Thinking About New Project ...

[res0o7eb]

A Camaro ( another Chevrolet product that looks a lot like a Vega ) with the heart and soul of an H-body in it.
It'll be a 2nd Gen Camaro, of course. A Z-28, too.
I'll change the emblem to a Z-29 (see image below).
Or maybe a Z-09.
The usual period-correct performance mods - dual carbs, 'racing' cam, high compression, headers, manual trans (no pussy automatic), posi rear-end, big wheels and tires.

What Camaro forum do you suggest that I announce this project?
How about nastyz28? Anyone a member of or frequent that forum?
Would they accept a non-factory purist project like this?
Perhaps Facebook. Should get a lot of likes. Correct?

What do you think of my H-body project? Would you accept it?

Or will I have to start my own forum or blog? Will anyone visit it?

[bugdewde]

The only one I recall is nastyz28. It's huge!

[rpoz-29]

Do a 3rd gen. They came with the iron duke as standard equipment!

[dindin]

I think you will be accepted in any group, and get many many likes and thumbs up no matter which way you decide to take it,and on the flip you will also get some negativity about why you did this or that..Even Chip Foose gets some negativity on his projects,

Do whatever makes you happy and you should be fine

Al

[cjbiagi]

I guess I am confused about what you are doing. Are you building a Camaro or a H body?

[ol55]

I guess I am confused about what you are doing. Are you building a Camaro or a H body?

X2

Larry

[Monza Harry]

My take on this was that he wanted to do an "H-Body" themed Camaro hence the really cool looking Z29 emblem, after all, we all know the H-body [Z29 is the RPO (Regular Production Option)for the Spyder package on the Monza] is 1 better than the Camaro. I am torn with that approach, I haven't been a big Camaro fan since my teens then my tastes matured, not much else according to many mind you! During the end of my teens and early twenties the people around me buying/worshipping these cars has caused me to permanently distance myself from them, however the T/A is OK I can't even try and explain. Harry

[bugdewde]

...................., however the T/A is OK I can't even try and explain. Harry

I remember an article/ad.... maybe a website. ... that went like this:
A Z-28 looks so I bad, it looks like it could kick your ass. A Trans Am looks like it's getting up and coming over to kick your ass."


.....or something similar.

Tom....
How about Pontiac H-body themed 2nd gen Firebird...... as a Formula Sunbird. ..... but a turbo 301? Not as cool a modified emblem, though.

[res0o7eb]

Wow, I thought this would be fairly obvious.
But, I forget that this is a Monza-centric forum.
The Z-29 is also the Vega GT option. I think rpoZ-29 gets it.

My project would be a Camaro with the heart and soul of a Vega GT - A Z-29.
The seats and steering wheel (and bumpers to a certain extent) in a 1974 Camaro are identical to a Vega - so that's a good start, huh?
My first real car way back in 1976 was a red over black 1974 Vega GT hatchback, 4-speed with the black GT side stripes(I forget the RPO no.).
Since a factory original 1974 Vega GT hatchback is very rare these days - believe me, I've looked - I thought about obtaining a somewhat similar-looking, fairly common 1974 Camaro Z-28 and swap in my spare engine with some of the performance parts I have accumulated over the years.
Understand?
Since so many Vegas have been converted to SBC power, I thought about doing the opposite.
Does it make sense now?
No?
How about this - what do we do with all of the SOHC 140 cu. in. engines that were pulled out of all of these Vegas for a V8 swap?
Scrap them? Yes.
But, there were millions of them and some are still around - including several of them in my garage(one already built and waiting).
How about swapping one into a car that probably donated its own heart and soul for a Vega V-8 swap years ago?
What do you think someone would say when they open the hood of my red over black 1974 Camaro or saw pictures of it in a Camaro forum?
Would I be shot or flamed? Shunned forever?
But, hey, it's got dual carbs, 'racing' cam, high compression, headers, manual trans (no pussy automatic), posi rear-end, big wheels and tires.
What more do you want? More cylinders? Does it really matter?
So, I do the opposite.

Disclaimer - I am not opposed to anyone doing a V-8 swap. I absolutely appreciate the craftsmanship,attention to detail, and hard work that it takes to do it.

Yes, I will do a Pontiac Astre or Sunbird with a Pontiac V-8 when I retire in a few years - wish I had time to do it now.
There is a member here doing a pure-Pontiac Astre V-8 conversion - check the link in my sig.

[dindin]

Ahh I see..Kinda reminds me of the Sienfeld "Bizarro universe" episode where everything is reversed ..Do you think a 140 has enough Heaps to power a Camaro body?? Cool idea!!

Al

[res0o7eb]

Do you think a 140 has enough Heaps to power a Camaro body?? Cool idea!!

Al

Thought about it. Obviously, a stock Vega engine won't work.
1974 Camaro Z-28 : 245 hp @5200, 280 lb-ft@4000 and 3674 lbs
with the L-6 : 100 HP @3600, 175 lb-ft@1800 and 3413 lbs
1974 Vega GT : 85 HP @4400, 122 lb-ft@2400 and 2535 lbs
with the IECO performance build - mods mentioned above - 190 HP. Don't know the torque, probably not more than 150 lb-ft - just guessing.

Weight of Camaro SBC V-8 : 575 lbs
Weight of Vega I-4 : 285 lbs
Camaro body with a Vega SOHC I-4 is 3384 lbs, 849 lbs more than a factory 1974 Vega.
So, the SOHC I-4 will definitely need some added grunt and some RPMs to get it.

[Monza Harry]

Tom I didn't know the RPO Z29 was also for the Vega GT. Yes I am a Monza guy, but I did want a V8 Vega first and since the world has conspired against me even finishing the first H-Body, I figure a Vega isn't likely to happen . I do think that the Camaro purists will have a S T Fit when they see that, since they don't even like when someone calls our cars "Little Camaro's". For more "Kick" have you thought about a modern "Eaton style" blower that would nock the edge off of a few "Nay Sayers" I think and would give it a much needed boost [pun intended ] Under that giant hood and with that little motor there should be lots of room. Harry P.S. Your avatar is of a Monza so that was where my mind went.

[rpoz-29]

I like it. There should be plenty of 1974-1980 donor cars out there. This should be a cool build!

[bugdewde]

Yeah..... boosted. Turbo might be cheaper.

Steep rear gears to get going .... T-5 with decent overdrive.

Oh yeah, sh#t fit on a Camaro forum. Be sure to provide links......

[beakerztoyz]

damn..... I used to have a 2nd gen Firebird and a close friend had a 2nd gen Camaro..... I often think of how much fun it would be to build another one especially now that all the unfindeable parts for them when I was young can be ordered from somewhere. But alas it seems not to be, everyone in my area seems to want a small fortune for cars that need total rebuilds and I just can't bring myself to justify it.