They just don't build them like they used to.

[Camino LS6]

The Gen 4 F body's have fantastic brakes...I've autocrossed them...fantastic stopping ability...

Yep.

Say what you like about them, the Gen 4 cars are true performance cars.

[hyperv6]

I found these on my phone. I hope to get some better ones later but I thought this would give you an idea of trhe car.

Note many of the Camaro people either forgot or had never seen an interior this color. I remember them but they did not hold up well and I would have to think there not any cover kits out there to replace them.

Edited September 29, 2012 by hyperv6

[Drew Dowdell]

Buick drums exceeded the Pontiac's, tho, as Buick had 12"ers. In the day, Pontiacs took about 10' longer to stop, but sometimes did see fade. Pontiac went to 14" wheels for '57, they should've gone back up to 15"s pretty much right away- only the police package/SDs had available 15"s (and the 1st gen Tempests). But the Buick drums didn't fade- I believe it was the size of them, and that the fins extended into the airstream underneath; they overlapped the backing plates. The Pontiac 8-lugs didn't, even tho they were exposed to the air more. Ideally, 12" 8-lugs with extended fins would've been pretty incredible.

Disadvantage to discs is that they aren't self-energizing, they require a lot more assist, and rotors tend to warp a lot more readily than drums.

'57 Buick drums don't fade? I'm going to have to disagree with you there on that one...

[ocnblu]

hyper, thanks for posting! This is from back in the day when cars could be ordered to the buyer's preference, NOT the manufacturer's. I remember that silver interior, that color could also be ordered on the Corvettes. That Camaro looks really nice through the fishbowl phone pictures. Please post a couple more if you get a chance. I'd drive that on weekends in a heartbeat.

Question: why do you think the silver didn't hold up well? The 50s and 60s were chock-full of metallic vinyl interiors.

This is a rare color-combo Camaro with V8 and manual transmission... not a high-performance car, and as such, it should be cherished and preserved without cutting it up. How much does he want for it?

Edited September 29, 2012 by ocnblu

[hyperv6]

hyper, thanks for posting! This is from back in the day when cars could be ordered to the buyer's preference, NOT the manufacturer's. I remember that silver interior, that color could also be ordered on the Corvettes. That Camaro looks really nice through the fishbowl phone pictures. Please post a couple more if you get a chance. I'd drive that on weekends in a heartbeat.

Question: why do you think the silver didn't hold up well? The 50s and 60s were chock-full of metallic vinyl interiors.

This is a rare color-combo Camaro with V8 and manual transmission... not a high-performance car, and as such, it should be cherished and preserved without cutting it up. How much does he want for it?

He has wanted me to buy it. I could have gotten it cheap but they will need the money with is medical issues. We have a buyer willing to take it when they are ready to sell it for $10,000.

The Silver in this car did not hold up due to the cheap viynl. It often cracked and often would wear to the point where it would yellow. This car is a show case of poor 1981 quality even in show room condition. That was why I posted the title as I did.

The 78 Indy pace cars had them too and they did hold up better on the leather but the viynl it also would show wear. My other neighbor had a 78 pace car with less than 5,000 miles and it was pretty good but I saw many when I was judging car shows that would look like crap. The capet on the kick panels also fall off too.

This is not as rare as you might think. While it is low production it not a sub 1,000 built kind of rare. I find rare is often over used today and if there were more than 1,000 I don't get too excited. Also this car today is not what many would want. It is not fast and most buyers want a Z/28 as that is where the money will be in the future.

If this car was driven it would lose all it's real value. I see the same thing with the Fiero's too. A 5 mile 1984 comes up and sells for $15,000 once in a while and then the guy is stuck trailering it because the low miles is the only value. If he puts on 25,000 miles the car is worth $3,000 at best.

I did think about buying it but the only thing of value here is the low miles. If I bought it I would drive it so the value would be lost. I had thought a engine swap for a 502 or the like would be fun and leave the stock ralleys on it. Make it a sleeper.

The photo does not show the shine of the paint. I even got the rear bumper to buff out pretty nice.

This would make a good survivor car to show in the future and a good car to document how these cars really were. Little things like how the window cranks point up and forward is not something you see in the restored cars. Both are index exact to where the factory pointed them. The body gaps are uneven and should be measured to have a record as many restored cars no longer have these uneven gaps.

The engine details also should be photo'd as few people have ever seen one untouched.

This also would make a great project car if you were looking to do a top dollar pro touring car or the like. You would never find another car in better shape for this low of a value. A loaded Z in the same shape would be $10,000 more.

I am just glad I am getting time to drive this and enjoy it while giving him the pleasure of being out in it. It is sad to see a car guy lose what he loves so much a little bit at a time. It also has taught me to get my own car out more and enjoy it before it is too late.

[balthazar]

'57 Buick drums don't fade? I'm going to have to disagree with you there on that one...

'57-58 drums were engineered differently. '57s had integral AL & steel liners, '59 & after had 100% steel liners and had improved construction for better heat transfer & dimensional stability, among other measures. In '59 testing, cars performed identically on the 10th hard consecutive brake test at Milford as they did on the first.

But no; if they were correctly set up WRT shoes & hardware, you'd never drive a B-57 hard enough to get them to fade- they are still superior brakes.

What's your experience?

[Camino LS6]

I remember the silver leather ( '78 Vette pacecar, 10th Ann. Trans Am), but I don't recall seeing it in vinyl.

I really like the simplicity and originality of this car, and having a 10k standing offer is a great thing for your friend and his family.

Good story from all sides.

Hope you do get better pics (the paint looks chalky in the shot you posted).

[GMTruckGuy74]

I know that GMC and Chevy Trucks in 1979 offered the silver interior color, and I'm almost positive it was vinyl and cloth, not leather, in the pickup trucks. GMC called theirs Mystic.

[ocnblu]

There was also a similar interior color called "Oyster" in 1980.

Edited September 30, 2012 by ocnblu

[Drew Dowdell]

'57 Buick drums don't fade? I'm going to have to disagree with you there on that one...

'57-58 drums were engineered differently. '57s had integral AL & steel liners, '59 & after had 100% steel liners and had improved construction for better heat transfer & dimensional stability, among other measures. In '59 testing, cars performed identically on the 10th hard consecutive brake test at Milford as they did on the first.

But no; if they were correctly set up WRT shoes & hardware, you'd never drive a B-57 hard enough to get them to fade- they are still superior brakes.

What's your experience?

Long descents on Route 30 heading westbound and having Dominic standing on the brake pedal with both feet to try to bring the speed down. His are not power assist though.

[balthazar]

Power would help a bit, but who's to say what spec the drums & shoes were in at that time?