PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

I say forget the conv idea and run the coupe.

Interesting numbers here:
http://www.camarosource.ca/php/camaro_i ... ?year=1996

I know that doesn't help collectivity any, but it does add to the "unique factor" quite a bit. I was supposed to go get the car today, but the woman had to work, so I'll get it tomorrow morning. Still uncertain of which road to take, especially after seeing those production numbers. Though I could just go ahead and clean it all out and finish ripping out all the wiring just to see exactly how far the strip damage goes.

The woman also told me that due to the low production of convertibles (relatively speaking), 'vert-specific parts are going at a decent rate and price. Potentially, I could make *some* money off of this at worst case.

I wouldn't walk..... I'd Run!

The whole reason he was getting this car was because it was a convertible.

Yup. I love open air driving. First taste of it was when I was in the service...I helped a fellow Navy gal get her first car, a '93 Geo Metro convertible. Had *shoot* for power, but it was cute enough for her. We drove around one night and she put the top down...I put my seat back and just looked up. It was a weird feeling, knowing you were in motion and yet your eyes told you different until you looked anywhere but up.

Since then, I've had two converts...both LeBarons. One was a '95 with the V6, the other was a '91 GTC with the 2.5 turbo and 5-speed Getrag trans (that one was a HOOT to drive). Loved them both, but at the time I couldn't keep them around.

Now, I'm in the situation to where I can build one of my own, to my liking, to suit my needs/wants. Karen is actually psyched about getting this car, despite it's ragged shape. The SSE goes in for paint on Friday, I'll pick it up in two weeks (since I will be gone on a work trip), and reassemble what's left. Then THAT becomes my daily driver, the SS gets parked, Karen drives the GP, and we both turn the wrenches on the Camaro.

Im pale, I hate 'verts.

Rated at 305 hp (315 w/optional exhaust), compared to 285 hp (Due to 2-cats) of the Z28,

If I read that right, cats consume a significant amount of hp (20 - 30)............Bill! If that's what going from one to two gain you, imagine what removing it would do.

Ha! Got the 'vert cheaper by barter. Turns out someone a$$hat "mechanic" the woman hired to make her other F-body, a 1996 Firebird 3800/5 speed run right...made it not run at all now. He took off the water pump for no good reason, and actually tried taking the harmonic balancer off with a prybar (He was thinking the car jumped time, but she knew better. It ran ok, but raced and couldn't settle on an idle speed before). Now it won't start at all, and I am thinking either the crank or cam sensor (PCM doesn't show any codes btw).

Anyways, I told her my thoughts, showed her some bared wires around that general area, and pointed out a few other things that could probably use some tending to. She looked at me and said "You know all about these 3800s huh?", to which I said "Unlawful carnal knowledge". We worked out a deal to where I would work on her car if she towed it to my house, whatever is electrically damaged be it sensor or harness I will scuttle from the Camaro (as I won't be needing them anyway...at least not right away), and I'll make everything as close to right as I possibly could. In return, she knocked 100 bucks off on the spot, and will refund the difference if I could come through with some cash added in.

So...for about a days worth of work, I'll have the 'vert for free

And now...for the not-so-good news. One of the lot monkeys where the Z28 is at bought it. So looks like the original plan of sourcing parts one at a time is back in action....

Mein Got. WTF have I gotten myself into????

Brought it home Wednesday afternoon, and Karen, Brandon, a few of the neighborhood boys, and myself all went at it, figuring out what was junk and what was salvageble from all the crap that was thrown inside.

Turns out....not much actually.

Not only was it stagnate in there from rain and it being an open cabin for a year, it was also a home to a rat. I opened the glovebox and found his hideout...not soon after Karen saw it and screamed like a little girl! So, the car stayed outside. I actually saw the little bugger today, even after cleaning EVERYTHING out of the car. I go in to get my CO2 extinguisher, came back out and he was gone.

About that time, the tow truck for the Bonneville came to take it to the body shop, so we loaded it on and we were on our way, with me following behind him. About a mile and half later, I saw the little phucker do a suicide drop from the flatbed to the road at 35 mph...guess he scurried to the Bonneville before it got loaded. Rat bastid.

Anyways, now that the entire interior is out, wiring included, it really isn't as bad as I thought it would be. There is some rust through on the door sills, but not too bad. Already sold the tires (two were brand new) as I won't be needing them regardless, so now I've pretty much broke even on this deal.

About that time, the tow truck for the Bonneville came to take it to the body shop, so we loaded it on and we were on our way, with me following behind him. About a mile and half later, I saw the little phucker do a suicide drop from the flatbed to the road at 35 mph...guess he scurried to the Bonneville before it got loaded. Rat bastid.

Thanks for my first belly laugh of the day!

Happy wrenching with the new project and hope it doesn't break your bank but with your skills you should be able to transform it nicely.

Radiator header was totally rusted out...no way to have seen that unless everything was stripped from it. Gathering what good parts did come off of the car (mostly 'vert specific trim) and a few other things before calling the junkman to come get it.

At least I got a set of F-body valve covers out of it

Did you perchance salvage the hood and front clip off the car (might have a buyer for them, the fellow I sold my '94 to mashed the nose in a year ago and still hasn't fixed it.)

I have the hood and the bumper cover, but no header panel. Hood is decent, cover could use some TLC.

Good choice. I think you'll be much happier with another car.

sandrock wrote:I have the hood and the bumper cover, but no header panel. Hood is decent, cover could use some TLC.

He doesn't need any sheetmetal from the chassis, he just wrinkled the hood, tore up the fender and the bumper cover.

Word of advice: If you plan on using a 3800 motor in the finished car: Take the K-Member, steering rack, and transmission crossmember out now (They are different from the LT1 parts in the Z28). In fact, just in case the other F-body has ever been in a collision, take the entire front suspension out as a unit and hang on to it. In these cars, engine swaps are performed from the bottom, with the K-Member being roughly synonymous to the cradle of an H-Body. Now that you've stripped the body, chain your hoist to what is left of the radiator header and lift, leaving the engine, trans, K-member, and front suspension sitting on the ground.

*blows dust off this topic*

Made friends with a guy who is also a 3800 nut, and an old-school Chevy addiction as well. As luck would have it, he ALSO has a 1996 Camaro RS convertible that he used for an engine and trans for another F-body. I told him what I had sitting in my attic at the house that was left over from my 350 build, and a few other things. So, we did what any other gearheaded adult in our shoes...we swapped

This one is in MUCH better shape than that...thing...I bought in Florida. No rust, fairly straight, 90 percent complete vs. 90 percent GONE. The top is nearly new. The body kit is in decent shape, and also has that ducktail spoiler the black one had. And it has title

For what I'm trading him plus 300 bucks, I'm getting the car, 2 engines (one known bad, one unknown condition, both to be used for the F-body specific parts), one Trans-Am rearend with disk brakes, and the engine harness/computer. I only got one pic snapped before my phone went dead, but more will come next weekend when he delivers it to me.



Plans call for total teardown and build up. The body needs some work...it had been repainted before but not the best job, so it's going to get totally stripped. Front end paintwork is shot anyways, so a full on repaint and rework might as well happen. L26 core of course. Not sure on the trans yet...may go manual, may stay auto. Brandon is very excited about it...it's his new favorite car now.

Sweet deal. For that car I'd say L26 + manual trans would be a sweet combo. I'd lose those aftermarket tails though.
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I'm going to sell off or trade off what I don't need or want on the car. Those tails are #1 on the list. They aren't that old, so getting 20 bucks on CL for them shouldn't be a problem. I'll either go factory or smoked LED.

Steering column is getting swapped for the one I initially bought for the black one. It's a low-mile '00 with the steering wheel controls. I have the Camaro steering wheel to match, and I know I have an airbag laying around here (I have two...one Pontiac, one Chevy). The old Kenwood I had in the Bonneville will find a home here, or I will also sell it off for a newer Kenwood like what I have in the Bonne now (Built in BT rocks!!).

One engine I am getting already has the clutch and pressure plate setup, and I've located a few 5-speeds I can use locally. I'd have to figure out how hard it would be to swap over though. I'm also pretty certain I can use a '97 Bonneville PCM in it....I can tune w/o having to buy new credits(!!)

Alright, it's sitting in the garage now. He brought it to me Sunday, and teardown commenced shortly afterwards.

First, the bad news...it had been wrecked up front in a previous life. The radiator panel is all whompajawed and COVERED with bondo...who the hell does THAT?? Hood was originally a cranberry color, passenger fender originally blue. The impact traveled through the cabin, where the dash promptly broke most of its mounting points . The doors need a little fiberglass lovin'. The interior is trash...well, WAS. Between Brandon and I, we've got most of the interior stripped out, including the dash. I may be able to repair the upper attachment points for the dash with some steel and epoxy, but I'm not holding my breath. It had been given a rebuilt title, which I'm fine with, but whoever rebuilt this thing should've been shot.

Now, for the good news...the accident appears localized to just the front, and it really wasn't too terribly bad (airbags didn't go off, and none of the bulbs in the cluster were pinched, so that system should have been working). Aside from a few areas on the floorboard, it's rust free. The top is near perfect (though the headliner is crap). Most of the engine bay had already been stripped out, so it won't take me long to finish that up.

And for the "eh, oh well"...since there is no RPO label on the car anywhere (it WOULD have been in the glovebox), there is no way to tell if this car really was an RS. It DIDN'T have the Y87 package like the black one did, so no firm riding or quick steering and braking with this one unless I upgrade (which I might as well since everything on this car will be either new or rebuilt).

So, it's looking like this will be a ground-up build instead of just fixing it up. I don't mind because this one, unlike the other projects including the Bonneville, everyone is getting invloved with it. Karen wanted a Camaro convertible, Brandon wanted something him and I can work on, and I wanted something that had commonality with everything I have, so this works for everyone.

Dash was broken off? That was a serious impact... Hope the chassis isn't too worse for wear!