Just to reinforce what he is saying. These cars where designed to last 8-10 years. To find a 35 year old untouched car that is still safe would be a fluke. Unless you are buying one out of the desert or out of a 30 year in a climate control storage the car has been repaired. The next question is "was it a repair that will last 50 years or did someone screw in a street sign down to the floor and coat it with a 1/4" of undercoating. Those 2 repairs can look a lot a like.

Just a FYI, 2 gens suffer from door sag, this will cause water leaks at the back or the drivers window. This water leak would cause the floors to rust out turning the car into a Fred Flintstone car. I put floors in my 1974 in 1987 and that was a South Carolina car that I fix the door sag on in 1985.

Original numbers matching Z28 with 4 speeds are your top of the line money wise next Z28 autos. Then RS/Base Camaro V8-4 speeds. Last on the list would be anything missing 2 spark plugs (aka a 6 cylinder).

 

I'd also add to what Gorn mentioned about desert cars, and any car that comes from a western state. We don't have the salted roads, or extreme winters, so cars hold up better here on the undercarriage. Still will have issues with water leaks that Gorn described, and I'd include rear window bottom channels in that. All cars of this age will have rot in the lower rear window channel, unless they had lots of garaged time. When I rebuilt my '71 I found no rust anywhere, but it was garaged every night, and had a pretty easy life weather wise.
If you don't mind a road trip to make a purchase, it might be worth the fuel to get a West Coast 2nd Gen, and be getting a lot more car, for less money. They seem to still sell cheaper out here, and would more than offset fuel costs to retrieve one found here.

 

I agree heading out west would probably be my best bet to get a solid 2nd Gen camaro. Any states you recommend? I was thinking Texas, or something around there.

 

As with any Camaro, take a good look at the chassis, and lower body, for rust or hidden repairs. These are cars with over 35 years behind them, and in most rust belt areas, they'll have issues. Not sure where you're located, but it might be tough to find a solid car in some states.[/QUOTE]



Ditto on that. I would be careful about picking up a car that has had serious structural (sometimes hidden well) repairs and a lot of rust.

 

I wish I could help with info about Texas, but never been there since I was in the USAF. I only know what they sell for and look like here in the Pacific NW. (Oregon-Washington) I'd do a search of various states in major cites with large airports first. Then see what pops up, and don't be in a hurry. I see enough of them under $2500 in pretty solid condition here, and often running well.

 

Thanks for the help. I'm surprised that you see them selling that low, the cheapest I have seen around my area is a 78 for $3500 that could still use a good amount of work. What websites would you recommend I look at to find a decent second gen?

 

I simply look at my local Craigslist for them. If you check your local CL, and then maybe check out of state CL for various cities with large populations, and an airport close by to fly directly in to.
I stay away from the specialty forums, unless you're looking for higher priced finished cars.

here's a real running project for $1200.
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/5103347062.html

another $1700
http://salem.craigslist.org/cto/5116934873.html

another without motor $2400
http://portland.craigslist.org/yam/cto/5142329564.html

$2800
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/5137977478.html

$2500
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/cto/5137977478.html

383 stroker $3200
http://bend.craigslist.org/cto/5064387107.html

83K miles clean six cylinder for $3500
http://bend.craigslist.org/cto/5064387107.html

BBC Camaro $2000
http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/5088714164.html

$3000
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/5142210522.html

Nice one $3500
http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/5115067861.html

another $3500
http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/5105713434.html