My 80 Z28 plan

[woody80z28]

Photoshops of my plan. So who want to give me the money for paint, wheels, tires & drop springs? The wheels will be 17s, although you could never tell that by the 2nd chop, I need to redo that one.




Here's the list of crap to do:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/717481

[Zedzag]

Looks good so far, can't help on the money issue :icon_razz

It's good to see someone else building a 78 - 81 Z28. I think more and more people may use these cars as project platforms because they are WAY cheaper than the early 2nd gens and can perform just as well as any other year camaro.

I'm currently building a LQ4 6.0 to put in my 81Z28. I'm also using 4th gen f-car seats out of a 95 trans am. I like the look of the center console...how did you mount it?

Probably the hardest thing so far has been which wheel to buy. I love the look of TT2 style wheels but I want to be a bit different. Right now I'm undecided but I'm leaning towards a few styles in the Boyd coddington 2-peice forged series.

[formula]

woo wooo late-year second gens rule!

i love the look you're goin for...very clean, subtle...

[woody80z28]

I have mine because it was cheap. I've been impressed with PHR's g/28 too... these cars have lots of potential without dumping gobs of money into 'em.

Zedzag do you have any pics? Sounds like a sweet project. I like the TTIIs too, but these V45s from Vintage wheel look like a bigger and better version of the stock steel Z28 wheel.

[Analog-kid]

Nice car, I like the look you're going for. But I also like the color it is now. Add silver z stripes it would be really nice. I'm building an 80 sport coupe myself. Late second gens rule.

[79_EFI_Z]

I used a set of Centerline Meteor's for mine. 17x8 front 17x9.5 rear. I have a little more progress done now than what is shown.. but no pics of it yet. I'll have to take some.

[rickk]

woody80z28, the tt2 look good you can put 17x 9.5 ft 17x11 rear .they will fit like a champ .

rick kirkindall
nov 2004 cover car popular hot rodding

[Bill Howell]

I had one exactly that color in 82. Put a bb in it. Damn, a 572 would really make that puppy dance.......
Thanks for the memory you just stirred.lol
I like that choice of TTll's also. They really wake the car up.

[79_EFI_Z]

rickk, what kind of backspacing would you use in the rear? ive got 285x40x17 rubber on thmy rear 9.5's and they have just enough spacing between the wheel and shock... and i'll still have to roll the fender lip. Not sure how to get an 100" wheel back there whithout tubbing?

[graycamaro]

yeah I like seeing more late second gen cars. More inspiration for me to keep going on mine. I am making slow progress but things are starting to come together.

Many people fail to realize just how capable these cars are in stock form as far as a chassis goes. It is a far beter chassis to build upon than a 1st gen car do to the better frontend geometry and being a front steer car.

Brake upgrades are as easy as taking the 12in brake set up off a B-Body and dont forget that chevy ran this front suspenion all the way up to 96 on the Impala's so it has proven itself good enogh for GM to continue using it for well over 20+ years.

And although you might have to use deeper dished wheels than with a corvette suspension setup and sacrafice some scrub radius look at those nextel cup cars and how deep dished those wheels are.

[Zedzag]

I have mine because it was cheap. I've been impressed with PHR's g/28 too... these cars have lots of potential without dumping gobs of money into 'em.

Zedzag do you have any pics? Sounds like a sweet project. I like the TTIIs too, but these V45s from Vintage wheel look like a bigger and better version of the stock steel Z28 wheel.

I've got some before pics here:
http://community.webshots.com/album/97233537mTWSIf

This was when the car was a drag racer. I don't have any right now but I'm putting the engine together this week so I'll take some pics of the build.

[rickk]

79 efi z ,

give me a call 214 908 2100 i will give you the part #'s for your rims .
thanks rickk

[BonzoHansen]

I love it. I like the maroon too. You never see one that color. That would actually be my choice. But the blue is good too.

Interior questions.

1. Are those the 4th gen rear seats or did you take the covers off and put them on your 2nd gen frames?

2. Did you install the 4th gen 3-pt rear seatbelts? If so, how?

3. Are those seats gray (pictures are not always true to color)? How does that look w/black interior?

4. Was the console a clean bolt-in? How does it work with the factory shifter?

5. Did you fab up the e-brake handle so it works?

6. Which way did you end up bolting in the front seats? (and are they power)

[woody80z28]

The wheels in the photochop are Vintage V45s. They're a little different than TTIIs. I like straight spoked better than the curved ones, they look a little more aggressive IMO.


1. 4th-gen seat bottoms, 4th-gen leather on the 2nd-gen seatback frame

2. I was going to, but didn't yet. I would have it done already if the 4th-gen rear seatback frame was wide enough to fill the back in the 2nd-gen. The 3pt belts bolt to the 4th-gen rear seatback frame.

3. The seats are graphite leather from a 95. I think the graphite/black is a nice two tone. The leather shift knob, shift boot and e-brake handle are all graphite too.

4. The console was easy to bolt in. The l-bracket on the trans tunnel for the e-brake was the toughest thing to line up since the only thing still in the interior when I did it was the steering column.

5. The e-brake handle does work. But it doesn't do anything yet. I was going to relocate the e-brake to the console, but decided not to last minute so I could just get the damn car inspected and street legal. I planned on making the e-brake lever trip a switch to activate a line lock for the front. I still might do that, but I might not.

6. I drilled holes in the floor and stuck studs up through the bottom. The driver seat was power when I bought it, but I traded the tracks & motor for manual tracks from a friend with a 94 Z28. The motor wouldn't fit underneat the seat due to the floor pans. You might be able to persuade it with a BFH, but I didn't want to.

[BonzoHansen]

Thanks for the answers! Keep that car!