Hey i'm a newbie and have a couple of questions. I searched first and i realize that before buying one of these cars i'll need to read a LOT of stuff and familiarize myself with a lot of stuff. But before committing hours and hours of my life to reading threads to gain a knowledge of everything, i wanted to ask a few preliminary questions and i appreciate all the info you guys can give me.

1) Is a restored non-numbers matching 1st gen a realistic daily driver. How reliable are these cars if not abused? By restored i mean a car in the $13-16k range with a lot of new parts, and almost certainly a relatively new or recently rebuilt drivetrain.

2) What percentage of these cars are manual. I'd really prefer a manual car and was wondering how hard it would be to find one? What are some common tranny names/serial numbers to look for in descriptions to know if its a manual tranny. How exactly do the auto's with shifters work? THere is no clutch? But its still a manual shift of sorts? How common is this type of settup? Is it practical for daily driving and say 70-80mph on the freeway, or are these usuallly 3-spd drag cars?

3) How many of these cars have A/C. Was it an option from the factory. How hard and expensive is it to retrofit A/C?

4) How well do these cars hold their value. I'm not looking to buy one as an investment. But my BMW daily driver has probably lost 8-10k (25-30%) of its original value in only 2 years of ownership (which I fully expected) whereas my rx7 i sold for the same price i bought it for 2 years ago and only had to pay maintenance costs. I'm assuming the same is true for the Camaro? So i just need to figure out how much maintenance costs to expect?

5) How bad is insurance on these cars and will insurance companies insure them for their market value (15k) or are you screwed if you get in an accident?



Thanks for any info guys and i know this is a long post so i really appreciate anyone who took the time to read it all and reply?

-Rob

 

Yes. I drove a 68 RS while in college. I'm currently building a 67 coupe for my stepson, which will be his daily driver. Very reliable and easy to work on if you know how to take care of them.
Check out http://www.camaros.org for the numbers. I've had both manual and auto cars. They came with 3 and 4spd manual transmissions, and 2 and 3 speed automatics. My 68RS was a 2speed auto, aka powerglide. You can shift the auto manually from L to D etc, however it sounds like what you are describing is what is called a "ratchet shifter" which is an aftermarket product that allows you to "bang" gears manually on a 3 spd auto. I used my 2 spd auto 68RS daily on the freeway in commute traffic.
Again, check http://www.camaros.org for the numbers. Factory air was available on every model except for Z/28. Non air cars can typically be retrofitted with a new A/C system by Vintage Air.
Vintage 1st gen Camaros will typically increase in value, not decrease.
It depends on your age and driving history. However, because they are so old, most insurance companies will base the insurance rate on the purchase price of the vehicle. As an example I purchased my 67 RS for $15,000, but I have it fully covered at a value of $20,000. Your insurance may vary, however for my 17 year-old stepson, the rate for a restored 1st gen Camaro is basically the same as his 96 Mustang GT. Just make sure you have full coverage.
Any time Rob.

 

I've got a 69 that I drove 45 minutes one way to work for the whole summer. I had to replace the distributer cap once, but it ran like a top the whole time. You've got to know how to work on cars to own one of these...or have a mechanic that you can trust. The technology (wipers, headlights, and seat comfort) is definetly 35 years old...you'll love the looks but your back will sweat in the summer and your butt will hurt after long trips. You'll still love to drive the car...I'd be grinning from ear to ear while wiping the sweat off my forehead at a stoplight on the hottest day of the year.

Vintage air makes an A/C system for about 1,200 but you'll probably spend more than that making it fit. You'd be better off waiting to find a car with a functional AC...you'll pay for it though.

I have a lead foot and a bad record...my insurance with just liablility was $20 a month! I knew I wasn't going to wreck the car so I didn't need colision.

Be patient...don't buy the first thing that comes along that looks good. Paint and bondo can hide ugly things just long enough to get the check to the bank.

 

i wouldnt use it as a daily driver due to other drivers not paying attention and causing accidents and not having insurance if you wanna chance it be my guest but i wouldnt

 

That is exactly what I have. I paid $14,000 for mine and it has beenvery reliable. My commute is about 70 miles a day.

Mine has the 3 speed auto 350 - my kick down cable needs to be attached but at about 65 on the freeway, I'm at 3000. Gas mileage is not too bad for a muscle car.

Mine has factory AC - it is worthless in 110 degree heat so the windows go down and I change into short before going home. Forget going on a business call cause I will be soaked. The AC will work on the freeway but stop and go - just doesnt really run well. I need a new torque converter and probably bump up the idle a little bit to keep the car running.

Save your money for a Vintage Air system. They run a lot more efficiently.

That is why I bought mine. I dont expect to make money on it but I will not lose money on it. I also dont intend to spend a fortune on fixing it up. eBay has been pretty good helping me find parts.

My insurance company put a value of $15,000 on it and they suggested I keep a maintenance record of all the upgrades. Also document the pricing on similar vehicles in case of theft. I am 37 and live in So Cal and I pay less than $600 a year for full coverage.

Good luck.

jg has been a big help with my "restoration".

 

I bought a '69 Firebird when I was 16 yo and loved it. It was my daily driver for almost 10 years. Very dependable and easy to work on. Highway driving is fine you just need highway gears in the rear like 2.73:1.
Depending on the condition, things to do:
1. Buy a front-end rebuild kit with bushings, ball-joints, and tie rod ends. About $200 from PST
2. Intsall disc brakes on the front if it has drums, drums suck in the rain.
3. Due to the technology, your best bet for satisfactory, serviceable air-conditioning is to go with an aftermarket set up like vintage. Compressor designs, refridgerant, and expansion valves make a ton of difference.
4. I've always seen more 1st gen automatic cars than standards, but standards are sweet.
5. Watch out, ie: drive defensively, that one got me one Sunday morning and my '69 was gone . I am now working on a '68 but it wont be a daily driver- Muahhh haha haha.

 

I know two people who use their 1st gens as daily drivers. My friend Collin who owns a 1967 Camaro Sport Coupe w/ a 327 and 3spd auto, and Logan who has a 1969 Camaro Z28 w/ a 350 and a 3spd auto. The 67 has the Vintage Air AC kit and the car is a mint to drive! I'd much rather drive the 67 than my 93! The 69 is a great car as well, but he doesn't have AC. I don't care about AC though, I never use mine. But his car has black interior so it gets REALLY hot! But since I've known the cars (about...3 or 4 years or so) the only "problems" have been basic maintenance (Cap / Rotor, Plugs / Wires, a fuel filter here and there.) I'd def. be confident in a well restored 1st gen to get me around though. They are a beauty to look at and get so many looks! Good luck!

 

A 1st gen is not a good choice for a everyday driver. The probability of losing it in a wreck is to high.

 

How is it any worse than any other car???

Are you sayng that in - say a Nissan 350Z - an accident would result in less loss?

 

whats the point in owning a car if you aren't gonna drive it? I'm a firm believer that cars are meant to be driven not to be garage or show queens. But everyone's entitled to their own opinion.


Plus i'll have some sort of clone or a regular ole camaro, so its not like i'll be taking a rare numbers matching car out of circulation if i get in a wreck.

 

when a 350z gets smashed the insurance company will write a check to pay you for it then you can go get another that day your 69 camaro daily driver gets smashed theyre gonna write you a check for what they think its worth unless you have specialty insurance for it and they wont do it for cheap and try to find another in the same condition for what they do pay you this is why i would drive mine everywhere every day just take it out for pleasure not as a must

 

I do not have specialty insurance. I stated to my insurance company that this is a daily driver and they actually stated a value of $15,000 for my car. I pay $263 every six months. OBVIOUSLY if you tell your insurance company that your car is a weekender and they only value it at $2000 and you feel its worth $20,000 and you wreck it, that would be a big loss.

BUT saying that the chance of a loss is greater in these cars is just plain BS.

 

True. If a wreck is going to happen, it's going to happen. Regardless of what you are driving. I can just as easily wreck my 93 as any 1st gen.

 

I know that a lot of folks have trouble insuring their classics. When I first called my insurance company, they heard "68 Camaro" and immediately transferred me to their Classic Car insurance dept. That dept would only insure my car for 2500 a year in mileage. I also had to submit detailed receipts of all the work done or a bill of sale.

When I told them it was simply a daily driver, they said they didnt insure them for that. I transferred back to the regular insurance dept and they had no problem insuring it as a daily driver. In fact, they offered me a loan of $10,000 on the damn thing.

 

My 67 RS is insured at a replacement value of $20K. Did I pay that much for it? No. Is it worth that? Not really, although it is to me. Could I buy a nice replacement for it if its lost or stolen? Absolutely.