1997 Camaro Z28 6-speed, all leather, FAST and CONER CARVING


Starting with appearance, this car came from the factory with the Cayenne Red Metallic Paint. I have almost had the entire car repainted at this time. The side mirrors, door handles, and roof from the factory were black, but I had a shop paint them body color to match. The hood is from a company called DG Motorsports and has a lower but much wider scoop on it than LT1 SS cars. Both top and bottom are painted. I also put on an LT1 spoiler last year. The paint has a life time warranty so that if the clear coat ever starts peeling or the paint flakes you can take it to any Caliber Collision shop and they will fix it for FREE. I have 1969 Z28 badges on the front fenders in place of the old Z28 emblems, and I have carbon fiber CAMARO inserts between the tail lights (although it is due for some new letters.) Defects in appearance: a scratch on the windshield from the previous owner not changing out wiper blades (they have been there for the 5 years I have owned the car). Also, in the last 2 months someone scratched up the rear window corner near the tip of the spoiler and the glass as well as some paint is scratched. The windows are tinted and I have added a power antenna from a Trans Am, but it currently does not work (and I never listen to the radio).


For the wheels/tires/brakes, I have had the original 16” wheels on it, went to a set of 2002 SS wheels, then a set of 17/18 Z06 wheels, and have just recently sold those to put on a set of 2001 16” wheels with almost brand new Kuhmo tires on them. I pulled the brakes from a 1999 Z28 and replaced my old LT1 brakes with the larger LS1 style . I painted the calipers to match the body and added silver CAMARO decals on the calipers and then did 5 coats of clear on that. I painted the caliper brackets silver. The rotors are slotted, not cross drilled, and the car has Hawk HPS pads on all four corners. I added stainless steel brake lines while I did the swap. It stops as well as it looks.


The car has a completely reworked suspension. I have added BMR lower control arms and panhard rod to keep the wheels planted to the ground. I added 1LE sway bars which are 32mm up front and 21 mm on the back (stock was 30mm/19mm). This works with the Eibach springs so well that it takes turns as though it rides on rails. All of these components have poly-urethane bushings. The chassis has also been upgraded with BMR weld in tube subframe connectors that have great ground clearance.


The interior has had a major overhaul. It came from the factory with power leather seats in the neutral colored light tan. I replaced the seats with lumbar-supported Trans Am seats (which are in PRESTINE condition). I also replaced the Camaro door panels with nicer Trans Am panels. I changed the dirty, neutral carpet with ebony carpet from an 02 Camaro, which gives it a nice contrast with the tan leather. I changed the gauge cluster so that it now houses a Firebird bezel around each part of the gauges. I added a small hint of Cayenne Red to the steering wheel by filling in the lettering on the steering wheel. It brings the outside together with the inside, I feel.


The car came from the factory with an automatic. I couldn’t live with that, so I saved up and spent WAY too much money on a manual transmission from another 1997 Z28. This transmission had only 50,000 miles on it compared to my 70,000 auto transmission. To hold all of the power, I bought a SPEC stage 2 clutch, SPEC throw out bearing, and a factory pressure plate. I bought a factory harness for a 6-speed car and also a new Pro 5.0 Power Tower short throw shifter. That wasn’t a short enough throw for me so I also purchased a Lou’s Short Stick to replace it. The throws are VERY short now! Everything on the transmission works (backup lights, VSS, etc). I chose not to wire in the neutral safety switch (so I can start the car without pushing the clutch down) and I didn’t wire in the cruise control (I never used it anyway). Those are easily fixed, just a little wiring. I also had to get my PCM reprogrammed so that the car didn’t think an automatic transmission was still in there. More on that later. All of the pieces I bought for the conversion are: transmission, pressure plate, SPEC clutch and TO bearing, master and slave cylinder, 6-speed pedals, new PCM program, Honda AT fluid, Pro 5.0 shifter, Lou’s short stick, M6 wiring harness, and an LT1 bellhousing.


For power: the intake side is now a K&N FIPK into a 1LE elbow. Stock throttle body and intake manifold. Exhaust is Pacesetter long tube headers (bolted in with Stage 8 locking bolts), an off-road Y-pipe to a Hooker cat-back. There is currently no muffler, just straight pipes. The headers and the y-pipe are Jet-hot coated and have a life time warranty. No rust, ever (except a little surface rust and dirt). I have MSD 8mm wires and NGK TR55 plugs. I had an MSD ignition system, but my brother needed one for his car so I gave mine to him. It has been driven since then, no problems at all. The car came with an under-drive pulley so that the engine has less load and can get more power. I can’t tell you a brand, but it was on there when I bought it. The internals of the motor are completely stock, I’ve only taken off the valve covers to replace the gaskets.

I have had the PCM reprogrammed with the following: geared for the 4:10 gears, M6 transmission, no CAGS, no rear O2 sensors, limited knock retard, fans come on earlier, no EGR or AIR, 17” wheels, and 6,000 RPM (even though it has never seen 6,000).


That’s about it. Factory options are: power seats, windows and mirrors, tan leather interior, 350 cubic inch motor, monsoon 6 speaker system with CD player, leather steering wheel, Cayenne Red Metallic paint, and T-tops.


Here’s what I know for the bad: the scratch in the windshield (not a crack, just a scratch). The cruise control and neutral safety switch. The scratches in the back window and paint. The CAMARO letters need to be replaced. There is a small amount of clear coat coming up behind the driver’s front wheel, on the inside of the wheel well. The power seats and windows aren’t working, I replaced the fuse, but it keeps blowing. I’m sure it’s easy to fix, but it just happened while I am trying to sell this. The car sometimes starts for 8 seconds and then dies. Then starts and runs great. Its weird, and I don't want to mess with it. And of course, like every other LT1 there is a rear main leak. I’ve yet to come across one that doesn’t leak.


Other than that, the car is great! We love driving it, but with a baby on the way and this being the third car it is time to go. I’ll include all the paper work I’ve ever had for the car (dyno graph from 2 years ago, original RPO codes, etc). I’ve taken great care of this car and it runs strong as can be. It’s been my baby and I hate to see her go. I bought the car 5 years ago and have put over $6,000 in mods, not including labor (I do it all myself). It is time for a new owner to enjoy her.

I'll post pics later. I'm on the way out the door. $5,000 takes her. And she has more than that just in upgrades, not to mention labor and the car itself.....

 

Here's some pictures taken 2 days ago.

http://picasaweb.google.com/herronz28/ZForSale#

And here's the history of the car....I haven't updated it in forever, but it gives you an idea of how it came to be like it is.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2287794

Let me know if you are interested. I've gotten several emails, but I need a serious buyer so I can get an SUV for the baby on the way!

Thanks!

 

How many miles?

 

133,000. Where are you located?