OK, so [I'M] not new in town... But I am the proud new owner of a 91 camaro vert. It's, pretty rough. A lot normal stuff that needs work, and a lot of half-assed crap that needs to be undone first. (See my post in, "What's the most ghetto thing you've found done to your car?"
It is carbed, but I don't think it's 100% done right.
For now, I am working on restoring the interior, and getting the engine to where it is reliable and passes emissions. This will be a slow proccess, as I am not a wealthy man lol.
Trouble is, somone had this car. Did a lot of stuff to it. Got to a point and just gave up. Next schmo buys it, works on it for a bit, then gives up. Then comes along this schmo, to try and finish the job. However, there are a lot of things partway done, and even still there are a few areas I don't even know wth they are supposed to look like lol. I bought a book, and I read these forums religously. This site has been positively invaluable!
So, my question. Is there anyone here in the valley that might be willing to show me a few things? Especially electrical and trim parts. Would be great to see how this car is supposed to look. I haven't really been able to find too many good pics of what I am looking for (specifically the tonneau cover. I have yet to see what the roof latch actually looks like ha.). Also, has anyone had luck getting a carb to pass emissions? How? Where is a good place to restore the top, and tonneau cover pad?
There are more, of course... I am figuring most of this out on my own and so far haven't had to actually ask about anything, but I'm certainly no expert.
Oh and I'll throw some pictures up tomorrow

 

Unless you can convince them somehow that it's still TBI, I don't think you're getting a 91 w/ carb to pass the visual. You can skip things on an early CCC carb car like the EFE valve hookup but so far as a 91? I'd start looking for an un-screwed-with EFI donor at this point...

 

I am actually considering trying to switch back to TBI... However the potential costs of that, yeah... ugh

 

Forgive my ignorance on TBI and carb, but with the stock black air housing on top, is it that much different looking? I mean if it passes, then it won't be an issue, right?

 

Idk how thorough they inspect under the hood... So far the only cars I've ever had to test either have OBD-II or were unmolested.
I do know that it's pretty obviously a carb in there. I also know (read: found out) that the car failed emissions in Janurary. I don't know what for, though. I do know the smog pump is not hooked up, so I'm trying to get that all going again.

 

You are in for a nightmare. Luckily there are lots of these cars with the TBI setup in the pick-and-pull yards. I'm no expert on verts, but I do know thirdgens. (Especially the electrical systems) Post up some pics! Is the electrical harness for the Tbi setup still in there?

 

The department that does the emission testing will usually send you a fax w/ the rpm level emissions test results. Also, put your VIN here; it may tell you whether it failed the visual:

http://65.82.88.75/myazcar/histinq.exe/muinput

 

Good point.

New fellow:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/sout...ds-around.html

 

Wow that's cool thanks! I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at, but it seems it failed everything but CO. "Tamper Inspection" says untested. Hmm

 

Oh yeah pics BTW;

 

Here's some of the horrors that await me;


Wire splice from hell;


Driver side door.


Under the part, Part 1;


Terminal block?


Yay for things being disconnected!

 

Yikes! Your car needs electrical work right away! I see at least 3 fire hazards. Your car either has or has had an alarm at some point. Your A.I.R. system is still mostly intact. You do have an IROC hood. I would worry about emissions and the electrical issues first, then the cosmetic stuff. Where are you located?

 

woah? crazyness...still a vert though!

 

I'm in Phoenix, actuallly right by Metro Center mall...
And yeah, I have been working on the electrical lol. I'll post some progress shots.
My car is like an infomercial. "But wait, there's more!" I took it in to get the brakes done and come to find out, every single one of the lug nuts were stripped out and couldn't be torqued down. Not only that, but the studs in the rear axle weren't even pulled all the way into place.
How the hell has this car not killed anybody yet??

 

i find a lot of camaros at some of the junk yards in south phoenix. i have an 89 Trans, and have been going every week for the last month or so. if you want to join me, i hit them up monday usually, but might make it friday (need new column on the caddy).

i think it's a pull and save, its on 27th ave, just north of buckeye, next to the ecology water tower. i think they have the most camaros currently. they have a blue camaro convertable with a bashed in front end, if you need top parts. i see mostly carb'd when i go. the other good one on camaros is on 25th ave and buckeye, they usually have a good amound of 3rd gens also.

good luck on emissions man. i am going through the same problem now. maricopa county is one of the worst for passing.

 

also, i got mine not even a month ago, and yeah, previous owner(s) were hacks also. i'm basically doing the same thing as you now.

at least your paint is shiny... mine is faded... and spray canned....

 

we should all chip in on some 'bodunk' shack in sholow or globe, and go around emissions that way.

 

lol I'm hitting up the junkyards today actually. If you wanna go on a monday one week I'm game

 

awesome, ill pm you. let me know if you find any firebirds. finally came across a yard with one on baseline.

 

i dig the red door panels haha. i have a single red piece in mine haha.

 

To be honest I would not bother with trying to make this car emissions legal again. It is two far gone to try and convert it back. If this car is not your everyday driver and is a project car that you are starting the restore on I would leave it a carb car and then just take out a collector car policy and get an exemption. My car is by no means a daily driver and is exempt from testing because I have the collector car policy http://www.grundy.com/default2.asp

 

I will be driving it every day, but is there any way anyone would know that? I suddenly find myself interested in this....

EDIT: Oh yeah and the red is gone lol

 

Man, that's alot of wires!! Eyes just jumped out at the sight of that many wires. Best of luck to ya on this project.

 

Here's some progress.
Those nasty zip tie splices? Gone. Replaced with heat shrink butt connectors with the sealant glue inside;


The days haul;

 

Yep! Thats most of an alarm wiring harness, including starter interrupt relay. The Grundy policy runs $311.oo a year. (For a car less than 25 years old) Car must be garaged and may not be used as a daily driver. It's a great deal and I do know a guy that has two of his cars insured that way with no garage. They dont check the mileage and have never visited his home in 9 years.

 

i called a bunch of collector companies, and nobody will insure me because i'm not 25 yet. darn.

 

so, where did you move from?

EDIT: note to self, wear glasses while reading posts

 

If you had an accident at rush hour (when most occur) you would have to explain why you had the car out. The investigation would start once you had a claim and they would probably find out you were using it as a daily and void your policy. You would be driving around with a fake sense of coverage. Also, when you sign up for the policy you must prove you have another car as a daily driver. The trouble will come down when you have a claim and it will be messy. I would not recommend you do that.

My car is garage kept, has had a full restore done and I have retired it to weekend cruiser, cruise nights, and car shows.

 

Yeah I have another car, but be that as it may, I find myself less interested lol. Nah, I'll find a way. More progress tomorrow, btw

 

Mark: Looks much cleaner. That's all the alarm from the car? If so, that's a fair amount of wires! How long did it take you to unravel that maze of wires?

 

I still am lol. More progress!
Todays haul;


Also;


More world-class wire splicing;


The "replacement" carpet;


It's like, a big bathmat or area rug or something. Thick, with rubber backing. Was placed over the orginal carpet.
I am completely gutting out the interior. I'll post some pictures of the car itself soon.
There is one bolt preventing me from pulling out the original carpet. PO worked on it already, and now the Torx head is pretty much stripped out. It's the passenger side seatbelt bolt. I have to figure out how the hell to get it out....

 

i have to do a radio shack run tomorrow, and this inspires me to redo a lot of my engine wiring that 'who-ha' hacked up on the TA.

 

Can you grab the head with a vice grip?

 

Or weld a Hex nut to it then use a socket to remove it. I am guessing it is a seat belt bolt...

 

That was exactly the route I was going to take. Sigh I just have to get my lazy *** and get my welder out of storage.

 

on that front speaker you pulled out, is that the whole actual speaker, or is it on a bracket? discovered my front speakers just sitting in the wells, and they were the small round ones. dont like rattling...

am i bracket hunting next junker dive?

 

I have a friend in Washington that is going to be converting to TPI from TBI sometime soon, I think. I can see if he will be willing to help out with the emission legal stuff, a.k.a. putting all the original equipment back in. To get some of these carbs to pass emissions can take a lot of work. Can be done, but need the right tools. The visual won't pass is you don't have the smog stuff hooked up. Will need all that stuff working for it to pass. The NOx is controlled through the smog pump and valves and what-nots. Good luck with the project. Hope to see it out there soon.

 

Yep. NOx can be tough to pass without functional EGR.

 

Wow that would be sweet, keep me posted!


Nah that was just the speaker. They screw straight into the dash plastic.

 

nice. for some reason it looks like a small bracket goes around the speaker. havent see speakers shaped so rectangle(ly).

 

The fronts are supposed to be 4X6's and the rears are supposed to be 6X9's.

 

http://img35.imageshack.us/i/img00197201102271410.jpg/

yo doc!

found a few parts under one of my seats when i got it, and located where all but 1 goes.

is this a bushing?

 

Looks like it is a bushing for either the rear panhard rod, the lower control arms or the front A-arms. Is it just the one? Look under your car ans see if any of your suspension parts have red eurothane bushings. If so, look to see if one is missing one. It may be that the last owner couldnt get it to fit and just gave up and left the old one in there... There are, of course, other possibilities but I think that is the most likely scenario...

 

cool. i'll check it out when the sun comes up. i only found the one under the seat, and a few other misc. goodies.

saw some 3rd gens in the home depot parking lot (the ghetto one on 30(somethingth) street, and thomas. had a pretty clean black z28, but had some ugly silver rims on it. and also saw a black trans am that sounded like a beater, and it brought a tear to my eyes.

but on the bright side, if the owner continues to give it poor care, i might come across a black 3rd gen trans am in the junk yards in south phoenix.

 

LOL! Theres not many of these left in really nice condition.

 

Finally got the carpet out... Here's how she stands now...

The sharp eyed will notice that yes, that selt belt bolt is still there.

Did some body work today. Straightened out the b-pillar real nice, I'm happy with it. And now the tonneau cover works great. I put two new solenoids in and now the drivers side latch is lined up right.
Speaking of tonneau covers... This is the wire for the release button. It's mounted in the cover itself, all nice....

Any idea why the wires are so damn long??


Anybody know where I can get a new button, and trim that goes around the button? I'm missing like almost everything the goes to the tonneau cover, really. I have been looking, but so far no luck.

 

maybe PO added additional release button elsewhere?

 

Nah it's stock wiring.

 

I thought the release was located in the center console... Not too sure, though. Have you tried www.topdownsolutions.com I think they will have the parts you want. Other resources will be thirdgen ranch or hawks thirdgen.

 

Correct. The tonneau release is in the center console and replaces the trunk release button on non-verts. The wire is that long because some rocket scientist at GM probably decided to wrap it around the vehicle at the edges with the other wire harnesses to get to the button instead of taking a short route across the floor.