So I have purchased a 1984 z28 Camaro that has been sitting outside and not moved for 10 years and with only 45,000 original miles. I want to ask the experienced people here what work should I do on this car to make sure that it can run and make the engine tidier and look nicer. I have already decided that I am going to do a 4rth gen water reservoir and windshield washer reservoir swap to clear up some space. Also, I am currently swapping out all of the rubber hosings and belts and changing the radiator and the gas tank. Are there any other modifications that I can do to make sure this runs without an issue?

 

Since the car has sat for 10 years, in order to bring this car back to life, you'll need to address all the usual suspects; replacing all the hoses and belts is a start. Assuming the engine will turn over, a complete fuel and ignition system overhaul/tune-up (to include carb rebuild), brake overhaul, new tires, engine and trans oil/filter, etc. will get the car to a point where you can drive it, at which time any other potential issues will become apparent.

The 'search' function on this site will be a big help to you, although your own copy of the factory service manual (you can usually find them for sale on ebay) would be a much better reference for the job.

 

Hey thanks for replying the engine does turn over I got a breaker bar and attached it to the flywheel and it turned over. I have changed the engine oil and the filter I don't think I changed the transmission oil yet. My question is about the fuel and ignition system overhaul that you mentioned. What is that?

 

Looks rather unmolested, it'd be a shame to undo that at this point. Don't need to replace much of anything, unless it fails to function. Throwing belts and hoses at a car when the existing belts and hoses aren't rotted, cracked, and ready to fail is just wasted money. A bit of fresh gas, a fresh battery, and drive the car. You'll know pretty quickly if other parts need attention.

In my case, I parked a Camaro in 2008 and didn't touch it again until last summer. I had to change the fuel pump, and while I probably could have just cleaned the tank out, I had another tank ready to go, so it was easier to use the other tank. I changed the oil & filter, and drove it. Within a few blocks the rubber bushings on the swaybar endlinks failed. Since then I've noticed the coolant needs to be flushed, and I'd expect the brake fluid needs to be completely purged and filled with fresh fluid. Otherwise, aside from a few glitches that cleared themselves up with driving, it's been fine. The tires are a bit dry, but hold air and don't show any signs of failure, so they're fine for around town. If I were going to take it on the highway, I'd put fresh tires on it.

I'd get it running, figure out where the real issues lie and address them first. At that point, preventive maintenance can be addressed more clearly. Watch for fuel seepage around the mechanical fuel pump.

 

Replacing anything you think may be either worn out or simply showing it's age.

Probably the most important issue, as Drew mentioned, is to put fresh gas in it, after replacing the fuel filter.

 

I wouldn't be too worried about what anything "looks like" at this point (as far as "tidier" or "nicer" or whatever).

I think the first thing I'd work on would be the brakes and tires. It's not ready to push itself around yet, it's probably going to be more like a dart without any feathers.

 

One other suggestion, before the issue comes up;

If, at your first attempt to start the engine it fails to start, DO NOT begin dinking with turning the distributor !

I've seen way too many posts where a new to somebody car won't start, and the first thing they do is start dinking with ALL of the engine's adjustments, carb screws, timing, anything that'll turn, and put themselves even further outta the ballpark of having a running engine. The adjustments were (presumably) fine when it was parked, and minus the just mentioned dinking, should still be plenty good enough to at least get it to run now.

Proper tune up checking and if needed adjustment of things like timing can wait till ya get it running......

 

So you're saying if it doesn't start that it might be something else but don't touch the things you mentioned because they should be fine already? Just committing this to memory.

 

I do have to work on the breaks and tires the tie-end rod bearings are crumbling to dust so I definitely need to work on that. My concern is just getting it to run without anything that should've been fixed destroying the engine like a rusted gas tank.

 

Generally speaking, yes, that's exactly what he's saying.

The distributor doesn't twiddle itself around randomly while a car is sitting doing nothing with the clamp bolt tight, thus requiring "setting" the "timing" to get it to run again. The mixture screws don't turn themselves. The idle speed screw doesn't change its length. And so on. EVERY TIME YOU TOUCH one of those things, assuming the car ran right when parked, means that whenever you DO get the car running again, you have to go back and UNDO whatever "improvements" you made.

Assuring that the fuel system is gunk-free is a good start. Gunk DOES build up when a car sits idle, therefore makes sense to address that as part of a resurrection.

"Tidy" and "nice" should be at or near THE VERY BOTTOM of your priorities at this point. Cleaning it up is one thing, which is to say, what you do at the quarter (dollar bill? credit card? phone pay?) car wash. NOT what's commonly referred to as "cleaning up the engine bay", wherein people assault everything with dykes, Jeffrey Dahmer saws, bolt cutters, and so forth. It's always better working in a CLEAN area than one covered with 100,000 miles of funk that has sat for decades accumulating dust, spider webs, rat turds, insect nests, and whatever else, all on top of it.

 

Rust in the tank isn't going to ruin anything. That's what filters are for. Before anything gets in the engine from the tank it has to pass through a strainer in the tank, and a filter. Get it running, then change the filter(s) after they've collected trash.

 

oh, I certainly don't want to do anything like cutting into the metal or side frames and stuff like that. I'm just looking for other simple modifications for down-the-line things like getting the fourth gens windshield washer tank and moving it to the front. Also things like how to better manage the tubes and wires to help make the engine easier to work on in the future. Things like that would help a lot because the engine bay is just a mess and because of that, I have to replace vacuum lines and coolant tubes because they were rubbing on something they shouldn't have.