already unfortunatly, oh well another will come along i'm sure.
Wish me luck that noone has gone and cut quarters off it or something like that yet.
If ILL doesn't work for your title needs, Rhode Island will give you a title for anything with wheels, you just have to say you moved out of state and need a title for a junkyard rebuilt car.
As for a title you could do a title search with dmv or a nice police officer and contact last owner and hopefully they have a heart after hearing your story and will apply for lost title for you. Just make sure you do this before investing any money in car...lol
....auburn posi with a Richmond 3.73 and the intake is gone too. I talked to the owner of the yard and he said he would sell it back to me for scrap price which is about $300. 
