Thoughts on Buying a Cheap 2nd Gen Camaro?

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

I’m not completely following the whole body flex and t top debacle. Could someone give me the scoop?

 

[CSFJ]

I’m not completely following the whole body flex and t top debacle. Could someone give me the scoop?

Much like a convertible will flex more than a coupe, the removed section of metal allows the car to twist a little more under a big torque load. The factory T-top cars would have had in inner panel designed to provide more rigidty than than what the normal panel did, however the aftermarket is anyone's guess after the sawzall came out to cut the openings. That '74 my friend had in school was a full roof car, not T's or sunroof, but if you followed the top edge of the drivers door opening back, there was a stress or fatigue crack forming in the rear pillar, as if someone had just continued to draw the line forming the upper window opening, and not stopped. Obviously, the 454 had more to do with that than anything, but, long story short ,more steel roof = less twist or flex.

 

[gotyourgoat]

They made this body style for a long time which helps. There's a lot of them out there, there are a lot of parts available, there's a lot of interchangeable parts through the years and different models. However, these cars had a lot of knooks n crannies and even the 'garage kept' ones can have rust issues.

It's a balancing act of finding one thats solid enough so you don't end up going down the rust rabbit hole and rebuilding the whole damn car.

I've see these in all kinds of conditions from complete, sort of working but tired condition to the swiss cheese rollers with the interior in a pile for $500-6500. The price swing is all over the place. Some people value their yard art more than others.

 

[yevgenievich]

I’m not completely following the whole body flex and t top debacle. Could someone give me the scoop?

To add to what was mentioned, it is not only power but also driving that flexes the body. My TA with stock 305TPI developed stress cracks above the doors. They seem to have stopped growing after I have installed sub frame connectors. T top cars flex even more and non factory t top cars continue to twist greater amounts

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

To add to what was mentioned, it is not only power but also driving that flexes the body. My TA with stock 305TPI developed stress cracks above the doors. They seem to have stopped growing after I have installed sub frame connectors. T top cars flex even more and non factory t top cars continue to twist greater amounts

So is this like a jet where after it gets so fatigued due to x amount of pressurization cycles, it goes to the boneyard, or is this something you can fix when it gets to a certain point? The subframe connectors sound like a good idea to help add rigidity. Anything else? I’ll have to see what the t top situation is when I look at it.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Overall, there are a lot of things that have to come together to make this happen, but it’s always exciting to add a new member to the family.

 

[Ronno6]

I purchased a neglected 79 Z28 T-topped in the late 90's.
Factory 350 and T-10 4-speed. 3.73 posi.
Body work, paint (Teal metallic) and new interior spruced t up a bunch.
Hurst shifter, 16" IROC wheels and Dunlop Z-rated tires.
Added rear frame rail connectors.
Then, I replaced the rear leafs with fiberglass/kevlar units from Vette Brakes, as well
as replacing front brakes and lower arms with a transverse fg/K leaf and tubulat arms from same place. Really lightened it up.........Cornered FLAT, but like riding on a brick.
Sold it in '03 for $4500. Wish I still owned it............

 

[4WDKC]

Since year one (IIRC) started buying real 77-78 trans am everyone thinks their firebird/TA is worth more. While this helped with the aftermarket support it has pushed the cost of those cars to about double what they are actually worth. The Camaros on the other hand are much cheaper because they weren't being bought up, watch the usual areas for rust, also under the rear of the car. Id like to do one of these with a 4.8l and 6 speed for a driver but dont have the money or space for another car.

 

[Crispy]

In case anyone wants to see the difference. They were both factory options but I believe some Hurst tops were dealer installed.

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http://www.78ta.com/Pages/ttops.htm

 

[Goldie Driver]

In case anyone wants to see the difference. They were both factory options but I believe some Hurst tops were dealer installed.

You must be registered for see images

http://www.78ta.com/Pages/ttops.htm

Never had one with Hurst tops.

Had a few with Fisher body tops - those sealed pretty well.
My 1st was a one owner black 77 with aftermarket tops - great car, but the back floors were lakes after every rain.

Those gold birds are rare beasts, BTW.

And it has the 8 inch wide WS6 wheels !

Almost bought one in college but it had been played with - headers, no flywheel cover, green dome light and who knows what else or how it had been treated.
It would have been my daily so I could not afford a problem child.
If only I had a few extra K at the time.

Dammit.

Never owned a Turbo version, either.

Not fast, but different , and cool.

 

[Crispy]

Never had one with Hurst tops.

Had a few with Fisher body tops - those sealed pretty well.
My 1st was a one owner black 77 with aftermarket tops - great car, but the back floors were lakes after every rain.

Those gold birds are rare beasts, BTW.

And it has the 8 inch wide WS6 wheels !

Almost bought one in college but it had been played with - headers, no flywheel cover, green dome light and who knows what else or how it had been treated.
It would have been my daily so I could not afford a problem child.
If only I had a few extra K at the time.

Dammit.

Never owned a Turbo version, either.

Not fast, but different , and cool.

I've been obsessed with Trans Ams since I can remember. Hell I watched Rockford Files just because of the brown Firebird. Never owned a Hurst ttop car either. Come to think of it, I think all of the 2nd gens I've owned have been hard top. Gonna have to change that once my 79 is in better shape. Bucket list car is a 77-78 Black TA with t-tops.

Not many of these cars are fast in stock form but they sure are good looking and fun to drive. The 301 was gutless haha but it just gave everyone more time to see you drive by.

Sounds like you need a 2nd gen in your life lol.

 

[Swims350]

not that it helps but there's a 3rd t-top as well the c &c or cars and concepts t-top those are like the 80's monte carlo ss's where they go all the way across and appear to touch glass to glass with only like an inch and half strip down the middle.

The camaro in question has fisher t-tops.

The hurst I do think were a dealer installed add on but from what I saw they took hard tops and cut the roofs to fit the glass tops.


The best thing for these cars is sub frame connectors even if it was a 4 cyl add em. There's also solid subframe bushings, g braces and such tons off aftermarket add ons to help add strength.

check out chassis works or pro touring f body they have alot of braces for em.



@bucket that picture makes me sad I want it back LOL. I need the TA back on the ground rolling and body all together give me more motivation or something

 

[Goldie Driver]

I've been obsessed with Trans Ams since I can remember. Hell I watched Rockford Files just because of the brown Firebird. Never owned a Hurst ttop car either. Come to think of it, I think all of the 2nd gens I've owned have been hard top. Gonna have to change that once my 79 is in better shape. Bucket list car is a 77-78 Black TA with t-tops.

Not many of these cars are fast in stock form but they sure are good looking and fun to drive. The 301 was gutless haha but it just gave everyone more time to see you drive by.

Sounds like you need a 2nd gen in your life lol.

LOL a work buddy of mine sold his silver 78 hardtop with a redone Poncho 400 last year.

If I sold the Camaro SS and the Cobalt SS I could have bought it and then had another classic I could not drive everywhere due to paranoia over theft.

My black and gold special edition 79 got stolen out of a local gun store parking lot while I was in college, so the paranoia is real.

At any rate, I am with you someday, but a 77 it would have to be - like my 1st, and way better door panels with no hockey puck armrests to break.

I HATE those focking things ...

 

[Goldie Driver]

Oh, one other plus to a 2nd gen T/A vs a Z28 - oil pressure gauge.

WTF, Chevrolet?

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Went and took a look at it. I couldn’t get in the trunk, and I wasn’t able to get into the floor pan, but I stepped all over it, and my foot didn’t go through. There is some minor penetrative rust on the top of the A pillars by the windshield, the front of the passenger rocker has some holes, and there’s some surface rust on the leading edge of the hood. It’s more solid than I thought. It’s a ‘79 Berlinetta package with a 350 and a TH350 (I think). A/C, Cruise, gage package, Toshiba tape deck... The interior is pretty well shot, but it’s very simple. I think I’m gonna offer him $500 for it. It looks like it was last started about 9-10 years ago, and it was last daily driven in 1999-2000.

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