Hmmm

[z28luvr01]

With all these "car shopping" threads in here lately, I thought I'd try one with a cool car in it for a change.

So I'm going along my training route on the bicycle on Thursday when I see this early 2nd gen Camaro sitting on some guy's front lawn for sale. I didn't get a very good look at it, but I knew how to get to it for when I could take a longer look.

Today, I'm in the neighborhood and I swing by to see if I can talk to the owner and get a better idea of the car's condition. To keep things short, here's the data:

It's a '72 Camaro - the typical early '70s dark brown with black stripes.

My guess is, it's not a Z/28 or SS, but it has the split bumper

Looks to be lightly optioned: no A/C, manual everything, AM radio

New quarters, doors, fenders, bumpers, and floorpans.

The engine in the car is a 307 with 2 4bbls mated to a Turbo 350 auto. The drivetrain has 80K miles.

Here's what's wrong with it:

Paint is bubbling on both A pillars (passenger's side moreso than the driver's side)

Some very light surface rust in the trunk and on the metal panel underneath the front bumper

It's missing a trunk lock cylinder

It has the fiberglass high-rise cowl induction hood on it

broken grille

The driver's side seat needs recovering and the interior needs a rug.

I'm assuming the passenger's side seat isn't that great either, since it has a velour seat cover on it

broken/missing radio knob

hood release cable looks to be broken as well

Some pics:

The guy showed me the original hood (same color as the rest of the car) , the door panels, and the plastic front air dam. He has $5200 written on the windshield, but he said he'd take $4800, as he just wants to sell it to pay for his new pool.

So watcha think? Ideally, I'd like my dad to go for it (I'm working on him), so it could get the restoration it deserves. But he's in the middle of redoing a '55 Bel Air, so it's not likely. For that price, do you think it's a worthwhile car for me to buy for myself, give it a thorough cleaning top to bottom, fix the broken stuff, and make the inside nice? When I have the space, I'd probably turn it over to a body shop to fix the A-pillars, strip this paint off, and put on a nice coat of red black stripes.

Also, if anyone here is interested in it, I have more pics and the owner's phone number. I'll PM upon request. I love this bodystyle Camaro, and I just want to see this car go to a good home, be it with me or someone else.

[pow]

Oh, phew, I thought you meant this:

[Camino LS6]

Are you sure it's a 307?

If it is, that's alot of modding for that engine. With all of that sheetmetal replaced, it is hard to tell what model it was because you could buy Z/28s and SSs with minimal options at that time. Assuming the split bumpers are original, it is at least an RS.

Did you know that Z/28 wasn't offered with A/c until '73?

At any rate the car looks well worth saving but I'd have to see/know more to have an opinion on the price.

[Camino LS6]

Cracked open the Camaro book:

Best guess is that it is a base car with the RS option. In which case, price is a bit high although these cars aren't easy to come by. I can decode the cowl tag for you if you can get a pic.

[capriceman]

i think the price is a little high.

[Camino LS6]

For comparison, there is a '70 SS 350 4spd. numbers matching car in my local trader that has an asking price of $8,900. Its a bit rough looking but restorable.

[NOS2006]

Very sexy! There was a similar one for sale in red w/ black stripes (fresh paint) up the street about a month ago..

[ocnblu]

That is not an original split bumper car... the original split bumpers had an Enduro surround around the grille, this car has the standard front end, someone put those split bumpers on it. Also, the rusty A-pillars could be a sign of serious structural rust, as it is coming from the inside out. Did you check the hinge pillars by opening the doors and looking inside? Just trying to be helpful.

[z28luvr01]

Thanks for all your help guys. I suspected that, ocn, and my dad confirmed it. I told him of how the hood release comes out the grille underneath where the bumper would be (see the front pic with the missing grille slat). The cars with the full width bumpers had the hood release in that location, while the true split bumper cars had them way down on the bottom. he also didn't like the water in the trunk (possible rear window leak and underlying rot), or the undercoating-covered-rust in the inner rear fender wells.

I may have to let this one go since there's obviously something fishy about it. I don't have the ability to do that kind of work that it needs, and my dad has neither the time nor the space. I'll have to end up spending a lot more dough on one with a better body.

[Camino LS6]

That is not an original split bumper car... the original split bumpers had an Enduro surround around the grille, this car has the standard front end, someone put those split bumpers on it.  Also, the rusty A-pillars could be a sign of serious structural rust, as it is coming from the inside out.  Did you check the hinge pillars by opening the doors and looking inside?  Just trying to be helpful.

Of course! I'm an idiot! The split bumper cars have turn signals above the bumpers, and they are round. I knew something was bothering me about the front.

Duh.

[mightymouse]

You are better off with a clean, straight body.

Weak A-plrs are HUGE trouble, cracking windshields, etc, etc

Don't settle.... Buy one cheap, that needs an engine.

Good things come those who wait!

1972

wheelbase: 108.0

Width: 74.4

Height: 50.5

Weight: 3310

Engines

disp carb HP Torque C/R Add Weight

307 2bbl Roch 200@4600 230@2400 8.5

350 2bbl Roch 165@4000 280@2400 8.5

350 4bbl Roch 200@4400 300@2800 8.5

350 4bbl Roch 255@5600 280@4000 9.0

402 4bbl Roch 240@4400 345@3200 8.5 100lbs?

Note: The bhp rating for the 307 is not reasonable. It is probably a gross rating, while the rest being net ratings.