jmacmurray112

Hey fellas!

This is my first post on this forum as a member(though I have read many threads before this, with tons of usefull info.!).

I stumbled across a 1983 5.0 H.O. Camaro with the Lear Siegler interior design about a year ago.

I was just wondering how rare this car is? Is it worth a $6-7k restore??

I plan on restoring the car to it's original interior because it is just too bad *** to change.

On the other hand I plan on dropping a crate 350. The 350/290 delivers 290 hp @ 5100 rpm and a solid 326 lb.-ft. of torque at 3750 rpm. Along with this performance suspension/steering and a stronger rear diff. if I need one? Maybe someone reading this knows if the stock will hold maybe even rebuild it.

SOME PICS OF THE CAR

zenish

just my opinion.id change all that camaro camaro camaro stuff out to standard seat covers and junkyard door panels.i don't like that at all.

justcallmeclassy

iTrader: (1)

I agree, way to redundant for me...

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Welcome to TGO, jmacmurray.

Not rare at all.

If you like the interior and would like to restore it, please yourself--which is what most hobbyists do. The following thread may shed some insight on the L/S interior:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...o-conteur.html

JamesC

85_ZED28

Ya but at least no one peeks inside and asks what kind of car it is!

Coyote850

iTrader: (1)

Go with the original interior: New Lear Siegler seats, new carpet, some new plastics. Get a nice Blue paint job and you got a really good looking car.

86_irocz-28

Body looks pretty solid Interiors definetly been through a ruff time driver seats torn, pass inside window sweep is broke, steering wheel has what looks like surface rust?, and the headliner looks like its falling apart.... Since this isnt a very rare interior you could start over like zenish said with standard seats and panels or if you like the way it is and want it to stay original have an upholestry shop take a look see what they can do. Also your question of whether you should replace the rear diff you would need to take a look at it see if theres a lot of wear on it if not it should be fine but i would switch it out for something different since your swapping the motor just my

jmacmurray112

Ok ok it is a little too much

It doesn't really fit me anyway..
Maybe I'll put on standard door panels and some nice junkyard seats if I can find them.


Thanks man I could search around here all day



I have all the plastics for the car(even the pieces missing in the pics.). I'm just going to clean them up and paint them since I am a painter(industrial work but still know how to paint lol). I just bought a professional automotive spray kit. And yea for sure new carpet too.


I guess the car sat for a couple years with little attention(some outdoors).
The T-top on the drivers side began to leak which over time made the seat brittle and torn, caused the steering wheel, ash tray, and speaker mounts under the dash to rust. Other than that the ONLY other rust on the car was the battery box and the exhaust. I'm getting new widow sweeps, door panels, steering wheel, carpet, head liner(I tore it off), ect. The stock rear diff is 3.73 but I have no idea if it's been swapped, and I have no idea how to tell. How do I check for wear? and how can I tell if it's 3.73 gears? Maybe I should do some searching



Thanks for the posts!

david068513

iTrader: (2)

Don't change it, it's original and different and you don't see it much anymore. I'd keep it.

subroc

iTrader: (2)

Also to note blue is the harder to find color of that interior. I vote keep it but be prepared to spend a bit more to do so. To redo my entire interior set me back around $900+/-. It was worth it for me though to have everyone stop and do a doubletake looking in the window at car shows. not to mention they are awesomely comfy seats for me.

3318RS

Congrats on the find & welcome to the madness!!! I am also a recent 3rd gen owner. Mine is currently in the body shop, I'll be about 75% done.

Still need to work on the interior.

jtsk

iTrader: (3)

I say keep the interior. I always liked that option. You don't see it around much anymore. Wish my 92 had a something like that.

lolvtec

i like it id redo it

maves75

Man, oh man. I have had three cars with the LS seats. My 83 had the blue like yours, my 85 was red, but my favorite was the 82, claret, kinda like houndstooth...Sleep on it, look at all the pictures you can find on here, make the car yours, whatever you decide to do. After a while I grew tired of everyone asking me "what kind of car did you say this is" because it was plastered all over the interior lol. Nice looking car. I am partial to the 82-84s. Maybe you will find some material you like, or find some really nice seats in good condition too. Thanks for sharing.

maves75

Is that a door/hatch key in the ignition(pic #2)? That takes me back! My 85 you had to use a key, it just didn't matter which one LOL!

subroc

iTrader: (2)

Yea they think they are real cute huh lol. My coworker did that to mine. Oh well its unique and comfy and SUPER 80s. But then again the rest of the car is too so i love it.

maves75

I was clueless at the time how lucky I was to have three 3rd gens with the LS seats. Went a long time not seeing any. I thought the drivers seat adjustments were so much more comfortable when dialed in than a regular bucket. If I find a car with this pattern I would keep it if it was decent enough. if not, I would likely search for material I like to replace it. I admit to one and all I really like seeing well preserved, or well restored interiors featuring the nineteen dozen CAMARO script..I am undecided if I am ready to do it again myself though.