ok long story short, I have a GSX-R 750 that I want to trade for a 2nd gen camaro (and I need advice on the plan for the build)

the plan is to get a 2nd gen and put a 70-73 front end on it, swap a 383 stroker that just happens to be in the garage, and then burn the tires off
does anyone know what problems I'll run into?

with the front end swap, which late model car looks natural with the old front end?

also my main question is, over the years with the 2nd gen, how did the interior change? anyone have pictures?


and if anyone just happens to be interested in the bike let me know too

 

Welcome aboard. I hear of alot of people swapping early front ends with later 2nd gens lately, it's just a bolt on and shim. but personally i think it looks silly without fabbing the rear to a 70-73 also but that is some hard stuff to do. i would just leave it the way it is and keep looking for a real 70-73 but to each his own. Interior is a little diff. on the 2nd gens but most should interchange.

good luck

joe

 

thanks, if I could find a good 70-73 for a trade I would but you know beggers cant be choosers

can you go more indepth on how the swaped front end ones look odd? (and I'm personal friends with a good body work guy so the tail lights are a possibility)

thanks again

 

To a real camaro enthusiast it would look silly because it's a frankenstein lol (out of place) and we can spot that out in a instant. Not bashing it just a prefference, i also love those front ends (the most of all the 2nd gens).

show your bodyman this, he does an amazing job with his tail panel fab.
http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116285

heres one (74) for an example on why i think it looks silly







Just looks odd to me, but like i said "to each his own", just my opinion

joe

 

I actually think the mid 2nd gens could be mmade to look more acceptable with a 70-73 frontend metal if you don't try to mix the front items. The yellow one Joe posted is a perfect example of one that's just all wrong in my opinion. Using a TA scoop, later fender scoops, and a later frotn spoiler are all just ugly on the early front metal.
In the rear I think you could get away with leaving the full rear window and either change the rear valance and filler panel to make them 70-73, or at the very least you could modify it to use a eraly rear bumper even if you kept the later tail lights.
I understand the objective is to get a early 2nd gen without spending all the money. But modifying a later to early 2nd gen to make it look exactly like a 70-73 will cost more than finding a early one and fixing it up. I still see pretty decent 70-73 Camaros for sale around here in the $3,500-$7,000 range. Of course they usually need some paint, or engine work, but that's still cheaper than building one from a late 2nd gen.
And really nice ones are under $15k.
Like this:
http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/1877204344.html



Here's a really nice 70 RS-Z28 for under $10k.
http://portland.craigslist.org/nco/cto/1873815749.html

 

The average person on the street wouldnt notice at all but people who know their cars will....but if you want something that is just a little different from everyone elses then go for it...if you changed the front and the rear tailights it might not be very noticable at all....and as for interior goes the earlier 2nd gens have a curved dash and later ones have a flat dash...heres a pic of my 81 interior for reference

 

80zjoe I completely understand,
in my head I want to take what ever good one I find (first one with black and/or red interior) and put the 70ish fenders, and grille on, no extra vents and what not, regular hood and thats it, I would also take the wing off
in my mind it would look clean and not too flashy but then again im still thinking

example, the vents, hood, and splitter on the yellow one are killing the poor thing

also I'm still toying with the idea of tail lights so we'll see

thanks benl07
do you know when the dash changed?

and I think my bike is worth about... 5k maybe? so I hope to get a car plus cash (sound reasonable?)

 

Not sure about the dash components but 70-78 and 79-81 were the 2nd gen dash yrs.

https://camaroforums.com/forum/70-81-general-12/2nd-gen-diagrams-50446/

Joe

 

1978 was the last year for the curved dash and then the 79-81 interiors went to a flat dash. Other than the dash there isnt much that changes between the years

 

Door panels changed in 75 I believe.