Jeffrey found this 1973 Camaro Z/28 on eBay back in 2006 and it resonated with him, taking him back to high school when he used to own a ’71 Camaro SS. He’d always wanted a Z/28, so the decision was made to scoop this one for his new toy.
He did not get a chance to drive the Camaro until about 2009, and when he did, he immediately decided that he wanted to ditch the factory automatic and swap in a manual transmission. Those plans would have to be put on hold however, as a series of unfortunate events began to unfold in his life and he had to deal with divorce instead.
Once things began to stabilize in Jeffrey’s life again, it was time to revisit the plans for this Camaro. Rather than a period correct 4 speed manual, Jeffrey decided that he’d instead go with a modern 5 speed transmission, and he sourced a great deal on a Tremec TKO 500 gearbox for the swap.
It was at this point that he began to uncover the hidden truth; this Camaro was really a rust bucket in disguise. As he was prepping the swap, he found a lot of rust throughout the floor pan and it kept getting worse the more he looked into other areas of the car. He had his work cut out for him if he wanted to make it perfect.
If things couldn’t get any more complicated, Jeff became seriously injured at work and was forced to retire due to those injuries. It seemed like he was cursed and this 1973 Camaro would never be completed. Still, he would not give up and attempted to continue work on it whenever he could. That would include picking up a welder for the first time since he was in high school, teaching himself the skills necessary to get the job done.
“This car is special to me because it’s the car I’ve always wanted growing up. The favorite part about this car is that it’s a True Z/28 RS-Split Bumper and it was originally white just like what I had many years ago.”
Jeffrey
Jeffrey’s future plans are to source an LS3 engine for the new powerplant, convert to a 4 wheel disc brake system for modern safety, and a full overhaul of the suspension to bring it up to today’s handling standards. A Vintage Air AC system is also in the works for the comfort factor that a functional AC system adds.
“It’s been a long road and a very slow process as it’s hard to get around, under and above the car to do certain things. Not to say the learning process of knowing what to do and how to do it. I’m still plugging away and hopefully I’ll get it done. At least before I die.”
Jeffrey
