New here...77 Camaro project

[Impalarod]

Well this will be my first post.
Just a few shots of my big bumper Camaro project.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/000_0465.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0133.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0137.jpg

[JOES66FURY]

Looks good man, dig the color....keep the pics commin'

[Scott Liggett]

Nice. Ditto on the paint color.

[cantvalve16]

The first project car my dad built was a 78 camaro with a tunnel rammed 350. You bring back memories of my dad sanding primer in the garage. Looks great. I will always have a soft spot for the later 2nd gens.

[miketblsr]

Where is Dave M. he is going to die when he sees this thing!!!! That color mmmmmmm........yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Remy-Z]

Nice!!!!!!!!! (highly jealous)

[fahrenschnell]

Great color choice. Love the fact that these year cars are getting some much due attention.

[Vegaman]

did these things all rust out or something? they were a dime a dozen when I was younger (like Fox bodies now) but I couldn't tell you the last time I saw one, even a beat one. Always kinda dug the '74's myself. Yours looks like it's gonna be a nice one when it's done, keep the pics coming 8)

[Kenny_Z]

Wow, I love that color. What a beautiful vehicle. I can't wait to see more :D

[DanStokes]

77 Camaros are absolute trash. Now, a '78 is a different story! (Just giving you a hard time - I have a '78). I like the color, too. I had a '66 Fairlane that color (more or less) w/parchment interior, and it was a beautiful combo. Not sure what you want to do with yours, but I have a PERFECT, never been on the ground OEM spare tire and jack if you want it - come pick it up or pay shipping (SE NC) and it's yours. Also rearview mirrors and some interior bits that weren't completely toasted.

I'm trying to get the mechanicals sorted on mine before paint, so I probably won't spray it until next year. On the rust - depends on where you live. The ones in Michigan were GONE, mine's from NC and is pristine, with just a trace of rust on the lower passenger door. The interior was history, but that got all pulled out anyway. So I'm a little jealous to see yours ready for reassembly.

Later
Dan

[Impalarod]

Thanks for the positive comments. I know these are not as popular as the early 2nd gens, but I have always like being a little different. You are right, you just don't see many of these cars. What the rust didn't get, the dirt tracks did.
I got lucky with this car. NO RUST ANYWHERE EVER! ;D
When taking the car apart, I found the build sheet. It started life in California and I am in Georgia. Super good body to start with for $900.00 at a swap meet.
Will sent more pics maybe tonight.
By the way, the color is Chrysler tangerine pearlcoat.

[Freiburger]

I'll be the umpteenth person to add that the color looks great on the car.

[64fairlane]

nice color! you going to do stripes?

[Impalarod]

Heres a few more pics. I am in the process of modifing the bumpers. They will be painted body color and the rub strip is being replaced with 2" smooth black body side molding. The original rub strip sticks out 1" beyond the bumper and the molding is only 1/4 inch thick. The bumpers have been moved up around 1" and moved in about 2"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0154.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0156.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0162.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0163.jpg
The wheels are Coys C-5s. 18x9.5 & 17x8 gray center. The car sits like a 4x4 now but hotchkis is next.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0149.jpg

[Will]

It's amazing how much better the bumpers look on these after a little tuck work. Good job!

[JOES66FURY]

^^^^^I agree, its much cleaner...nice work...

[GRUBBY]

I always thought it would be cool to take those style bumpers and section the moulding part out of the middle. They would be thinner like the 70-73 style. Great job BTW and so true on the dirt track part! I cant help but cringe everytime I look at the old Short track mags.

[min301]

Very nice work, love that color. :)

[ls7gto]

I always wondered why nobody modified those bumpers, you made them look really good. cant wait for more pics, and I also love the color.

[Fordplay0621]

Clean looking Car, Can't wait to see it finished.

[Impalarod]

Front bumper finished and on,
Moved in about 2" and up 3/4"
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0202.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0203.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0204.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0205.jpg

[fabricatordave]

i did this to a 74 big bumper nova looks bad ass when bumper shocks are gone and bumper is up and in just BAD ASS love it dito on the color

[Freiburger]

The bumper mods are a 1 million percent improvement.

[67pete300]

x2, that looks incredible. Nice job!

[Darren N.]

WOW! I never knew a nose job could improve one's sexiness so much.

And boy, does she have the body to match :-*

Great looking car man.

[JOES66FURY]

Wow, what a difference...looks great!

[yellomalibu]

The bumper work looks great.

I also like those hoods on that era Camaro. A guy down here had one on his car... I liked it so much, I got a similar hood for my car, which I think it looks alright on, too. ;D

[Scott Liggett]

Looks great. I did the same thing on my 73 Impala. Made a huge difference. I lost near 80 lbs of weight too.

[HoosierGTA]

Looks great! By the way,didn't I see the first few shoots over at Pro-touring.com the few weeks the I was there till someone messed up and mentioned carjunkie.com? Welcome aboard!

[KeithTurk]

I know how to sound like everyone else... Great paint and the Bumper looks awesome... Point is it's true... the thing just looks right

Mine is an 80... and like Dan says... it's better... LOL

or not


Keith

[usmlsmk]

Keith Isnt yours kinda fast to ::)

[DanStokes]

Keith's is fairly fast - for a car with 8 cylinders. I mean, where's the challenge in THAT?

Dan

[olbuddybob]

Very nice. Makes me miss my 77

[bnjny]

I had a 77 Camaro in the early 90's... It had the cowl hood like yours, but mine was Chevy blue.

327 with a Doug Nash 5 speed and a disc brake rear from a 81 T/A with 2.73 or 3.08 gears (I think). WS6 springs, Koni shocks, WS6 sway bars and steering box...

That car was pretty quick around Bridgehampton...

[Impalarod]

A few of the rear fanny tuck..rear bumper moved in 3/4 inch, painted body color, bumper bolts countersunk, and body side molding used in place of rub strip to take off another 3/4 inch.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0206.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0208.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0209.jpg

[BDAZSVT]

When I was in High School everybody drove those 76ish-82 Camaros and I absolutely HATED them( I have always leaned to Ford) But that thing looks outstanding and I will agree the color rocks!!!

[fahrenschnell]

I have to say AGAIN...

You nailed it on the bumpers. That is one of the sharpest 77's I have ever seen. Probably the nicest.

Great Job.

Seth

[1970camaroRS]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but to me it feels like something is missing. Kind of like you got it close to perfect, but just missed a little. The only input I can give is the rear bumper could have been narrowed a little bit. It is however a huge improvement over the turd that was big bumper Camaro styling, and I love the idea of using the body side molding in place of the rubber. Maybe I'm just spoiled by my car and am used to the front and rear being neat and tidy.

[Impalarod]

I have to say AGAIN...

You nailed it on the bumpers. That is one of the sharpest 77's I have ever seen. Probably the nicest.

Great Job.

Seth

Thanks!
Don

[Impalarod]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but to me it feels like something is missing. Kind of like you got it close to perfect, but just missed a little. The only input I can give is the rear bumper could have been narrowed a little bit. It is however a huge improvement over the turd that was big bumper Camaro styling, and I love the idea of using the body side molding in place of the rubber. Maybe I'm just spoiled by my car and am used to the front and rear being neat and tidy.

No flame here...Close to perfect is good enough for me. I'm sure it doesn't look as good as your car, there is only so much you can do with the big bumper cars. I set out to improve the looks and make it acceptable not make it a 70 split bumper car. To narrow the bumpers would require major surgery on the lower valences both front and back as well as reconstruction of the tail panel just to make it look right. This would take away from what the car is and more work than most are willing to do.

[joebogey]

This is such a major improvement, home run man.

[67pete300]

Nice plate! ;D

[Samaleshi]

Beautiful car and color man. That's a lot of hard work. I had a '73 Challenger that I slid the bumpers in and removed the plastic bumper surround cladding on, makes a huge difference. I've also got fond memories of a couple crazies I knew in high school with late 70's Camaro's. Here's one I took a shot of at SEMA in '07. Sorry about the bad crop job.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/2446421966_46da47c058.jpg




I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but to me it feels like something is missing. Kind of like you got it close to perfect, but just missed a little. The only input I can give is the rear bumper could have been narrowed a little bit. It is however a huge improvement over the turd that was big bumper Camaro styling, and I love the idea of using the body side molding in place of the rubber. Maybe I'm just spoiled by my car and am used to the front and rear being neat and tidy.


Remove the plank from thine own eye(s) dude. You had that coming.

[Impalarod]

Just bringin' it back to the front. Almost done with it. Will post updates in a day or 2.

[ford141]

Beautiful car and color man. That's a lot of hard work. I had a '73 Challenger that I slid the bumpers in and removed the plastic bumper surround cladding on, makes a huge difference. I've also got fond memories of a couple crazies I knew in high school with late 70's Camaro's. Here's one I took a shot of at SEMA in '07. Sorry about the bad crop job.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2247/2446421966_46da47c058.jpg



Isn't that Johny Hunkins' car from PHR? Air Ride, bumper shave and tuck, Weld 18's on it. Cool car for a late 70's Camaro. Makes me want one (and I'm a Ford guy, and a truck guy).

[Impalarod]

Well I finally got around to a few more pics. Still have a few things to do, but its runnin, drivin,
and stopin,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0465.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0466.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0468.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0407.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0469.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0470.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0471.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/hotredimpala/100_0467.jpg

[KJZ28]

Hello fellow NastyZ member!! Your car is AMAZING

[milkovich]

Gorgeous man!

I did notice the master but that's a small detail. Car looks amazing!

[SuperBuickGuy]

really nice.

[Bamfster]

How about some details on the drivetrain, etc? I totally dig the camaro, the bumpers look "right" now that its lowered. Very nice job!

[milner351]

LOOOOOVE it!

the absolutely gorgeous neighbor girls (who totally ruined my brother and I's expectations of women for life)
had a rootbeer brown 77 that they would wash regularly (in bikini's of course)

for that reason - even as a mostly ford guy - I will always like this generation of camaro.

I was wondering what interior color you were going to go with to blend with the paint color - and you wound up with the same selection my '69 mach1 came from the factory with! White seats and door panels, black dash and carpet.

looks GREAT!

[Impalarod]

How about some details on the drivetrain, etc? I totally dig the camaro, the bumpers look "right" now that its lowered. Very nice job!

Well...this is where it's not finished.
My plans for this car was a daily driver, and with gas getting stupid I built it for mileage. All of the plans have since changed. After all of the time that went into it, I just can't park it in a Walmart parking lot. Right now the engine is a flat top 355 with the basic bolt ons. Turbo 350 trans with a 2000 converter. It still has the factory 2.73 gear in it and with the 18" tires it's more like a 2.00. Not exactly the quickest thing, but great at 80 mph. I have a 3.42 gear and a Eaton posi as well as a Thumpr cam in the boxes and is next up. This should help the fun factor a bit. Want to keep it very streetable where long distance runs won't be a problem. Thanks for the comments, kinda makes it all worth while.

[L98camino]

I still can't get over how good the bumper tuck looks!

That is a beautiful car, nice work man!

[Bamfster]

I still can't get over how good the bumper tuck looks!

That is a beautiful car, nice work man!


I had my doubts when it had the off road stance, but now.....OO LA LA!

[Impalarod]

Thanks again for all of the positive comments. The car has drawn crowds and a lot of comments whenever I go anywhere in it. Considering it was a $900 body bought at a swap meet, and a budget car to begin with, I'm kinda surprised myself that it turned out this nice. One day I would like it to shake the ground and pick the front end up like your Malibu! Right now a little bit of cam and a little bit of gear will make me happy.

[455 LeMans]

I used to have a '77 Z28 4 speed car, loved it. Moved to the mountains and sold it, another regret. I have been hankerin' for a big bumper again lately. Seeing your beautiful '77, is getting me all hot and bothered.
Excellent job!