History... How did I end up owning a Z28 Camaro when all around are driving Imprezza's, Evo's, cheap Porsches (924/44/68) or any number of fwd shopping trolleys?
I guess it all started in about 1996 when I saw the light and finally gave up on my previous obsession - a turbo charged and kitted X1/9. A rapid car it certainly was but I felt that I wanted a little more in the way of creature comforts and something a little less frantic. At the time I had no particular idea of what would be the next toy - beyond the fact that it had to be sporty. The range open to me was wide - Jap rockets such as the Supra (not really enough style) and 200SX (a little too delicate) were quite prominent with the leader of that ilk being a 300ZX twin turbo (thuggish looks, brutal performance and quite affordable)... the German contingent comprised of BMW's M5 or 6 series (both had the same problems of rust and cost and image - BMW hmmm says it all really!!) or the Porsche trinity of the 924 (too delicate and underpowered) 944 or 928 (yes please especially the turbo or S4! but cost was a factor). The Italians had nothing to sensible to offer - I mean a De Tomaso Pantera would have been awesome though knowing Italian electrics and rust prevention skills are questionable to say the least (remember I had owned 3 X1/9's by this stage!) would also have been awesomely expensive to boot.
I have to admit that, having rung around a few insurance companies, I was starting to get a little concerned that my dream of owning a powerful rwd 'proper' car were going to be derailed when I read an article in Classic and Sportscar about a funny car by the name of Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z... hmmm could this be an untapped idea here? Quite cheap (potentially under �5k)... good performance (145mph and a sprint in the mid sixes together with Porsche 911 equalling 30-50, 40-60, 50-70 etc performance) and while fuel economy wasn't anything to write home about it certainly wasn't that scary... looks? Well certainly not pretty more of a thuggish bruisers look about it - heeey this is starting to look quite good. What about insurance? Cheaper than all the alternatives. Parts availability? As good as (if not better than) the Japs. Where can I find one? Wow! not many around but they are not impossible to find - this is looking very interesting now! Now came the big question - how could I cope with driving a left hooker? Well after a chat to a couple of specialists and a few friends I felt brave enough to say "sod it" and get one regardless.
Now came the hard part finding a good one! I was absolutely appalled at the dreck that some people thought constituted a good car; 'no rust' - so what on earth are these sodding big holes and flaky bits then? Did you think I was blind?!!!; 'runs well' - down hill and with a fair wind!; 'good interior' - if you're in the repair business. After numerous journeys with no result (other than raised blood pressure) when I finally saw a local one for sale at the right price and thought I might as well give it a try and trudged up there. WOW! A car exactly as advertised, this was a revelation and totally restored my faith in Camaros (as an aside never take a friend with you who when the owner asks what you think of the car responds with "wow, that's a great one - the best we've looked at!!" kind of cuts down room for negotiation!). To cut a long story short a deal was struck and I found myself the proud owner of a gleaming blue 1986 IROC-Z with a 305 and auto.
Things went well for a while and then it started - firstly the ecu broke (fixed quikly and not at too much expense by Robin Grey of Autopontiac - highly recomended!) then came gearbox problems. Loathe to lose the car and not able to repair things before they started getting bad I had the decision made for me when I got rear-ended by a dozy idiot doing 50mph to my 5mph - when those tailgates explode they make one hell of a noise! Strike one IROC - hello one insurance cheque!
Once again it was IROC hunting time with the same amount of dreamers and liars advertising I was still able to find a nice vehicle. I was now the proud owner of a black IROC. I soon found out that I didn't have the patience to maintain a black car together with a few niggly problems which I never got round to sorting altogether made this the least pleasurable yank I've owned (though a temporary loan of a 5 speed example made me realise how lucky I was!!). My tenure of this car came to an abrupt end when I hit a Cinquencento and managed to write off the 'Maro (pure luck it must be said since it wasn't the best example I have ever seen - and black was starting to get to me a little!)
Right now - insurance money in hand it's decision time again do I really want *another* IROC/Z28 or should I listen to people and get a 'normal' car? Ha! that thought lasted all of about half a day and then it was through the small ads in Classic American (highly recomended to those who are looking for a new yank in the UK) when I saw a lovely red IROC tin-top (this was strangely enough my preference due to the percieved problem of leaky t-tops) for sale about 250 miles from home a nice wekend away culminated in buying a nearly mint 305 IROC (why oh why are there so few 350's in this country?) for a price both the vendor and myself found agreeable. Nearly 9 months of bliss passed before the old boredon started to set in (what is it with me not being able to realise when I have a peach of a car??) and I was on the look out for a new 'toy'.
Once again I ws scouring Classic American (a terribly dangerous publication if one is bored!!) and Exchange & Mart for 'toys'. In a misguided move I purchased what was both my best and yet my worst f-body to date - a '95, 3.4, white, manual firebird. Build quality was vastly improved over the 3rd gen and handly was lovely too, it was a great touring car - however I have to admit that I wasn't really after a tourer and after a while it started to grate. Good build quality and handling and very good fuel consumption were not cutting it with me - I had to have another V8. For quite a while I was tempted with the idea of a 'Vette but when I'd finally sold the Firebird I got the old hankering after another IROC.
I bought my car in September 2002. As mentioned previously I'd originally I'd been looking for an IROC rather than a Z28 but having seen the spec of the car in Classic American I felt that I couldn't really afford not to at least have a look - in hindsight the outcome was obvious really! A test drive, a look at the spec sheets and a chat to Robin Gray of Autopontiac and I was the proud owner of a highly modded Z28.
The spec of the engine (stated below) is quite a good one for a performance oriented vehicle (a guesstimate of power is in the region of 370 hp and 420 lb ft � though that said it could be higher� a trip to a rolling road is certainly planned once funds and time allow)
For the immediate future the plan is to restore the Zee to a good (if not concours) standard. To that end the following things will need to be looked at:- Weather strips (r & l)� totally perished � replace. T-top metal plate� rusting � replace. Head-lamp recess� slightly pitted � fill and repaint. Headlining� ripped and generally yucky � replace. Carpets� threadbare and stained � replace. Seats� stained, uncomfortable � replace. Body� various little scrapes and a couple of rust spots � fix and repaint. In addition to this there will be modifications to the Zee as and when funds and time allow as detailed on page 3. I shall be adding relevant pictures at a later stage too.
- What's been done so far...
- Future mods...
The car has been modfied as follows:-
- New 5.7 engine block
Forged 383 crank
Forged Keith Black pistons
Edelbrock alluminium high compression heads
Edelbrock high-rise intake manifold
Holley 750 carb
HEI system
Edelbrock headers
No cat, big bore exhaust system into box silencer exiting though twin Ducati silencers
Urethane engine mounts
Uprated 700R4
IROC rims 245/45/16 (f) 255/55/16 (r)
Removal of Ducati silencers, 2 1/2" tail pipes
New springs - front lowered by about 1 1/2" or 2"
New weather stripping all over
New seats (looking at Renault Megane/Laguna, Peugeot 306, BMW Mini or Toyota Celica half leather seats)
New Carpets - probably black though may stick with grey
Possible new rear depending on present spec (2.73 posi may be a possibility)
Heated rear screen and associated electrics
Ram-air II hood or modified standard hood (functioning louvres)
Look at the potential advantages of changing to fuel injection
Chrome or anodised grill with spot-lights set behind
Partial respray (so it's red all over) - though I might be tempted to go for a full colour change
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