So I want a third-gen Camaro

Besides rust, what's the thing to know about them? It seems, around here, most of the ones for sale have had their engines removed. Besides being kind of heavy, and kind of Rattley, is there some other major way they suck?

Go for it.

Running true dual exhaust sucks. There's no freaking room! My '87 used to bottom out on the exhaust. Stock ride height.

If you want to do high performance driving, try to find a non-T-Top car. The ones with them tend to have stress cracks near the cowl, so watch out for that.

If you intend to build a sweet street machine so you can troll the strip for babes while blasting Dokken's Under Lock And Key cassette out of the ERS Sound System, by all means get the T-Tops.

In reply to David S. Wallens:

Thanks! I intend to. From the little bit of auto crossing I've done with my Boxster, what I seem to have observed is that these Camaros tend to become track weapons with just some weight reduction, some good shocks and sticky rubber. Is that an accurate assessment?

They can handle. The autox examples you are seeing probably have subframe connectors. There are bolt-in and weld-in and they really help the chassis.

find a stripped down one and it won't be that heavy. my 86 was a stock V6/auto car without AC or power windows, but it unfortunately has t tops.. i have never weighed it, but i'd put it at around 3000 pounds or so with the 355 and T5 trans based on how easy it is to push around the garage.. that weight will drop significantly if i ever get that stupid aluminum 5.3 that is taking up space on the engine stand back together and into it..

In reply to conesare2seconds:

I don't even own one yet, and I'm planning subframe connectors and a hardtop conversion, if the only solid one I can find around here has T-roofs

There's a TPI 5-spd for sale in Phoenix that I really want.

Subframe connectors, shocks, springs. Bigger 4th gen brakes are swapped pretty easily. Honestly, at this point I would go for a 5.3 swap rather than try to build up the TPI. Then go have fun. I feel like third gens are experiencing a resurgence lately.

New GRM project car? These have been getting a lot of attention lately on the forum

There is a guy who really knows how to set them up, and make the suspensions work. His name has been mentioned on this form before. Does anyone know who that guy is? Or can anyone find the link to that third GEN Camaro thread?

Never mind: a quick Google search netted me: Sam Strano

Heavy? I haven't looked it up, but I'd bet a fairly good wad that they are the second lightest of the generations.

Want a pretty nice one owner 82 Z? Bring me $12k cdn and you can drive it home.

I believe the 3rd gen Camaro right now is the cheapest car to buy and build

SilverFleet wrote: If you want to do high performance driving, try to find a non-T-Top car. The ones with them tend to have stress cracks near the cowl, so watch out for that. If you intend to build a sweet street machine so you can troll the strip for babes while blasting Dokken's Under Lock And Key cassette out of the ERS Sound System, by all means get the T-Tops.

My Under Lock and Key cassette still works. My Tooth and Nail cassette recently fell apart. I had a moment of silence in the garage.

Look for third jen Firebirds as well.

I built several of them back in the late 80s. All started as zero option V6 cars as they were cheap and very light weight starting point.

I will just leave this here

http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/5901814138.html

Pop up headlights make everything faster. Well cooler anyway.

Owned an 86. Loved it. It had a 400.

Good parts:
Sweet looks
Hatchback
Great setup for handling
parts are cheap and everywhere

Bad parts:
Stock manuals were the T5 and only behind the 305
The 305
T tops
Rough undercarriage, tough to run exhaust as was stated earlier
Bad design mounting the long torque arm to the transmission - can be fixed
Floorpan has the cat hump in the passenger side

Had a buddy that had a mint '92 RS. The 305 was a dog. Consider yourself warned.

I just found a rust free, manual-shift, hard top near me, but it is without engine. It was originally a 2.8 V6 car. I'm thinking of buying it and putting a later 3.4 in it. Easy swap or fool's errand?

Great car. I would go lm7 with a carb, cam and headers. Close to 400/400. Yes I know you pay a weight penalty and you can go lm4. But those command $$$$. For cheap fast fun I would go lm7.

Saw this ad earlier this evening. Looks like deal of the day, maybe too good to be true. http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/123603-1988-IROC-FOR-SALE-INCREDIBLE-DEAL!!!-Perfect-car-1200-oringinal-mile-body!!

Saw one today in the back corner of a very large dealership. Looked clean, no rust, with an old but even paint job. Auto, with a 305 I imagine. Wife would not approve.

M030 wrote: I just found a rust free, manual-shift, hard top near me, but it is without engine. It was originally a 2.8 V6 car. I'm thinking of buying it and putting a later 3.4 in it. Easy swap or fool's errand?

Define "easy" the bellhousing and mounts should line up, beyond that you're probably on your own. I suspect support outside of here will be "put a SBC in it".

In reply to dean1484:

Dean, that's probably the best/most sensible idea. But, if I get this car, my main goal is going to be making a drivable on a challenge budget. That's why the 3.4 is attractive. The engine is $200 at the junkyard, and I already have the transmission. Once it's actually a car again, then I can focus on making it into a fast car