Camaro Super-Fest |
Camaros and related automotive events. |
Camaro restoration, events, clubs, and friends. |
1979 Z28 - my first Camaro, bought new in 1979, owned for two years. |
THE SECOND TIME AROUNDxt |
In a previous life (actually, my "single day"), I woked in the automotive field as manager of an auto parts store (back when they were Mom & Pop operations), worked on cars as a hobby and actually raced a 1969 Nova SS for awhile. The Nove was my second car; I wish I still had it! |
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Sometime in the first few months of 1994, my oldest son bought a used car, a 1980 Camaro Z28. Actually, he brought it home for me to check over, I bought it and he was going to pay me back, but it was going to be his car. It was a running vehicle, but he wanted to put a few goodies on it, hot-rod it a little. I figured I had the qualifications, although rusty, to help him out. We put the Camaro in our garage and proceeded to tear down the top end for some detailing and a simple cam/intake/carb/header swap. As he was involved in school activities and I worked full time, we worked off and on in the evenings to get the car ready. It wasn't long before he lost interest. I guess the make-over was taking too long for him. He couldn't drive it until it was back together, and besides, he decided he wanted a pick-up truck! So a deal was struck. I would take over ownership of the Camaro and, when he found one for a decent price, I would cosign on a loan for his truck. But it was too late for me; the "bug" had already bitten!! It took me a little while longer to get the Z running, but I enjoyed it immensely that first Summer. It was never a "show" car to begin with, but I entered it anyway just to hang out with fellow enthusiasts and have fun. |
In the Beginning... |
This site is for the Camaro lovers out there. You will not only find my personal experiences, but (eventually) also a lot of information about Camaros in general. I'm open-minded enough to appreciate MOST of the vehicles that other people enjoy, so there may occasionally be a picture or story about something other than a Camaro. This site is also for those of you who like a good story. Enjoy! This site is currently under construction and probably will be for quite a while...if it ever really gets done. Like most of our cars, even when other people think they're done, we know different! |
The Second Time Around... In a previous life (actually, my "single days"), I worked in the automotive field as manager of an auto parts store (back when they were Mom & Pop operations), worked on cars as a hobby, and actually raced a 1969 Nova SS for a while. The Nova was my second car; I wish I still had it! |
In the Fall of that same year, I ran across an ad in the newspaper for a 1966 El Camino big block project. I have always liked the car/truck hybrid and the thought of a big block under the hood just added to my interest. I went and looked at the Elky and, although the motor was done and the interior was in process, the body was just a little too rough for me. However, sitting right next to it in the garage was a 1971 Camaro, also for sale. The first visit, I just glanced at the car; the second visit, I looked a little closer! After four or five visits, I had talked myself into the ownership of another Camaro!! This one would be a long-term project. I wanted to do it right. After some extensive research, I discovered that I had purchased a 1971 Rally Sport, original drivetrain, numbers-matching 350/350 combination. The previous owner had started a restoration, but developed allergies to some of the chemicals involved. The car was originally from South Carolina and showed no sign of our northern Winters. In other words it was rust-free! Through my research, the car was originally Code 49 Antique Green with a Code G Green vinyl top and Code 778 Green Standard interior. Didn't sound like a very appealing combination. But the car was in primer, the vinyl top had been removed at some point, and the interior was trash, so I didn't have any problem changing things more to my liking. So began my 1971 Camaro RS "project on a budget." |
This picture was circa 1976; I think it was taken on the day I sold the car. I thought I made a good deal selling it for $1800! Only paid $1300 for it in '71 or '72! DUH! |
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Please wait while the pictures load. There are a few! |
Like I said, the interior was pretty much trash, but the dash was in very good shape and the console was all there except for the box lid and the rear section.with the ash tray. Lovely color! |
1971 Camaro Rally Sport - original drivetrain, numbers-matching. Built last week of August 1970 at the Norwood, Ohio assembly plant - code 08E. Original block, cylinder heads, intake manifold, carburetor, exhaust manifolds. RPO Codes A01 - Soft Ray Tinted Glass, all windows C08 - Vinyl Roof Cover C24 - Windsheild Wiper, hide-a-way C60 - Air Conditioning D55 - Console D80 - Spoilers, front and rear L65 - Engine, 350ci, 245hp Turbo Fire V8 M40 - Transmission, Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic N40 - Power Steering U35 - Clock V01 - Radiator, heavy duty Z22 - Rally Sport Package Z23 - Interior Accent Group |
1 of 18,404 Camaros produced in the 1971 model year with the Rally Sport Package. This included any base model, SS, or Z28 that was equipped with the package. Base models would have Rally Sport badges; Rally Sport badges deleted with Camaro SS or Z28. Rally Sport included black grille with rubber-tipped vertical center bar and resilient body-color grille frame, independent left and right front bumpers, parking lamps on grille, hide-a-way wipers, bright roof drip, window, hood panel; Rally Sport emblems on steering wheel and front fenders, bright accented taillights and back-up lights. |
gmz28camaros |
Now you see why I decided to put this page in Yellow and Black! |
Restoration in a 1 car garage! |
The engine/compartment is done! |
Stripped and ready for some paint! |
Looks better already! |
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Some assembly required! |
My motto: You can never have too many Camaros! |
Once I started working on it, the first thing I did was to reassemble everything just to see what I had and what I was missing, then what I had to replace. The body was in great shape, with nothing missing, and no sign of rust. Other than a little surface rust, there was no sign of any deterioration in any of the floor or trunk pans. Except for the air conditioning system and a few minor accessories, everything was good in the engine compartment. Just needed cleaned and detailed. The interior, on the other hand was a complete mess! The dash was the only thing that didn't have to be replaced or refurbished. Anyone who's ever worked on an early 2nd generation Camaro knows that some of the parts are hard to come by (unlike '67-69 Camaros where you can practically rebuild a car out of a catalog). To make things a little harder, I decided from the beginning that, because the car was a numbers-matching example, I would restore it to stock specifications. The only concession I would make would be the colors, both exterior and interior. I'm sorry, but I don't think I could have put that much effort into a green/green/green Camaro! Interior color selection was easy - Black would go with any exterior color that I finally decided on. It took a long time to decide what color to paint the RS. I wanted something that would stand out, but I also wanted to stay with a factory color. After a lot of deliberation, I finally decided on Daytona Yellow, a stock factory color on '69 and '70 Camaros. (Hey, it's only off by a year!) I also decided to add the Z28 stripes in black to complement the Black interior and black accents in the grill. Other than the final prep work and the paint, I managed to do all the work on the car myself. That's what comes from working on a budget! |
Easter Seals Show @ Summit Racing. I helped with this show for a few years, but took a break. In fact, I took a break from working any shows in 1999, so I could enjoy my summers a little more and attend some events as a participant and spectator. Of course, that plan didn't work real well, but... |
I try to attend a few of the major shows every year. For the Camaro enthusiast, this means deciding which summer Camaro shows to attend. For some reason, this part of the country (Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana) seems to have a very strong following of Camaro people and Camaro events. Within a few hours drive, I can get to 4-6 Camaro-only events every summer. The only two that I haven't missed in the last 9 years are the NEOCC Fall Classic and Camaro Super-Fest in Ann Arbor, MI. |
I started attending Camaro events with the '80 Z28, just for the fun. Then I took the '94 Z28 to a few. When the '71 RS was almost complete (but not quite; I was anxious!), I started taking it. That was about the end of Summer 1996. In parenthesis are the awards that the '71 has gathered. 1994 1st Annual All-Camaro Fall Classic North Central Ohio Camaro Club Camaro Show, Sandusky, OH 1995 1st (and only) NEOCC Spring Camaro Show Camaro Super-Fest '95, Ann Arbor, MI 2nd Annual All-Camaro Fall Classic 1996 Circle City Celebration, Indianapolis Camaro Super-Fest '96, Ann Arbor, MI 17th Annual Camaro Street Nationals, Warren, MI (Honorable Mention with the '94) 3rd Annual All-Camaro Fall Classic (1st Place, '70-73 Stock) 1997 30th Anniversary Camaro Birthday Party, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH 18th Annual Camaro Street Nationals, Warren, MI (3rd Place, '70-73 Street) I..C.C. Camaro Street Nationals, Poconos, PA (3rd Place, don't remember the class!) Super Chevy Show, Norwalk Raceway Park, Norwalk, OH Camaro Super-Fest '97, Ann Arbor, MI (1st Place, '70-73 Street) 4th Annual All-Camaro Fall Classic (Honorable Mention) 1998 Super Chevy Show, Norwalk Raceway Park, Norwalk, OH (Class Runner-up, '70-81 Street) Camaro Super-Fest '98, Ann Arbor, MI (3rd Place, '70-73 Street) U.S.C.C. Nationals, Niagara Falls, NY (Class Runner-up, Silvr Award 917/1000pts.) 5th Annual Camaro Fall Classic (1st Place, '70-73 Stock) 1999 Camaro Super-Fest '99, Ann Arbor, MI (1st Place, '70-73 Street) Super Chevy Show, Norwalk Raceway Park Camaro Mania, Latrobe, PA (1st Place, 2nd Generation) 6th Annual Camaro Fall Classic (Missed an award by 1 place. Oh well!) 2000 WCA International Convention, Columbus, OH (1st Place, '70-73 Modified) Camaro Super-Fest '00, Ann Arbor, MI (1st Place, '70-73 Street) Super Chevy Show, Norwalk Raceway Park (Class Runner-Up) Camaro Mania 2000, Latrobe, PA (1st Place, 2nd Gen Modified) 7th Annual Camaro Fall Classic (2nd Place, '70-77 Street) 2001 Camaro Kick-Off 2001, Pittsburgh, PA (2nd Place, 2nd Generation) Camaro Super-Fest 2001, Ann Arbro, MI Super Chevy, Norwalk (Class Runner-Up) CCI/WCA International Convention, Columbus, OH (Display only) Camaro Mania 2001, Pittsburgh, PA (2nd Place, 2nd Gen Modified) 8th Annual NEOCC Camaro Fall Classic (2nd Place, '70-73 Street) 2002 Camaro Kick-Off 2002, Pittsburgh, PA (3rd Place, 2nd Generation) Ontario Camaro Nationals, Niagara Falls, Canada (2nd Place, '70-81 Street) Camaros @ Carlisle, Carlisle, PA (3rd Place) Camaro Mania 2002, Bakerstown, PA (2nd Place, 2nd Gen Modified) Camaro Super-Fest 2002, Ann Arbor, MI (4th Place, '70-73 Street) 9th Annual NEOCC Camaro Fall Classic (2nd Place, '70-73 Stock) F-Body Gathering, Bowling Green, KY 2003 Camaro Kick-Off 2003, BeaveRun Motorsports Complex, PA (2nd Place, 2nd Gen) Camaros @ Carlisle, Carlisle, PA (Display) Camaro Mania, Bakerstown, PA (Display) Camaro Super-Fest 2003, Ann Arbor, MI (Display) 10th Anniversary NEOCC Fall Classic, Summit Racing, Tallmadge, OH (Display) 2004 Ontario Camaro Nationals (Display) Camaro Super-Fest 2004 (Display) 11th Annual NEOCC Fall Classic (Display) 2005 12 Annual NEOCC Fall Classic (Display) 2006 Don't think I'm a trophy hound! If I go to a show, I do like to bring something home, but I don't really care if it's 1st place or last. It's great attending these show and I've met a lot of really nice people over the years. |
About the middle of '95, I was in the market for a new (used) car & was keeping my eyes open for a late 3rd generation Camaro, preferably a '92 Heritage Edition Camaro. In fact, I was all ready to buy a '92 RS, but the deal fell through. I happened across this '94 Z28, very low miles and very nicely optioned. It was sitting at Don Joseph Chevrolet in Kent where it had been used by the owner as his personal car. Almost a brand new car, and you know it was taken care of! So I add another one to my "stable" of Camaros! |
Watch for updates! And check out Page 2! |
My '94 Z28 @ Camaro Super-Fest 1996. |
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This page was last updated on: January 31, 2006
This page was last updated on: January 31,
2006
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Things I replaced - (interior) carpet, front seats/covers, headliner, package tray, steering wheel, inner door handles, door sills; (exterior) front and rear window moldings, windshield, all weatherstripping, headlight bezels, emblems; shocks, brakes, tires, wheels, underhood and trunk decals, battery, hoses, belts, filters, ignition (tune-up, AC/Delco). |
Things I refurbished - (interior) console, rear seat, door panels, sail panels, rear inner side panels, kick panels; (exterior) RS grill, stock rally wheels, gas tank. |
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Things I upgraded - AM/FM Cassette with dual rear speakers, remote driver's side and passenger sport mirrors, trunk mat, underhood insulation. |
Things I had to find - (used) jack, jack cover; console lid and rear console piece with rear seat light, rear license plate bracket, spare tire (I use a "donut," there's too little room in a Camaro trunk as it is!); (new) rocker panel moldings, front spoiler; console ash tray; front license plate bracket, (engine) stock valve covers, heat tube. |
Projects left to do - A/C system (I would love to have the original air in this car - it's a cruiser, and I do go on a few long road trips each summer!), stock radio (I actually acquired one of these recently; traded a spare fan shroud for it). I also have the correct intake manifold, carb, and air cleaner to do a 4bbl. swap, so I may tackle that one of these days. Pertronix Ignitor |
1971 Camaro Rally Sport in stock trim |
Everything was torn down and either cleaned and detailed or replaced. The gas tank was dropped and detailed; the under- carrage and rearend was detailed; the engine compartment was detailed as well as the front subframe. Exterior work was rather "cut and dry." The interior was completely gutted. I wish now that I had taken more pictures. The dash pad was removed so I could access the panel between the pad and windshield. This had to be repainted from the original green. Many people have trouble replacing headliners, but this one went relatively smooth. It may have helped that the windshield was out during this procedure. I had a local glass shop come to the house to replace the windshield, but I removed the old one and did the prep work. All interior panel and moldings had to be refurbished and repainted to Black; I used a combination of paints and dyes. The dash and pad, console, and seat belts were already the correct color. New carpet was also installed. Because I was anxious, after almost two years, to get the car on the road, I elected to install front and back seats (that I had laying around) out of an '80 Trans Am until I could recover the original Camaro seats. Recovering the seats would be my Winter project! |
Ready for paint! All removable exterior panels - doors, fenders, hood, top and bottom front valance, trunk lid, rear spoiler - were taken to the paint shop to be "cut in." Then the body was loaded on a trailer (Thanks Bob!) and taken to the shop, where the door jambs, etc. were also "cut in." Everything was reassembled before final spraying to get even, consistent color coverage. There was some overspray on the undercarriage, but care was taken to cover and tape everything, so the engine compartment and interior were still intact! When the car was finally back in my garage, I still had to detail and paint the trunk and put the spoilers, bumpers, front grill, door handles, door panels, mirrors, weatherstripping, moldings, emblems, and lights back on. Everything was finally done about August 1996. Actually, not quite everything. I drove it for a while without the rocker panel moldings, but the Camaro was on the road! |
This is what the RS looked like shortly after final paint and assembly. Notice the tan/black Trans Am seats; these were replaced with stock seats in the Winter of '96-97. The stock 14" rally wheels are usually replaced by a set of custom wheels and FAT radials- 245R15 on the front and 275R15 on the rear. They give a much nicer ride...and they look good, too! |
Over the last several years, I've added a few custom touches, most notably the wheels, but also under the hood is a set of billet aluminum valve covers and Accel spark plug wires (yellow, of course) and looms. One touch I've added that I have not seen anywhere else - the stock grill inserts are accented on the face with silver highlights; I acquired a second set of inserts and painted these highlights yellow with a Testor's paint pen. It's a very subtle custom touch! |
Page 3 is currently under construction, as is the work on my 1980 Z28! |
Interior restored to stock specifications. Standard Black. |
Restored trunk. Note the fire extinguisher in the corner. All my cars have an extinguisher handy...just in case. |
Info on the NEOCC, lists of Camaro Clubs and related events. |
Click on the link to the right to see pictures from the Worldwide Camaro Association 2000 Convention in Columbus, Ohio. |
It's here! NEOCC Camaro Fall Classic 2000 Photo Album.... |
Chevrolet Nomad Concept Car, as seen at the 2001 WCA/CCI Convention in Columbus, Ohio. |
