Hey everyone. Just wanted to share my venture with the tgo community. I picked this 84 up last month for a steal of 800 bucks. Has been sitting in the driveway for four years. The car was originally a L69 carbd 305 t-5 trans and limited slip 3.73 rear end. The car when I bought it had same trans and rear end but a 87 tpi 305 had been installed. The plan is a 383 with a wc t5 or t56 or maybe a tko. I am doing this on a budget so it will be slow goins. Here are a couple pics from when I first picked up the car.





Home and in the garage!



Interior is in great shape. Only damage is the dash pad is split. Lookes like it was a stiched leather.

 

And the tear down begins.

 

 

Getting ready to drop the gas tank to inspect and swap sending unit for a carbd version.








Gas tank was a little bit off a struggle but it came out after about an hour and a half. Didnt help that it was pretty much full of bad gas. The entire inside of the tank is rusted so I will be getting the tank and seperate filler neck soon. Next on the list is to sand down the body. Not sure if im going to go down to the metal because it does not have any dents that will need mud work just a skim coat will do. But I do have flaking clear. Im hoping to be able to sand it down to base coat and shoot over it.


So what do you guys think??? Thanks

 

Wow no love from the forum huh. Bummer I see the firebird rebuild is getting tons of warm welcomes. Any chance a moderator sees this can you remove my post going to try and find a more involved forum.

 

Wow that was a great find! Body is really solid too. Hey just keep posting your progress pictures and it will catch on. Not sure why no one has commented. Looks like it will be a beauty. I will watch the thread and follow your progress! Very nice

 

I've been following and it's coming along great! Going to be getting an '84 z28 so I'm going to be following intently. Keep posting please!!

 

You've got a very nice solid foundation to start with. Keep up with the great progress

 

Thanks guys I appreciate to words. It is a little overwhelming diving into a project of this magnatude and I was hoping I could get some sound advice from what seems like THE number one source for third gen info.

 

And since I'm still in high school, yes my car will be a tight budget build to the max

 

right on. I feel like things will come slowly but they will come. Everything I have done so far was with a basic socket set and a rented engine hoist. lol Couple cans of high heat primer for the engine bay and thats about it.

 

So when all said and done the body will be shot in a color very similair to this car below. So question is.....Do I know it down to metal or just get it all flat and all the peeled clear off, seal it and then shoot color?

 

Car would be lookin good. The car I'm lookin to buy is an 84 z28, ttops, with a 350, 5 spd, sitting in black primer (my grandpa said most kids in high school who had muscle cars usually sat in primer due to the fact of them putting money into the engine and not into looks), with complete interior. Burns a bit of oil too

 

You are brave painting black in Az, so hot here. Hope your Ac will work good!

 

I don't know if I'd wanna paint the car it's original red color or do a custom look with a nice sunset orange

 

The color is actually brighter than that picture gives credit. It is the cyber gray metallic

 

looks like you have a nice start! your car is def a better start than mine! i started grinding on my 88 to find some terrible filler jobs so far. i sanded my a$$ off today lol. also my car started as a 2.8v6. i didnt realize there was so much to change to put a v8 into it lol. but i know now!

 

I usually sand down to factory primer if no other issues are present.
Good luck with the build.

 

I am following as well. I like to see what others are doing to give inspiration and maybe ideas. I certainly understand the idea of having to do a budget build. If done carefully with a cost consciuos outlook and sometimes thinking out of the box you can have a real nice car.
I will have questions when I really get underway but I do not expect answers for a day or two and certainly not on weekends. This is the best site I have found and plenty of very knowledgable people on here.
Good luck with the build and keep us updated.

 

hell yeah man looks good keep up the work i will be swapping my 305 carb for a 350 soon i dont know if i will do tpi i dont like how my iroc with a 350 was on the top end.. tpi feels like it runs out of steem in hight rpms.. but i regress, your build is looking good man hahaha

 

looks like a nice start for sure, Looks like it was someone project before you got it, but as long as it was not hacked then no big deal. Good luck and keep the progress posted.

 

Can't wait to check this out. Looks like you have already put a good amount of work into it.

 

I'm following as well. I always like to see what other high school kids are doing too. Also that cyber grey paint looks sweet!

 

Ok update time...........

I now have the engine bay flat black will get some pics tomorrow up. Looks clean and simple. I like it. Also if I scratch anything on the motor install its a quick touch up instead of base clear that would have been a bit more tricky. I have been doing some thinking on the motor swap. I want to run ac in the car. I am going to build a 383 with a decent cam. Will this be an issue? I know vaccum may become an issue with a lumpy cam but thats solvable. Also I have been wondering if a wc t5 will hold the 450 hp or so that my 383 will be putting out. Should I pony up and track down a t56? Thanks for the input guys like I said this is budget so Im leaning twards the wc t5.

 

the only way you will get it to look anything close to that is gonna be to strip it to bare, and then use a metal etch primer covered by high build urethane primer....block it straight then seal and paint.

 

A 383 would be nice but if you expect the T5 to last you had better only drive it like it still had a tired 305. It might last but if you drive it hard it most likely will not. I would reccomend a T56 with that HP. 93-97 Fbody LT1 T56 tranny.
I searched for 2-3 months and found mine from another 3rd gen enthusiast (I counted 7 Camaros in good condition) 200 miles away for 850 on craigslist by searching the surrounding areas. Road trip on a Saturday morning.
I also found one 550 miles away for 650. Both were relatively complete w/ bellhousing, flywheel and nearly new clutch and bolts, shifter and other misc.
Bought a pedal set from a 4th gen for 30 and found torque arm bushing and dust cover for about another 30.