Hey Guys, im new to the Camaro. I have had a 95 3.4l and i have had a 79 with a 396. I didn't explore much with them because i was younger and I didnt have the money or time. I recently purchased a 1980 or 1981 as the guy told me, but it looks like my 79 body style. I am not sure when chev change the body style. Anyways, i bought it from a buddy and it sat in the field for probably ten years. Im from Wisconsin, so rust is a factor here. I do not have pics of the car,but i will describe the car the best i can until i have pics. The trunk is solid, there is rust on the rear fenders just on the edges. Body is straight and little dents. I tore he carpet up in the interior, and there is a hole in both floor pans in the front big enough to put a softball through. There is rust around he holes but mostly solid. It dont look like swiss cheese, mostly looks like two big holes. I have never done body work, but i would really like to learn. It wont be a super show car, but i would like to clean it up. If there are holes like that, is the body savable? I know these cars are unibody, so you cant replace panels as easy. The motor is a 350, not sure of the year, but on the pass. side one of the cylinders has rust in it. It is obviously locked up. What should i do. I paid 500 for it. Would like to learn and make this car alive again Thanks in advance

 

bump... hey i tried to look at some pics on the forum and it said that i couldn't look at them cuz of some option turned off or something... what do i need to do to look at the pics?

 

The main thing to check on the car is the rear frame rails.That is a very common spot for these cars to rust out,and is probably the hardest to repair.As for the floors,no big deal,they sell replacement panels for them as well as just about any part on the body that is bad,so like i said as long as the rear rails are good,then i would say it should definitely be able to be fixed back up.

 

So there is just rear frame rails not front rails. could i just cut out the rust and weld a piece of sheet metal in? Also, will a three speed be pretty lame for a camaro with a 350?

 

get under it and look,the front is what they call a subframe and it can be removed and replaced easily.The rear frame is actually made to the body and not so easy to work with.The rust in the floor pans aint no big deal.All the rust you have described is normal for a camaro.You can run whatever transmission you want to,its just a matter of it going in the car,crossmembers,driveshafts length

 

Ok, it has a three speed in it. With the motor being locked up and rust in one or two cyliners it will need to be rebuilt obviously. Money isn't an abundance, so if i wanted to do the work myself, what is the best way to achieve 300 hp out of this 350. Is it very achievable? What kinda money am i looking at to get 300 hp out of it? Looking for 300 hp to the crank by the way. More is obviously better, but dont want to spend a mint right now. ALso what is a good website or place to get interior parts for cheap...carpet, door panels, etc...

 

If you're on a budget, then you need to assess what the car needs before you go any further. If the repairs to get it solid are too spendy, then you wont be able to do them within any reasonable budget.
I'd start as mentioned by checking the rear frame rails on the unibody. If they are solid, then the cost will be much less. Also check the subframe up front. Used are around $150, but it's sometimes hard to find a better used one if you live in the rust belt.
Check the trunk for rust also, and check all the suspension for signs of rust or damage. I think 2nd Gen Camaros are easy to work on, but I've been working on mine for 38 yrs., so it's getting easier with time!

 

PS- It might be a lot cheaper to find a decent running 350 on Craigslist and just add some performance parts to get 300 HP, than to start with an engine that's froze up and has rusty bores.

 

I guess first and foremost, i just want to learn. I have never torn a motor apart, and i figured he 350 is great to learn on. I am young yet, so i just want a decent looking car to tool around in. Something that can spin a tire decent, and sound good too. maybe i dont need 300 hp, but i would like something that can lay a decent strip Trunk is solid. The rear shocks are gone, so i will need new ones. The front support is decent but does havea rust hole towards the middle of the car. Im tearing the motor apart so i can learn how it works. I have worked on diesels, but do not know gas that well. I know the basics of how it works, just would like to see first hand. To rebuild the motor, like getting new seals, gaskets rings and so on, what kinda change am i lookin at? Mainly a stock rebuild, maybe a few power mods. Also, is there a way to tell what year the motor is? It has a rochester quadrajet carb on it.

 

It will come down to what you have vs. what you want. It sounds to me like you aren't starting out with the best platform at all. You want the best possible body you can find. Like another poster said, there are good 350's on craigslist all day long for cheap. Same goes for these cars, typically speaking what you'll spend is more than double what someone else is probobly selling their old project for....keep this in mind so you don't start something you have no way of finishing.