Project "Back Pay"

[Fras]

So after dreaming about it since I was barely old enough to drive, I managed to buy my dream car...a 1968 Camaro! I live in Arizona and bought the car from Virginia after someone special checked it out for me to make sure the car was not a clunker. I paid $17,000 for it and it came with a fresh 350, 4 speed Muncie, new interior (black with red snake skin inserts....definitely on the "replace" list, and all the other standard immenities.

My plan (right up until I decided to make it a project), was drive the wheels off of it and just tinker with replacing things here and there.

So after 3 weeks of setting up transport (that in itself was a learnining experience), the car finally arrived!!! The body was straight, the paint was fresh (the picture below was right before the seller had the paint done), and it sounded amazing!



Sooooo, why is it a project now?? Well....I was so proud of my new baby, I wanted to show the guys I work with at the firehouse my new addition. The moment was ruined when the brakes went out and it was the longest/slowest coast ever right into the back of our brand new fire truck. Just a few of the feelngs felt within a milisecond were; instant rage, denial, uncontrollable balling, and hysterical laughter (probably part of the denial phase!) All this took place about 6pm.....but my string of luck was not over....

After fixing the break problem, I decided I would just baby it home as I only live about 4 miles from the fire house. Well....after the rear tire shot off and blew by my left ear, thats about the time I decided to make it a project (ok ok ok, well after I considered driving it into a wall, selling it on craigslist, charging people a buck to hit it with a sledgehammer, etc)





Right before the seller painted it





On the way to my Ray's house to await the transporter




It was better off that got in and drove it down the ramp





A kiss courtesy of a 45,000 gvw fire truck.




When you get a new car....re-torque the lugs (lesson learned)

[Fras]

And for the record....that picture was the driver...not me

Ok...so now the plan:

Like a lot of others, I drool over cars like Bad Penny, Motiv8r, Fesler's Camaro, Evade....and sooo many others. But here is my tentative list...and DEFINITELY open to suggestion. My goal is to have a good looking car, that I can drive to Vegas or the California Beaches in, run about 550hp at the fly, and have a cool idle that spill my Rockstar when at a stop light.

Well the only thing I have done so far is buy an LQ4 motor and have my body work done as well as painted. I know I know...I should have waited until the end for paint, but I couldnt stomach looking at the divets that I created!


Build list (the paycheck eliminators):
LQ4 with ported LS2 heads/cam/intake, etc (im hoping for 550hp at the fly...maybe im dreaming)
4L60E (still looking into 4L65 or 80E)
Ford 9" rearend with 3:70 gears
3" lowering kit (leaning towards keeping my leafs, but may go to a 4 link)
18x8s and 18x9s in a 2 or 3 piece wheel. (deciding between New Gens, Bonspeed, Forgeline, and Feslers)
BMW front and rear seats.
Vintage Air A/C (its a must in Arizona)
power windows, locks
Custom console
Nice sound system
Ididit steering column
Door and quarter panels (looking for custom ones in ABS plastic)
LED tail lights
Billet gas cap assembly (this has got to be one of my favorite after market things)


$700 for an LQ4 on Craigslist...had 30,000 miles on it with computer, harness, etc


The paint guy was a friend of a friend....charged $2500 for body and paint.




Cyber Grey...its a DuPont paint that Mustang Eleanor from "Gone in 60 Seconds" was painted

[MyFriendScott]

Oh man, sorry to hear about the accident and wheel falling off. Somehow, in the long run I think that experience is going to make you cherish finally owning the car of your dreams and what stories you have to tell. Just remember, it's only a car and things can be fixed or replaced. Find a few posts on here talking about the serious wrecks someone endured in their prized possession and you will see that is the real lesson here.

Anyway, love the color choice and parts you've picked out. I'll be watching the build.

[jonce]

Man, those were some good deals on the engine and paint work! Can't wait to see more.