Hello my name is Nick and I bought a 1967 base v8 auto Camaro on Thursday. This happened rather quickly I wasn’t looking for a 67 I was actually looking for a 2010-2015. I was telling coworker about my car search I had drive newer Challengers and Mustangs, I said I was going test drive a Camaro at lunch. He told me to talk to another work that his wife had one that they needed to sell since family was moving to Seattle, I am in Virginia Beach, Va. so I assumed it was a newer Camaro and it turned out to be a 67. At the time I was only interested to see it and find out about it, I had already assumed it would be well over my budget and getting financing on older car wouldn’t be an option in my situation. The car belong to coworkers wife, I had worked with this guy for at least 15 years and only one other guy at work new about the car, he never mentioned or did he know anything about the car. Well they are flying out this Tuesday and needed the car gone and thru careful negotiations I now own a 67 Camaro. I went in to this assuming the car needs a motor, by sight and what I was told it ran when parked. I have documents from 2001 when the female owned the car when she lived in California where she bought it. In 2002 it was taken to Miracle Auto Painting in Alameda California they did the body work and paint over the original blue and it’s now a metallic silver. In 2005 I have a receipt when the car was shipped from Alameda to Virginia Beach, since that time the car has only gone 2 miles. It has had the following items added, MSD ignition, Elerbrock manifold and Holley 4 barrel, long tube headers and B&M ratchet shifter. New in the box along with the car was a 67 & 68 grille, she said she bought the 67 and it did not fit. So yesterday I had a chance to look at the car better and here is what I discovered. The car was hit in the front when it was blue and repaired, blue paint on trim pieces so I believe the previous owner wrecked the car and at that time switched to the 68 style grill and added the steel aftermarket cowl hood. AND..,,, the car has the original 67 driver side front fender and a newer replacement 68 passenger fender, yes people on side without side marker light and the other with the hole for one. ☹️
Now I understand why she said the 67 grille didn’t work I need to get the upper and lower trim along with the headlight bezels. I may hold off putting in the 68 grill that way I can sell it as new, grille is new trim is old has old broken 68 grill as well. Of course the first thing to do is see if the car runs and/or what needs to be done to get it running. The motor turns over by spinning the fan so it’s not locked up, the valves are very clean no gunk, going to drain fluids and lube everything and see what happens. Hopefully all goes well, this is definitely a driver car that’s my plan, paint job still looks new since it was garages they did a decent job. I plan to go for the trans am style racing look from back in the era, just the stance and tire size, not going to put numbers or logos or anything on it. The bumpers are not bad but not great either since this look they delete the bumpers I’m just going to remove and keep for now, I can always put them back if I change my mind. It does have drum brakes in the front so I plan to switch to disks brakes at least up front and maybe do the drop spindles and 15” 60 series tires all the way around, also go with some era style wheels. Of course getting ahead of myself need get it running and driving safely first. It does need some help with the interior. So if anyone is near Virginia Beach VA let me know I need all the help I can get.
Thanks for reading have a safe weekend and I will keep you posted

Nick






Yes the air cleaner and valve covers are high on the replacement list


67 side

68 side

Had an old Holley 4 barrel in trunk


Test fitting the 68 grille, I want to switch back to 67 like the round turn signals much better, need to find upper and lower trim pieces and bezels