JonB

iTrader: (3)

I was't really much of a fan untill i got one. I always like the 1st gen never really saw all that many. I had/have a 88 monte SS that got me into cars and after a couple years of redoing the whole drivetrain on that it was time for something alittle more relaiable(to make a long story short it was my first car and first time working on engines and it did end up all that great) It had to be v-8 and rwd and ford was out of the question so that did't leave much. Once I started looking into the 4th gen i fell in love.

NoSlowSS

As a young kid, my dad was into the muscle cars (this was in the late 70's)... he would trade off either his or mom's car every few months to get the latest thing that caught his eye. When I was 7, he brought mom her "new" car- a 1976 white TA with something like a 455 HO motor, manual tranny, and white leather interior. It was the first car they owned that I remembered... it was the only car that scared the bejebus outta me... it was beautiful.

Later that year, they divorced and mom sold the car. I practically cried when I saw it go. The guy she sold it to had it a few months before wrapping it around a tree and making it a ball of scrap metal. Shortly after that, my dad picked up a 79' TA- nice, but nothing like the one mom had. Dad's still got it today.

Around the same time, Knight Rider came out and instantly became my favorite show. When I had the chance to buy a 91' z28 with 40,000 miles, a 5-speed, and the whopping 305 I did. Great car that I wish i would've held onto as a project car. I briefly tasted rice with a 93' Eagle Talon TSI AWD which was also a nice car, but I missed the more brutal primal feeling of the camaro. By then I was outta college and bought a brand spankin' new 98' SS. I couldn't help it- it is white with white leather and has the manual transmission. It brought back the feelings from my mom's 76' TA... a reincarnation of a car that was killed long ago. Mom still swears that old 76' would give me a serious run for my money... hahaha. If being in heaven includes spending eternity with some of the things we loved while here, she's going to find out

Memories already tied to the 98' Camaro: First new car for me. Met my wife and went on our first date in this car. Brought her to the hospital when she went into labor (her Grand Am broke down and the Camaro saved the day). My newborn son's first ride was in the camaro (he was crying like crazy but stopped when I started the engine- slept all the way home too). My son is now almost two and does the Tim-the-Toolman-Taylor grunt when he hears a loud exhaust on the street. Someday this car will be his. Now that I think about it, that gives me a reason to get another one before my wife and I have another child.

ps- I also bought Smokey and the Bandit as well as the 1st two seasons of Knight Rider so I can train him up right

HFLDtA

iTrader: (5)

hhgfdhfg

SexySS

My 1st car I fell in love with was the 69 Camaro and always wanted one. Then years later the newer body style came out and my friend took me to the track and I saw a SS line up and smoke almost all the cars out there. That’s when i fell in love with racing and wanted a Camaro SS. However couldn’t afford a newer camaro so i got an older body style Mustang GT and rebuilt the motor, I loved it but hated it. But as of about a month ago I finally got my dream car a 00 Camaro SS

bayer-z28

iTrader: (14)

---Interseting short clip of my Gearheaded heritage!


I think it started when My uncle had me in the car seat in the back of his Black 6.6L, shaker hood 73-ish T/A.. Not a Camaro, but still the same. I think that was my first recolection of life.. Hearing that motor roaring and looking out throught the t-tops. Only a glimpse.. I don't know how old I was but all I remember is that I must have been in a car seat...

About 13 years later I got an 85 Firebird for my first car. It had a blown 2.8L and I fixed it up.... and wrecked it.... and fixed it up.... and about 5 years later I sold it and traded my 97 Cavalier in for my (now) 2000 Z28..... El 'es Juan!!


I've had gear heads in my family for Generations now. My father was as bad as I am, but he's since settled down. He's in his late 50's now.. He had 2 Vettes and a Camaro when he married my ma.... I've heard stories of him in his 68 GTO laying down twin black strips... He told me stories about his racing days and his Hemi Road Runner.... He had almost EVERY muscle car known to man back in the 60's and 70's... I love him...

My ma's first car was a '65 Mustang! My uncle is a GM Master Tech, My Grandfather was a Tank Mechanic in the Army... Almost all my relatives are mechanics or have been gearheads at some point in time.... Most of my friends have or have had a Camaro or a Firebird/Formula/Trans Am/'Stang.....(hey, it's an American Muscle car).. I ripped apart my father's brand new weed wacker when I was 14.. It still runs!! More than 10 years later!!


I have oil in my veins!

Azhigher

iTrader: (1)

Well, I was in 10th grade and taking basic automotive in HS. Played Gran Turismo 3, saw that turbo's were godly on the game... so I looked for a turbo car. Found a 96 Eagle Talon Turbo charged, AWD, pretty much everything I could have asked for in a car. That car was like my dream, I thought I could never be beat!

Then I went on DSMtuners.com, and saw something to the effect of "If you just want pure all out speed, get a 98 Z28"

Did some research, fell in love, traded the Talon in for my 99 Z28 a year and a half later. Best car a 17yr old could have asked for!

catfSSh

iTrader: (1)

i had 8grand saved up for my first car last aug. when i was looking through autotrader i noticed i could get a man. GT or a man. Z28. but they were so rare. so i looked at a GT 5speed for 5 grand but i never bought it. a week later i came across a 97 mistic teal Z28 6 speed lt1 loaded, everything with 80k miles for 7500 so i bought it and will probably save up for a ls1 SS. Close call. not to mention the Z will crush the GT every way possible

ATAK, Inc.

iTrader: (2)

On a fine fall day in northern California, September 22, 1969, a nine year old boy (me), went with his parents to the Chevy dealer to get my mom a new car. She wanted something "sporty" yet economical. Thet decided on a plain jane '69 with a 307/PG, canary yellow with white vinyl top, white interior. Sticker price was about $2,700.
I rode home with my mom and instantly fell in love with the car.
Fast forward 7-1/2 years to beginning of 1977; I just turned 17, my parents wanted to get something more economical due to the gas crisis. My dad gave me a choice between a 1967 Olds wagon and the Camaro, not a tough desision on my part, but I did play it up for my folks.
Fast forward 22 years, 1999, after doing all sorts of things to this car, ending up with a 383 stroker with hyd roller cam, Dart heads, Holly pro-jection, etc... and running a 11.78 best on BFG radials.
Then, due to financial reasons, had to sell her
In November 2001, my wife surprised me with an all original, 1969 Camaro, 350/TH350, Factory A/C, Cowl, Rear spoiler, and 15" rally wheels!
I had already made up my mind on how I was going to build this one;
LS1/M6, Wayne Due frame with C-4 suspension, 4-link rear, etc...

I also have owned a '67 RS/SS, still kick myself for getting rid of it.
And two 1995 Z-28's ( the first one my wife rolled, she killed the car)

And here I am, with a '69 Camaro and LS-1/M6 sitting in my garage. All of the vette susp pieces are arriving this week, and I am ordering the sub-frame in a week or so.
ATAK, Inc.

superGMman

Started loving Camaros before I knew about cars or even knew it was a Camaro. When I was little my favorite car was a third gen Z28(talkin' 3,4 so back in around 1992-1993). I remember I thought that was the actual name of the car, didn't even know it was a camaro. My dad was talking about how Chevy's were so much better than Fords(Which no one in our family of about 100 has ever bought) and that Camaro were the best cars ever.

Fast forward to around the year 2000 when I was 11 and I started getting into cars and I found out about how Iv'e liked Camaros my whole life. For the last couple of years I've learned practically everything there is to learn about Camaros, going through phases of which generation I liked most. But now, just like when I was a little kid, Third Gens are my favorite, and IMO the most beautiful and unique looking car ever built.

91Z28

For me it was when I was a little boy (less than 10) and I started noticing 3rd gen Camaros. I liked them so much I shoplifted the hot wheels versions.........now I have my own and couldn't be happier. I love everything about my car, from the way you sit in it to its looks and sound. In my mind Camaro is the ultimate american muscle car, just look at the red white and blue emblem.

01pewter2001z28

iTrader: (2)

For myself it started in 1992 with my first car my father worked for a Chevrolet dealership. My worked the summer to get a car I gave my parents $8k and they made up the difference for my car. I looked at S-10 pickup trucks a few weeks earlier because Camaro's were a little out of my price range. On a Friday when I arrived home school parked in the driveway was a brand new black 1992 Z/28 loaded w/ t-tops this was the car I wanted. The downside the car ended up being a lemon (since the 92's were the last to be painted in So Cal) mine suffered from acid rain the car was fully painted twice and spot painted 8 other times. GM came through bought it back offered me a new Z/28 or cash back. I took the new Z they old me go pick one out I choose a black 1994 Z/28 as the new car w/ in a few days everything was taken care of and that is how I ended up getting my 2nd Camaro. Since than I have owned 4 other f-bodies.

SspeedChic

iTrader: (1)

I have always been a camaro fan thanks to my parents. When I turned 16 I wanted an camaro SS so bad... but I wasn't aloud to get one since I just started driving . So I got stuck with a 92 z-28... it was a good car, but I wanted a new SS. My parents have a 69 camaro (project car), 92 z-28 (race car), 98 z-28 (that never gets driven)... now u can see why I am such a camaro fan. About 2 years ago I finally got the car I've always wanted a Camaro SS... it was like I was in fantasyland when I was driving it home from the dealership. Black/black 2000 Camaro SS, chrome ZR1's, lowered, its pretty much stock until this coming Christmas

BlackZCamaro

iTrader: (1)

Considering how many different things could have effected my choice in vehicles or even between a domestic and foreign brand, I got very lucky. Back in '69, my father would be the proud owner of a new AMC Hurst SC/Rambler. His inital intentions though, as he tells us today, was that he was going to buy a new 302 Z28, Rallye Green with white stripes and a White Houndstooth interior, when he read an article in a period Hot Rod or something along those lines and saw an advertisement for the SC/Rambler. His exact words we're 'I wanted it because nobody else had one!'. So, within literally days of finding out about the limited produciton car, he found one in downtown Denver. Problem was, it was already ordered by somebody and was waiting for a cash deposit. But, a cool check of $3495 and some change fixed that. From 69 to 72, it was literally driven into the ground, like most supercars of that era. he would then start in on a handful of Mopars in the 70's, European hotrods like Porsche and Mercedes, all the while remaining a loyal Bowtie collector, keeping his hands busy with a Corvette or a Chevelle of his liking. Soon enough, they were the owners of another gearhead, at a limited produciton of only 1.

Anyway, fast forward to the early 90's, a good 2 years or so after they introduced the new ZR1 Corvettes. It was one of the few cars we had at the time, and I was still your typical 8 year old playing his Super Nintendo in the basement. But, with that being said, I never owned a single game for it. They were rented about every week or so. One night, while my father -wasn't- at work (If you know anything about Agriculture, You'll understand what I mean), I told him that I wanted to go rent a different one, so he decides to hop in the ZR1 and take me into town. It was the first car I ever remembered riding in that I actually liked, and since then, has probably been the cause of my General Motors addiciton.

Fast forward again, this time to 2001. At this point, I'm about 14, and i'm still a computer brat hooked on games. We now live in a different house in the boonies, and we have a large storage shed on the property. Coming down the long driveway from school one day I decide to poke my head into the shop. There was lots of stuff, mostly junk, but in the large open areas that weren't covered up with crap or a boat, there were cars. And to this day I can still remember how suprised and excited i was to see these cars in here, just sitting, waiting to be tinkered on, to be driven, to be used. It was this time when I was introduced with the first two cars I would restore before I ended my journey through High school. A 69' camaro, that admittedly, was in rough shape, but was still a good looker with a 454 and a M-21. And no, that wasn't stock. This was one of these Grandma owned it for a while and then a race team bought it and beat the **** out of it and then sold it again with a detuned motor. But, the important part was that the body was solid and the motor was a big one. And, after some persuasion of the parental units, i was able to show them how interested I was in the car. It was also the first car I ever drove, and man, you talk about a workout, that car had no power steering and was a manual. Now imagine the stereotypical computer nerd driving something like this out of a cramped shop. Yeah. It was a very long time before I drove it up to the house and started cleaning it. Anyway, it came time that my dad saw I was finally interested enough to do something about it. The inital plan was to paint it, but after my father drove it, he realized just how bad it ahd deteriorated. So, with a solid car and a big motor, we tore ti all apart, re-bushed it, gave it the correct oh-so-needed Big block springs it needed, cleaned out the interior for a new one, and off it went for paint.

Fast forward -again- to 2003, a Long summers worht of work to make a car happen and almost no time to do it. It came down to the wire, but it happened, and the Camaro made it out to an annual event tha tsome of you may be familiar with, but for those who dont know, I'll explain. Hot August Nights is an annual event where 5000 Car participants and literally hundreds of thousands of people gather in Reno Nevada for one of the coolest car shows out there. Lots of casinos involved, car shows, auctions, and cruising. Its a good thing, and if you haven't takena car out or even heard of it, i suggest you go to it just once to say you've seen it. You wont regret it. But, in any case, that was the goal for that car. And for that year, we got a very nice treat. At one of teh casino shows, they take picks of their favorite cars from the whole week and have them come back on saturday night to be judged for final awards. And the car won best restored classic. Out of the thousands that were there, and the many more cars that were more original and sometimes nicer, we won. Talk about motivation, huh?








And that, is the car. What was once just a grandma 6 banger turned race car turned worn out driver becomes the diamond of my mind. I couldn't imagined in my wildest dreams that we could build something this nice, but, as it has been said before, you get back what you put in.

One last fast forward, er, rewind. Lets step back one year and almost a month from today. That's when another little project took off, only this time, we only got one shot to get this car done and done right.







This is it. This is my father's SC/Rambler, still wearing the 71 plates before it was put in storage and left for nearly 35 years. With the shed now slowly becoming more and more like a shop, it only took a month to dissasemble the car for paint. The car was officially underway in November, when it was taken to Colorado Springs for paint and bodywork. Through teh time it was gone, we found a couple fo good sources for AMC parts and started to get an idea of what it was going to cost. Soon, the ahrdware was plated and the suspension parts were re-bushed and powdercoated. On May 10, 2005, the car came home. For the next 3 months, everything was either cleaned up or bought from our supplier, and within a matter of 10 weeks, the end result is once again, above anything I could have perceived.







This car was done for my father, with my own two hands. He was only there every once in a great while to help clean parts, but 95% of the build was my 8AM to midnight hours for 70 days.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is how I became a gearhead. Not only for the Camaro, but for ALL who have ever turned a wrench on their cars, making the ideal vision in their mind a reality.

Hoss Ghoul

iTrader: (2)

Great job man, and beatiful work.

CRASH Bandicoot

iTrader: (2)

......Because camaros were faster than mustangs

MonsterZ28

I used to live next to a guy named Ron Rhodes, he has a 68 Camaro SS and his wife also has a 68 camaro rs w/ black racing stripes. When i was around 6 i used to hang out in his garage and watch him work on it. That thing was soo loud, I remember sitting outside and being able to hear him pulling onto route 40 (1/3 mile away). When i stood next to it i couldnt hear ****, and the few times he took me for a ride in it i couldnt hear myself think. I still talk to him now, he is going to put my custom dual exhaust on my F-body.

Check out his shop at www.rhodescustomauto.com He is popular in DE and MD. His car currently runs high 8s in the 1/4 mile w/ a naturally aspirated 406.

2002CobraKiller

iTrader: (1)

my dad had an 84 and my uncle had an 88 both Z28's in mint condition, i was about 4 and just fell in love with them. i remember sitting in them pretending like i was driving and just telling my self a Z28 was the only car for me.

Slayn

My dad got his 78 camaro from a friend somewhere around 1980, 4 years before I was born. He had that car my entire life. When he remarried when I was around 17, he dropped the camaro at his shop and got a 2000 grand prix. I never liked the camaro as a kid, it was loud, in kinda crappy condition, and I always sat in the back and he also scared me by going so fast. When I hit 18 though, wow... I turned into an instant car guy. I took a class at my local community college in auto mechanics and looked up everything I could about 2nd gens on the internet. I got into a bad accident and totally ruined the front end of the car. Everyone wanted me to get rid of it, including my dad, and it kinda hurt. I love this car. I basically drove it around for a year and a half and its kinda painful how much of a wreck it is. Well I just started auto body class monday, and my teacher says basically he is going to tech me to weld and we are going to work on it this semester. The radiator core support is INSANELY messed up hahaha.

Everyone wants me to get rid of this car, but I love it and have BIG plans for the car. I am a full time college student and have a part time job, but I will put what money I can into it now. I am probably going to park it in auto body shop for 2-3 months and save money. My plans are to get it primed black and get it totally straight. The total plan for the outside is a nice high gloss black paint job for the car, with a custom pair of white stripes that go across the hood and the tail, just like the 67-73 camaros had. Also I am considering putting on some 17 inch cragar SS wheels on it, but I am not sure on the fitment, I think Ill make a topic on that actually... my end goal for this car is to put an LS1 with a 6 speed manual in it and perhaps a smog legal supercharger. Im also thinking about putting some 4th gen leather seats in the car too. My plan is a car that looks great and that I will love that is comfortable, can handle well, and gets enough gas mileage for a daily driver, and perhaps I can take it on roadtrips with the low 6th gear.

z28adiction

iTrader: (1)

I first became a Camaro guy just listening to my dad tell me stories about his muscle cars days and the nights at Ohio street. This first got my car intrest started and then my next door neighbor baught like a 75 camaro z28 and built is for the drag strip at his uncles performance shop. I loved watching him come back from the drags since i lived on a dead end road hed open it up now and then. the sound and look of the camaro was very mean and i was told it would run with other built big block muscle cars at the track. Then when i was in vocational school i rode im my buddies 97 z28 and i was hooked. from there i went to college to work on cars and i am now in my senior year and wating till its over before i go purchase my dream F-body a 98 black z28 with a 6 spd. reasearching the history of the camaro has been one of my goals and i have learned alot about the cars and its makers.i plan to heavily modify my future z28 and i have been deciding what to do to the car when i purchase it. ive had alot of time to decide what im going to do to it and i think im finally done but there are always advances being made to the new gen 3 v8 aftermarket products so only time will tell if im actually done deciding my list of prducts and components. so hopefully when im doen building my Z28 it will be a real compedidtor on the street and strip.

jitsumania

iTrader: (4)

My first love affair with Camaro's happened when I was 17 and it was time to get my first car. There was a 69 blue and white SS for sale and my dad almost got it for me untill it was learned that the tranny was getting ready to die. Dad opted to buy a 73 Dodge Polara instead . I was heartbroken and forced to drive a boat instead of a true muscle car. Life goes on as did my love affair with MANY cars. My heart still longed for that first love that eluded me. In 1994 I placed an order for an Artic white Z-28 convertible. I waited for 4 months to have the car built but it never happened due to production problems at the plant . Yet another broken heart by another Camaro . Wound up buying a Mitsu 3000 GT instead. Did the rice thing for some years but still longing for a Camaro deep inside. In 2000 (I was 43) I decide to go after it one more time. Found the love of my life and she actually loved me back and went home with me this time.

The more she gave (speed) the more I wanted. So in order to recieve I had to give. She required some mods to keep giving me a rise, so this is what I have given her so far:
Maroon Z-28 2000 A4, SLP flow pac cold air induction, SLP free flow lid, K&N filter, SLP high flow MAF sensor, SLP smooth Bellows, MSD 8.5 superconductor wires, Magnaflow Catback, Jet performance programming stage 2, Kuhmo rubber
Cam, heads, Pacesetter LTs and subframe bracing are on the menu for next year.
The year after that............ Stay tuned!

I want her to look just as beautiful as the day I got her so I want to keep her as stock looking as I can on the outside and always shinning, inside and out.