My 79 Camaro 4-speed wicked street car project
 

I'm pretty new here been lurking around for a few weeks thought it was time to start a build thread. Had a very nice garage kept 81 Z28 4-speed car in the late 90's, and ended up selling it to get my wife and I's first place, and have wanted another 4-speed camaro ever since. Well after building numerous other cars over the years the majority of them G-body cars and box style Chevy trucks, I decided it was time for another 2nd gen Camaro.

I was in the middle of another G-body Malibu project, and just kinda got the itch for another 2nd gen Camaro so I started looking for a good factory 4-speed equipped cantidate. Well I found a good enough car only 80 miles away from home and dealt back and forth for a few weeks and finally came to an agreeable price.

Here's how she looked when I went to go look at her for the first time. All dingy and dull just waiting on someone to show her a little attention. Best part was she was all factory and unmolested. She's a 79 Camaro sport coupe. Only options are power steering, power brakes, rallye wheels, rear spoiler, and posi rear end. Someone had added a correct 79 Z28 hood at some time or another also.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/5...x15r6b7r35.jpg
By malibulvr at 2011-12-20
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By malibulvr at 2011-12-20
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By malibulvr at 2011-12-20

As soon as the deal was made for the Camaro I started taking apart my Malibu project. The Malibu was a race car and very light street use project with a wicked new small block chevy and trans, so I kept the engine, trans, and exhaust from the Malibu and sold the Malibu rather quickly. This was just before I took the car apart.

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/8252/hpim1801.jpg
By malibulvr at 2011-10-09
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By malibulvr at 2011-10-09

Wife nd i took a drive back over abd bought the Camaro and drive it home the 80 miles without problems. Well fast forward about a month and here's what I have done so far...

I put the wicked little small block chevy from the Malibu into the Camaro, and along the way upgraded to a new 11" clutch set up, and installed new headers. My factory Z28 hood was way too close even without an air cleaner on the carb, so I put on a new Goodmark steel cowl hood and removed the 1" phonolic spacer from under the carb, and everything now fits just fine. The next day I drove it open headers and in the rain to a friends muffler shop and had him install new 2.5" exhaust front to back with my Flowmaster mufflers removed form the Malibu.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9...owheels007.jpg
By malibulvr at 2012-01-29
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3382/12011000032.jpg
By malibulvr at 2012-01-10
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By malibulvr at 2012-01-10
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By malibulvr at 2012-01-10

As you can see from the pic above, the rear springs are shot and I don't have time right now to change them out. So I installed new set of air shocks and got the rear end off the ground.

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/9...owheels001.jpg
By malibulvr at 2012-01-29

The car was still quite a handfull to drive and actually keep it straight in the road under power so I had to add a better set of wheels and tires. These aren't stayin on too long, but they are much better and couldnt pass up the deal especially with new tires and all. They are Weld racing Draglites. The fronts are 15x7 with 235/60-15 tires, and the rears are 15x8 with 295/50-15 tires. All of the wheels are 3.5" backspacing. I am planning on going the pro touring route in the end with a nice set of 17" wheels.

Before:

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/9...owheels002.jpg
By malibulvr at 2012-01-29

After:

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/782...owheels003.jpg
By malibulvr at 2012-01-29

My son took a video as I was leaving for a test drive right after I put the wheels on. I don't care for the way it sounds with the tailpipes, kinda raspy to me, but it is much quieter for the kids to go for a ride with me. Let me know what you think.

79 Camaro 4-speed pro touring project - Car Videos on StreetFire


I plan on starting on the body and rust issues later this month and I hope all goes well with that. I will do my best to update as this happens.

Wish me luck!!!

Ahh I see now, you bought the set that way. Now I see putting them on your car like that. From your post in the other thread I thought you picked that combo out.

Your buddy does good work. I wish that kid was still hanging around here that posted up the abortion that he installed on some poor guys car. Thats how a custom bent exhaust should look. I think an x-pipe or H-pipe will mellow out that rasp quite a bit.

Again welcome. Nice car.

Thanks for the welcome. I had planned on installing an X-pipe kit myself, but ended up needing it done quickly so I could drive the car so I just had it done that way. I hadn't thought about the X or H pipe taking out the raspy sound, but it might be worth a try.

I was able to get the Sony stereo and the monster tach installed tonight, but wasn't able to take any pics. Will get some and post up soon.

Again, thanks for the kind words.

Nice work! The engine sounds great, and I like the exhaust sound myself. Like the way you're doing the Camaro, by keeping it together while you upgrade it.

Nice Camaro, Sound healthy.

Now see I love the car with the stock rims better, it does look better with more rubber under the fenders. So it is a toss up but that is a real sweet motor you have there.

Those stock wheels are what came on my car when new, along with F70x14 white letter tires!

Thanks for the kind words guys. Hopin to drive it to work tomorrow but am having problems the the starter. Have already ruled out everything else. Funny, My buddy and I talked about going ahead and replacing it with a new one while we were putting the new engine in the car, but decided not to since I had not had any problems with it thus far. Oh well, hind sight is always 20/20, LOL!!!

Nice looking project. Your engine has a familiar rumble, I like the sound! ;)