1991 Camaro Z28 1LE project

[WMCCjames]

Come on you guys.....seriously? These things aren't worth any more than the money and effort spent in restoring them. And then what do you have? A "rare" third gen, that less than a handful of people can appreciate? Please..... These things make great platforms to add the latest cool shit.

Get that smoke wrench out Jason and get to cuttin.....mmmmmmm LSA

I tend to say stock sucks in most cases....but this is one of those exceptions.

The problem with cutting it up and installing all the "latest cool shit" is that some day, the latest cool shit will be obsolete, just like your hotrod. Not only is the original value of the car gone and most likely all the number matching parts are as well, but so is the value of all that "latest cool shit". Then what do you have? Your hatred for 3rd gens has always been very obvious, but remember, lots of guys out there don't share the same mindset and appreciate these cars for what they are. If you follow pricing trends on some of the rare 3rd gens that have sold at auction recently, you would see that people are starting to pay decent money for these cars.

And Michael is right, someday (10-20 years) that car restored to it's original state will be worth 2-3 times more than your car as it sits with it's outdated "latest cool shit". But don't feel bad, I'm in the same boat as you. My car is cut up to the point of no return, but that doesn't bother me one bit.

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

Come on you guys.....seriously? These things aren't worth any more than the money and effort spent in restoring them. And then what do you have? A "rare" third gen, that less than a handful of people can appreciate? Please..... These things make great platforms to add the latest cool shit.

Get that smoke wrench out Jason and get to cuttin.....mmmmmmm LSA

This quote needs to be promoted and printed on T-shirts so we can all start poining-and-giggling in 10 years.

It's the epitome of the "satisfy-me-now" syndrome that is so prevalent in today's society.

There is nothing (let me repeat that...NOTHING) that can be added/changed/modified/updated to this car that has not already been done before...and done literally 1000s of times.

So why would you take a very rare car and just lemming-ize it?

I get it, I understand that these things will be made to an individual's personal preference...but if you really had a '67 Z28, would you put a blown 454 in it with a flame job, just because you can?

By the way, this thing is more rare than a '67 Z28, just for reference...

To each their own, but I would hazard a guess that whatever gets done to this car now, in 20 years somebody is going to spend the same amount of money to undo and make it original again...

[ruckusz28]

I endorse rescuing any care that would otherwise have sat and rotted. I'd hate to see the 1LE get anything aside from a stock restore.. however, DIBS ON OE BRAKES!

[JasonH]

I think you forgot to mention the "custom paint job", and "custom interior"..........


You're planning to do enough to it, that it concerns people as to why you would do this on an exceptionally rare 3rd Gen.........

Too each his own, and ultimately it's your car do as you wish, but don't be surprised when people question "why". It's kind of like putting a flag on your car and snapping a picture, not everybody is going to like it or agree with it. But if you like it, that's all that matters.

You must be referring to the person on Facebook that disrespected the American flag by draping it over his vehicle for a photo. I understand his heart was in the right place, but clearly he didn't know the US Flag Code so I posted an excerpt.

[JasonH]

Same difference after you do that it will be worth less. A 1LE car is worth more restored as it is then modified. Again I ask you to please not ruin this rare car. Sell it to somebody that will restore it.

This is a 120,000 mile 1LE. It's been used up. I could invest $10-15k restoring it and it could be worth $10-$15k if I'm lucky.

I agree some day the sub-50,000 mile 1LEs could be worth some money, but it will be beyond my lifetime that this 1LE will be worth a lot of money in stock form.

[JasonH]

I tend to say stock sucks in most cases....but this is one of those exceptions.

The problem with cutting it up and installing all the "latest cool shit" is that some day, the latest cool shit will be obsolete, just like your hotrod. Not only is the original value of the car gone and most likely all the number matching parts are as well, but so is the value of all that "latest cool shit". Then what do you have? Your hatred for 3rd gens has always been very obvious, but remember, lots of guys out there don't share the same mindset and appreciate these cars for what they are. If you follow pricing trends on some of the rare 3rd gens that have sold at auction recently, you would see that people are starting to pay decent money for these cars.

And Michael is right, someday (10-20 years) that car restored to it's original state will be worth 2-3 times more than your car as it sits with it's outdated "latest cool shit". But don't feel bad, I'm in the same boat as you. My car is cut up to the point of no return, but that doesn't bother me one bit.

I don't really mind. I'm doing this for me, not for somebody else to benefit from the value increase 20+ years from now. The only thing particularly modern and "latest cool shit" about this car will be the powertrain. I have my IROC if I want something that looks more like a stock car if I want to go that route.

This car will be done right and in the end will be a tribute to 1991. I think if I do it clean and right it will be appreciated.

[JasonH]

This quote needs to be promoted and printed on T-shirts so we can all start poining-and-giggling in 10 years.

It's the epitome of the "satisfy-me-now" syndrome that is so prevalent in today's society.

There is nothing (let me repeat that...NOTHING) that can be added/changed/modified/updated to this car that has not already been done before...and done literally 1000s of times.

So why would you take a very rare car and just lemming-ize it?

I get it, I understand that these things will be made to an individual's personal preference...but if you really had a '67 Z28, would you put a blown 454 in it with a flame job, just because you can?

By the way, this thing is more rare than a '67 Z28, just for reference...

To each their own, but I would hazard a guess that whatever gets done to this car now, in 20 years somebody is going to spend the same amount of money to undo and make it original again...

I am doing something that nobody has done before, so you'll see what I mean. You may like it, you may not, but I'm doing it for me, not other people.

[JasonH]

bwahahahaha

I second that.

[92conv]

LOL!!.....And so I posted my "excerpt" here. No need to be all coy about it.

Speaking of coy. Why don't you release your plans for the car? Maybe people are getting all worked up for no reason. Spill the beans Jason. What form is this "custom paint" and "custom interior" going to take? Just curious? You clearly have a vision for what the car will be when finished, fill us in.

[JasonH]

I endorse rescuing any care that would otherwise have sat and rotted. I'd hate to see the 1LE get anything aside from a stock restore.. however, DIBS ON OE BRAKES!

Thank you. This 120,000 mile 1LE will finally get the restoration it deserves.

I'm keeping the brakes. It's something that defines it as a 1LE and should be preserved.

[Gregs_gsxr]

You could have found a v6 car and done the same mods to it and could have saved a lot on the initial purchase price.

There was less then 500 z28 1le's built, back in 1991, 478 to be exact, how many exist today? how many remain stock form? that remains unknown. I speak for a small percent of 3rd gen owners, but you really may want to just sit on that as is and cash in later. There are plenty of v6 cars to mod and customize.

[JoeliusZ28]

I would throw the stock engine / trans in the corner of the garage and do what i want with it.

For me and im guessing Jason as well its not about having "the latest" stuff, but more that its reliable, makes fun noises, and puts me back in the seat when i hit the go pedal. I could generally care less whats under the hood as long as it can do that.

[JasonH]

You could have found a v6 car and done the same mods to it and could have saved a lot on the initial purchase price.

There was less then 500 z28 1le's built, back in 1991, 478 to be exact, how many exist today? how many remain stock form? that remains unknown. I speak for a small percent of 3rd gen owners, but you really may want to just sit on that as is and cash in later. There are plenty of v6 cars to mod and customize.

A V6 car will cost more to get it up to speed than this car cost me.

The $1000/year for a storage unit will be more than this car appreciates.

[1BADAIR]

Unless it has less than 500 original miles it ain't gonna be worth anything.
Build it

[JasonH]

Unless it has less than 500 original miles it ain't gonna be worth anything.
Build it

Thank you! I agree.