Hey guys what are your opinions on modifing a 92 Z28 Convertible. I know thirdgen camaros are not exactly the most collectible vehical right now, but I'm sure they eventually will, especially rare models ie 1LE's, B4C's, Vert's, GTA's etc. Mine in particular like I said is a 92 Z28 Vert, 305 tpi LB9, Auto 2.73 posi, red leather interior (how common is this anyway??). My only problem with the car is that it is too damn slow. I would like to swap in 350/383 or maybe even a LS1, but like I said I'm worried about hurting the value of the car? I'll probably never part with it, but I just wanted to get some feedback. Maybe I should just by a hardtop Z and go to town??

Thx
Mark

 

Well verts are more flexible than a hardtop. If you are woried about hurting the value then just save everything you take off incase you ever decide to sell the car you can just put all the stock stuff back in.

 

Thats kinda what I'm thinking, but nice thirdgen hardtops are pretty cheap.

 

woah, did you get the car off ebay?

 

nope

 

Well. here's what I've seen. If you have more then 10,000 miles on it, do whatever you want. The sad fact is, when (not if) these cars go way up in value, anything with over 5,000 miles isn't going to be the one that does.

I can say that my car is easily one of maybe 15-20 jade TA verts. That said about the only thing stock IS the paint color.

Kevin D.

 

i saw a car similar to it on ebay a while ago, it was for sale in indiana too

Where in southern indiana do you live?

 

I used to be a FIRM beliver in "keep it original", but the more shows I go to and the more custom cars I see bringing BIG BUCKS, I say do whatever you want ... especially if you plan on keeping it forever.

 

I plan on using a GM crate engine or maybe another name brand crate engine when I swap mine i.e. Golen, Scoggen Dickey. Hopefully I could recoup maybe 50% of what the engine cost if I had to sell. I think a car with a GM crate engine would sell more than one rebuilt by 'Earls Machine Shop'.

 

I'm located in Henryville, its about 20 miles north of Louisville KY

Mark

 

It also depends on the buyer . . .
-Because 3rd gen's are getting older and at bargain prices, it's hard to find one today that's an "unraped", unabused, #'s matching original in great shape. Some buyers will pay premium $$$ for one where condition is critical despite the mileage (although lower does help).
- Other's look for 3rd gen's with great mods that improve performance & handling (and appearance in some cases) over stock.

It's kind'a 6 of one and 1/2 dozen of the other. The other option is to keep your vert for those days where topless is important, and buy a second ride that's a hardtop (as mentioned they're a good bargain) for performance mods. You'll also be starting of with a stiffer chassis.

The most important thing is that you do what you want and enjoy. It would suck driving a car for 10 years+ always wishing it had something different (more power in this case). Being happy is worth more than resale.

 

just my opinion, but it's your car so do whatever you want to it. don't worry about selling it until you heed to sell it. you shouldn't base what you want to do to your car on what other people would want to buy. you can't please everyone. some people prefer that rare low mile, all original car while others will pay big bucks for a modified/custom car that is equally "rare" in their eyes. it's a crapshoot.

 

If you mod your car make sure its in good taste. THat will help resale value.

I disagree with the 10,000 mile limit. I would venture to say that 100,000 miles + is basically do what you want...

One thing to consider is that there are not many low miles cars still out there. For example out of 41 Formula 350 convertibles I knw that only 3 of them have lower miles than mine, there is 3 or 4 that the last reading was in 1989 so its unknown. And I have 36,000 miles on the car. I would think that since there are so few left with such low miles that keeping my car original would be a big plus.

just some thoughts

John

 

A 3rd gen Camaro convertible is not all that rare . ASC did over 38,000 over of 'em from '87 to '92. A Firebird is a different story as about 10% of those vs. Camaros were done . Buy a decent rust free car and mod the heck out of it! In fact , there were more IROC convertibles in '89 the RS 'verts. I'm building mine just how I want and I could care less about about the original 305 TBI .

 

I beg to differ a little on the Camaro numbers and it's rarity.
From 87-92, there were 550,515 Camaros built.
Of those only a total of 26,061 were convertibles (11,865 RS models & 14,196 Z28/IROC models).
That works out to only 2.1% were RS's and 2.6% were Z28/IROC'S of total production during those years!
Specifically for the '92 Z28, they built only 1,254 out of 70,007 Camaros that year. That's a very low 1.8%, and also the 3rd lowest 3rd gen Camaro vert production of any of the vert models during those 6 years.

It is a fairly rare car, but not particularly hard to find (at least right now). But like many have mentioned, have fun with your ride and make it exactly how you want it to be, either stock or modded.

 

iroctopless, I love you av. Fricken nutjob if ya ask me.


Anyways. I thought about keeping my TA stock for awhile. Then left it in the dust. I don't ever plan on selling the car so I couldn't care less what someone thought of it's value. It's my car, I'm having fun with it.

Heck, I'm really just making it how I think it should've come from the factory.

Mod it and have fun.

 

I think that says it best.

My av is almost as nutty as I am!

 

Not true theres a few SS montes for sale by me with brand new crate 350's for $3000 a peice. With the price they go for around here your getting the crate motor for free.

 

Well I agree with iroc topless but overall my quick 2 cents as my old 2 an 87 and 89 were in exact same condition both around 80K 87 350 TPI auto great shape sold for $7500 and my 89 with 5k on the new 350 carbed motor(double hump heads radical cam so forth) with a auto solf for only $5000 but the 89 was alot more fun in the long run and would mod one again if one passes my way, sadly in the past year i have now sold all 3 of my Irocs and ended up with a 87 corvette as my daily driver but when I see a 87-89 TPI 5spd ill jump on it if i can afford it