I purchased the Camaro on July 12, 1985 from Richard in Walnut Creek, California. I wanted a blue 1978 Z28 with a manual transmission and only went out to see this Camaro to get some idea of what a Camaro felt like. During the test drive, I felt like I was part of the car. It fit me like a glove. I almost crashed it though. (Never test-drive a car during commute traffic in Walnut Creek). I am sure I freaked out Richard a little, but the procedures I went through would have been correct had the car been my little Vega... except the Camaro was an automatic (not a stick), it had Power Steering (not manual), meaning... I slammed the brake going for the clutch that didn't exist and sharply turned left.

Needless to say, I went with my gut instinct. I couldn't pass up such a good price, so I bought the car. Nope, it wasn't what I was after, but I loved it just the same.

I got the car home and almost immediately ripped out the AM radio and replaced it with the stereo and amp that I had previously purchased overseas.

I had to replace the lower radiator hose soon thereafter. The previous owner had warned me about continually having to replace the water pump. When I noticed water dripping from it, I found a small slit in the back of the lower hose that was spraying water up to the pump and then dripping down. It made it look like a bad pump, but actually it was just a bad hose.

I also installed a mini triple gauge set (hated the idiot lights). By October of 85 - I had mounted speakers in the doors. I had to go through 3 plates of steal to do it.

In March of 86, I got rid of the "Full Moon" hubcaps and purchased a new set of wheels. Being that I was single and didn't have a life the Camaro got washed and waxed almost daily. In June, I added the third brake light (hated the thought of getting rear-ended) and a cruise control module.

I began to take the Camaro on long trips (Redding and Los Angeles). I was getting 19 MPG (which I thought was great).

In January through March 1987, I began thinking about towing a camping trailer with it. I put dual exhaust glass pack pipes on so the engine wouldn't have to work as hard to expel the exhaust. I put air adjustable shocks in the rear to help balance the load of a trailer. I replaced the 2-core radiator with a 3 core one and added a transmission fluid cooler to aid its cooling abilities.

It towed a little 10 foot camping trailer great. Very pleased. (Even was getting 13 MPG on the highway)

In August 1987 disaster struck. On the way back from a day trip to Disneyland, the engine timing chain spun, leaving me stranded in Button Willow on I-5. It wiped out all the pistons, rods, cam, the entire engine was blown. (I was cruising the speed limit... I am a putt-putt type of driver, besides... what can you do to an engine on the straight and flat I-5?)

Within a month, I had a brand new engine in it. I had the block bored out, I put in flat top pistons, I put in a crane cam (economizer, I wanted better gas mileage, not power), and stainless steel valves (because regular gas was going away so I wanted it ready to run on un-leaded). I had the engine balanced. When I had it all assembled, it idled rough because the cam was starving the engine, but at freeway speeds it cruised! It wouldn't tow the trailer as fast up the mountain as it used too, but it was a solid, long distance, cruising engine made to last!

In January 1988 while coming down from Donner Pass, the Water Pump shaft bent. Yes, I finally had to replace the water pump. I replaced it on the side of the road with the help of my father. Within 4 hours I was back on the road again.. Cruisin'.

In May 1988, I added a rear window louver, to protect the rear deck. It was a little late, the rear deck already had sun damage, but at least it wouldn't get any worse.

In November of 1988, I married. Yes, I brought my Camaro on my honeymoon... (my wife tagged along too) Of course, married life took time away from my car. I was no longer able to wash and wax it daily. I was also no longer able to spend as much money on it to keep it up.

In July of 1990, I was rear-ended by an A/C transit bus. The bus pushed the rear bumper into the car a little. I took it to the Chevy Dealer at Hilltop and they tried to repair the damage. Their body people told me that they couldn't get to the bumper bolts because the bumper was pushed into the car. Oh well. It wasn't that bad anyway.

In November 1990 slid into an accident in front of me on 680 north coming up from San Jose. I smashed in the right front fender into the tire. This time I took it to Bonds Body in Richmond. They put a new fender on the car and repaired all the little nicks and dings. They told me that they couldn't fix the rear bumper because they couldn't remove it from the car since it was pushed into the body and they couldn't get to the bolts behind it. I also had them repaint the entire car a darker green. Within a month, the damage was repaired and the car was now a Dark Green color.

February 1991 - In search of better gas mileage, I put on a 4 barrel carburetor and manifold. As long as I stayed off the back barrels, it cruised nicely and I finally got back up to 19 MPG again.

With the birth of my second son in 1992, the extra work on my car came to a halt. I simply kept it running since it was my primary work car.

In 1994, I took it up to Portland on business. I then took it up to Federal Way in Washington to see a navy buddy and his wife. This is the farthest north that I had taken it.

In 1997, I took it down to San Diego for my Navy Reserve weekend. It will make this trip many times in the future.

In June of 1998 I moved to Idaho. Before the Camaro made the trip, I put new rear leaf springs on it. During the work, it fell off the jacks onto me while I was underneath it. I was pinned with the weight of the car on me. Luckily we hadn't removed the rear tires. The car came to rest on me and the tires up in the fender wells. I was a little sore for a week, but the rear of the car is now back in its stock position.

It made the trip to San Diego, from Boise 2 months later.

January 1999 I installed a new radiator, to try to fix an overheating problem. It helped a little. The heater core sprung a leak the following year. I replaced it soon afterwards. That is a job I don't recommend. It was a major pain to replace a heater core in the snow cold dead of winter.

August 2001 I replaced the water pump and hoses again. Still not running as cool as it is supposed to be. I finally got the idea to replace the fan clutch. That fixed it.

In June 2002, I replaced the driver door hinge pins and re-aligned the door.

to see detailed restoration pictures.

In July, I started the restoration project. When they originally painted the car dark green, they never prepared the car properly. (i.e. never stripped off the old paint or wax). The dark green was flaking off making the car look polka-dotted. I originally wanted a BLUE 1978 Z28, so I figured I would paint it blue, myself. This way I could be sure it was done properly. I don't trust paint shops anymore.

It took a month by working nights and weekends, but I was able to strip it down to bare metal, prime, seal, color and clear coat it. I went with a Toyota 1993 color code 8G2 found on many Camry's. I know it might be sacrilege to paint a Chevy with a Toyota color, but I like that color and it is MY car. By the way, I was able to remove the rear bumper. It took me 5 minutes to undo the bolts located INSIDE the trunk that holds the bumper on. (It is a shame even the Chevy Dealer didn't know that you remove the bumper from within the trunk!)

This is still my daily work car. It is too much fun to drive to restore it to be a show car and just sit in a garage. If you can't drive a car daily... what good is it?

In all the long distance driving since I purchased the car in 1985, I have never once fallen asleep at the wheel. I can not say that about any other car I have driven. After 17 years in my possession, it is still my choice to drive.

In January 2003, a little knick in my windshield that happened in 1986, finally grew to a huge crack (guess you should always fill those little knicks) I had the windshield replaced. The following week I had new front coil springs installed. Those coil spring had been sitting in my garage for over a year. Now my Camaro is finally restored to its stock height.

In March 2003, I replaced the old instrument panel with a Dakota Digital Instrument Panel. This allowed me to remove that mini tripple gauge I had installed so long ago. I also added a NEW gas gauge sending unit. I didn't think the old one was working properly because it would stay on full for 150 miles and then swiftly drop to empty for then next 80 miles.

January 2005, I slid through a red light on ice. I was lucky enough to not to hit anyone, but I took it as a warning. I bought and put on studded tires. When it came time to take them off, I was granted permission, (see reference to getting married above), to buy a new set of wheels. I went to several different tire stores. All but one, wanted to HOT ROD my daily work car. Only BIG-O Tires listened to want I wanted.

December 2005, You know, Ice and Camaro's do NOT get along. Well add to that a carburator that got stuck in open throttle position and your just asking for a ride (studded tires or not) OK OK OK ... YES I WAS STUPID!

February 2006,The headliner finally started to disintegrate, so I took down the old one, went out to a fabric store and picked up some black vinyl. My wife (yep, still married to the same woman and I remind her that I had my Camaro longer than her quite often), used the old liner as a pattern to sew together a new one out of the black vinyl. I think she did a great job. I also replaced the rear window deck with one purchased from NationalPartsDepot.com.

February, 2008, I finally got around to replacing the door panels. My elbow had rubbed a hole in the garnish rail and the panels were showing their age quite un-gracefully. I bought new panels, door handles, and garnish rails from NationalPartsDepot.com, NPD, (Ventura). In the process of putting on the new garnish rails I noticed that the new ones did not have the window felt. I tried to reuse the old felt, but they were pretty warn. So I ordered a new set of window felt from NPD as well. I ordered new door rubber as well as long as I was at it. I received the new parts in 3 days and installed everything over a weekend.

This is still my primary everyday commute car.
More to come... later