hi, im looking at buying a 1991 camaro RS, but i was wondering if anyone can post picture;s of their camaro's interior and give me a couple heads on up if the interior wears easily

thanks, this is my first car and i just want to make sure its a good car

 

Welcome to TGO. The interiors are like all interiors: They will wear out in time, especially if they're ill used. The 91's interior is some 18 years old. I'd expect it to be in need of repair, replacement, recovered, etc., unless it's been very well cared for. Good luck.

JamesC

 

my 91 z28 has a decent interior and was cared for pretty good. just take a look at the interior and decide if you want to cover the seats and what not.

 

would you guy's say that a camaro is a good first car?, im going to have to do some work to it but i think is should be a good car

 

i had a 1990 ford ranger for my first car and i wanted a camaro soooooo bad. as a first car i would say its good. it will show you how the police ticket system works when you get cuaght speeding, and it should teach you something about how to work on a car. i love my 3rd gens so i finally just bought one myself. if you are getting it as your first car then i am truly jealous. is it an rs or z28 v6 or v8 5 speed or auto? have fun!

 

ahh A lucky one like me... I got 2 third gens for my firsts cars.

 

i am truly jealous of you

 

Potential money pit (don't ask me how I know ).

JamesC

 

I agree with James

I would not buy one as your first/only car. They do tend to be money pits, even if they were well taken care of, they are still old and things will wear out.

Personally I have a DD and then the camaro is my fun/weekend car.

Either way, good luck with whatever you decide.

 

the camaro im looking at is a 1991 camaro rs auto, and it needs work done to it which is why i want it

it needs some engine work and it needs a new paint job

 

Welcome to the board.

 

thank you

 

Welcome. Real quick, would you want to replace an 18yo couch or chair in your house? Same with this.

I bought a camaro for my first car (only because the guy agreed to let me pay $150 a week (Just started my first job and only had $600 to throw towards the car, and the rest payments) and keep it at my house until its payed off in which I get the title). To me for what I wanted was not a good choice, but I wanted one so so so bad. I drove the car home, it was overheating. I decided to replace the thermostat, which turned into removing the AC, then removing the smog, then battery, then intake, cruise control, the old wheel was torn so I removed that too, removed water pump, acc brackets and just kept removing things...

Now 3 years later I am finally getting the car back together and running. Realize this car only needed a new stat and fan and was good to go, had been rebuilt 30k ago, all new brakes, suspension, paint was 3 yo when picked up. Frame rails are in awesome shape (not so much for the floorpans).

So what I am trying to say is my first car turned into a 3yr project because well, ITS A MONEY PIT and it was my first car on my first job and first time I ever worked on a car myself without someone telling me what to do each step.

To me it was a good experience, but would I do it again, hell no. I'd buy a beater civic or something good for winter and summer and easy and cheap to fix, then saved for the camaro...but I have it now and am happy to finally....FINALLY get her back out on the road after 3yrs and $1,000's later.

P.S. I drove my camaro 3 miles to my house and has been sitting ever since.

P.P.S. As long as you don't start just removing things that don't need to be and the car itself is fine you should be okay.

Beware: Insurance, gas, maintenance costs. 20yo car

 

Stay away from cars with rot and electrical issues. If it simply needs some cleaning and a fresh engine, might be a good way to go. However, these cars are NOT your father's Chevelle or Nova, especially in the electronics department. There are more electrical things to go wrong and many of them have been smashed up or have serious rust issues. That being said, TBI is pretty reliable once you've got it all ironed out, and as long as you don't mind some scratched up knuckles, they aren't so bad. But they are old, and they will break, just like every other old car. The interior stuff is dependent on the car the car received from previous owners. Problem is, no one really makes new parts for them. I think new door panels are it, no new plastics are available to my knowledge. If you have your heart set on a third gen, just make sure the body is straight (the door and fender gaps should all be about the same), no or minimal rot (check the floor pans and the rear wheel wells) and there isn't some horrible stereo installation or alarm (eg. computer speakers and portable cd players stuffed in the dash) then go to. Just don't expect it to be without its challenges. And post some pics, that will help.

 

well most of my family works on car ( my grandpa on my dads side own a 65 shelby and my dad owns a 68 cogar) and my uncles own a car lot and my step dad and my grandpa on my moms side built cars for a living so working on it isnt going to be any problem...the car is 3 hours away from me and its really cheap for a camaro only $400

 

anyways for picture's they are on my profile

 

Ok I have owned 2 92 converts, and Rs and a Z28 - the RS was a daily driver while I lived in Dallas and I had zero issues, but the a/c in these is not the best so summertime was not that comfy.

Neither of my cars were hi milers and both came from southern states so rsut was not a big issue.

If you buy a hi miler you are going to have spend time and money on it sooner or later. Also if (unlike me) you are young check your insurance cost before you buy a Camaro - I had a tough time selling my first one because almost everyone who wanted was under 30 and they could afford the car but not the insurance.

 

im going to go and look at the car some time this week, but for $400 its a steal, and i have 2 years before i can get my license anyways so im going to re build the engine and work on the body as i get the money together, all i think it needs is some paint

 

Don't let eagerness for the car overcome good sense. Around my area, $400 would buy a rust bucket and not much else.

JamesC

 

well the camaro seems to be in good shape, it doesn't have the original hood on it or so it seems, but other than that the car looks to be in good shape, iv only seen picture's though so i could be wrong, that and the engine isnt running but i can't get anyone in the v6 board to help me there

 

how can you tell if you car has power locks?, im only seeing 3 switchs on the center console

 

The lock switches are mounted on the door panel.

JamesC

 

thank you james

 

Very hard to diagnose engine issues without going through the basics, such as
1) does it turn over/have electrical power?
2) is it getting fuel?
3) does it have spark?

You have to start somewhere, otherwise you're just shooting in the dark.

 

it turns over and it cranks, it just wont start

 

Ok, so then its either a fuel problem or a spark problem.

Put the key in the 'ON' position and listen for the fuel pump to prime. It will run for a short while, then turn off. If thats happening, crank the engine over for a bit, then pop a sparkplug out to see if its wet and smells like fuel.

My guess is its going to be a spark problem. Pull a plug, leave it in the boot and ground the electrode against the body or the motor, then crank the motor. The plug should spark as you crank the motor.

 

ah, thank you, ill try that

 

Not a problem, just make sure the car isn't a rust bucket before you start checking engine stuff. Bring a magnet. Check the rear wheel wells and window posts...notorious for being rotten there. And if you must have subs, take that box out and put a proper one in that sits in the trunk space. Having that giant box in the back of your car is just begging someone to smash the hatch and steal it OR you're going to hit the brakes real hard one day and give your self a concussion.

Good luck.

 

guess you saw the picture's then huh? lol im already planning on making a custom box for them in the back

 

Yeah, I checked the pics. It looks good, but I can't tell if those quarters are ok or not. They might be cheesed, I can't tell, hence the magnet. And they sell boxes online as well. You could easily re-used the speakers, just not the box. The interior looks not bad. Its an RS with the base interior, but with the power options, sorta unusual. Usually the base interior is manual everything. And its grey, so its easier to get parts for. Grey is a pretty common colour. And the GFX kit on the car is the desirable one, so if its not rotten or a nightmare electrically, might be a good start towards something cool. What's wrong with the paint?? I'd drive it like that.

 

If it is a MPFI ( I don't remember if you said this was a 6 or an 8) or TPI, you should see a "nipple" on the fuel rail, would be wise to see if your getting any fuel pressure by putting a fuel pressure gauge on it...

Do you have the VIN number? If you post it, we can help you find the specs on it etc.

They are potential money pits, but as long as you are realistic about your expectations, they can be a joy to own and run. A few things to expect however

- You will eventually (if not immediately) need to replace your fuel pump. The stock pumps suck, and die, and it is really inconvenience trying to replace them as they are located on top of the fuel tank, and you will either need to drop your exhaust and then drop your fuel tank, or you will need to cut a hole in your interior to get to it (not recommended but some people do it)

- Your dash pad WILL be cracked. No one gets a good dash pad the first time around (unless purchased new)

- Your gauges will not always be accurate. You will notice that your speedo may rest at 20 mph when the engine is off. You'll find a thread on here from a guy who just bought an IROC with like 5 (yes 5) original miles on it... and it does the same thing)

- You will learn the force... when it comes to your gas gauge. The gas gauge lies pretty consistently. If you have a working trip meter, try to use that as your gas gauge knowing how many miles you get to the tank (approximately)

- You will likely need to replace your weather stripping

- Their is no such thing as a 5 speed 350 (from the factory)... better to understand that now... only 5 speed's 305 ...

- Your power windows will be slow

- if you have a stock radiator, you will want to replace it...

Anyone else have anything that I forgot... that should be expected


Good news....

- If you don't like your interior, you can retrofit the interior out of a 4thgen camaro or firebird (not bolt on, but its been done enough and well documented on the board )

- Various FBODY motors (L98, LT1, LS1, LSX ..etc) can be swapped into the chassis

- The t56 6 speed transmission mates well with third gens.

- The seats from 4th gen birds and camaros bolt into 3rd gens, no modifications needed

- Third gens are plentiful, you will find many parts in junk yards, and just as many online. We also have various vendors that deal in our parts that you can chat with on the boards (Thirdgen ranch , A1auto, askulte , hawks...etc).

- Most problems you have experienced, someone else has too and has likely posted the problem. To use the search is wise. It is better to revive a dead thread on the topic than post the same question a million times over and over.

- The rear end of a 4th gen can be swapped into a thirdgen (allows you to run 4th gen wheels and vette wheels without spacers, among other things)

- You can find inspiration at this cool website http://badassiroc.com <--- shameless plug

.... Otherwise, welcome to the world of thirdgen's

 

what GFX kit? and why is it uncommon for the grey interior to have power windows and locks?

 

i plan on tearing the engine apart anyways, meaning most parts will be replaced, im gonna get new headers and probable a chip put in it to help the MPG

 

Sorry, GFX is short for ground effects. Notice that you have the little scoops on the bottom outside of the front bumper skirt and on the back of the rocker panel skirt. All those little mouldings on the bottom of the car are ground effects. GM pioneered the concept on third gens. Makes the car look lower and sleeker. Sadly, this is the same idea that the import guys have taken to ridiculous levels. Those ground effects are on 91 and 92 Camaros only. Most people like them better.

And the interior is the base interior. Notice that the seats do not have an adjustable headrest and the door panels are vinyl with that 'sharks gill' sort of pattern on them. That is your standard base model Camaro interior. Check out a few pics of some IROCs on eBay and you will usually see the upgraded interior in them. Nicer (this is debated), better bolstered seats with cloth and vinyl door panels. Anyway, the reason I say that is odd is because most of the base interior cars I have seen have had manual windows, no power locks, no options of any sort. Just bare bones.

And if you can get away with it, toss the V6. It is just not worth the $$ in my opinioin if its already questionable to being with. Small blocks are plentiful and cheap and as long as you don't have California-style inspection where you are, you can probably still appease the smog police with a nice little fuel injected v8. And the stock difference in fuel economy is a few MPG between the 8's and 6's. A small block with GOOD modern cylinder heads and a well tuned injection system (or probably a carb for that matter) should be able to pull down better MPG than a stock 3.1 V6. And it will be a hell of a lot more fun to drive.

And I agree with everything omnipotentgoku says as well.

 

i might change the engine later down the road when im older ( only 14 and parents don't like me getting a camaro), like i said im going to but new headers on it, and a stage 6 chip so i till get alittle more speed

i like the look of the interior in the car now, it looks good to me

 

Well, fair enough, but if that's the case, I wouldn't focus my budget on the motor. You'll probably have enough other issues to deal with anyway. Paint and body work will cost enough as it is. And don't skimp on that part. Neither paint or bodywork is cheap (because time=money and bodywork is very time consuming), but bad body work that fails will ruin an otherwise good paint job far before its time.

 

yea, im trying to decide if i want to have it painted in a shop or if i want to do it myself

 

are these seats comfortable?

 

and has anyone installed cupholders?

 

bumb

 

In terms of your question about the interior it's not hard to fix it up a little yourself.

My Camaro is similar to yours in that it's the base model with the horrible grey interior. So i bought some plastic paints and a vinyl dye and now i have a black interior.

Some of the parts were really grubby and scuffed, amazing what a light sand and coat of paint can do. The carpet came up fantastic as well. All up it cost very little to do as well.

 

are the seats comfortable? and what about the cupholders

 

20 year old seats... you do the math


Seats from 4th gen camaro's and firebirds can be installed with no modifications and can be had at most junkyards for under $200 (front and rear)

 

I would say search, but here are some possibilities .

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...ml#post4253525
- good thread


https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...ers-black.html
cool aluminum holders


https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...lder-idea.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...p-holders.html


https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...questions.html


Its been done basically.

 

so the car doesnt come with them? you have to install them?

 

I don't have them in my 88 RS. Can't really comment about others, third gens are a bit of a rarity in my country. I've only ever seen 1 other besides my own on the road.

I'm replacing the seats, they aren't the most comfortable thing and as someone else said, they are 20 years old you can't expect much.

 

ok thank you

 

Their are some people who claim they came with them.. but I've owned 2 already and I have never had any. Its something that you will have to fabricate in their. Its not difficult to do if you use some of the inspiration from these other folks. (minus the aluminum one, unless you have access to the equipment)

 

Im gathering you don't have the car just yet . Once you get the car in your hands, might i make a small recommendation..

TAKE PICS ..

My build is so far away from the way that I got it that I don't remember what it originally looked like. I have some pics, but I wish I had taken more so that I might be able to look back at the progress I have made. Do a photo shoot before you do anything to the car. A few years from now, if you find yourself frustrated with the car, you can look back at your own album and be amazed at your own progress.

On a side note, I don't know how technical (computer) you are, but I am going to actually create a wiki on my IROC. I am going to use the wikipedia software (free and readily available) to basically document my progress and what changes i've made to the car online. Not so much for anyone else's viewing as much as my own so that i can remember what mods i've made etc. Since your at square one. Might consider blogging about your effort or something ike what I am doing...

 

i might do that