Good Camaro Story....
08-03-2008, 10:02 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 51
Good Camaro Story....
OK so I am new to the site and thought I would give you all my story so here it goes... It is long but enjoyable (I hope)
I remember it as it were yesterday, a 12 year old boy riding with his dad in their ratty old Buick Skylark. The dad turns his only son and says that he is thinking about buying a new car. Initial thoughts are not very grand as they had never had the money to have nice cars. He tells the boy he thinks he is going to buy a Z28. The boy's eyes light like a christmas tree, he loved Camaros!
The search for the new Camaro begins... We looked at a few IROCs on the lots and "settled" on a 1988 (maybe 89) White IROC, 305 with t-tops. My dad was not happy with, well anything about the car but the dealer had the pitch. By the grace of whatever you believe in, something was getting held up at the bank and the car was let go. A short while later he learns of a dealership doing some promotion so we make the hour drive to check it out. There he orders his 1989 Red 350 IROC with sticker delete and no t-tops. Much happier about his decision he awaits his new car. A few days later he is called back the dealership to finalize some paperwork and there on the showroom floor was a bright blue RS. It was obvious to him, that was the color it had to be. A short time later my father and I made the trip to pick the car up.
It was beautiful, bright shiny blue, rumbling exhaust, I loved it, and I was 12! Time goes on and many days with dad in the summer washing the car... with dawn dish soap because we didnt know any better... and making it stand tall. I was absolutly in love with this car counting the days until I could drive it. This is where the story turns sour...
December 23, 1991 the car is traded for a 1992 GMC Sonoma pick up. A very dark day in a 15 year olds life. I never got to drive the beloved Z28.
As years went on things got better financially for my parents as did the cars. The top two being a 1992 Corvette and 1995 Corvette, both of which I frequently drove but none could match how I felt about that Z28. That led me to my first Camaro purchase when I was in high school. A 1984 I think, Berlinetta, yes the one with the funky space ship dash. What a POS. Kept it about a year and moved on through the years owning many different cars, 5 cavaliers, 2 jeeps, 3 eclipses, an acura, an rx-8, and two corvettes of my own, a 2000 and my current 2007 purchased with 12 miles in March 2007.
This brings us to October 2007... my girlfiend and I, after looking at many project cars purchased our 1967 butternut yellow 327/powerglide Camaro coupe. All original, and it was beautiful, rusty and beat up but we loved it and since have began a full restoration. It is about half done I'd guess.
Back to that blue 89 Z28... I mention that car a lot and it is apparent that even after 16 years without the car it still hold a place in my heart. I mentioned to my girlfriend that one day I would like to have all 4, well 5 soon
, generation camaros. The 67, a 70 1/2 Z28, a blue IROC, a 4th gen SS and a new one... She is all for the Camaro collection and tells me that I should try to track down the original Z28. I was skeptical. I am sure its dead or chopped up or whatever.... 
She tells me to try anyow. After telling me several times to hunt for the car combined with a slow work day, the search begins...
Day 1 - Monday, July 28, 2008 about 10:30 am, I call my father to try to track down any paperwork on the car... I needed a VIN to start the search. No luck, they didn't keep anything. 10:40 am, next call was to the DMV. The said that if he came in they could give him the VIN. 10:45 am return call to my dad to request him to go in and get the VIN. At this point he is excited that I am trying to find it but he is at work and it will have to wait. 11:15 am, my dad calls back with the VIN... insurance company had it on file... love old record keeping. So... now I have my number. Carfax gives me June, 22, 2005 as the last record... thats positive, still around in 2005. Location: West Virginia. 11:30 am, a call to WV DMV and they tell me that the car is still currently registered but they won't give any more info. My next step was an online title search of the WV title number I had, but first time for lunch. 12:15 pm, a government records search of the title number gave me a name, address and plate number, all current. So now all I need is a phone to number. This proved to eb the hardest but I got that from zaba search.com. At about 2:30 pm on day 1 I had everything I needed. Now all I had to do was call.
Day 2 - Tuesday, July 29, 2008, noon - I try to contact the owner and get his wife on the phone. After the shock of being tracked down b/c of her car she told me I'd have to speak to her husband and to call back that evening. At 5:45 that evening I talked to the current ower of the beloved 1989 blue IROC. He said it currently was still all original with no modifications (a rare thing I am thinking) and that it currently has ~85K miles. If I am not mistaken it was a 5 digit odo so 185K... maybe, but he says it is in really nice shape for 19 years old. He said it did need some paint and a small dent repaired but there was no rust and the undercarriage was in very good shape. I got from the conversation that he was a Camaro guy... maybe even a member as he said he also owns another IROC. He told me that he wasn't thinking about selling the car but must have liked my story because he decided he would sell it to me. I asked him if the car would make the 175 mile trip. He said he wasnt sure as the car sat for a while but he'd drive it that week and call me friday to let me know if I should trailer it. After that we made arrangements to go meet on Saturday, August 2, 2008.
For three days I was wondering what to do... drive it back or tow it any how. Seeing that I could not get plates or insurance on Saturday I felt maybe I should just trailer it anyhow but I didn't make a trailer reservation.
Friday, August 1, 2008, I recieve a call from the owner. He tells me the car runs great but is leaking fuel and I'd better tow it. I was all for that since I was back and forth all week anyhow. After going through maybe 8 Uhaul dealers, I finally found an available auto transport. God bless Woodworking Unlimited!
Saturday, August 2, 2008, We set off for WV to look at the car. As we get close I begin to get very excited, I round the bend and there it is... at this point I almost crash head on into another vehicle because I am staring at it. It looks AMAZING inside and out. Other then a few minor imperfections and the fact that the paint had peeled off the roof, it looked stunning for a 19 year old Camaro! I looked the car over, took a small test drive... the first time I had ever drove the car... and finalized the deal. 20 minutes of paper changing hands and the car was mine, after 16 years of wanting it, it was finally mine.
It only took me six days to find and acquire the car and I have been on a high ever since. I still can't really drive it but the new fuel tank comes in wednesday so I am taking off friday and doing a tuneup and changing the tank. Hopefully it will be on the road this weekend..
I know it will pale in comparison to my 2007 6-speed Corvette but I don't care. I remember the feeling I had as a teenager just riding around in it. I am sure it will all come back every time I turn the key and hear the 350 TPI rumble...
So that is my Camaro story. Our collection has begun with the a 67, the Camaro that started it all for everyone and continued with the 89 IROC, the Camaro that started it all for me. What will be next...? I have no ties to the second gen, as I said an early Z would be nice. I am not a fan of the forth so any one will do. I suppose an SS convertible may be nice but I told my gf she can have pick of that one, I will get her whatever she wants. As for the new one, that will have to wait a while as we just got the C6 but that one will be ordered new... we're think Silver Ice or Cyber Gray - 422HP!
Hope you enjoyed the story...
THANKS KMN, I'd never have it if it weren't for you... I love you!
I remember it as it were yesterday, a 12 year old boy riding with his dad in their ratty old Buick Skylark. The dad turns his only son and says that he is thinking about buying a new car. Initial thoughts are not very grand as they had never had the money to have nice cars. He tells the boy he thinks he is going to buy a Z28. The boy's eyes light like a christmas tree, he loved Camaros!
The search for the new Camaro begins... We looked at a few IROCs on the lots and "settled" on a 1988 (maybe 89) White IROC, 305 with t-tops. My dad was not happy with, well anything about the car but the dealer had the pitch. By the grace of whatever you believe in, something was getting held up at the bank and the car was let go. A short while later he learns of a dealership doing some promotion so we make the hour drive to check it out. There he orders his 1989 Red 350 IROC with sticker delete and no t-tops. Much happier about his decision he awaits his new car. A few days later he is called back the dealership to finalize some paperwork and there on the showroom floor was a bright blue RS. It was obvious to him, that was the color it had to be. A short time later my father and I made the trip to pick the car up.
It was beautiful, bright shiny blue, rumbling exhaust, I loved it, and I was 12! Time goes on and many days with dad in the summer washing the car... with dawn dish soap because we didnt know any better... and making it stand tall. I was absolutly in love with this car counting the days until I could drive it. This is where the story turns sour...
December 23, 1991 the car is traded for a 1992 GMC Sonoma pick up. A very dark day in a 15 year olds life. I never got to drive the beloved Z28.
As years went on things got better financially for my parents as did the cars. The top two being a 1992 Corvette and 1995 Corvette, both of which I frequently drove but none could match how I felt about that Z28. That led me to my first Camaro purchase when I was in high school. A 1984 I think, Berlinetta, yes the one with the funky space ship dash. What a POS. Kept it about a year and moved on through the years owning many different cars, 5 cavaliers, 2 jeeps, 3 eclipses, an acura, an rx-8, and two corvettes of my own, a 2000 and my current 2007 purchased with 12 miles in March 2007.
This brings us to October 2007... my girlfiend and I, after looking at many project cars purchased our 1967 butternut yellow 327/powerglide Camaro coupe. All original, and it was beautiful, rusty and beat up but we loved it and since have began a full restoration. It is about half done I'd guess.
Back to that blue 89 Z28... I mention that car a lot and it is apparent that even after 16 years without the car it still hold a place in my heart. I mentioned to my girlfriend that one day I would like to have all 4, well 5 soon
, generation camaros. The 67, a 70 1/2 Z28, a blue IROC, a 4th gen SS and a new one... She is all for the Camaro collection and tells me that I should try to track down the original Z28. I was skeptical. I am sure its dead or chopped up or whatever.... She tells me to try anyow. After telling me several times to hunt for the car combined with a slow work day, the search begins...Day 1 - Monday, July 28, 2008 about 10:30 am, I call my father to try to track down any paperwork on the car... I needed a VIN to start the search. No luck, they didn't keep anything. 10:40 am, next call was to the DMV. The said that if he came in they could give him the VIN. 10:45 am return call to my dad to request him to go in and get the VIN. At this point he is excited that I am trying to find it but he is at work and it will have to wait. 11:15 am, my dad calls back with the VIN... insurance company had it on file... love old record keeping. So... now I have my number. Carfax gives me June, 22, 2005 as the last record... thats positive, still around in 2005. Location: West Virginia. 11:30 am, a call to WV DMV and they tell me that the car is still currently registered but they won't give any more info. My next step was an online title search of the WV title number I had, but first time for lunch. 12:15 pm, a government records search of the title number gave me a name, address and plate number, all current. So now all I need is a phone to number. This proved to eb the hardest but I got that from zaba search.com. At about 2:30 pm on day 1 I had everything I needed. Now all I had to do was call.
Day 2 - Tuesday, July 29, 2008, noon - I try to contact the owner and get his wife on the phone. After the shock of being tracked down b/c of her car she told me I'd have to speak to her husband and to call back that evening. At 5:45 that evening I talked to the current ower of the beloved 1989 blue IROC. He said it currently was still all original with no modifications (a rare thing I am thinking) and that it currently has ~85K miles. If I am not mistaken it was a 5 digit odo so 185K... maybe, but he says it is in really nice shape for 19 years old. He said it did need some paint and a small dent repaired but there was no rust and the undercarriage was in very good shape. I got from the conversation that he was a Camaro guy... maybe even a member as he said he also owns another IROC. He told me that he wasn't thinking about selling the car but must have liked my story because he decided he would sell it to me. I asked him if the car would make the 175 mile trip. He said he wasnt sure as the car sat for a while but he'd drive it that week and call me friday to let me know if I should trailer it. After that we made arrangements to go meet on Saturday, August 2, 2008.
For three days I was wondering what to do... drive it back or tow it any how. Seeing that I could not get plates or insurance on Saturday I felt maybe I should just trailer it anyhow but I didn't make a trailer reservation.
Friday, August 1, 2008, I recieve a call from the owner. He tells me the car runs great but is leaking fuel and I'd better tow it. I was all for that since I was back and forth all week anyhow. After going through maybe 8 Uhaul dealers, I finally found an available auto transport. God bless Woodworking Unlimited!
Saturday, August 2, 2008, We set off for WV to look at the car. As we get close I begin to get very excited, I round the bend and there it is... at this point I almost crash head on into another vehicle because I am staring at it. It looks AMAZING inside and out. Other then a few minor imperfections and the fact that the paint had peeled off the roof, it looked stunning for a 19 year old Camaro! I looked the car over, took a small test drive... the first time I had ever drove the car... and finalized the deal. 20 minutes of paper changing hands and the car was mine, after 16 years of wanting it, it was finally mine.
It only took me six days to find and acquire the car and I have been on a high ever since. I still can't really drive it but the new fuel tank comes in wednesday so I am taking off friday and doing a tuneup and changing the tank. Hopefully it will be on the road this weekend..
I know it will pale in comparison to my 2007 6-speed Corvette but I don't care. I remember the feeling I had as a teenager just riding around in it. I am sure it will all come back every time I turn the key and hear the 350 TPI rumble...
So that is my Camaro story. Our collection has begun with the a 67, the Camaro that started it all for everyone and continued with the 89 IROC, the Camaro that started it all for me. What will be next...? I have no ties to the second gen, as I said an early Z would be nice. I am not a fan of the forth so any one will do. I suppose an SS convertible may be nice but I told my gf she can have pick of that one, I will get her whatever she wants. As for the new one, that will have to wait a while as we just got the C6 but that one will be ordered new... we're think Silver Ice or Cyber Gray - 422HP!
Hope you enjoyed the story...
THANKS KMN, I'd never have it if it weren't for you... I love you!
Last edited by jrhaus76; 08-10-2008 at 05:15 PM.
08-06-2008, 11:11 AM
#5
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 51
The feeling seeing it was awesome, so was driving for the first time. I have driven 3 times so far since I got it home but nothing long enough to heat up the muffler in case gas drips on it... I am fixing the tank this week and doing a tune up on it...
I actually took off friday to do the following:
-Fuel tank, pump, sending unit and filter
-Fluid change; oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant
-New plugs, wires, dist cap and rotor, K&N filters, 160 deg. thermostat, serp. belt, windshield wipers, headlights (have water in them?), PCV,... maybe more, I can't remember. I have a trunk full of stuff, just waiting on the fuel tank, sending unit and K&N filters. They are supposed ot be in today.
-Paint the roof also. The paint is really nice everywhere except the roof. It is peeling bad so I got some duplicolor and am going to fix it until I can get it painted right. I figure blue spray paint is better than gray.
How do I post a pic? Do I need to have them hosted? I have several on my computer but don't know how to post it.
I actually took off friday to do the following:
-Fuel tank, pump, sending unit and filter
-Fluid change; oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant
-New plugs, wires, dist cap and rotor, K&N filters, 160 deg. thermostat, serp. belt, windshield wipers, headlights (have water in them?), PCV,... maybe more, I can't remember. I have a trunk full of stuff, just waiting on the fuel tank, sending unit and K&N filters. They are supposed ot be in today.
-Paint the roof also. The paint is really nice everywhere except the roof. It is peeling bad so I got some duplicolor and am going to fix it until I can get it painted right. I figure blue spray paint is better than gray.
How do I post a pic? Do I need to have them hosted? I have several on my computer but don't know how to post it.
08-07-2008, 11:41 AM
#6
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,479
Great story!
Yes, you need to have your pictures hosted in order to post them. I like tinypic.com for this -- free, very straightforward and easy. There are several other free sites that do this (ImageShack, PhotoBucket) as well. Once you have your image hosted, you need the web address for the image. On the TinyPic site, you'll see a thing (I think it's on the left side) labeled "IMG Code for Forums & Message Boards". ImageShack and PhotoBucket should have something similar. It will look a bit like this:
[IMG]http://i20.tinypic.com/zivd4y.jpg[/IMG]
Copy that text and paste it into your post. That's all!
Yes, you need to have your pictures hosted in order to post them. I like tinypic.com for this -- free, very straightforward and easy. There are several other free sites that do this (ImageShack, PhotoBucket) as well. Once you have your image hosted, you need the web address for the image. On the TinyPic site, you'll see a thing (I think it's on the left side) labeled "IMG Code for Forums & Message Boards". ImageShack and PhotoBucket should have something similar. It will look a bit like this:
[IMG]http://i20.tinypic.com/zivd4y.jpg[/IMG]
Copy that text and paste it into your post. That's all!
08-11-2008, 04:40 PM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 51
pre 1981 cars are harder to track. 1981 is when they all went to a standard 17 digit vin. I tried to do some research on the 67 but it is very difficult. You have to track it through the owners. His best bet may be to try to contact the person he sold it to and go from there, if he remembers. If it was traded at a dealer... good luck. Anything is possible but he will have a much harder time with the older car. He can try the vin searches through the title offices but I am not sure it that will yield anything. Tell him good luck and keep trying!
08-30-2008, 01:32 AM
#15
Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 856
wow man.. that is great. I am glad u got it back.. a car with meaning is worth so so much more!.. I am happy for you. and happy that the owner decided to sell!..
What was your dads reaction to see his old car again?
What was your dads reaction to see his old car again?