Hello everyone, my name is Jim.

(crowd: hello,Jim)

I've been burdened with Camaro ownership for 33 years, since I was 15.
My first car was a 1969 Camaro coupe.
Silver, black stripes and a black standard interior. It was a pretty basic car, but it had what I WANTED, a 4-SPEED!
I remember going to that used car lot in 1975 with my dad. They had 2 Camaros he wanted me to see. One was this white convertible with ugly (per dad) orange interior. It had a SLUSHBOX automatic and A/C, and power windows and that extra big gas hog of an engine (396).
The other was my first car, described above.
NOW I know it was still a little special, an LM1 350 4-speed car.
I used all my paper route money, sold my 10-speed and Dad co-signed for the balance of the loan for $1,600.
......That white car was $300 more anyway..... (where is the kick yourself in the pants emoticon?)

Man, if the pace car would have had a 4-speed, Dad would have had a lot harder time talking me out of it.
Boy, 20-20 hindsight.......

Sorry, no digi pics of that car. I rebuilt the motor in High School shop class. I won a lot af races with that car. More stories to follow.

In 1978 I was cruising around on my Suzuki GS750e and saw a Camaro in an apartment building parking lot.
It was my favorite color so I turned in to look.
I saw a for-sale sign laying face down in the back seat.
3 days later I owned 2 Camaros.
Here is that 2nd purchase, which I still own today:



Currently it is a 45,000 mile survivor car in desperate need of a paint job. Details of this car can follow in subsequent threads if anyone is interested.

Well the Silver 69 ended up getting sold to buy the first house.
It DID have a nice 454 in it when I sold it to the nieghbor kid....

Time goes on. Married. 2 kids. The Z sits ALOT, always an extra car (thank god).
My buddies buy various Camaros thru the years - brand new 79 Z, brand new 82 Pace Car, 87 Z with the first 350s back in 'em, 93 Z with an LT1, 96 SS with most all options....

none of them struck a chord with me, I found flaws in all and talked myself out of wanting any of them until...... LS1

In 1999 Chevrolet finally built a Camaro I wanted again. This car:



I found this on a Ford dealers used lot with 1700 miles on it. The original owner wanted one of the (recalled) Cobras that year. Lucky me!

I've rolled up only 22,000 on the SS. It has an interesting history also which I can share in future threads.

I am seriously considering a new 5th gen Camaro, but will not know for sure untill I see and drive them.
I might have to wait for a 6th gen car.... LOL

I see some of the old SLP board members names here, so hopefully I can fit in too.

Well, thats probably enough for now. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you Camaro nuts here, so lets lite 'em up!

Jim
(good sig to follow)

 

OK, let's try a sig test!

 

Beautiful cars, I'm on my fourth Camaro right now (I'm only 19). Welcome to the site!

 

You are so my hero!

 

Hello Jim, I too am a Camaro addict. We are 2 of 5 into a collection of all 5 generations of Camaros. If I can sell this Corvette I will be buying the '10 soon after it comes out. Also, I am looking to get a 70.5 Z28 or clone one, black with red stripes and red interior.

Restoration project:



Current status as of 8/27/08:

 

That's how I want to get my hood painted on my 93 (LS1 front end).

Both cars are amazing.