Hey everybody!

Just bought a 1994 Camaro off of CL.

It's only a 3.4, but I have ALWAYS wanted a Camaro and this was one I could afford!

It has a repaired title, blown airbags, loose mainshaft bearings in the T5, and 203,000 miles on it. Just my style!!

I've turned a few wrenches, rebuilt a few transmissions, and drive heaps that usually run really well!

I can't wait to participate in this new venue!

Thanks!

 

Welcome to this forum, pictures when you get a chance.

 

Welcome to Camaro Forums.
That branding on the title means your car had been totaled by an insurance company, and then somebody "fixed" it, minus the airbags.
It was obviously in a crash, did you visually dig around in the front of the car to maybe know how much damage was done?

 

Thanks!
Pics on the way.

Yeah, I looked at the front, but I'm not very good a bodywork.
I checked out the core support, the sub-frame and all along the inner fenders under the hood. It LOOKS like he did a pretty good job fixing it. The gaps between the doors and fenders and rear quarter all match really well too. The car tracks well and even after being under the car a LOT I don't see any wrinkled metal or uneven spacing.
I was told that the accident and repair happened at around the turn of the millenium and the paint is fading.

I love this car and REALLY like how the guy repaired it. (The owner said it was his father's friend who bought the totalled car and repaired it)

He put a '98 front-end on the '94 Camaro and it looks really good all together!

I haven't been able to drive it yet, except when I drove it home.

Almost have it road-worthy...I CAN'T WAIT!!!

THANKS for the welcome, guys!

 

Here's a few as I just got it home..

 

As you can see, I buy cars that have no paint!! lol

Here's the engine compartment after a little detailing...It was filthy!

 

Some insurance companies may differ, but the rule of thumb is if cost of repairs exceeds 80% of the cars value, the insurance company will write it off. Based on book value of a 94, a damaged front bumper cover that needs replaced and repainted, and replacing the air bags (body shops can't legally put in "used" bags) and the air bag sensors is enough of a cost for the insurance company to "total" the car. Your car wouldn't have necessarily been a mangled mess to have gotten totaled.

 

Wow! Good info! Thanks!
I hope that's what happened, because I am REALLY starting to love this car, and I have only driven it once!

Just pulled off the front brakes yesterday morning before work and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the rotors aren't integrated into the hub. There's an old man here in town that will turn rotors for $5.00 each. There's still a good .020" left on these rotors before min. thickness, and they have GM stamped on them!!!

Does that mean they are the ORIGINAL rotors? 203,000 miles later?

This car needs a lot of parts, but they all seem to be inexpensive ones. Rotors need turned, but no play at all in the wheel hub.
Input shaft was a little loose, but the World Class T5 looks like brand new (except for reverse, of course!)

Rear drums needed turned, but didn't need anything else! My buddy said that parking a car for a long time with the parking brake on can push the drums out of round. Must be...


I was telling my neighbor that this car has been neglected, but not abused. Outer tie rods are toast, but I'm not getting any play in the ball joints.

SORRY to keep running on and on, but nobody around here seems as STOKED as I am about this car! -Gotta tell somebody! LOL

OH! and I am going to put as much urethane under this thing as I can!!!
I'm on a budget, so it will have to be like Johnny Cash's Cadillac... one piece at a time!

 

I noticed shifting problems before I bought the car. Started out thinking that it was the Slave cylinder (so did they because once I got under it at home, THAT was NEW!) Then I figured it was the pilot bushing.

Pulled the tranny and clutch to find a cracked pilot bushing from a rushed install.

Once I had the T5 out, I noticed a LOT of side play in the input shaft.
The guys down at Transtar here in Boise are great, and told me that the play can be taken up with input shaft bearing shims.

Looking inside the case, I thought I saw broken teeth and I remember the seller warning me about the transmission. So I panicked, tore off the tail housing and top cover only to find that the missing teeth are actually synchro "dogs" machined to allow assembly clearance. I noticed that only 5th has a brass synchro, making this a "World Class" type T5. I looked like new, for 203,000 miles! I cleaned it up and reassembled it. The guys at transtar gave me a great trick- soak your new BRONZE pilot bearing in ATF for a while before installing it. These guys KNOW transmissions! New LUK clutch and resurfaced flywheel later, I'm ready to reinstall the T5!

Now, if I can just remember to fill it before I get so excited to take it out!!!

Again, sorry to just keep on about this car, but I have ALWAYS wanted a Camaro, and NOW I HAVE ONE!!!

I am SO STOKED!!! Thanks SO MUCH for listening!!!! I will help wherever I can in this forum! THANKS!

 

BTW- That's the SWEETEST '69 I've EVER SEEN!!
(That includes the few car shows I've attended!)
I LOVE this forum!!!