I have always toyed with the idea of posting a build thread in the past. I have restored a few cars and trucks over the years, but I could never make myself sit down and document them. Since I am now retired and have plenty of time on my hands, I should be able to finish this one in less than half the time of my previous projects.

So, here we go. I hope I can keep updating the progress. (This intro wound up being very wordy, but I tried to keep it as brief as possible.)

I bought this car new as a young airman in the Air Force. I remember seeing the first load of 82 Camaros coming into town, but I never thought I could ever afford one. I couldn’t finance the car due to lack of credit. They suggested I take out a small signature loan at the local bank. I paid it off in a year’s time and got my credit started.

That extra year precluded me from being one of the first in our small town to own an 82 Camaro. This dilemma paid out in the end on a couple of counts. One, it gave me lots of time to plan my purchase of an 83. When the 83 brochures came out, I was on it! Due to being on an airman’s budget I decided to choose mostly performance-oriented options.

It was already the spring of 1983 by the time the loan was paid off. Again, the delay came in handy. In the May 83 issue of Hot Rod Magazine, I read an article of a “High Performance” Z28 that was soon to be available. https://www.hotrod.com/features/coun...982-1178-36-1/ Armed with this new information and my list of options I headed out to the dealer and sat down with my soon-to-be favorite sales lady.

Here is what I specified:
Camaro Z28 Sport Coupe
Dark Blue Metallic Paint
Tinted Windows
T-Tops
Dark Blue Custom Cloth Interior
AM/FM Cassette
Front and Rear Floor Mats
Rear Defogger
Roll Up Cargo Compartment Cover
5-Speed Transmission
Posi-Traction Differential
4-Wheel Disc Brakes
Heavy Duty Battery
Halogen High Beam Headlights
Dual Horns

Besides the performance options I chose some of the more expensive options and I threw in a few cheap ones just for the hell of it.

Notice I didn’t get Air Conditioning. I’m a Hot Rodder! None of my cars ever had AC. I don’t need no stinkin’ AC! Besides, I have T-Tops! Plenty of ventilation. My sales lady asked me more than once if I was sure about that. I came to regret that decision later…

Then, I mentioned the H.O. option. She goes, “Huh?” They had no idea what that was. After a little research they found it and I signed the dotted line.

After waiting for 6 weeks, I took delivery. Gawd, was this car sweet!

It wound up being my daily driver as I had a hard time keeping my 69 Camaro running due to finances. My future wife and I dated in it, taught her how to drive a manual shift car with it, we drove it after we got married, brought home our newborn son in it, taught him how to drive in it, etc., etc., etc. It’s been in our lives ever since I bought it.

Fast-forward to 2019. After driving it 242,000 miles, regasketing the engine a couple times, one transmission rebuild, adding factory AC, power windows, locks, mirrors and hatch release from a donor 83 Camaro, and a multitude of other maintenance items, I decided to take it off the road. After building a few other cars for others and finishing my 69 after not driving it for 35 years, it is now 2025 and time for a new chapter for the ol’ 83.

 

 

I love that you bought it new and still have it. Looking forward to seeing it restored.

 

I was fortunate enough to be one of the first to own an 82. It was a black 1982 Z28 with T-tops and the Silver-Gray deluxe interior.

And same here, the dealer I approached in the early spring of 1983 hadn't yet heard of the HO engine. But I was way early, and after they researched it, they confirmed that it was coming, but not available to order yet. So we wrote up the order, and as soon as they got the OK, they ordered it. Got it in July. Another black Z28 with T-tops, but this one had the Charcoal deluxe interior. Most people had no idea it was a different car lol.

And I also installed the 140 MPH "Z28" speedo in mine. Does your 242,000 miles include the mileage that was already on the car when you installed that speedo? Only you would know if it didn't, and at this point in its life, with that much mileage, it's kind of moot.

Unfortunately, mine was "gone in 60 seconds" in the summer of 1986, hence, my 1987 Formula, which I still have.

Have fun restoring it! If mine were to ever turn up, I'd buy it and restore it too. VIN searches show no such car ever existed though, so it's looooong gone! But I've always got an eye open...

 

Very cool! Best of luck with the resto, can't wait to follow along.

 

I was not expecting this story.

Thank you for your service to our country & thank you for sharing the story of the car. I think your going to end up with a lot of people following this thread, so hopefully you can keep it updated once in a while as you go & time allows. I'm sure if the 242k miles could talk there would be a lot of good stories!
I think its amazing that the original radio is still in there. Did you ever swap it out for anything else over the years?
Seemed like that was always the first thing to go when we bought cars back then.

There can not be many people that can say they are the original owner of a car, keep it all those years and then restore it 42 years later! That is pretty cool.
I could tell right away the car was not from up here in the rust belt. One of the first things I did was look at your location........

 

Thank you. Yes, the car has been through a lot. I will try to inject a story or two as I go along.

I did very little in modifications. One thing I am going to do that's not factory is install a Holley 4175, (0-80555C). I was having drivability issues with the CCC system and swapped out the carb for an old-school Quadrajet and HEI several years ago.

I thinks it's cool that I still have my first car I bought when I was 16, (69 Camaro) and my first new car, the 83.

Today, I am starting the interior disassembly.

 

Even though the 82's had come and gone my 83 was still a head turner. It was the same way when we got our 2010 Camaro in the same small town. There were only two in town at the time.

I did install the 140 MPH speedo soon after. The car had a few thousand on it but I reset the new one to match the current mileage. One thing I am going to do is keep the mileage current on the speedo. I usually reset the mileage to zero when I do a build but I know it's the original mileage, so I figured, why not keep it current? I wish the digits had been upgraded to 6 digits like I understand the Firebirds did.

That would be sweet if you could find the 82. I suppose if a VIN search comes up empty does that mean it's been crushed and disposed of or just that it's not currently registered?

 

Thanks. You have way more experience with third gens than I do!

 

I strongly urge you to reconsider this. Get a 6210 instead.

I've had both. Many 6210s (and 6211 as well - the 6210's 800 CFM brother) over the years. Then I bought a 80555 for a 79 Z28 I had, since that was what "book" listed as the replacement. It simply wasn't as good. Period. It ran like an emissions piece instead of a performance one.

Get a 6210 instead.

 

Looks like they aren't making the 6210 anymore. Nobody stocks them. Karl Kustoms says they have them, however.

I got one of the last 4175's and I really don't want to sell it for a loss. They are quite pricey. The only reason I chose the 4175 was that the fuel inlet is in the factory location and has an electric choke. The 6210 has a divorced choke. If I had the chance I would gotten the old Edelbrock Quadrajet knockoff model. I believe that's who made those.

 

6210's fuel inlet is in the factory Q-Jet location as well. It was originally the direct replacement for the old 702 series Q-Jets.

Electric choke may have been why I screwed up and talked myself into the 80555 back then. Seems however, that there is/was an EC kit for the 6210, that if I had known about at the time, I would have done differently. Be aware also though, the divorced choke on the 6210 requires a 2-bbl stat (works backwards, directionally, from a 4-bbl one, as in, pushes up instead of pulls down or vice-versa); and a "custom" linkage which can easily be fastened from a muffler bracket such as these.



Intakes other than stock butt not too invasive include the ZZ4 one and the Edelbrock Performer, which AFAIK are/were the same thing except for the logo cast onto them. The 2-bbl stat bolts right up to either.

Oh well, that was all like 45 yrs ago, so it's all water under the bridge now. I'm surprised I even remember that much about it.

 

The Holley 0-80555C has been discontinued too. Replaced by the 0-80555S

 

That is WAY cool!...

 

I am not as familiar with Third Gens as I am with First Gen cars and other 60’s and 70’s vehicles so I took more photos than I usually do. I made sure to cover it all as best I could so I could understand how these cars were assembled.

I did pretty well today. Most of the interior is out. I’ve pretty much been all over the car for the last 42 years, but a lot of the interior has remained a mystery to me. As hoped, there is no rust except for some small surface rust spots and dirt build up on the floorboards. Nothing a pressure wash can't handle once it's up on the rotisserie.

I forgot what a PITA that dash is!

 

Nice to see it's unmolested back there...

 

I see loose change on the floor. Maybe left over from a mcdonalds drive though purchase when a burger was .69 cents.
In 1983 they were probably cheaper than that though.

My only regret taking too many pictures on disassembly of a project, is not have taken more when it comes to re-assembling. haha
Can never take enough & easy to delete when the projects over. Pictures & lots of zip lock bags with sharpie notes. That car looks so original its likely better than any restoration book or service manual.

 

HAHA! I was expecting to see more treasures under the seats and console. I definitely did my share of McDonald's.

You're right on adequate documentation. I feel a little intimidated being this is my first Third Gen build. I hope I am taking enough pics.

 

I've been through this, best advice I can offer is keep things together and in a safe location. I lost my seatbelt receivers and shift plate somehow and it sucked. Also, idk what your end goal is but if don't throw away random (non consumable) parts that get replaced with aftermarket because you never know if you're gonna end up with another third gen.

 

Agree. I tend to keep reasonably decent used parts for possible future use.

 

Well, I spoke too soon. Rust! AAARRGHHH!! When I pulled the T-top seals, there it was. I am so glad this car has been in New Mexico most of its life. I was really hoping I wouldn't have to do any welding. Soon as I determine the width of that lip I suppose I will see if I can fab a few. At least under the center section panel, everything is still intact.

I put in a full day but it went a little slower this time. I pulled most of the body wire harness out. I just need to do the firewall and tail lights.

I removed the hood and hatch glass. I'm not happy and a little concerned with the result of the glass removal. One of the bolts started turning and chipped the glass. It's not really a chip, it's more like a thin layer of that glass came off around the bolt head. I've had different experiences with tempered glass. Sometimes they can take a beating then other times they explode unexpectedly. I erred on the side of caution and finished removing the hinges from the body instead. I'll get to the stuck bolts later.

I started the engine removal so it would be easier to remove the AC duct work and wire harness. I don't remember how much of a PITA it was to install the whole system years ago with the engine in the car. I'd rather enjoy the extra elbow room.

 

There is a guy in the UK that makes new t-top channels for our cars. I know it has been posted on here a few times before.

 

Interesting! With all the corrosion, it appeared that the rear lip was part of the roof. After reading a few threads it appears that old channels can be removed and the new one welded in place. One I get it media blasted I'm sure it will make sense in my head what needs to be done. This photo helped me.





Thank you for the advice! I really hope many people take part in this build thread. I could use the help of who have been here before.

 

Today was just a 6-hour day. It was more than enough time to pull the engine/transmission. The engine is on the stand waiting for disassembly. Engines are one of my favorite areas, but I’ll wait until the rest of the car is totally blown apart before I tear into it. It’s amazing how dirty these motors get. Each time I regasketed it, it was about 100,000 miles each time. I guess that’s enough time for the inevitable leaks to completely take over. But, I don't think I ever attempted to keep it clean.

BTW, I don’t know where I got the 242,000 miles, it’s actually around 275,000 miles. I thinks it’s done pretty well, considering.

My wife even helped me!

 

Thank You for your service, one Vet to another. I was very interested in your post. Looks like your one of the 3,223 people lucky enough to have been able to order the L-69 option in 1983. I have not seen many posts over the years about these. Looking forward to your future posts. Best of luck on Resto.!

 

Thank you too, brother. Yeah, I always thought it was cool that there are few of the 83's produced compared to about 50,000 84 H.O.'s. I think the 85's are even rarer.

I just noticed you have an 83 too!

 

Yes. My best friend ordered it new, kept until 1987 when he ordered an 1988. He said I should adopt it, had it since.

 

Very cool. I sent you a PM.

 

Today was an even shorter day but I was able to remove the front crossmember. It didn’t come out gracefully but it’s out. I discovered that leaving the sway bar connected to the lower control arms keeps the springs in place. I’ll just have to compress the springs so I can remove the link nuts without it exploding on me. I don’t think I'll have as much stuff hanging off it when it comes time for the install. But, for the first time, I will attempt to install the engine and transmission from the bottom. It still won’t be as glamorous as a First Gen subframe/engine/transmission install, but I think it will be easier to install most of the related parts outside the car.

 

Great project and watch out for those springs. I bought a cheapy spring compressor and it was scary. I ended up buying a OTC 7045B Front Coil Spring Compressor. It was not cheap but dealing with springs is no joke. And take lots of pictures, i disassembled my car in 2007 over the course of 2 days and took many, many pictures. Now im glade i did.

 

It seems that the sway bar wasn't doing anything to hold in the springs. After removing the links it took just a little prying and they gently popped right out. When everything is installed in the car it's just a matter of pulling down on the lower control arms, which wasn't as easy to do on the floor.

The front crossmember is now disassembled. Removed the rear bumper cover. It's amazing how much of the desert was underneath.

Working on the engine compartment now.

 

Got a lot done today. The front end and interior are completely disassembled. I started on the doors this evening. I should be able to finish the rear of the car in the next day or two and also remove the cracked windshield.

I’ve been planning on how to strip the paint. Usually, I mount a car on the rotisserie, rent a commercial sandblaster and compressor and go to town, completely stripping every accessible square inch. With the sheet metal on these cars so thin, I will probably just use my small blaster to strip the areas that have rust. On the exterior panels, maybe a DA or try one of those paint stripper power tools. I’ve heard positive reviews on those.





The paint is so thin and deteriorated a DA or a little paint stripper might do just as well. When I removed the fenders, I couldn’t believe how light they were. I weighed one at 12 lbs. They seem to be at least half the weight of a First Gen F-Body fender. Definitely need to be careful.

I'm hoping the areas that still have good paint, (Interior, engine compartment, etc., a good pressure washing will take care of that. I'm really looking forward to not having to completely blast the entire car. I've never built a car so clean, rust-wise.

 

Floors look mints from here.

 

I've always been of the opinion that it is a waste of time and resources to take everything down to bare metal, just for the sake of saying it was taken down to bare metal. All you need is a good base and existing paint that is adhered well can provide that good base. I definitely agree that there shouldn't be a need to strip the underhood and interior compartment paint.

However, I'd skip out on that abrasive drum sander for the exterior panels. I've used them before on trailers and things, but I'd be worried about heat buildup on thin sheetmetal. With that paint being baked so thin, a DA sander should make quick work of that.

 

Agree with that. This car is way better than what I usually deal with.
Yeah, I think those tools are pretty aggressive. It would be overkill. They're good for thick layers of paint.

 

I think there's no turning back now!

The body is now completely disassembled. Next up is good pressure wash, or whatever it takes to get 42 years of dirt, greasy grime, etc, to get it all cleaned up so I can do a thorough inspection.

 

For now, I will take a break so I can get on a client's 64 Galaxy to make it more driveable/reliable. Then, my rotisserie, which I built about 20 years ago, will need some TLC. It's been stored outside for all this time. I want to blast it and shoot a decent coat or two of paint and to add larger casters so I can roll it out of the shop and onto the gravel yard for the car's cleaning.

 

Holy crap, I can barely keep up just trying to follow the thread!

Man you blew that apart fast. I also like how clean & organized you keep your workspace.

 

At this rate he will have it restored by Easter.

 

HAHA! Doubt it!

Teardown is always the fastest and easiest part. But in this case, I believe the metal work, which typically takes more than 50% of a build, should be a minor part on this one. The only welding I see so far will be replacing the T-Top channels. The rest of car has just a few dings and small dents. (Sorta) The driver door is the worst. I'll see if I can hammer and dolly the dents out. I wish door skins were still available. I've never installed one before but I would rather go through the learning curve instead of trying to repair it.

Side story: Back in December of 1984, I was driving in a snow storm when a guy pulled onto the road ahead of me in the left lane. I was in the right lane. I was going slow but he was crawling and I was overtaking him. Right as I was about to pass him he turned on his right turn signal and started to cut me off. I couldn't brake or steer out of the way so I side-swiped him. The fender was torn open like a can opener had ripped into it. The drivers door skin was just a crumpled mess. The quarter sustained a little damage along with the gas filler door and spoiler side being torn off.

The fender and door skin was replaced but they didn't align the skin very well. The rear gap was wider than the front. Everything else looked OK, except for too much metallic in the paint. I don't know why I didn't fuss about it. It was still a new car! Anyway, short of replacing the skin, I might attempt to add some metal to the rear and trim a little off the front, (Of course, adding some to fill in the split sheet metal). I could get another door too. I don't know at this point.

 

Thanks, but I seem to running out of space. There seems to be more parts on this car than an old 60's car/truck. It's going to be a challenge keeping organized.

 

Amazing...the story, the rebuild, the dedication, I will be following this one until the end. From a fellow former Air Force.

 

Thank you, too.

I hope this will be "entertaining" as well as informative. I will be learning a lot as well as hoping to provide tips and inspiration for more to restore their rides. These cars deserve as much attention as the First and Second gen Camaros.

 

I've never been fond of skinning doors. It just opens up too many chances for other issues. My old '86 was side swiped in '00. Door skins were still available then, but I went with a nice used door instead.

If it's just a minor difference in the door gaps, you can simply slide the door fore or aft when you bolt it back up. There's more than enough adjustment in the window hardware to make up for it.

 

I hear that a lot. A new door would be easier.True, but the rear gap at the top is way wider than the lower. I need to make it more consistent.

 

Teardown is quick. It took me 2 days to tear down my car in 2007 and its taken 18 years so far to get it almost back together. I hope your rebuild is faster

 

Keep at it!

 

I thought I would play around and upload a video to YouTube. It's real simple but gets the point across.

 

I'm doing a little decal reproduction work. Some of my original emission decal is missing. Can anybody post a photo of their HO decal? A straight on, level shot, filling the entire frame would be great.

Here is what I have reproduced so far on mine. I still need to tweak it a little:

Anybody need one for their car?

 

Got back on the Camaro yesterday and tore down the engine. There was nothing out of ordinary except for the extreme lack of wear on this motor. The first time I regasketed and changed out the bearings at about 100,000 miles I was pleasantly surprised to be able to see the cylinder wall cross hatch. I think I remember the bearings showing a fair amount of wear. I didn't pull the pistons so I wouldn't upset the ring seal. I pushed the pistons to the top of their bores with stops for insurance. I don't know if anyone has tried to pull a crank with the rods still in place, but it's doable.

The second time at about 200,000 miles I could still see the cross hatch. Now, I'm thinking this is unusual. I figured it would have enough cylinder taper that it would have needed to be bored.

This time, I can still see some cross hatch! Amazing! And, even the piston skirts still have most of the grooves showing. I used synthetic oil for the first 100,000 miles or so after I initially put about 5,000 miles on it. I thought that had a lot to do with the minimal wear at first but for the last 200,000 miles I've been running conventional. Too bad .010" over pistons aren't available, because I am sure that's all it would need. Even the heads looked good. The valves weren't sunk and had good color. Has anybody else had this experience?
The cam and lifters were about done. All the lifters had the typical wear except for one. It still had a crown on its base. Go figure. My machinist was fairly impressed, although he's seen this before. I'm happy!