Finding A 1974 Camaro Z28 Lt On The Manner To The Rose Bowl
Gold inwards California. Gerald Davis climbed aboard a bird to larn sentry football game inwards California. He came abode amongst a 1974 Camaro Z28 LT. Fate? Hardly. Davis had his sights assail southern California Camaros earlier he left Alabama. His target, the early on 2d gen variety. The same cars that filled his high schoolhouse parking lot.
Reason to hunt
Locating rust-free 1970-1974 Camaros, fifty-fifty inwards Alabama, is tough. Once you lot subtract the demolition derby remnants left past times decades of anxious teens the challenge is severe. More then when you lot prefer budget-friendly finds similar Davis.
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| Climb inwards a 1974 Chevy Camaro Z28 Type LT 4-speed amongst lite aureate paint. |
Bible of cars
Davis scanned the latest Hemmings Motor News ads amongst his concluding finish of Pasadena, California inwards mind. He would hold out staying amongst household unit of measurement in El Cajon, close San Diego, as well as whatever southern California Z28 would hold out inside driving as well as automobile hunting range. As luck would get got it a 1974 Z28 was listed for sale in Palmdale, a 30-minute campaign N of Pasadena.
What game?
Davis tackled the California Camaro chance caput on after he landed inwards the golden state. Before he drove to Pasadena to sentry Alabama confront UCLA at the Rose Bowl Stadium he contacted the possessor of the ’74 Camaro. The promotion stated it was a truthful 1974 Z28. ’74 was the in conclusion yr of the pocket-sized dorsum window 2d gen Camaro. And the in conclusion yr earlier the Z28 took a 2 yr hiatus.
In 1974 the Z28 bundle included a 350 V8 amongst 4-barrel, dual exhaust, sport suspension, Positraction raise axle (4-speed manual Z28s came amongst 3.73 raise gears), sport mirrors. Front as well as raise spoilers as well as hood as well as deck stripes were optional.
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| The grill on the 1974 Camaro Z28 had been changed. As had most of the front end sheet metallic after a front end terminate collision. |
First look
Uh oh! The Camaro was parked exterior inwards the elements. Blowing desert sand had created a haze on the drinking glass as well as the master copy Light Gold (53) pigment was burned past times the harsh sun. But those weren’t the outset areas of trouble organisation for Davis.
“When I outset saw the nose, I idea that’s non a Z-28,” Davis said. “It had the incorrect grill as well as header panel.”
For 1974 the Z28 came amongst a blacked out grill that featured the red, white as well as bluish Camaro emblem inwards the center. This Camaro has a silvery grill as well as the emblem is centered on the header panel. Something was amiss.
“The 2d possessor (in Palmdale) told me the automobile had been involved inwards a front end terminate collision.”
As luck would get got it, junkyard parts from a Light Gold ’74 Camaro were found. The crunched dark grill, header panel, as well as hood featuring the optional Z28 stripes were replaced amongst base of operations model parts past times the previous owner.
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| Z28 stripes were optional across hood as well as raise deck lid. No stripes on hood since it had been replaced. |
Deal is done
H5N1 four-speed as well as hot rod rumble made the conclusion easy. The stack of receipts, an L.A. Southwest College sticker on the bumper along amongst California plates confirmed the history of the Camaro. It was rust-free (compared to what nosotros regard inwards the southeast U.S.) as well as would hold out coming dorsum to Alabama a few weeks later on on a automobile hauler.
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| Dual snorkel air cleaner amongst chrome lid was touchstone on 1974 Z28s. |
Details
1974 was the in conclusion yr of the Z28 built without a catalytic converter as well as it did non larn quietly. It went out amongst a bang. Davis’ Camaro had some 100k miles when he bought it inwards 2000. Now at 117k (in 2019) as well as all the same packing a punch when he nails the larn pedal on the aureate beast. Here’s what’s powering his stock Z28.
- Engine: 350-V8 rated at 245 hp
- Transmission: Muncie 4-speed
- Factory hot rod parts: 4-bolt primary caps. Forged steel crankshaft, heat-treated as well as shot-peened connecting rods, touching on extruded aluminum pistons. Screw inwards studs. Big valve cylinder heads (2.02-inch intake/1.60-inch exhaust), 76cc combustion chambers amongst high-speed valve train. Oil pan windage tray as well as high-speed crankshaft damper. Dual snorkel air cleaner.
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| Light aureate (code 53) pigment is well-nigh a perfect gibe on the replacement front end terminate body panels on the ’74 Z28. |
Type LT
Camaro-speak for "Luxury Touring." Consider the Type LT the Lexus of 1974 Camaros. More insulation, to a greater extent than audio deadener, the lighting group, cushier seats, ameliorate stereo organisation as well as ribbed stuff on the door panels amongst map pockets. This aureate Z28 has the "Type LT" emblems along amongst proof inwards the cushy inserts on the door panels. This was no cheapo Camaro amongst a 4-gear.
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| Type LT emblems featured on the canvass panel as well as correct raise adjacent to tail light. |
Lost the game but…
Alabama, ranked #3 to start the 2000 college football game season, roughshod to UCLA 24-35. The game, tickets as well as bird ride are a distant retention for Davis – much similar the coin spent on them. But all was non lost on that trip to California. The Z28, amongst Davis behind the wheel, all the same roams the streets of Alabama when he gets the urge to relive the glory days.
Money good spent.
Jody Potter
— Junkyard Life
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| Steel 15x7 five-spoke Rally wheels were made to accommodate specific sparse trim down rings. The wheels resembled Torq-Thrust mags. |
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| Davis keeps his trim down rings tucked away for fearfulness of losing i on a bumpy route or abrupt curve. He snapped i inwards house for a photo. |
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| Surround panel for justice cluster was pulled out during repair work. Note the "TYPE LT" horn push clit on steering wheel. |
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| Points type distributor was available through Jan 1974 on Camaros. The HEI air cleaner base of operations volition get got a noticeable indention at rear. |
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| L82 engines inwards 1974 Camaros received the finned aluminum valve covers amongst Corvette cross flags. |
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| 1974 Camaros were in i lawsuit scorned but are forthwith earning observe for their house inwards musculus automobile history. |
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| In 1974 the dual snorkel on L82 engines was smaller than previous years. |
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| 1974 Camaro advertisement: "Hidden windshield wipers tuck downwards for an uninterrupted body flow." Not certain if that was plenty to offset the "Improved bumper system." |
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| A 130-mph speedo as well as 6-grand tach inwards the 1974 Z28 justice cluster. |
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| Front persuasion of replaced grill as well as header panel on 1974 Z28. |
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| The aluminum bumpers are stout amongst heavy steel inner back upwards construction that assist encounter the novel for 1974 5-mph bumper guidelines. |
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| Side persuasion of 1974 Camaro Z28 without raise or front end spoilers. |
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| Shifter that stirs gears inwards the Z28's 4-speed Muncie transmission. |
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| Smog heart on 1974 Camaro Z28 350-V8. Even the clamps are appointment coded. |
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| Most people ditched these smog heart systems when making performance mods trying to compete amongst higher compression foes. |
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| Type LT emblem on tail panel. |
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| Spotted inwards the wild, this 1974 Camaro Z28 was establish parked at the local hamburger stand. |
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| Camaro's gas tank straps await rust-free every bit create the sway bar as well as remainder of underside. |
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| Decoding VIN on a 1974 Z28 LT. 2nd digit "S" for LT, fifth digit "T" for Z28 350-V8 (L82). |
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| 1974 Camaro Z28 survivor of sorts from California to Alabama. |
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| L.A. Southwest College bumper sticker remains from California days. |
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| Ribbed stuff on door panel inserts were role of Type LT package. |
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| Small dorsum window made concluding appearance on 2d generation Camaro as well as Firebird inwards 1974. |
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| California license plate stashed inwards dorsum topographic point parts collection. |
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| Unusual topographic point adjuster adjacent to console on 1974 Camaro Z28 Type LT. |
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| Driver door sticker looks master copy amongst no signs of respray. |
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| Always a process to regard how adept the pigment looks nether the torso lid. Imagine if this Z28 had been kept inwards a garage all its life? |
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| Look ma! No spoiler. The await is distinctive on a Z28. |
Do you get got a classic or musculus automobile barn find? Send us details as well as we’re on the way! Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
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