Introducing: Project "Evolution 2G"

[MWCC]

I finally have a name for my '79 Z project. My last project car didn't work out. It was a '78 T/A but after going through the car it would have been better suited as a pasta strainer.

I've since come across an incredibly solid and mostly all original 1979 Z28. I've been a Camaro guy since I was a young teenager and have owned many over the years. My first was a 1967 Ragtop that I picked up for $2500.00. Back then you got a hell of a car for that price. Ahhh the good old days. Believe it or not, this is the first 2nd gen Camaro I've ever owned. I picked it up sight unseen and was very nervous about what would show up at my door. Well I finally hit paydirt and after years of buying rust buckets and being lied too, I finally have a car that went above and beyond my expectations and won't require the purchase of a steel mill https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2005/07/biggrin1-1.gif . The car is awesome. It only has two small areas of rust no bigger than 3". The rest will disappear after media blast. The floors are like new under the factory insulation.

I chose to call this project "Evolution 2G" because its a 2nd gen Camaro G-Machine and will evolve over time. It will be done in stages as time and budget permit. First off it will get a full tear-down and repaint followed by upgraded brakes, wheels, and tires. I still haven't decided on color or wheels and tires..... so they too will evolve as the build progresses. The interior is almost mint and will remain pretty much unchanged. That will of coarse limit my body color choices since the interior is tan. Wheels and tires will be 18's with as much meat as I can fit under the factory rear tubs since I want a full back seat.

Future plans will be the install of a completely modern FI driveline and suspension and maybe flush-mount glass. I'm sure more ideas will evolve over time so the name fits the build well.

Hopefully I can get the front clip off soon and get the car ready for the blaster. I'll post pics throughout the build process.

I would appreciate as much input from other members as I can get especially from anyone who has already modified a late 2nd gen F-body.



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[Boyd]

Nice project. Looking forward to seeing more progress.

[MWCC]

Well I finally had some spare time too tear the old girl down a little more. My original plan was not to tear it down this far, but I just can't go without giving her the red carpet treatment. This car still continues too amaze me. Its so clean its stupid. Definitely the best $2500 buckaroos I ever spent. Still sticking with the original plan of this car evolving over time. For now I'll get her stripped, repair the 2 small spots of rust and repaint. Then I'll re-assemble the car so I can have some fun this summer. Later upgrades will be a more modern and higher HP drivetrain, some new wheels and tires (not sure what yet), and suspension improvements. I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head so it should be interesting what the finished product will "Evolve" into. Here's some pics from today. Sorry if some of the pics are fuzzy. I need to break-down and buy a new digital camera. The one I have is only a 5MP.

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[1971CHEVELLE]

nice project:)

[EagleEye]

i know how ya feel about the 2nd gens. as being a mopar guy my whole life, i have a special place for 2nd gens. i had a 76 type lt in high school. one of the coolest cars i've ever had. i would replace it in a second if i found one. the one PHR did was an exact replica, so it brought back a whole lot of memories.

that beige/tan color is pretty rare on Z's. kinda blah but rare too.
as for color you pretty much have the whole pallet to your disposal.
tan goes w/any color as it is a neutral. just don't do black or red.


btw, i'd be interested in the wheels if you sell them.

[Code Red]

congrats on the purchase I've never been a fan of 2nd gen camaros I could do an early 2nd gen camaro or a 2nd gen firebird

[796spdbu]

Thats a soild camaro for an Ohio car.Mine is now where that nice. You want to sell factory wheels? What part of Ohio are you in? Im from cincinnati area.

[Code Red]

Thats a soild camaro for an Ohio car.Mine is now where that nice. You want to sell factory wheels? What part of Ohio are you in? Im from cincinnati area.


says ottawa

[69TAPoser]

That car is in nice shape! Looking forward to hearing your color choices.

Phil

[Rich G]

Looks like you have a great fondation to start with. Reminds me of my 80Z I use to have

[MWCC]

Thanks Guys. Not sure exactly what color I'll go with yet. I'm leaning towards something in a metallic green (maybe). I've always felt that a car dictates what looks good on it. Not every car looks good in any color. These 2nd gen cars have different lines and in my eyes only look good in certain colors. The original beige color is rare, but not my taste. I have chosen a color (tentatively)that is very similar to a 70's era metallic green. It has a faint gold metallic to it so it should go well with the tan interior, but like I said above, the color is not set in stone yet. I may even install the factory decals as well, but we'll see how that goes after she's painted.

[EagleEye]

i'm going w/2000-01 Pontiac Spruce green on mine.

so i vote for green :twothumbs


oh yeah, the wheels, man, the wheels. yes? no?

[796spdbu]

Thanks Code Red....
I was just curious as to where that was.
I guess i was to lazy to do a search as to where in Ohio that was
My bad buddy.....

[MWCC]

i'm going w/2000-01 Pontiac Spruce green on mine.

so i vote for green :twothumbs


oh yeah, the wheels, man, the wheels. yes? no?


The color I have chosen is a GM color. It's called Sage Green Metallic. I sprayed a sample and it looks awesome. Black and Red are so overdone in my eyes.

Anyone interested in the stock wheels can PM me. I hate to let them go, but I know they'll just sit around and collect dust.

[EagleEye]

gotta pic?

of the color that is!

[MWCC]

I spent some time and put together a 1:24 scale model of my Z. I have been doing this for customers and it really helps with color decisions since it can be viewed in 3D. Lots of colors look good on a sample, but nothing beats seing it with the body lines. The color is called Medium Sage Green Metallic. The finished car will not have as much metallic as the model, but will be real close to the rear window filler panel I painted up. The interior color on the model is the exact color that the finished car will have.

Not sure if I will go with the decals or not. It looked awesome without and I'm on the fence now that I see them on the model. Feedback would be appreciated here. What do you guys think??

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[1971CHEVELLE]

cool color love it

[EagleEye]

we've got ourselves a WINNER.


do it, do it now.

there is a Z around here that is a pale green. can't remember what color the stripes are. next time i see it, i'll take a pic.
but
you could always go w/lighter shades of green for stripes, or possibly gold/tans.

i say keep'em.
very nice.

[MWCC]

It is a real nice color. Once I sprayed the model, I was sure it was the color I will go with. The decals on the model are like the original 2 tone gold. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I don't. I may just do a gold pinstripe down the side. The nice thing about decals is I can always put them on later or take them off if I don't like them. Still on the fence on them, but the color is now set. It reminds me of a 70's era muscle car color. A former classmate in H.S. had an all original big block 1970 Chevelle SS in green with white stripes. This green reminds me of that car.

[newby]

what are your evolution plans? your car looks very clean, how much cutting do you plan on doing? budget?

are you on nastyz28.org?

if you are into trickery mods here is a short list for you:

front suspension
-c5 brakes on stock spindle mod (using 3rd gen camaro bearings)
-aftermarket upper control arms and mounting
-poly or spherical kit
-weld in coil over buckets from DSE (or cut your own out of a bone yard car)

chassis
-front to rear subframe connectors
-aluminum body mounts
-frame to cowl supports
-stitch weld factory subframe

rear suspension
-herb adams mod with new springs/bars (no cutting)
-mini tubs if you get spry
-check out 'johnny joints' on nastyz for some some interesting spring tech
-modify stock 10 bolt with ford outter bearings (no more c clips), higher spline count, 4th gen f-body brakes (widened axle can still use staggered shocks) and a track lock and welded axle tubes

other stuff
-hydro boost off of any vehicle you find
-4 or 6 speed auto trans with paddle shifters or a tko 5/6 spd
-EFI
-electric fans from a ford aerostar van are a perfect fit

[MWCC]

what are your evolution plans? your car looks very clean, how much cutting do you plan on doing? budget?

Not exactly sure where this build will end up since I have so many ideas floating around in my head. That's why I chose to call the car "Evolution". As I complete each stage, I will then decide where to go with it next. I have been researching some of the mods you mention and would love to do them all but the budget it tight for now. Hopefully as time passes that will change and allow me to go a little more crazy with the mods. You're right about the car being very clean and since it no longer has its original motor, I don't feel bad about modifying it to my liking.

[newby]

most of the mods i posted for you are 'junk yard' style mods that can be done cheaply. ie the vette calipers and brackets are fairly cheap on ebay and the 3rd gen rotors are next to nothing at the junk yard. welding up your frame is labor and gas only. welding up some home brew subframe supports are the same. some are expensive no matter how you do them ie setting up a rear end... modding your 10 bolt (disc brakes, posi, c-clip eliminated, beefy axles) will cost you the same as buying a 10 or 12 bolt pre set up (about a grand).

the best way to keep it cheap is to do it yourself and dont be afraid to fabricate instead of buy.

a word of cation though... i would figure out how much you can spend every month on your car. if you plan on driving this thing while you are working on it, your slow upgrade plan might work. if you want to 'build it right the first time' and not buy the same parts multiple times it might be better to make a list and buy parts in a planned order. do suspension and brakes first, then drive train, then engine and paint last. most guys do engine first and end up with 500+ hp and 1970s brakes and a broken ring gear.

a lot of people on this forum have deep pocket books which definitly helps with a hobby like this... I will never bash a guy who spends big bucks to have a car built because I might be that guy someday. however my favorit builds are the ones where the guy picks up a welder and and some scavanged parts instad of the phone and a check book.

[MWCC]

I took the decals off today and took some new pics. I also painted the wheels body color. It was pretty sunny today so the metallic on the model is real apparent. The finished car will not have as much metallic. I had to spray very thin very light coats so not to melt the plastic. The reducer in the base color would melt the model if I sprayed it as I would the car. When you do light dusting sprays with metallic paints, you get a lot of metallic. Anyway, the car looks good without stripes too. I may throw a pair of '70 Z28 grille emblems on the fenders when shes all done. Let me know what you guys think now that you can see it without the stripes.

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[EagleEye]

love bodycolor wheels.

i'd keep the stripes tho. i just like'em.
color could change tho.