Now now.. i KNOW im gonna sound insane with this, but..

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

As most of you know.. ive been sweating the 2nd Gens lately.

sooooo....

I have a pretty solid 1975 Camaro laying around.. I HATE the front end of it... back isnt as bad but the front~!! uuuhhh!!

is it POSSIBLE to convert the front end of a 1970-73 camaro?
and change the rear to match?.
i know the bodys are the same so i was wondering..

i know most will say "ey boi, go and buy a darn tootin 1973 if you want a dern darnit 73!"

but.. i want to go all the way with it and protour it being that it isnt a special model SS RS or anything of that nature..
also i dont plan on selling it.. so it wont matter either.
what do you think!?

im nuts right?

[nancejd]

It is possible to put the front end from a 70 to 73 on a later 2nd gen, the swap should be pretty straight forward. The rear is going to be a lot harder since the rear quarters aren't the same as the earlier cars, plus the rear window is a dead give away that it's a newer car.

If you have a running 75, I'd proabbly look for a bare shell and swwap parts to it. I think you'd be ahead financially in the end.

[Kenova]

I have a pretty solid 1975 Camaro laying around.. I HATE the front end of it... back isnt as bad but the front~!! uuuhhh!!

is it POSSIBLE to convert the front end of a 1970-73 camaro?
and change the rear to match?.
i know the bodys are the same so i was wondering..

I've seen this done to a '77, front and rear. Nancejd is right, the window was a dead give away.
Personally I find this disturbing because I love the front end on the '74s to '77s :kiss: . If I had the room I would love to add a southern 2nd gen to my collection of dust gatherers. AWW what the hell; Hey Venom, how be I come down to Georgia and get that '75 out from under your feet? I'm sure you could use the space for something else.
Ken

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

hahahahah yea i know right!..

i figure hey, im going to do some interesting things with Venom so i figure why not make the harem even more stout and do a nice 2nd gen as a wild younger brother to it. also i kinda like the rear glass giveaway. kinda gives it a custom appeal to it.

and damn Ken you would be nickeyserious to come AALLLL the way down here to get this..

side.. only the devil came down to georgia.. and couldnt beat my fiddle.

[68fusion]

Be easier to go newer 78up vs 701/2 to 73- and if you want a RS nose woo buddy that repo thing is pure crap.
I think in a "one off" like this the fender vents from a later model 78up would look good on a early secgen 'maro- even cooler with the shoortie spoiler!

[ProdigyCustoms]

I actually think if the bumper got the Foose treatment, narrowed and closer to the body, it might actually look good

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

frank, that bumper didnt flow then.. and wont flow now! hahah

i debated the later bumper but i love the big mouth of the earlier ones.

looks like its eating the road.

[nancejd]

There's a '74 running around these parts that has the bumpers painted body color. It's still not my favorite, but it looks worlds better than those big aluminum monstrosities do stock.

[Kenova]

........and damn Ken you would be nickeyserious to come AALLLL the way down here to get this.....
Hey, no big deal. I'm layed off for a few weeks and there's a chill in the air up here. Fall is on our doorstep.
Besides, even after 27 years, I still miss my '75 :crying: .


I actually think if the bumper got the Foose treatment, narrowed and closer to the body, it might actually look good
Frank, I've often thought the same. I'd really like to see something like this after it's been done.
Ken

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

here one painted.. still not as sexy..

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/09/1974z-1.jpg

[formula]

pure straight sex? no.

But soooo totally 70's cool, especially with the billboard z-28 logos? ABSOLUTELY.

I say live it and clean it up right. Not because of year-to-year loyalty, just because I really think it'd be very cool.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

nope.. cant say i like it..

on another note.. this guy did what im talking about

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2217303

[Jim Nilsen]

It might be better to go with a later rear panel off of a 78 or later so the bumper is hidden and the tailights are better looking and go with the 73 RS front nose from VFN fiberglass. Vettes got away with a chrome front bumper and covered rear for one year and it didn't look too out of place at all.

Jim, Nilsen

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

thats not a bad idea, Jim!

[PSV]

I think the 70-73 are still priced low enough that it wouldn't be worth the time, money and effort to do. I have a 70 and a 71 here at home that I bought very reasonable. The 71 will be for sale soon if interested. It will need both quarters due body damage but has solid trunk and floors. I bought it for the drivetrain and rs front so it will be for sale minus those parts for cheap to get it out of the driveway. Its a long haul to New Mexico though.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

update!

well looks like it isnt a 75 its a 79!

check it out..

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

still got the same idea.. and even better it has T-tops..
but one things for sure.. this need a bit of work. mostly interior
is it worth tackling and making it look like i want or should i just save?

the 79 with a 79 front would be sick.. heres a nice example that someone took a 79 and put a 70 on it.. dont like the graphic tho.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

and heres a photoshop i did of what my goal would look like..ignore the window..

now i ask you fellas.. is it worth the work?

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

i found out i have to change the fenders, rad support, light housing, to make the 70 bumper work.

so the verdict?

[Todds69]

Looks like it could be a interesting swap for you. I say give it a try.

[ProTouring442]

I say give it a shot! I'd keep the wrap-around rear window though. It's easier to see out of, and G Chevrolet wanted it that way from the start, just couldn't get the glass bent like they wanted. I think I'd do the back too, just cut the area out you need for the 1/4s, add the rear panels and the early bumper. It'll take a little fab work, but I think an early car with a wrap-around glass would look cool. In fact, I had been thinking about doing that to my '79 T/A before I sold it. I probably would have too except that it was a non T-top car.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"

[barno68]

I think it is a great idea, although I have always loved the '79ish Z28. Thinks about the interior also, the 70-73 center console and dash is far nicer than the '79. Just me two cents.

Brent

[JayR]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

and heres a photoshop i did of what my goal would look like..ignore the window..



This car kind of sums up the look i would expect when i hear such a swap described.
The 79 though less popular than a 70-73 is a far better option than a 74-77 but if you don't have a mullet and/or a cowboy hat, I'd avoid any t-top car.
Here's a good example of the potential of a 78-81 bodystyle. Notice the flat hood and lack of fender vents and t-tops

[nancejd]

Personally, I'd stay away from a T-top second gen. The tend to flex more, and the tops are notorious leakers.

[MrQuick]

keep it a 79, fix it up a bit and then sell it to buy a 70...you might make it look like a 70 but its stil goingto be a 79. i have a 70 body you can work with. are 70-73's hard to find in your parts?

[ProTouring442]

Personally, I'd stay away from a T-top second gen. The tend to flex more, and the tops are notorious leakers.

Yeah but... The Fisher tops tended not to leak. Now if it has Hurst Hatches! They leaked even when it wasn't raining!

I'm just a T-Top kind of guy (I've owned 2 G-bodies and 1 3rd gen with them) so if it were mine, Id make it look old but with T-Tops.

As for the flex, some good weld in sub-frame connectors and maybe add a few extra braces here and there and I would bet you could keep them from flexing too much... but then again, I'm no expert!

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"