i bought this 1991 Camaro from a guy down the road a little while ago. I was wondering, based on the pictues should i continue with this project or should i buy another camaro and use this car as a parts car.Ok heres what happened(as i was told).......... he hit a telephone pole on the driver side idk how fast but it beat that side of the car pretty good. It looks to me like the whole driver side of the car was rammed a couple of inches back( as in the door picture, the door won't close all the way it overlaps) also he said it cracked the rim on the driver front side so i am not sure what could be wrong with the suspension arm or not. the tires would need to be aligned very bad! so i was just wondering if i should keep going or if i should get another camaro. Thanks

 

heres another pic

 

I'd definitely get a new Camaro and transfer the parts over. The way that rear quarter is messed up by the door...and the condition of the unibody...there is no way I'd try to fix that given how easy it is to get your hands on a clean straight 3rd gen shell. If it were a 1LE or a B4C MAYBE I would consider it, but it looks like just an RS. No way its worth fixing in my opinion. That engine doesnt look too great either...not to mention it looks like a stock L03.

What exactly is GOOD on the car that makes it worth anything at all?

 

I would say part it out its probaly got to much subframe damage, and even if you got it fixed it will never drive the same again

 

IMO, i would look for something else.. waaaayyyyyy toooo much work and not worth wasting money to try and fix.. thats just my thoughts

 

the interior is in good shape, nice audio system, it has good tires, the engine runs real nice, the rear end body and drivetrain are nice. the only problem that i really see is the driver side damage.

 

I think I'd start looking for another car. Two things argue against fixing that car: 1. It looks to have serious frame damage, which equates to LOTS of money spent getting it squared back up, and 2. It's rusty, and in some scary places. I have an '88 that literally sat outside uncovered for 13 years and it has less rust than that. Don't follow my path, I fixed a car that wasn't worth fixing...now I've put $3500 into a car that's still only worth $1500.

 

I have to agree with these guys. My car has holey floorpans and wheelwells, and I fully intended on fixing them, but I got my hands on a rust free bird shell for 125 bucks!! So now I'm in the process of transferring. I woulda spent 5 times that getting the rust repaired. If you keep your eyes open, eventually you'll find a clean one, and you'll wonder why you ever considered fixing what you have. I know I did.

 

just depends how much work you want to put into it....and if your able to use a frame rack...because that's the only thing that will possibly save that car. Personally....I would either part it out...or start transfering parts to anyother body.

 

I'd definately get something else. Just based on all that rust I wouldn't want that car.

 

Dude, thats a lot of rust. Get something else and use it for parts. My 2 cents.

 

ok there is ONLY rust on the parts that got hit. NO where else! so stop acting like the car is eaten away by rust. i apprieciate the responses but the actual body of the car is in good shape like the door the rear quarter panels and the floor boards have like no rust at all. but idk y the air thing has rust on it. lol. byt thanks for the input guys.

 

hey man u asked. 3rd gens are a dime a dozen. theres no point in restoring that car unless it has some kind of sentimental value. It looks like it was flooded at one point too

 

how do u figure that it was flooded?

 

just all that rust and corrosion...either that or it sat outside with no hood on for months...

have u pulled up the carpet?

 

Ya, as rusty as that side is and the engine i find it very hard to beilive the other side is spotless...

 

The amount you would put into it having the frame pulled and the parts that are allready cut out would possibly total more than what the car is worth This is an expert opinnion I have done frame and body for 25+ years the only way to straighten that much damage is on a rack and thats not cheep figure $1500-2000 for rack time and welding alone ... start looking for another shell you will come out ahead in the long run ..

 

ya just go along with the general consensus and pull all pars that are in GOOD shape off, cause you never know what you'll need em for,and look for a straight rust free shell.

 

Let me ask you how far do you plan to go?? What are your plans for the car?? Is it going to be a daily driver or a show car??? In my opnion it looks like right behind the wheel that it has a patch of rust that has eaten alot of metal away. If it were me I would use it as a parts car, but thats me.

 

yea, sorry but you should get another, it seems you are either in denial of the sad truth that the car is in pretty sad shape and dont want the hear the calls for you to try your luck with another one. i mean, just looking at the door pic, the whole body is jammed back a couple inches, the car in a unibody car, so things are definatly warped, bent, waivy, and all around f-ed up. before i got my car, it spent its life in a garage, for the most part, and when i rebuilt it i found suprise rust behind ground f/x and in the t-top. im sure there is more that what meets the eye when it come to the car.

picture this, take a soda can, smash it flat with you foot, then try to return it to its original shape, not pretty, not gonna happen.

sorry dude, but its trime to look for another.

 

o i'n not in denial the rest of the car is in good shape, only the hit part is wahts really bad. but thanks for the opinions. i could get the car on a rack to straighten it for free but i don't wanna have to go into all the stuff. but yea it will be a daily driver mostly.

 

count me in as another vote to junk it. these cars are never the same after they have been hit, even minor fender benders like that. I would really try looking for something else.

 

Junk it? are u crazy son? thats even dumber than purposly hitting your car with a hammer(unless u hate your car) lol

 

you asked for opinions and I know it may not be what you wanted to hear but that body cancer on top of it being wrecked just puts it over the edge. take all the parts you want to salvage off this one and put them on a better chassis. you always want to start with the best possible base. but I guess everyone has different Ideas on what makes a good base.

EDIT

lets see some more pics or the underside and maybe the rest of the car. I may retract what I said but all I had to work with was the pics you posted.

 

fixing it unless youre gonna have another body,where the damage is the front side structure is missing

 

I would strip that car of all usable and sellable parts before I set it on fire and sank it to the bottom of a deep lake. It would make great cover for the local bass..

 

it's junk you'd have to buy a parts car just to rebuild the doghouse. when the parts car would probably be less work to repair than that. You should take everything off that is in good shape and take the rest to the scrap yard and get you a little chunk of change to go towards a new shell. there's 3rd gen rollers everywhere

 

it sounds like all the good parts you have named are easily removable... stereo, wheels, interior. Believe me, if anyone wants so badly to vote for saving a 3rd gen it would be members of this board. That one just isn't worth the effort. Maybe 50 years from now, a 3rd gen in that condition would be worth saving. But today, there are plenty of solid bodies out there to be had for under $1000. I got mine for $500 3 years ago with 6 crosslace rims and new tires with almost no rust.

 

Well how u said that members of this board would vote to save this car.... look at the other posts all i get is JUNK IT. so idk what ur trying to say but i am NOT gonna junk it i'm gonna use the parts i can. Pretty much everything besides that corner is in good shape. so thanks for the opinion.
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Just because u got a nice camaro doesn't mean u have to be a ****.

 

You can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink. good luck fixing it. make sure you post pics of your progress and final product

 

[QUOTE=v10viper04;3143843]Well how u said that members of this board would vote to save this car.... look at the other posts all i get is JUNK IT. so idk what ur trying to say but i am NOT gonna junk it i'm gonna use the parts i can. Pretty much everything besides that corner is in good shape. so thanks for the opinion.
\QUOTE]

I meant that if there was a chance it would be worth saving, members here would say save it while people without the same love for 3rd gens would say junk it with far less damage. But even the hardcore enthusiasts agree that it's simply not worth saving. sure, it's possible. Anything's possible. It's just that it'd be easier to get another solid body and go from there.

 

easier and cheaper with a better final product

 

i dont think you are paying attention here, the front "corner" is not what the problem is, the problem is that the whole f-ing door is overlapping the quarter panel!!! the whole side of the car has been smashed back. its f-ed, no if, and, or buts about it. jack it up and take some pics of the driverside undercarriage for us to look at.

 

Dude, obviously you shouldnt have posted this in the first place. You asked a question and you clearly couldnt take the answer, so dont make all the ppl who answered out to be the bad guys. Like tricked out said, you can lead him, but you cant make him drink it.

I owned my car for 3 years, i also bought it as a project. It sat for 3 years, cuz the driveline was sh*t. After 3 years i finally had all the parts to make it run, i finally sorted out the paper work (last owner was deceased), so it wasnt easy. And i find out, there is some hidden rust on the frame rails. Started from the inside, out, and spread. So, my options are, to put some serious welding work into it, or salvage the parts and put it into another third-gen.

Obviously this car means alot to me, ive hung onto it for 3 years and its my FIRST car, but the board members told me how these cars have no frame, its all just one big unibody construction. So if there are structural problems on one part, chances are everything is affected. So, im gonna buy another third-gen and start on that project. It was an expensive lesson, but i only need to learn it once.

So, all these folks have told you what you asked, and that was that the car is just not worth putting money into, cuz its ALOT of hard work, and money you need to spend to get it to what you want out of it. You said u can get the work done for free, well you are still gonna spend time and effort most ppl wouldnt even go through for a Yenko! and u are just gonna get a driver out of it?!?!

Well its not worth it, and if you really dont wanna hear us tell you that car is "J***" cuz ur gonna freak out about it, well then u shouldnt have posted it in the first place. Dont ask for help if u really cant be helped.

Just my 0.02!!! Good luck man, cuz u clearly know what you're doin better than the rest of us, (some of us who have even "been there and done that!").

 

This I know, You could find a Camaro That has a good body but bad int. For about 300-500 dollars. Then us the car for parts. Think about it.

 

definitely better of using it for parts and buying something straight and rust free

 

yea i did ask a ? and i didn't ask is it a piece of **** or not? i asked should i continue or not? and i agree its not in good shape but u don't have to SEVERELY down on it. i love camaros and i don't like ppl calling my camaro a piece of junk, u all can understand that can't you? wouldn't you get annoyed if someone called your camaro or firebird junk?

 

when people are saying JUNK IT, they mean take whatever GOOD parts you can off it and then JUNK IT. It doesnt seem like you understand that.

No one would completely "JUNK" a car with good parts on it.

 

Reading the thread I get the same feeling. Maybe this will clear things up:

CAR DAMAGED.
TAKE PARTS OFF.
GET NEW CAR.
PUT PARTS ON.

 

hey if you want a straight one come get mine 86 2.8 5 speed ill sell it less than it would cost to fix yours say bout 800 or so

 

I need to find a deal like that!! to bad your not selling a vert

 

Quick and easy so this doesn't hurt.


Do NOT continue.

 

Where is it located? and pictures? Thanks

 

IF YOU LIVE NERE REDDING CA I WILL GIVE YOU A TRANS AM BODY IN GOOD SHAPE PM ME

 

I live in NY lol (little bit too far) But thanks anyways

 

No, I'm afraid you are in denial. You say you can get the frame straightened for free yet you don't want to get into all that stuff!
The point is why would you even consider trying to fix it? It's garbage, strip the parts, junk it and then buy one in good condition down the road for 5% of the cost it would take to fix that thing.
In short - DO NOT CONTINUE!

 

ya know whats mad funny? i'm not in denial, so stop it with the denail stuff.just be mature answer my question

 

You've yet to post one reason why the car is worth putting anything into.
Face it, you made a mistake in buying it and now you're hoping that people will tell you it's not that bad. Obviously you've found out differently and can't handle it! As they say, If you can't handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen!
Strip it, Then take the pile of junk and send it off the nearest cliff and move on.
DO NOT CONTINUE - there, I, and many others have answered your question.

 

hey y don't u get a life and leave this forum if your gonna be a ***. also i already know that the car isn't worth fixing doushe. so shut up aboout that. y don't u mature a little and just answer a simple question. o and i can handle it plenty, i'm already looking for another one. Me> You>
have a good one

 

Do people around here get banned often?