jer4251

iTrader: (6)

Got myself another toy, but its going to need some help before i can really enjoy it. Bought it from the orig owner, has been sitting untouched for the last 6 years down on the coast of florida. the salt water weather has taken a little toll on the car, it has some rust spots in some uncommon areas. Unlike cars from the north that rust out in the same spots. Its got some small holes in the roof right above the windshield. one in the lower pass side fender behind the ground effect. one on the rear 1/4 next to the rear glass. and the bottom inside of the door jams up front. stuff had collected in these areas and held moisture until it rotted through. and the day before i bought the car, the guy broke the rear window tring to clean up the metal edge that goes around it. seat track is broke and the bolt on the floor is broke. Was a bigger guy. needs ac work and new window motors. but enough with the story, time for some pics. It doesn't look too good as it sits, but its not far from being a looker. these pics are before ive done anything, just getting it home.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

It's got all the ear marks of a good project. There's nothing that can't be fixed, and that's what a project is all about. Looks like fun!

Camaro Z Man

Nice find ! You have my cars twin. My has gray leather interrior also. I got lucky with mine. I bought mine from the original owner to who was 67 years old. Its the only 3rd gen I have ever bought that needs no work. If you dont mind me asking what you gave for it and how many miles are on her ? If you were closer I would give you a rear glass, as I have a few sitting around. Looks like yours just needs a little interrior work and minor rust repair and you will be ready to roll.

jer4251

iTrader: (6)

47k miles. less than 3 grand is what i have into it. found a hatch in NC that my brother is going to pick up for me. so thats almost taken care of. Just need to find someone to do this metal repair with a welder. then its off to paint and body. thats about all it really needs.

topduarte

iTrader: (8)

Very nice Z03 camaro!! I cannot believe that a car with only 47k miles looks like that.

It is not bad but I still do not understand how people let nice cars go to crap!!!

Reminds me of my old 92 red Z28, the only difference mine had he red leather interior!

Camaro Z Man

Wow thats low. With those miles and less the 3k, I think you got a great deal. These Z03 Z28's are getting hard to find.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I've said it before, but I'll say it again... Mileage means nothing. "47k miles" sounds like a nice car, and here we see a car that's in rougher condition then a lot of 100k mile cars. If it really only has 47k then it's been ridden really hard and put away soaking wet. It wasn't a leisurely 47k miles. LOL

jer4251

iTrader: (6)

its got a couple of small holes in the roof that i believe had let water into the front drivers side floor. the car was cared for just not properly stored. 47k miles with a big driver can destroy a seat, which in this case it has.

once i have the time to clean it completely, it will look like a different car. a missing back window makes it look 10x worse condition. nothing on this car has ever been removed, tampered with or repaired until now. i would buy it again in a heartbeat, rather than a non Z03 Z with 100k plus on the clock. miles may not be good to judge condition, but they certainly effect the value.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

For low mileage to effect the value, the condition needs to be in line with the mileage. If that car had been kept in a garage instead of left to the elements, it'd be worth a lot more. I wouldn't say that you got ripped off, or that you got a smoking value. The price you paid is right in line with the actual condition of the car. At this point in time, all thirdgens are exempt from mileage clauses anyway. Legally it doesn't matter anymore if the mileage is accurate. From a collectors standpoint, the car isn't going to be original, and it wasn't pampered. There are a lot of thirdgens out there with more mileage that are in better condition, just because they were properly cared for and not abused. It's not an attack, I think the car has a lot of potential, but 47k might as well be 247k when the car needs a restoration.

david068513

iTrader: (2)

the miles will help him though if he sells it restored better then a 247k car. everyone knows that. I personally think he did fine and when restored could get money back and even more. just my opinion.

Jason E

I agree and disagree at the same time. I can understand where you're coming from. However, in my own personal experience, my is that I would MUCH rather start off with a low mileage car like the one shown above, than a higher mileage one that is in better initial shape. My 118k mile RS, purchased for $1,000 wholesale on trade, seemed like a much better purchase initially than my 30k mile 86 Trans Am was for $3,000. The RS looked significantly better, and had no signs of a water leak (Trans Am had a very musty water smell.)

Yet, now that I've torn into both, and finished the RS, without a doubt the Trans Am was a MUCH better deal despite being 3x the cost. With the RS, everything was worn out...shocks and struts, front end, window and door lock motors, engine oil leaks kept sprouting up, tranny balks going into reverse etc. Ignoring mods, it took $10,000 to make this car purr like a kitten, and look like new. And yet, it still feels loose and old, it rattles a lot, the seat foam is beat up etc. Mind you, I am a complete nitpicker, which means its hard to find peace when you love old third gens

Now, consider my Trans Am. I will have less than $10,000 in it for sure when I'm done. All it needs is a respray and some light interior work. No oil leaks. The chassis is drum tight. Nothing is worn out. It responds and drives like a brand new 86. It will also be worth more than the RS as well. Everything from the HVAC controls to window motors performs like new. It looks as bad as the subject Z28 (no rust holes though) because it too sat outside for several years. But, I wouldn't give up its low miles for anything...I will never again restore a high mileage third gen when low mile resto candidates exist.

Again, simply my 2 cents...

1MeanZ

iTrader: (9)

Jason E, you must be paying someone to do your repairs to get 10k wrapped up in a car like that.

2 yrs ago I bought a 100k mile 91 TA with a rod knock. I swapped in a 5 speed, rebuilt the motor, fuel pump, brake lines, shocks, brakes, tires, fixed rust in the floors and put POR10 on the underside, and repaired and converted the AC. Everything else works, cruise, power mirrors, etc. I got the car for $900, and after all that work I only have $2400 in it. It still needs carpet and a fresh paint job to be "done" but that would still only bring my total investment up to $5500 and thats if I paid $3k for a paint job. For those of us that can do the work ourselves it is worth it to buy a higher mileage car if you find a deal. If you have to pay to have things fixed then you can very quickly get more into these cars than their worth. Not lecturing, just highlighting different perspectives. For example, here is the TA I'm talking about...

Jason E

Nice looking car...at the same point, $5,500 could score a similar car with half the miles in some cases. It depends on your market area, what's available, etc.

Indeed, I have paid for certain things to be done...$2,800 got me a gorgeous repaint, $1,200 was the cost to tear apart the top end of the engine because of a bad head gasket and clean up both heads, replace both head gaskets, install headers and a bunch of other things. Looking at my spreasheet, over time I've spent about $2,200 in mechanical labor and $3,500 in body labor...so yes, $5,700 was paid to someone else.

At the same point, I have a brand new car in literally every sense...from the PW and L motors to weatherstripping to carpeting to headliners...you get the idea. Even the alternator and water pump were replaced in the name of reliability. The only thing left to do is assess why the front end wanders a little bit.

At the same time, on my 31k mile Trans Am, virtually none of that is an issue. A $3,000 paint job on a car I have $3,500 in after tuning it up and fixing little things and that car is virtually brand new as well. Nothing leaks, nothing is worn out, etc. Headliner, carpet and seats are like brand new.

Some of the money spent on the RS was for mods, for sure...but in the quest for a "perfect" car, a lot more work needs to be done sometimes on higher mileage cars.

jer4251

iTrader: (6)

Haven't done much to the car yet. But i did replace all 4 end links. they were completely rotted away, no rubber left on them. used the energy suspension links, and repainted the rear sway bar, also measured it at 23mm. i believe thats what it was, could be wrong its been a few days. went and checked out a hood and a couple of hatches, and didnt like what i saw, so im holding off for a better pick. I found a hatch but no way of getting it home until i can drive the car to pick it up and put it directly on. and i found some more areas that will need repaired.

Jason E

Amazing how the salt air simply ate that car from the top down. Sorry to see your issues, but I still believe its a car worth saving, for sure. As the owner of a 30th, I'm very partial to 25ths despite never owning one.

My Trans Am sat outside on a driveway for several years up here, but has none of the rust issues you've got...

91 zeee

Well, while you fix this one up, looks like you have plenty of other nice Camaros to drive!

eseibel67

OP: That's some serious rot. Salt water ran all though the inside of this thing.

On a positive note, you're only short one '69 to round out the Camaro collection.

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

It's amazing how different areas of the US affect cars so differently. In WA that car would of gone straight to a yard as that would be considered extensive rust and not worth repairing.

Jason E

I guess it depends on where you live, and what the supply of cars is like. Here in the Northeast, its rust from underneath that kills, normally. The only 2 daily driven third gens I owned were both sold in 2002...an 89 RS my mom bought new, and an 89 Formula I was the second owner of for about 1 year.

The RS, externally, looked great due to garaging and consistent washing and waxing. It was used for about 8-9 of the 13 winters we had it, albeit sparingly (sold in 2002 with 96k on it). It rotted right where the LH gfx bolted to the LF fender due to sand and salt collecting in there...a common place for New England third gens to rot. My Formula, at the same age, had rust all over due to the original owner not caring for it and driving it year round. With 102k miles on it, I remember having to repair a large rust spot on the driver's door, rust all along the bottom on the passengers side, etc. I sold it due to all this, as well as rust on the strut towers I didn't feel like fixing. 4 years later, I found it on a used car lot with 145k on it...I was able to put my hand right through the driver's rear passenger footwell and push up on the carpet

My current RS was largely rust free when I got it in 2006, as it had 107k on it and hadn't seen snow since '99 or earlier. The windshield leaked, however, so the drivers floor was rusting from the inside out. I had to fix that...my Trans Am has the same leak on BOTH sides of the windshield. Must be a common third gen thing, as they age...thankfully, I pulled the carpet back this Summer to find water, but no rust to any real degree...just a simple speck or two here and there.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

So far my windshield seal is holding, but if you look closely at the top corners of the windshield seal, you will see they have probably contracted and lifted a little from the A-pillar, which is just enough to let water get in there. I have just a tiny bit of this on my driver's corner, but it worries me every time I wash the car.

mikesanto70

cant wait to see it done, I'm in the process of freshening up my 92' Z28 L98 Heritage white w/ red int. 72k. orig. mi. Hey what does the Z03 denote? Heritage L98 or what?

jer4251

iTrader: (6)

its the heritage package code.

Im picking up a 1991 Z this week for parts.

mikesanto70

thanks for the quick reply, I read there was only 355 L98 Z28 Heritage coupes made in 92' have you heard that?

jer4251

iTrader: (6)

ive got no idea how many Z03's were RS or Z28's. not sure how many had 5 speeds, not sure how many have 5.7. all i know is that thet are all rare with the Z03 option, and in my book that makes them worth the time and effort.

Jason E

Good to hear...glad you're keeping it

jermdm

Is this the same car in your previous post "scrap a z03" or did you score another one and now you have 2 of them. Be pretty cool. Does need some work but be a very nice car when fixed.

jer4251

iTrader: (6)

its the same car.