CamaroZ28.Com Message Board - Blogs http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php Site for all Camaro enthusiasts with news, information, forums, features, photos, blogs, pricing, etc... en Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:17:24 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg CamaroZ28.Com Message Board - Blogs http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php As so it begins! http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=64 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:44:57 GMT A lot of people have been sending what could be considered near hate mail for the lack of updates... A lot of people have been sending what could be considered near hate mail for the lack of updates to my blog.

Sorry all, been busy with things like CamaroZ28.Com Die-Cast Series III, SEMA, CamaroZ28.Com itself and general preparation for my 2010 Camaro.

So relax. Rest easy. I have a lot of updates in the future. Buckle up. This is going to be wild.

On October 13, I picked up the phone and ordered my 2010 Camaro SS from Tom Henry Chevrolet in Bakerstown, PA. Tom is a friend of mine and I think it would be great to fly to PA, pick up my Camaro and drive it back home. 2010 Camaro - Day 1...road trip. Awesome.

But Day 2...and beyond... ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=64 A6 or M6? http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=63 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:32:19 GMT What should I get and why? What should I get and why? ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=63 Five days of SEMA in one blog http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=62 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:53:16 GMT *SEMA* - Specialty Equipment Market Association. This is a yearly show held in beautiful Las... SEMA - Specialty Equipment Market Association. This is a yearly show held in beautiful Las Vegas, NV at the Las Vegas Convention Center. I was told this is a pretty huge event, and this being my first show I had pretty high hopes.

Day 1 - Very early flight from Detroit to Las Vegas. We get in to Las Vegas, check our bags at our hotel and are off to the Convention Center for Media checkin. The show isn't open to the public yet, so we get our media credentials, schedules, press events, and plan our attack for the week.

Day 2 - Up early, jump on the monorail and head to the show. While in the media area, we run into our good friend Adam Bruce from Street Fire. We catch up with Adam and meet the rest of the Street Fire team. What an awesome job these guys are doing covering the SEMA show. You can tell the passion they have for all things Automotive!
Jason and I with Leyla Milani of the TV show Deal or No Deal representing Streetfire.net

We hit the show floor and go right over to the GM display. GM has a really nice display with five 5th Gen Camaro's on display. They have a yellow Camaro with a black hockey stripe, a Dale Earnhardt Jr. car, the "Black" Camaro, a Silver SS with inferno orange interior, and the red LS7 Camaro. We take lots of pictures and meetup with some of our GM friends like Cheryl Pilcher, John Fitzpatrick, Sang Yup Lee, and Tom Peters from the Camaro team.

The rest of the day entailed a lot of walking...and more walking through the entire convention center.

Day 3 - Back at the convention center for more walking and networking with lots of vendors. We got to talk to Brembo and see what they had up their sleeves with the new Camaro. Since they are making the brakes that go on the new Camaro, they will be offering upgrade packages that are bolt-on and should be ready to go when the car hits the market.

Later that evening we met up for dinner with the fine folks from Nitto tire and CIE Studios. After turning down a proposition from a protitute, we enjoyed a great dinner at Stack steakhose in the Mirage Hotel/Casino.

Day 4 - Up early again and back on the monorail over to the Las Vegas Convention Center. We hit the media room first so I could claim my prize for the Guitar Hero contest! During the SEMA show, the media center had a relaxing type lounge setup for the media folks. In it was two TV's setup with Wii's playing Guitar Hero Aerosmith and an area where you could get a free massage. Being the Guitar Hero freak that I am, I of course spent some time playing and happened to place third in one of the days contests. I received a new iPod Nano as a prize. A very sweet girl by the name of Georgina was running the room and did a fantastic job. They really treat the media well at SEMA and it was very much appreciated by Jason and I.


Later that evening we had a meetup with some of the folks on CamaroZ28.COM who were also in town for the SEMA show, or were local. Had a great time at Dick's Last Resort in Excalibur - they sure can dish out the insults, as well as take it. Thanks to all who came out and had a few drinks with us!

Day 5 - Time to go back home. Due to our schedule with our flight to get back home, we weren't able to make it back to the show for the final day.

In conclusion it was a great, successful event! If you ever get the chance to go to the SEMA show, I would highly recommend it. ]]> ChrisFrez http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=62 What “Camaro” means to me http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=61 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:24:30 GMT Sure any Camaro purist worth his salt knows that GM chose the name “Camaro” from an archaic... Sure any Camaro purist worth his salt knows that GM chose the name “Camaro” from an archaic French-English dictionary and it is supposed to mean “comrade”, “companion” or “friend”. However each and every one of us has a story to tell of what “Camaro” means to them.

My first recollection of a Camaro goes back thirty years. I’m sure I had seen many Camaros on the road before this, but my first up close and personal exposure was as a teen. I remember it to this day, my after school rec flag football coach Jim Deto had a black 68 SS-RS 396, and for some reason I lucked out and got a ride in it. The combination of the big block and the hidden headlamp rally sport grill hooked me big time and I was never the same again. From that point on, all I wanted was a Camaro. I began subscribing to Car Craft and Hot Rod and would cut out photos of Camaros and stick them on my wall. I’d draw sketches of supercharged big block Camaros on my book covers and folders for school. I was dead set determined to get a 67 or a 69 Camaro for my first car, as soon as I was old enough and had the money saved up of course. As fate would have it, I couldn’t find the right Camaro when it was time and I had the money, so I ended up with a 67 Chevelle Malibu, which I purchased from a friend’s folks for $600. I drove it my senior year of high school would have kept it, except that I was rear ended by an uninsured driver my freshman year in college and it was totaled.

That led me to my first Camaro. It was a 68 Rally Sport with the 210hp 327 and two-speed powerglide. It was originally British Green Metallic with parchment deluxe interior, however the seller had painted it Hugger Orange in an attempt to make it more attractive to buyers. I should’ve known better than buying a car with a “fresh-driveway” paint job, but I was 19 and I was finally getting a chance to own my “dream car”. That said, I paid more than it was probably worth at the time, a whopping $3,200. The car lasted through college as my daily driver and was essentially the car I learned to wrench on as I never really did many repairs on the Malibu other than slap some Bondo on the quarterpanels. The original 327 went south driving home from San Jose State one day, and I replaced it with a long block replacement motor from Sequoia Auto Parts in Redwood City, where my uncle Ralph knew the owner and got me a sweetheart deal. I had many sweet memories of that car, and after I graduated from State, I decided it was time to retire it to weekend status and bought a brand new 89 Nissan 240SX as my daily driver. (I couldn't afford the insurance on a new 89 Camaro Z/28 at the time.) I decided to “restore” the 68 RS and after several months of laboring through disassembly and discovering all the hidden rust and poor repairs done by the previous owner in an attempt to “flip-it”, I was at the point of just slapping a cheap Miracle Auto paint job on it and flipping it myself.

Then my younger brother turned 16 and needed a car and he started bugging me to sell him the Camaro, which I did, for $1,900. He ended up blowing up the 327 and replaced it with a built 355 and swapped out the powerglide for a TH350. He never did get around to restoring it, and sold it a few years later when he couldn’t get it to pass emissions testing.

I went for another four years without owning a Camaro. Then just shy of my 30th birthday, the date of my next big insurance break according to AAA, I purchased a new 95 Camaro Z/28. Although I had longed for a red M6 Z/28 convertible, fate drew me to a Polo Green Metallic automatic with t-tops and all the bells and whistles. I drove the heck out of that car and put 30,000 miles on her in the first two years, then started commuting on BART and drove her barely only on weekends after that. After 13 years of ownership, she is about to hit 60,000 miles on the odometer and is still factory bone stock. During that time, cars have come and gone, I got married, and had the privilege of gaining a couple stepsons, one of which is as much into cars as I am. He drove me to rekindle my passion for first generation Camaros and in 2002 I purchased a fairly original 67 RS Camaro which was very similar to my first Camaro in that it was a rally sport with the 210hp 327 and powerglide. A few years later while searching for a Camaro project for my stepson Chris and I to build up, I came across my old 68 RS on Ebay. It had been “restored” and was now Carolina blue with medium blue rally stripes and a black deluxe interior. Under the hood was the 355 my brother had built-up only it had been redone again, this time with an Isky cam. I was very close to dropping $12,500 on it to return it “home” but remembering the rust issues I had previously uncovered and not being in love with the paint scheme, I passed and ended up purchasing a plain Jane 67 Camaro coupe, which Chris and I have invested more time and money into than we’d ever want to admit. However my passion for Camaros has returned stronger than ever. I have since then collected books, models, parts, collectibles, clothing, etc. fueling that passion even greater, all of which came to a head when GM announced the Camaro’s return in the spring of 2009 as a 2010 model year vehicle.

So a new chapter in my “Camaro-life” is about to unfold. My wife has informed me that I own too many Camaros and if I plan to purchase a 2010 Camaro SS, I had better make room for it. I figure I have until next spring to decide which one stays and which ones go.

To be continued… ]]> jg95z28 http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=61 GM rant Part 2 http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=60 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:04:31 GMT By now, I think even the most unabashed, rabid, evangelical member of the General Motors religion... By now, I think even the most unabashed, rabid, evangelical member of the General Motors religion finally realizes after months of denial that GM is in the most serious shape of the US big 3 automakers. General Motors market value is in the negative billions range, it's stock that was as high as $40 just over a year ago is selling for around 6 today. GM's decision 10 years ago to put all it's cards into the large truck basket was at best foolhardy given the various fuel crisises we've had over the years, and how quickly the market changes. Even GM's mentality and bureaucracy only began to change as the ship was already half underwater.

General Motors is the world's best automaker that hasn't been run quite like the world's best automaker. But this isn't because GM didn't try.

When GM proclaimed an end to badge engineering and product overlap, that was a perfect idea. When GM created a system that could get a new vehicle developed in 18 months..or less... that to this day is something that's doubtful Toyota can even do. GM intergrated it's global product development, creating specific homerooms in each country, where there was a special expertize, which was splendid. GM focused on taking advantage of the opening Chinese market, and now GM is number 1 there. GM combined Buick, Pontiac, and GMC into a single division to cut manpower, trim resources, and have a single line of vehicles which (though questionable in mix) was a great idea. Creating a chassis and an assembly line capable of producing everything from a 2 door sports coupe to a 4 door sedan to a full sized luxury car to a sports pickup truck was the highpoint of GM's capability by making so many different vehicles from the same chassis.

What happened?

GM backtracked.

Badge engineering returned. GM created multiple versions of the same vehicle. The approval process for a new vehicle didn't change as drastically as the development process. Instead of sticking with their dead-on strategy of coordinating their lineup, they caved in to big dealers in the only part of the country where certain vehicles sold instead of those smaller dealers in areas where GM needed to expand. An assembly line that was to produce a wide range of vehicles now sits likely to produce no more than 2 versions of the same car.... if the company doesn't implode first.

Alot of this seems like Monday morning quarterbacking, but by learning from the immedeate past, you can not only fix what's wrong, but avoid repeating it in the future.

One of the noraml reactions you hear about GM's misfortunes is that it's because people are buying imports and wrecking our own company. That may be true to some extent. However, that complaint loses it's legitamacy when you realize that GM itself essentially pulled out of the car business and imports steped in to fill the void.

It was about 10 years ago or so that Jon Moss himself said that the future was in FWD, it was Ron Zarella himself that said his main regret running GM was that he didn't devote even more resources to personal trucks and SUVs. Another GM official indicated that the car market wasn't making much money so the funds would go to where they felt the market was... again trucks.

You don't need a MBA to understand what happens in that case. Others take over the market you vacated. And thats when Honda, Toyota, and other manufacturers step in to take your place. They put investments into making better cars when you aren't. Next thing you know, you have another fuel crisis, economic bodyblow, or increased CAFE standards, or even nothing more than a public turn away from the segment, and imports have the edge and you're playing catchup with a fast moving object that has a reputation built up as long proportional to you're being erroded from inaction.

The public DOES infact respond to new American cars that stand out and are done right. Chrysler's 300 and Charger (and even at the begining, the Magnum) were cars that even both Time & Newsweek wrote about as the return of American cars. The current Mustang grebbed public excitement unlike anything in recent years when it was new. Until the recent economic meltdown, Ford was doing the impossible: steadily increasing their car sales in a market that was generally going downward. Ford's Fusion sales were on fire as far as American cars go. GM's own Solstice is selling better than Miata. The Malibu is still a home run for GM. Cadillac is taken seriously among luxury car buyers. There's no shortage of Corvette buyers either.. let alone Z06 buyers.

But the Cobalt is no Honda Civic, in style or in feel.
Is a Lacrosse really on the same level as a Lexus ES?
What's a better built car, an Aveo or a Yaris?
What do we have that is on par with an FJ Cruiser?
A Mini?
A Prius?

Yet, a Dodge Challenger can sell well in the middle of a economic meltdown, and even had a great start when gas was knocking at $4 per gallon.

The public responds to American cars that compete.
They go elsewhere in instances where they don't.

Imports to blame? I don't think so.

So what if GM fails? Should you avoid buying GM cars to avoid being stuck with a "Studebaker"?

In a word....NO!

I'm not saying that because a reverse buying panic is the last thing GM needs right now (which is true) but because no matter what happens to the General Motors Corperation, there is one thing you can almost bet your life on........Chevrolet and Cadillac will survive.

First of all, almost any entity can buy General Motors right now. Walmart can buy GM. Exxon alone can buy all of GM and pay all it's debt with less than what it earns in 4 weeks. GM has global reach and resources. It would be almost a steal if anyone mandated free reign to reorganize the company as a condition of purchase.

Second, Chevrolet is a massive car company in it's own right, Cadillac is a profitable luxury brand that's starting to get noticed around the world as a legitamate performance sedan. If you chopped out the other GM North America divisions and it's related marketing & development networks and moved the few standouts to Chevrolet or Cadillac (ie: Solstice/Sky, G8, & the Enclave), it's likely GM would see a boost in sales of the divisions left, a drop in marketing costs (sometimes more than developing a car), and a chance to become at least somewhat profitable.

GM would be a smaller company (not by much, though), and it would look alot different than it does today or in the past. But even in this worse case scenario, I see Chevrolet and Cadillac continuing.

In short, GM may die.

But the Cadillac-Chevrolet Corperation would survive. ]]> guionM http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=60 GM Rant Part 1 http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=59 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:11:22 GMT As a group, all of us (myself included) has made GM a punching bag of sorts recently. Not without... As a group, all of us (myself included) has made GM a punching bag of sorts recently. Not without good reason.

GM has pretty much fiddled away a whole decade of opportunity. Instead of using the past 10 years to move back to the forefront of a broadbased automotive portfolio and truely integrate it's global lineup and streamline it's operations to protect itself when (not if) times ever got bad again, GM instead shoveled most all of it's resources into large trucks and SUVs that were venerable to fuel spikes and crisis. GM created perhaps the most advanced and quickest car development system of the entire global automotive industry, but apparently forgot to revamp it's approval process to take full advantage of it. They hire a "Product Czar", but his ability to get new vehicles on the market has long been hamstrung by a system that seems to discourage new thinking and creativity.

However, Scott made some very direct points that made me take pause.

He (rightfully) pointed out that GM is by no means the same company it was 6 years ago. It isn't. GM has trimmed an army of white collar workers. GM has people doing double... and triple... duty. What he didn't mention so I will, is that GM has placed it's focus back on cars. GM also over the years through Bob Lutz has done a 180 degree turn on interiors. GM interiors were once no better than comparable Chryslers. But today, if you sit in a Malibu after sitting in a Sebring, the Sebring (though nicely styled inside) has materials and feel that seem a throwback to the 90s. Even the 300C (which was tops in interior quality and feel when it first came out) has been caught by Impala.

Scott's post also reminded me of the frequent mindless anti-government rants that occasionally crop up here.

As a person inside GM, he is proud of his company and what it does, while acknowledging that it's by no means perfect. As a retiree of Government service, and as a former military member who happens to live in San Francisco, I often hear BS from not just those anti-government people here on occasion, but also the anti-military people here in the Bay area.

In both instances it's from utter ignorance as much as it being from parroting what someone told them without taking time to learn the facts or even think through what they are saying.

The anti-government/anti-tax group tends to think everything's free. That it's better to run up deficits than to raise the money to pay for them. Warren Buffet once pointed out that while on the billions he earned, he figured he paid 19% on taxes, most all the people who were on his payroll (who weren't making anywhere near 1 million or even 500K) were paying about 33%. Large oil companies are producing the largest profits ever known by mankind. Yet those same people seem to not only want the status quo, but also want and are buying into those entities paying billions less in taxes just so these individuals can get that extra $80 per year.

Then there's someone from anti-military group I encounter at least once a month who think that the military is some shadowy, amoral organization. They know nothing about the military outside what someone else who has never been in has said, and exaggerated on. They miss that members of the military have families. Or that it's a way to get education or escape poverty. Many are surprized (or in denial) that many places hire people who learned a specific trade in the military over those who went to college because of the quality of training, the proven work ethic, and the fact that we have a record of work stability instead of suddenly taking time off to "go find ourselves".

I see and understand Scott's frustrations. GM is a huge employer. There's legions of not just familes, but businesses, communities, even a state or two that's depended on GM doing well... or at least being around.

As was pointed out, alot of our (and my) perceptions date back a few years. The General Motors Corperation of the late 1980s and first half of the 1990s described in the book "All Corvettes Are Red" (should be required reading for everyone making any post on "Future Vehicles") has long been gone. Even the Union, a favorite target for bashers who, again, know nothing about what's been going on the past decade, is nothing like the union of 10 years ago.

Facts are:

The US government does need additional income.
The military isn't a mindless orgaization of droids.
The UAW is not the reason for Detroits failings.
And GM has done plenty of changing the past decade to improve.

But:

Every polititian does look for things to benefit his or her district, even at the cost of the nation's finances. Regardless as to party affiliation.
The military does encourage uniformity.
The UAW still has plenty of members pushing the leadership in directions that undermind everybody.
And GM does tend to wait till it's almost too late before they change anything.

It was only earlier this year (over 4 years after pickups and SUVs first experienced their first meltdown) that Mr Wagoner acknowledged that GM needed to focus more on cars. GM's approval process for new models seems to be every bit as inconsistent and easily thwarted by mid-managers as ever before. GM seems to be continuing it's habit of spending money on something, and then willingly letting it go for something else (ie: Zeta Impala and Buick, Oshawa's refurbisment) while taking out money on areas where it perhaps shouldn't (one person running the Auto Show program for roughly 80% of GM's divisions AND being the public contact for Camaro?! :mad:


I'm not saying that GM doesn't deserve alot of the hits we've been giving them. They do. But at the same time, we can't buy into the idea that GM should simply go belly up either. Alot of the anger at GM mentioned here is probably along the lines of what I feel. A combination of frustration & embarassment at a automotive company many of us grew up with, and love seeming not able to get their collective act together.

Seeing the world's larger car manufacturer not just simply being rolled by a car maker that 35 years ago was being grossly outstripped here in the US by GM's smallest division is bad enough. Seeing that same large global manufacturer being outdone by a company that also 35 years ago was more popular for making motercycles and the 70s equvilent to today's Smart than real automobiles hurts.

But what really has alot of people riled up including me is that the world's largest automobile maker got itself into a position where it not only has less cash and is in a more precarious position than it's smaller American rival, but that it's key plan for survival currently rests on a government loan so that it can buy up the smallest US automaker to shout it down and get it's cash and sell it's assets in order to get roughly a year or so more cash to burn through without any additional changes to ensure it's survival.

I am a GM fan. But what's more, I am a fan of the Ameriacn automotive industry. I believe we do make the best products in the world. Sure, the interior seams may match up better in a Honda, or the engine may seem to be nonexistent when you step on it in a Toyota. But Try driving either one with no maintence outside of scheduled oil and sparkplug changes for 120,000 or 150,000 miles. Look on the streets and see which you see the most of: 20 year old US cars or 20 year old Toyotas... or Hondas... or Mitsubishis... or Nissans. ]]> guionM http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=59 People who need to get smacked with an oar. http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=53 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:42:50 GMT 1. People who change lanes to get behind another car and tailgate 2. People who change lanes to...
  1. People who change lanes to get behind another car and tailgate
  2. People who change lanes to get in front of another car and slow down
  3. People who cannot talk/text on their cell phone and simultaneously drive accurately

This list is by no means complete. Add your traffic-related oar-smacking nominees here. ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=53 The new Camaro will do just fine. http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=57 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:38:22 GMT I just took a look at a thread that the author wanted you to forget what was done right with the... I just took a look at a thread that the author wanted you to forget what was done right with the Camaro. Thanfully, that thread was shut down because it was the same old tired, and utterly useless thread about finding and talking negative about a vehicle that's already done but not even on the streets yet. No doubt, some might look at this as censorship. However, I strongly disagree.

We all wanted a V8 powered car with a drivetrain and chassis that could handle it. We demanded IRS. We demanded world class braking and refinements. We got that car. It makes no sense in saying it's too this or too that because to get the "no compromise" car we wanted, we also got the drawbacks as well. There's no free ride, you can't belittle others to give you what can't be given. 99% of everyone understands that. There's always going to be that 1% who doesn't and won't.

There is so many things that GM got right on this car, and so many things that have gone beyond even my own expectations. To tell the truth, I've held off buying a nice used Mustang Cobra as well as a Mach 1 just to wait and see how this new Camaro really is.

The V6 package is simply awesome. To me it's nearly a perfect package. 300 horsepower V6, 6 speed manual, 6 seconds to 60. In case no one noticed, those are stock Mustang 5.0 times, and no one called those cars a slouch. Plus, this version gets up to 26 mpg. This is under the new EPA rating system. Based on the old one (in place when the 4th gen was still around) it would probably be about 29 or 30. Amazing.

What's also amazing is the lack of negative feedback from those who have actually driven or ridden in the car. From people here on this site to critical automotive magazines that normally look for something bad in anything that doesn't wear a BMW, Toyota, or Nissan badge.

If there was a single negitive thing I could say at this point (that actually could be changed, versus something that can't) it would be that the RS isn't it's own model, positioned between the base and the SS models. I would have liked the RS to be a sort of V6 version of the SS without a speed governer. I feel the trick headlights should be standard on the SS and a stand alone option on the others.

I initially didn't like the interior, and especially didn't like the console guages, but the production interior looks alot better... and I'll wait till I'm inside the production version before I render final judgement on the guages.

Now I'm going to say something that will probally be controversal.... I think the timing for the Camaro is Dead ON! Why?

Consider that GM hasn't really had a spec of good news for some time. Money has been bleeding out like ther's no tomorrow. They've been killing off or shelving programs right and left. The Malibu is the only car that's caused a ripple this year to the people outside the enthusiast community. Practical people stopped buying new vehicles unless they really need a one. Ford, of all people, is actually holding their own in car sales, while GM's is eroding quicker than sand on a river shore.

Camaro comes along, and it's a car that not only gets attention from the general public, it's almost anti-GM. It doesn't look boring, it's made as well or better than anything from Toyota, it gets better fuel economy than a Toyota V6, and then when they get into a base model, it moves like crazy, feels solid as a bank valt, handles extrely well, and offers all this and a long line of features at a good price.

In a recession or any economic downturn, it's the "fun" cars that do well. Conservative people stop buying, but single people and those who need a 2nd car don't.

Camaro sales actually went up in 1974!

Pontiac Trans Am started doubling it's sales each year starting in 1974!

Both years were right in the middle of a fuel crisis.

1979 was in the midst of a recession, double digit inflation, and double digit unemployment.

It was also the year the most Camaros were ever sold in history... before or since!

In the midst of an automotive meltdown last year, Corvette and Viper sales rose. In Viper's case, dramatically!

We have $4 per gallon gas? We have an economic meltdown in effect? We're skirting on the edge of high inflation? Buy a fun car!! Just don't forget to get that emplyment insurence that keeps paying on the car if you lose your job.

The new Camaro will do just fine. ]]> guionM http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=57 Classic Rock http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=55 Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:10:09 GMT At work I have a little clock radio and I quietly play the classic rock station during the day... At work I have a little clock radio and I quietly play the classic rock station during the day while I am working. It doesn't piss anyone off and there is enough variety that it doesn't seem to get old.

But speaking of old...

They play the "classic" classic rock...Pink Floyd, Led Zep, the Stones, Clapton, etc. But now they also play songs that were new when I was a kid. Def Leppard is classic rock? Come on... ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=55 Six Years of Never Saying Never http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=54 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:20:45 GMT Inspired by this thread (http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/showthread.php?t=631550) ---Quote... Inspired by this thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fbodfather View Post
At 9:04 am on August 27, 2002, the last 4th gen Camaro and Firebird rolled off the assembly line at Ste. Therese, Quebec.

Click here to see Video

Quote:
I think that some of you may remember that day as well.
I remember that day very well. I read the news, picked up the phone and called Scott. Our offices were only a couple of blocks away from each other at the time.

He was audibly upset and I am sure I was as well. I knew this was coming, but I was still stunned and I hid behind my desk for the rest of the day.

Later that day after work, Scott and I met at Dunlevey's...a very good hole-in-the-wall restaurant in downtown Detroit that is no longer there. I had a cheeseburger and a beer, my usual. Scott always makes fun of me because I could get one of the best steaks in town, and I get a cheeseburger. It's okay, they had damn good burgers. It was just Scott and I at the table, and it was pretty quiet for a good portion of the meal. Fidgeting with our silverware and sighing a lot. I felt like I got dumped by the hottest girl in town. Scott looked like he had just lost a child. I suppose he did, really.

Eventually I said...

"Scott, what is going to happen next? Is the Camaro never coming back?"

He said...

"I don't know exactly, but never say never."

Positive words that lifted not an ounce off the anvil that was just dropped on me. I had no idea how strong those words would become. To me, they became just as powerful as the words "Have Faith" that everyone now knows.

I remember my drive home. I didn't have the radio on, I didn't talk on my cell phone...I just drove home.

I remember asking myself, "Now what?"

Never say never.

So I didn't. I remembered that if the car was gone, was it really to be gone for good? I read and re-read the definition of "haitus" dozens of times earlier that day, waiting for the definition to change to something more definite but it didn't so I had to live with it for what it was. Not to mention, I still have the friends that I made through the mutual appreciation of the Camaro. Sometimes I say that it all really has nothing to do with the car but the people who own them or admire them. Thinking this, I felt a bit better but not much. The party was really over. The sun went down and the curtains were drawn. No one was home. This party felt like a funeral when it was over. Again, I suppose it was, really.

The next few years were filled with frustrating curiosity. Bits and pieces of information floated my way but nothing to really get excited over and certainly nothing that I could mention. I was not alone, we all wondered and waited. The curtains were still drawn but Chevrolet was only pretending that no one was home.

Then one day in early 2005 I got a phone call that I somehow knew was coming. It was Scott, and something was different.

"We are working on a concept."

I wanted to make sure I was perfectly clear on what going to be said, I didn't want to make any mistakes or assumptions. I said, "What kind of concept?"

"A Camaro."

Nothing more needs to be mentioned here. You all know what happened after that and what we have all been through. I watched the silver concept emerge while grown men quietly lost control of their emotions. I was among the first outside of Chevrolet to see a real 2010 Camaro SS in person and felt my own emotions detaching from the norm. I passed over the unkind words of the uneducated as best as I could, knowing better. I am glad I did because soon I will watch as this community light up with entries by new Camaro owner after new Camaro owner, confirming what I believed in from the start.

Cut through the blind assumptions, untruthful speculation, and barebones technical numbers for a moment and read the reviews of people who have driven it. This is going to be one hell of a car. I can guarantee that the first time you drive a 2010 Camaro, it will surprise you in one way or another, no matter what the black and white technical numbers say. I am fortunate enough to know.

One day, this will be you...


Click here to see Video

But it will you will be pulling out of your own driveway, rolling down your own street, and it will be you feeling like a newborn all over again.

Here we are, almost exactly six years from that sad dinner with Scott. Right now, we are on the brink what what could be an extremely significant chapter of a performance vehicle revolution.

The curtains have opened and the sun is shining in. The funeral is behind us and the party is going to start again in Indy this September. You need to be there at the CamaroZ28.Com Member Summit to raise a glass with me. We are all going to celebrate making through Six Years of Never Saying Never.

(Wouldn't that make a great book title?) ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=54 Calling all cars...by their engine name (and more) http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=48 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:04:37 GMT Inspired but this thread: http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/showthread.php?t=624234 I never liked... Inspired but this thread:
http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/showthread.php?t=624234

I never liked it when people referred to an f-body by it's engine. Kinda odd, seems to only happen to f-bodies as far as I have heard. It happened with Mustangs in the past (do the words "Rollin'...in my five-point-oh" mean anything to you?), but that was a while ago and no one says "Yo...check the digits on da flank of my four-point-six, beeyotch",

More than once, someone has said something referring to my 2002 Camaro SS to the effect of "Are you going to drive your LS1 to the car show?". Huh? Is that weird sounding or is it just me? Yeah, I am going to drive my LS1 to the car show. My ass will probably get a bit warm from sitting on the intake, good thing it isn't an LT1 or I will look like I sat on the grill at the local Ponderosa steakhouse. After that, let's go watch a movie on my flat panel power button. Hey, has anyone seen my waistband? I can't go to the car show in my underwear....as much as I would like to. ;)

One time, a guy referred to my 1996 Camaro SS and my "IROC". I told him they hadn't made the IROC in a few years and mine was a different generation of the Camaro. His reply was "yeah...well...same difference" (which I don't know what that really means in itself). Sorry, huge difference.

No one refers to my Trailblazer SS as an "LS2" or an "all-wheel-drive". I suppose it is good that people often identify that the engine makes power and is definitely a focal point of the vehicle, but that is what it is...a focal point and not what the vehicle is itself.

And while I am at it, what's with referencing a car by stating the model package then car model...like "GT Mustang". Does that just sound uneducated? Don't bother to correct them on it, they say "yeah, whatever" or "same difference". How many times have you heard someone say (or post) something like "I saw an "SS Camaro" go low 11's at the track with just a head and cam package." "SS Camaro"? Almost sounds like we are talking about a boat and not a car. Yes, I know there is a quick and dirty shot at the 5th gen in that last one somewhere. Save it. :) ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=48 SRT4s and growing up. http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=52 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:46:26 GMT I recently came across an a deal that tested my comittment to RWD vehicles. There was a Dodge... I recently came across an a deal that tested my comittment to RWD vehicles.

There was a Dodge Neon SRT4 that I could have had for about $8,000. No, it wasn't a clapped out, ran to the edge of breaking car owned by some teenager that doesn't know the meaning of overboost or what that red part on the tachometer means. It was owned by a person my age who picked it up and simply outgrew it.

He wanted to get something a bit more comfortable. Yes, the SRT4 was quick, yes it had a stage 2 system and suspension tweaks, but he never raced it. It was simply a toy he had and wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible to make room for what he really wanted (ironically, a new Dodge Challenger).

despite not being a fan of FWD, I've always been a fan of the SRT4. I've admired the way Chrysler marketed the car. They aimed it squarely at the center forhead of the import tuner market, and actually hit it! Chrysler backed up the do-it-yourself youth market by offering parts and packages that actually were more than worth the price. The cars are cheap, hella quick, small and scary little go carts.

This one was obviously a steal.

But I decided against buying it.

Every since I saw a Fox Mustang cut up, and saw why the car was so light, and almost got T-boned in one of mine, I get a bit nervous everytime I craw into one (and unlike others in the fourms, not screamish about additional weight if it means a more tank-like structure). Neon's much the same way as a Fox Mustang structurally.... but alot smaller.

Another area is FWD. Front wheel drive is fine in low or modestly powered cars. But when you are talking turbocharged high powered cars, one has to remember that all that power is being directed to the exact same wheels you depend on for 85% of your braking and 100% of your steering. Throw all that together at the same time in an emergency situation (ie: speeding around the corner and needing to stop quickly or steer around something.... or even just 2 of the 3) and you're toast. I drive to Reno occasionally. In the winter. On Interstate 80. That goes through the rockies. Not fun.

Personally, I don't mind small cars. But when my 4 year old rides with me, remembering the near miss I had in my Mustang, and the tank like construction of the 4th gen Camaro (I've seen one cut up... they're phenomnial!!) I had to pass it up. Even without a 4 year old, I have no desire to wind up a parapalegic due to someone else. Paranoid? Probably.

I also want something that does everything well instead of a couple of things extraordinarily well. I want a car that's a top tier handler and a very strong accelerator. But I don't want to give up a car that rides nice and is a pleasent place to spend 9 hours or more on a San Francisco to Phoenix ride & back, and I don't want a car that makes me dread a cross country trip if I ever decide to do one again. I prefer a nice interior, great seats, and a nice ride.

Although some people can't live with 2nd best in anything, I don't care about .2 seconds difference to 60 or .5 in quarter mile times if a car is more balenced overall and better made. The quickest car isn't always the best. Besides a difference that small doesn't always guarantee wins... is the other person as familiar with and expert with their car as you are with yours???

In the end, I had to pass up the SRT4, likely for the same reasons the seller was selling it. I guess from the time they first came out to today, my priorities changed. I still want performance in a good package, but I want more than just raw acceleration and handling.

I guess I simply grew up. ]]> guionM http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=52 Why the Dodge Challenger Drag package is extremely smart... http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=51 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:24:02 GMT I have been thinking about this thread: http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/showthread.php?t=626446 ... I have been thinking about this thread:
http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/showthread.php?t=626446

This is one of the smartest things I have seen an automobile company do.

Here's why...

They took a very visible street car and basically turned it into a turn key race car. All the guys who were going to buy one and strip it to race have most of their work done already since Mopar dropped 1,000 pounds off it and made it ready to race.

So the hardcore racers are happy. They take these cars to the track and trounce them.

People see the see the car perform well so they go to the dealership and buy the street version if they are casual observers or if they are also a hardcore racer, they buy one with a Drag Package for themselves. More Challengers out there.

Then some of these hardcore racers race well enough to make a national event, a televised bracket race, etc, and get the car on TV. With the HUGE Mopar decals on the side, free advertising all around for Chrysler.

This is a win-win for the racers and for Chrysler and is something that I wish I could see the Camaro team doing. ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=51 A list of the cars I have owned. http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=47 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:22:24 GMT Since guionM made a very cool list of cars he owned... Since guionM made a very cool list of cars he owned, it reminded me to dig up my old list, brush the dust off it, update it and post it. It actually isn't all that impressive. Here we go...

Fall 1989 - Summer 1990
1983 Dodge Charger
First car at 17, paid $700 for it and later had a near head-on collision in it. I lived and we repaired the car. One day I was driving it home and it started going slower the more I pushed the gas. It was making a very weird smell and some odd smoke, too. Parked it, pulled the valve cover and discovered that the previous owner had broken the cam somehow and actually welded it back together. The weld didn't last and at that point, neither did the car. Sold it for scrap.

Summer 1990 - Spring 1991
1985 Chevrolet Cavalier Type 10
What the hell does "Type 10" mean? Ooooh...automatic transmission. Sweet. 2.0 liters of Chevy power. Auto-reverse cassette deck! Threw an Oakley sticker on the top of the windshield, an Anthrax sticker and a Quicksilver sticker on the back.

Spring 1991 - Late summer 1991
1987 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24
Oh yeah. It had the 2.8 power-hog V6. 125 whopping horsepower. At the time, it was actually my dream car. At least I was realistic.

Winter 1991 - Spring 1992
1978 Ford Thunderbird
That thing was huge. I was brave enough to go 100 mph with it once. At that speed, it felt like I was driving a waterbed that had been overfilled. I never changed the oil in it, as it changed itself. Just dump a quart in every couple hundred miles or so. Had the flip-up headlight covers that were always in the up position due to a vacuum leak, and had T-tops. I have never seen another with T-tops. In fact, I haven't seen another in many months.

Summer 1992 - Late summer 1992
1988 Chevrolet Beretta GTU
This was a fairly rare car. Again, the 125 hp 2.8 power-hog but it handled exceptionally well (capable of 0.92 G on the skidpad). Lost my job so I had to sell it to a really inhuman lady that I knew. She beat the crap out of that car from the day she received it and when she wasn't beating the crap out of it, she was neglecting it. I heard that she eventually sold it to a junk yard for $50.

Winter 1992 - Fall 1994
1991 Chevrolet Beretta GT
Stepping up in the world. Now I have the 140 hp 3.1 power-hog. I bought this car with no money down and even financed the first month of insurance. I literally bought this car with no money in my pocket. Good thing I talked the dealership into filling the tank for me or I might not have made it home. To prove where my head was, I only had one hour on a new job. They said "you are hired" and I immediately made the call to the dealership. It was 1 year old with 40,000 miles on it. All these factors might seem like the whole thing was one big mistake but I dodged a bullet and later traded it in with almost 100,000 miles on it. Never was in the shop once in all the time I owned it. Weird, huh?

Fall 1994 - Winter 1995
1994 Ford Ranger Splash
My first brand-new vehicle. I ordered it with all sorts of cool options. 4.0 V6, 5-speed, performance axle, power everything. With all the options, it was a very rare truck and fun to drive.

Winter 1995 - August 2002
1996 Camaro SS
This is what started it all, my friends. The first time I drove it and put the pedal down, I thought it was going to shear my head clean off. How much of a noob I was then. Sold it to a good friend, mostly in pieces due to a project that had been cut short due to finances. It was just recently put back on the road by the current owner.

summer 1996 - summer 1996
1992 S-10 4x4
I didn't even get a chance to make the first payment on this one before it was totaled when a friend was borrowing it. I loved that truck for the short time I had it.

Late summer 1996 - Winter 1999
1996 S-10 ZR2
I was king of the world with this one and my Camaro parked next to it. I loved driving this truck and I wish I still had it. Traded it in with almost 100,000 trouble-free miles on it.

Winter 1999 - Summer 2007
2000 Jeep Cherokee
I needed something affordable with 4 doors, and 4WD. That was the ticket for me. I couldn't afford GM at the time so this is what I had to get. At least it wasn't a Honda. I lifted it, put some decent wheels and tires on it, threw a nice sound system in it. It was tough as nails and is still being driven daily today by my buddy that I sold it to. For now, you can see more info here:
http://www.phantomss.com/jeep/

August 2002 - August 2006
2002 Camaro SS
You have probably seen this one somewhere already. Custom one-off wheels, multiple Camaro Superfest 1st place winner, and just an overall badass car. I hear it will be in GM High Tech soon. My old site for it is still up at http://www.phantomss.com if you want to check the details up to when I sold it.

Summer 2007 - Current
2007 Trailblazer SS AWD
Damn the gas prices, driving this thing is frickin' fun! A vehicle so badass it has it's own category right here in my blog. Kocky Products used it for the back of one of their shirts. Check a pic here.

Spring 2009 - ?
2010 Camaro RS SS
No details will be released until the time comes. Gonna be baaaaaadddd.... ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=47 <![CDATA[What I DO like about the 2010 Camaro - One Disciple's OTHER point of view.]]> http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=50 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:28:27 GMT Earlier in this previous blog entry (http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=43) were I listed... Earlier in this previous blog entry were I listed what I don't like about the 2010 Camaro, I promised a list of what I do like. Promise fulfilled!

Once again, I am speaking on behalf of myself and not the rest of the disciples, and I am not saying that the things mentioned below make it the best car in the world for everyone. In fact, I will have my face pressed against the glass of the first dealership that is willing to treat me right. I also don't expect anyone to agree with me on all or even some of these. This is just me. :)

Following are some things that I really like about the new Camaro. I think many of these things were least mentioned in the focus groups at one point or another. I'll add an Approval Rating of 1-5 with 1 being "Kinda cool, nice touch" to 5 being "Man, the car just wouldn't be the same without it". Here we go...
  • Power and Performance - It wouldn't be a Camaro if it didn't have good power. 300hp in the V6, up to 420+ in the V8. 10 years ago, that would have been unheard of even in a Corvette. Today, it is still impressive. 6 speed transmission no matter what you get, available factory Brembo brakes...gotta love it. Approval Rating - 4.9999

  • Tech Comforts - What a "21st century performance car" should have available: USB, Bluetooth, Ipod Integration, complete steering wheel controls, driver information center, available launch control, active fuel management...all things that just about everyone can use one way or another. Approval Rating - 3.8

  • Appearance - Can't leave this one out. While this is subjective to many, I really like the looks. I once stated in a previous CamaroZ28.Com Podcast, "It looks like angry sex on wheels". When someone says, "You really need to see it in person", nothing could be more truthful. There are many compound angles to this car that a camera cannot convey. I think it looks great. Whatever I don't like I will bet the aftermarket will provide options for. More on this under "What the future holds" below. Approval Rating - 4.6

  • Switchblade Key - Anyone who says this is not cool is not easily impressed. Would get a higher rating if I didn't fear macho dorks being emphatic about flicking the key open to impress the chicks while walking out of the mall, thereby making a normal key execution have a dramatic stereotype even when not intended. Approval Rating - 2.7

  • It's not a 4th gen - Nothing against the 4th gen itself as I miss mine a lot, but everyone knows of 4th gen issues that made it difficult to enjoy. Huge overhangs, engine under the cowl, resemblance to a fish or a door stop, dimples in the top of the rear quarters, creaky interior, and all the little minor annoyances that were common in the 4th gen are not shared. Obviously, there are some that a lot of us wish were shared, but can't be done for one reason or another. We'll see how things go when consumers actually get some experience with it, but for now... Approval Rating - 4.0

  • Driving Experience - Right now, very few people can explain this due to lack of experience. I am glad that I can at least try. I think that I put it best when I said it "(feels) like a Camaro should" in this article about driving the Camaro Concept. It easily transfers to the production car and I can't wait for others to say, Wow...Jason was exactly right!" Just wait, you'll see. Approval Rating - 5.0

  • Reverse Mohawk Roof - I just think this is badass looking. I would include it in "looks" above, but I think it needs mentioning of its own since you only get it if you don't get a sunroof...which is also the reason why should be giving it a lower rating than I am. However, I am indeed not lowering my rating for the simple reason that Chevy could have just eliminated it on both sunroof and non-sunroof cars. Someone obviously made a solid business case to keep it, and I am glad they did. Approval Rating - 3.5

  • HID/Halo Headlights - Better late than never. I like this because I won't have to go aftermarket to get it done and I don't trust half of those kits out there. Coming from the factory, I would think they would be done right. Would get a slightly higher rating if they were standard and didn't come in the RS package only. Approval Rating - 3.8

  • Visible driver side door lock - Okay, some of you already know why I am including this and most of you are probably saying "Huh??". I am admittedly very biased about this. If you don't know, one of my side projects is SmoothLocks. I have measurements and should have 2010 Camaro SmoothLock door lock covers ready to go by the time the car hits the showroom floors. Don't get me wrong, if it didn't have visible door locks I would be okay with it too...but since it does... Approval Rating - 2.2

  • Safety - Being on this list is probably is a bit of a surprise to some but it is important to me. First, if it is safe, it is going to be easier on insurance...in theory anyway. Second, I want to have fun with this car. I want to take it to the track (not that I will if the insurance company is reading this) and I want to put my foot into it a bit once in a while (while not exceeding a safe and reasonable level). I find comfort in knowing that if I decide to do some spirited driving (within the legal limits, of course), that I and the passengers in the car with me will be safer than if the Camaro team had even slightly compromised the safety aspect of the car. They surely did not, it was made very clear at the 2nd focus group. I want to live to drive another day. Approval Rating - 5.0

  • What the future holds - I hear aftermarket companies are "standing 10 deep" wanting to get their hands on a Camaro to build parts for. I used to pick up speed shop catalogs and notice that the Ford section took up 1/4 of the whole catalog and the GM EFI/TPI/LS1/LS1 section was covered in about 3-4 pages. I think that will change. Approval Rating - 4.1

  • Value - Last but not least (while still yet to be determined), the car is expected to be a performance bargain. As I said here:
    Quote:
    While physics, government regulations, and end-user cost limitations will not allow the 2010 Camaro to be an exact continuation of Camaros past, one thing can be safely expected: Pound for pound, and dollar for dollar, the 2010 Camaro will continue to be one of the best (if not the very best) performance values of its kind, just as a Camaro should.

    -Jason Debler
    ...
    Approval Rating - 4.6

Well, that's the bulk of it. There's surely a lot more that I can come up with but this is the heavy hitters that I can come up with now.

Some of you might be wondering why "Power and Performance" has a lower rating then "Driving Experience". Well, the reason is because if the power was the same but the car sucked to drive, the car overall would still suck no matter how much power it had. Granted, if it had less power and the same level of driving experience, it wouldn't be perfect, but would suck that much less than the other way around. .0001 less to be exact.

I will do a follow up entry on this one and the other one once I get actual hands-on ownership experience, and then I can see if my approval ratings change.

Subscribe to this blog to get notification to when I update it! ]]> JasonD http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/blog.php?b=50