David has always wanted to find an older car and bring it back to life, so when this 1981 Camaro popped up on Craigslist about 10 years ago, it was the perfect candidate.
“When I first saw the car, I knew that was the one.”
David
He first became interested with the older generation of cars back in the 1970’s when he was in high school. His older brother bought a ’69 Camaro convertible and it was love at first sight for David. Unfortunately, in 1979 he was involved in an accident that left him paralyzed and wheelchair bound for the rest of his life and he never thought he’d be able to enjoy one.
This 1981 Camaro is an inline 6 cylinder and an automatic, which is perfect for David because he can drive using hand controls. He simply needs power brakes and power steering, which the old ’69 Camaro did not have, so when his older brother was ready to move on, it went to their youngest brother instead. David has a 305 small block in his garage that he may swap into the second gen in the future, but he would really like to get his hands on a 350 small block instead.
He has been saving up money a little bit at a time to fix the 1981 Camaro up and replace components that are in need. So far he’s replaced the hood, trunk, door panels, stereo, speakers, brake & tail lights, as well as the wheels and tires. There’s still much that needs attention such as the seat covers, but his next milestone goal is the save enough to get the car a new paint job.
“Thanks to Ground Up I can find parts I need and I put money aside little at a time when I have enough I place the order.”
David
He knows that the process is going to take a while to get the car where he wants it to be, but ultimately David is just happy to have it. This Camaro fulfills a dream he always wanted to achieve since he was a young man.
“I love the looks of this car. Whenever I look at it, I am so glad a bought it. Almost every time I drive it someone comes up to me and tells me how much they like it. It’s a good feeling!”
David
