I do hope you can find what your are looking for. But you have to realize I get told all the time by guys they are not around. Every show as many as a dozen people ask me if I want to sell my car. Some I know are just being nice but one or two tell me they have been looking for 10 plus years for a first gen rag top that was rust free. Sometime I get approched by dealer, a unrestored 67 RS/SS rag top without the orignal engine is concider a huge find. The reason is because without the original engine it drops in value a lot. Most builders will not cut into an all original car due to the value.

The problem is that the 1st gens have rust issues and rag tops tend to leak which adds to that rust issue. The cars where designed to last 8-10 years. Many of these cars where rusted out in the 70's. After 40 years ther are not to many "Barn finds" left. Many of the orginal owners have passed and even there kids are in their 40's and 50's. Most of these car have been thru 3 or 4 "restoration" many where cosmedic only.

Evenat thelocale car shows there are less and less of the rag tops not because they are gone but because they have moved up to a status symbol for the rich. Many carsthat where sent to the crusher in the 90's would be restored today.I get sick when I see Drew Barrymore or Melissa Etheridge driving around in the 1st gen convertible cause that means there are two guys that really love those cars that can not have them plus now all their wannabee's want them too. Oh and those dam collectors that want them in each color %&$#

Inbelow links they document finding a "Solid driver" and its restoration to a show car. I was amazed at how solid the car looked on day one vs coming back frommedia blast. The car fooled everyone of the "experts" about how solid it was.
http://www.youtube.com/user/V8TV
Search for Sema 2006
Should be like part 1 thru part 36
Also here http://v8tvshow.com/

Edit:
Those links arent the best.
http://v8tvshow.com/content/view/121/70/
If you pause the first movie you can a good picture of the car they started with.
http://v8tvshow.com/content/view/136/70/

 

orocker,
Thanks for the ideas on hitting the local shows, I got on hemmings and earmarked the ones within a reasonable distance. There are some dealers here local, haven't seen exactly what I am lookingn for yet.

Gorn,
I appreciate the links to those videos. Thats alot of work, seems like I may as well order one of those yearone body tub kits for12kand then find a car . I used to get that alot driving my old ****** MBs around. Everyone wanted to buy it, except when I wanted to sell them. I guess everyone thinks they are still worth $500. I don't expect to find a barn find for 5k. Those days are long gone, and I never have that good of luck.

I doubt I'll find anything rust free (does that really exist) but something that wouldn't require a new body tub would be good. You are right on the celebutards, but I could care less what they are up too. Its all about enjoying it, otherwise I wouldn't be a car guy.

But like I said before numbers matching isn't a big deal, and I'd love to keep the find under 25k but for the right one.......

It may end up being a right place, right time. Just gotta hold out till that comes along.

Thanks again for the great input,

Dave

 

Well I found one and pulled the trigger, I bet I looked at 20 of them in various states but only one "spoke" to me. Its a nice driver, 67 RS, non matching 350 with powerglide on a tree shift. The pics probably make it look nicer than it is, but the paint has no shortage of clear in it.

Once I arrange a truck and trailer to drag her home I will go over it even closer than I did on inspection. But for what it cost, theres no way I could find one and have done what has already been done. Sure it needs details and odds and ends but thats alot of fun too.

And no, the doors don't work . But who drives and night or in the rain anyways. I appreicate the guidance here, it was needed in coming to my decision. Maybe it needs a new thread? I am sure I'll be back with noob questions. Now to procure the shop manuals and digest cover to cover.



[IMG]local://upfiles/12480/6E4C643E78A748CC8093E7BF595A0088.jpg[/IMG]

 

Very nice. Would love to know some more details about it. Glad you found one that spoke to you and I love the comment about the doors.

 

hey, nice '67! I'm especially liking it because it's an RS. When you get time, take some pics and I'll post them on a website I'm working on. It's mainly a '68 RS tribute site, but I will have pages for the '67 and '69 RS's also. Nice find!
Mark
www.68rs.com

 

I might have missed the post, but camaro trader is another resource for camaro shopping

http://www.thecamarotrader.com/


Also, check Old Ride.com

http://www.oldride.com/classic_cars/...et_camaro.html