The Sleeper: My new project

[Detector]

OK so I sold my 77 Trans Am. I had done about as much work on it as I could and decided it was time to release it back into the wild/streets. I got $3,000 out of it which wasn't bad for my initial $250 investment. I probably put about $1,000 into it.

Again I looked for the elusive mustang rotting away somewhere, but no luck. The older muscle cars are getting much harder to find now that people are seeing what they can sell for. After some looking around I found a car that wasn't a "classic" but it was a bit unusual. At first I was wanting to get an older classic, preferably American muscle, then I got to thinking I'm really tired of dealing with these rotted floorboards and quarter panels.

I've always liked the looks of the newer Camaro and so one on a back lot caught my eyes. It was a 1994 Camaro that someone had done a bit of modifying to. A little research would reveal a whole lot of modifying had been done. What I found was that ALL 4th generation Camaros came only with the V6. Only the Z28's and SS's had the optional LT1 powerhouse.

I looked at the motor and saw it was the 350 LT1 only put in High end Camaros and Corvettes, but the VIN indicated it was originally the standard V6. I also noticed the speedometer went to 150 mph which seemed strange far a car with a modest V6. I started decoding the RPO's(Regular Production Options) which tells how each vehicle was originally equipped, and started seeing quite a few discrepancies.

It showed to have disc brakes on the front and drum brakes on the rear originally, but it now had disc brakes front and rear. I little asking on a few Camaro forums and I start to get a picture. One thing all the people had to say was "someone spent a lot of $$$ on this car." I learned that you can't just take out the old V6 and put in a LT1. You've got to use the transmission for the LT1, You've got to switch out the entire front suspension before the LT1 will fit, and pretty much all of the cross members and rear end. That is why they said someone put a lot of money into this "sleeper."

Well the guy wants $2,900 so I start naming off all the stuff that wasn't original starting with the motor. I didn't tell him they were all improvements. Anyway, so we haggle a bit and he finally excepts my $2,000 offer. It does have a few dings on passenger side rear quarter. Everything except for the rear quarters is fiberglass.

This thing runs like a raped ape. Now I've got to decide if I want to keep the paint the same or go with a new scheme. I'm thinking maybe white with orange stripes.

[Army_of_One]

black with white stripes would look good with the tan interior.

[wordsmythe]

The stripes are kinda gay and unimaginative.

If you are going to put time, money and effort into it something original would be best.

[Detector]

I think they were trying to do a Z28 type thing. I'm thinking about a Sniper Body Kit.

TC body kits|Body kits|G35 Body kits|Mustang Hood|Civic F1 Fender

[wordsmythe]

As long as you don't do a flame job. The ONLY time flames are cool on ANYTHING is if it's actually burning.

[Bubba]

Get one of our military contacts on the board to get you some stealth material and/or paint. That stealth stuff is supposed to be undetectable to radar! hehehe

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by wordsmythe

As long as you don't do a flame job. The ONLY time flames are cool on ANYTHING is if it's actually burning.

LOL....right words

[Highwayman]

It sounds like a really neat find Detector.

Somehow a body kit and graphics doesn’t spell sleeper to me. A family sedan with a 500 cu in big block does.

The car is too modified to worry about keeping it original. The body kit would keep it from looking like just another Camaro. I’d be double checking all of the chassis and driveline modifications to be sure it was done right before doing anything else.

Personally I like the green and would probably stay with it, especially if it’s original because it’s just a lot of work and a pain to do a color change the right way. If you go with the body kit it screams ghost flames to me.

[jackknife]

I love ghost flames. Are there any really great car graphics places there or would you have to go somewhere else?

[Kodiak]

I found this the other day, should have posted it since I would rather see ya in a Mustang.

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