I recently found a blue 98 Camaro 3800 5-speed. The dealer is willing to take Belen off my hands. I have an appt with the local Chevy dealer to inspect the car and give me their opinion. Since I'm financing the car on my own, they're willing to part for 2500 USD, not counting what they give me for Belen. Pics if the deal goes through. I am soooo incredibly stoked!!! I just might be gettin a stick after 13 years without!!! AND IT'S AN F-BODY!!!

COOL my buddy just picked up a 96 wrecked RS red 5 speed with 130k for 1750 from a junkyard.
If they werent so bad in snow id be considering one.

PICS !!!! if you get it

you can bet on it. Supposedly the engine and tranny are both brand new, never been in the ditch, and has a fresh coat of paint. The dash is cracked, but that is of no concern to me at this point. Those are only 2-300 USD anyway.

How its a huge turn around from Belen!!!
Good luck!!

of said dance or !

Congrats!

Edit: Top swap it.

Very cool. Learn from your past mistake, though, and get her thoroughly inspected before you buy it. $2500 seems dirt cheap, how many miles?

2500 seams like the going price for a high mileage 3800 powered Camaro around here. I keep eyeing them with a topswap in mind. But a Camaro needs the V8 rumble and we all know how hard it is to get that sound with the 3800.

Its a 5 speed RWD 3800. As a die-hard buick 3800 fan, that would be a dream come true IMO.

Fixed.

the car has 154k on the clock. Not sure if I'd go with a top-swap, TT, or SBC swap. IIRC from my brother, he said the motor mounts are the same during the latter years of the 4th Gen F-Bodies.

Pics? PICS? We dont need no stinkin pics! jk, will if I get her.

Didn't the early release of the 4th gens have the 3400? If so that's why those have different mounts cause of the 60° block.

If you get it keep it different. Not everyone has a hot rodded V6 that can compete with V8s.

Indeed they did. Heres a few pics of my 1994 Firebird V6 5spd. I paid $400 for this car, put $150 in it to get it running, drove it through the winter (it did great!) and got $1000 on trade for my GTP.

Keep the 3800 Rick. I've been looking for another one of these just to do something different.

EWWW@ the spoiler!!! That is pretty cool, though. A 3400 'Bird. Dont see too many of them around, thats for sure. LOL...CAI, HV3, TT, S/C, 50HP NOS, oh, darn, it's started already!

Thanks for the props, yall. sure appreciate it.

BTW: if someone has an active Carfax, PM me so I can try to blast the VIN out to you next week. Thanks in advance!

Now I remember the biggest turn off for me on the 4th gens was.



How far the engine is buried under the cowl. I was hoping the V6 would at least be pushed forward but working on that thing has got to be a pain.

This is exactly why a top-swap would not work. You'll need an aussie M90 and a few other things. If you can find one of those under $1000usd you're lucky.

It truly wasnt so bad. The plugs on the passenger side are angled forward, the EGR extension is an un gasketed peice so removals are cake. Nice is I had to put a timing chain in and I had a butt load of room to work with. A TT setup would fit perfectly under the hood of the v6's.

I coulda swore the top swap was possible only you have to fab an intake cause the inlet is at the rear of the motor. Remember the 3800 is a 90° V so room opens up on the topend compared to the 60°.

Here's a pic with the L36 the L67 isn't much taller overall then the L36

There is only about 3-4" of room on the backside of the engine. It is not possible unless you do some serious fab work.

Did some quick research the problem isn't the overhead clearance it's the firewall not allowing enough room to run an intake. Turbo would work better in this case. And with the shorter motor it should open space to mount a turbo or two We all know how much the 3800 loves turbos.

twin low mounted turbo's with a priority oiling system would bee thee pristine setup for a v6 F-Body

I can almost taste it now. Gee, thanks, fellas!

I cant imagine it tastets too good.... But it sure sounds good!

yeah, that, I meant to say THAT, yeah, uhhh, sure. lol.

lol. WTF is that retarded wing?

lol if it ever broke down you can pusih it like a shopping cart

CONGRATS RICK!! You deserve it, buddy. That Firebird has been nothing but problems from the beginning.

Speaking of TT 3800 Camaro's, their is a lady over at got3800 with one. Running 11.7 @ 117.

That is awesome! I wish we had cars that could get into magazines.

Dont congratulate me just yet, I havent bought the thing yet. Because work got in the way yesterday, I wasnt able to drop the car off at Chevy, which means the inspection was rescheduled for Monday.

I can see why you would be getting excited Rick...I still have a serious soft spot for F-bodies but I think the car I would really like to have is a Buick Grand National with T-tops. That has always been a giant killer of the first order.

(then again one of the 10th anniversary T/As with the mirror t-tops is pretty boss as well)

T-bat we have a 79 10th anniverasary trans am
400, mild cam, 4 speed. i love the shaker hood, to bad i cant drive it. Its for sale also

The rocket wing the previous owner from Fla. installed, actually, along with the light up pedals. I got rid of everything else. Just coulndt figure out how the wing was mounted...

They actually made a 3rd Gen GTA that had the Turbo 3.8 that the Buick had. They were produced in very small numbers ad came with a unique hatch. I've only ever seen 2 of them and I missed getting one by 2 days. Someone bought it right out from under me, I havent seen one since...

today was able to test drive the Camaro. I likey! Very slight cosmetic damage to the interior (trim pieces and the dash). That car will straight HAUL!!! I am now officially commited to the dance of buying a used car. Monday will be the third-party inspection. If that goes well, that afternoon will be the loan application. If the loan is approved, I will then pull the trigger on insurance. Then I will drive away, with Belen shrinking in the distance, presumably to never been seen again. I expect her to be sold for scrap and turned into a Chinese high-rise.

scrap! i sure hope not. shes a nice ol car
JK JK

Wait a minute.... Your trading your GP on the Camaro? I thought you were trading the firebird on the Camaro? WTF dude? LOL

He is trading the firebird, her name is Belen.

Hope it all works out.

You've got me purusing the ads for a cheap 4th gen to be a project car. Shame on you!!!!!

LOL, sorry, Herc. And thanks. Here in Lufkin, there's a red 4th Gen 'Bird with T-Tops that has a tranny issue of some sort and a gold 4th Gen Camaro with T-Tops that has a lower-end oil leak. The Bird is asking for 4500 USD, the Camaro is 8200 USD. Both L36, Camaro 5-speed, Bird is auto. Want more? Let me know, I'll get their phone numbers and pass it off to you.

Ace is right: Colleen is the GP and Belen is the 'Bird.

The 'Bird does not have any performance mods done, the GP is lightly modded.

just turned the Camaro into the Chevy dealership here for inspection. I should know something in a couple of hours. Carfax found a "severe damage" collision in Louisiana in MAY 98. Since then, it's passed every safety inspection it faced. Comforting to know that the body shop most likely fixed the problem.

The Camaro-owning-dealership said they might be able to give me $1,000 for Belen, if I include the $640 in Trans Am rims sitting in the back of the car. That means I'm expecting $1,500 for the Camaro out the door. TTL no longer an issue, I'm planning to "port" Belen's plates over to the Camaro. That should cost $5.

Hopefully, by the end of the week, Belen will be a long, bad dream. After the inspection, I'll be asking for suggestions on names of country girls that would look stunning in a blue dress. DONT SUBMIT YET! That would be jinxing the process.

That's cool, man. Good luck!

Best of luck with her, Rick! I just hope your country girl doesn't turn into a Devil with a Blue Dress On ...

Keep in mind the name "Camaro" means "buddy or pal" so she better be thekind of country girl who looks as good in jeans as she does in a dress...AND the kind you dont date :rolleyes:

What you mean by "dont date"? If anything, the relationship is the most fun during the dating/early marriage phase.

The loan has been approved. I can transfer plates from Belen to the Camaro. Insurance is a non-issue. I was given $1,000 for Belen, which reduced the paid price to $1,500 for the Camaro. Why am I getting that much for Belen? The T/A rims that I bought and never installed. Those rims cost me $640, and I still have the receipts for them.

Any suggestions for a good country girl name are now being accepted. So far I have Shianne, Sammy, and Cassandra. Be ready for me to shoot some names down due to me knowing someone by that name.

I like the fact that you got more for the rims than the car.

LOL, yeah, my wife got a kick outta that, too.

I think what T-bat was getting at (haha, I rhymed) though was that you don't date a buddy. At least, that's the way I took it.

.....Dixie! Good ol' Dixie!

Congrats Rick! I'm going to pick up my #2 dream car up Saturday! Its a Black 1999 Trans AM WS6, LS1, 6spd., Possible 1LE, FULLY LOADED. Only problem is its wrecked. But I'll spend 100's of hours on it. It beats paying $20k+, especially for what I'm paying for it!

For the true "country girl" image I think you almost have to do the two name hyphen kind of routine.

"Mary-Ann"
"Daisy-mae"
"Lizzy-Beth"
"Emmy-Lou"

Then again I have some cousins down in the Carolinas.

"Phyllis"...foliage
"Naomi"...beautiful honesty
"Betty Jean"
"Arlene"...
"Amanda"...she who must be loved
"Adrianna"

Now to delve into my literary choices

"Saphira"...which is greek origin for "blue gemstone"...but Saphira was also the name of the female dragon in the story "Eragon". She shared a symbiotic relationship with Eragon, sharing each others strength and she was loyal to him above all since he was her dragonrider. (maybe Sara-Ann as a country version?)

"Arwen"...is Welsh for "fair or fine" and the Elven Princess from the "Lord of the Rings". Not only did Liv Tyler make pointed ears look sexy beyond belief but she was strong, brave and faithful to Aragorn to the last...and being nearly immortal wasnt bad side benefit as well.

I've waxed rapsodic quite enough for now

Saphira...hmmm...As of right now, me and my wife agree on Shianne. I'll run that by her, we'll see. Thank you for all the suggestions.

The Camaro is home, kinda. I had to go from the dealer to the office. Got a pic of all three of my cars just before signing Belen over. Pics posted tonight.

Congrats on the purchase.

No not Shianne. Cheyenne. The other looks like some name a goober of a parent comes up with so their kid can have a unique name.

Yea, I don't like how Shianne looks either.

Me an my wife had tossed the ideas of the posted names around a while, and we really dont like the way the other names relate to the Camaro. In our opinion, Shianne, for now, is the best suggestion.

Here are some pics taken last night after I got off of work. Sorry I didnt post them up last night. Last minute, me and my wife decided to roll out from Lufkin to Houston to Huntsville to Groveton to Lufkin. I spent about 5 or so hours driving Shianne all over Deep East Texas, and ended up with my clear corners for Colleen, as well.

Here they are sitting at the house just before headin out to see Slick. Sorry for the blur, I had a low-light condition, though it doesnt look that way. Better pics when I can get them both washed.

Introducing Shianne



Colleen and Shianne hanging out together at the house



Colleen and Shianne showing some tail



Hope you enjoy the pics, more will be coming.

Why Shianne over Cheyanne, BTW? Cheyanne isnt used out here, and I wanted to keep the Deep East Texas feel to the name. Too bad Shelby works with the wrong car mfr.

Awesome Rick! Congrats man!

I think Shianna over Shianne for a female kind of feel...whatever her name, she's a looker
(yes Rick, I'm oogling your baby girl)

That's nice car. I believe it was last year model of camaro? I know we have new current year Camaro but it has been while.

One pic looks black, other is that dark blue/purple color.....

It's a dark blue. Slick said its a blue-black metallic, or something like that. It's the same blue they used on some GPs.

TBat, oogle all you want, thats why she looks so good, to catch attention. It just so happens that I'll be the one driving her, but all eyes, including from LEOs, are on HER.

No, the last 4th Gen was in 02 or 03, something like that.

Thank you all for the props, I'm sure happy with her.

OMG an FBODY!

Looks good man, awesome color!

and BTW. F-bodies rand from 1967-2002

Model years breakdown as such:

1967-1969

1970-1981

1982-1992

1993-2002 <-- This actually sub-divides. into this:

1993-1997

1998-2002

Differences were engines/appearence. Otherwie they were the same basic chassis.

Ricks is a 4TH Gen. Vers. 2. And a damn nice one at that.

Thanks, Shaker. Hopefully I'll have another Saturday off in a couple weeks. If weather holds out, I'll wash, detail, and shoot both cars.

LOVE this car. For someone as short as I am, it almost feels like I'm staring at the instrument cluster and not out the windshield. I most certainly will be raising the drivers seat some kinda way.

This thing will get loose in the wet stuff in a HEARTBEAT! Figuring out how to launch in second is a bit of a challenge, and I somehow or another got a decent launch in THIRD! How'd that happen?

The seats are MUCH more comfy than I woulda imagined, the radio is LOUD and clear.

Suspension is surprisingly comfy. Chassis, surprise, is STIFF!!! Shianne will shark around pretty much ANYTHING.

LOVE THIS CAR!!!

you should come cruisin' sometime...

I found this nice little route to the north of me that is quiet and I had fun with just me, diva, and the road. I need to change it up just a little next time I go out though. Plan is FM1774 north through plantersville up to FM149 and loop back around southward back to tomball. ...or something including that up to around Hwy6 and down to FM1488.

That is a real nice cruise. From the farm, I drive through Plantersville and Magnolia. Did you drive through Anderson or did you make a 3/4 right u-turn just before Anderson? Either way, you were REAL close to the farm where we were staying when I first got here to East Texas.

I know, you can head up this way, and we'll cruise through Davy Crocket National Forest, through Crocket, Nacogdoches, Lufkin, back to the house, have dinner, you can rack out in the house, then get you back to Tomball for church or something.

After all the drives I done made to your house, John...I'll leave it there, man. I'll leave it there. *sniff*

LOL, jk, dude. We'll hafta arrange a cruise day, though. That would be kinda cool. Too bad Shianne would SMOKE Diva. *nudge, nudge*

Shianne's gonna have a hard time making the little Diva sweat... lol...

We'll see what happens... A drive up towards Lufkin isn't out of the question, just have to let me know when you're off.

LOL, you mean IF I'm off. Looks like USAREC is gonna start giving us Saturdays off, so I MIGHT start having normal Army weekends again. I will most certainly letcha know, man. I'm sure my daughter will more than welcome you to the house. BTW: I think she mentioned your name again.

lol... She's a cutie, that's for sure. I wish I had some kids of my own.

Eventually, dude. Till then, you can get your fill on your nieces, nephews, and my son and daughter! They sure wouldnt mind.

heh... There are days I'm glad that I have a ton of friends with kids. I can get to play with them until they get cranky and then I can hand them back and not have to worry about it. :p

Saturdays off? WOW....

I know. I simply wont know what to do with myself. Oh, wait, yeah, I do. Anything BUT Recruiting.

There ya go!

Lookin good! I like it alot!

Thanks, Mike. When you comin out for a visit? Those three cars would look GREAT parked next to one another...

and dont forget the blocks on the pedals, too, man. Need those in the worst way.

Shorty... :p

Shut up, Nic Cage.

lol... right...

Just remember my diva will blow the doors off Shianne... :p

If Shianne was parked and shut down.

Sure... You can tell yourself that if it makes you feel better. lol

I wasnt tryin to make myself feel better, I was trying to give Diva a fighting chance.

Right... In your dreams. :p

LOL. What? Giving Diva a chance? Yeah, only in dreams WOULD she stand a chance. Take that MR Rice Lover! HA! lmao!

ROFLMAO... For two cars that weigh relatively the same, mine has almost 100hp over yours and superior handling. If there were a cat fight brewing, Shianne would be eating Diva's dust.

btw, I saw a sweet looking 1st gen Camaro on I-45 today... Sweet rumbles of a V8 got my heart going. Can't wait to get that 427 in the garage built and into something. Shianne will really be shivering in her boots then.

LMAO you two are amusing. :p

Sorry, Rick, but I think Diva would take you. As long as Slick's not driving, anyway.

(Had to get a shot in...)

woah... low blow...

Take deep breath Slick...lets let Rick have his fantasy. He and Shianne are bonding and I'm sure she feels like rocketship compared to Belen.

I know how he feels...sometime when I'm rollin the T-Bat, I jam the loud pedal and feel the pull along with all that sound and fury and in your mind it just feels like nothing could be more powerful than this...that is right up until the turbo Subaru goes whistling away in front of you...hurts to get your bubble popped like that.

We've been jabbing at each other for awhile now. Just kinda spilled over. But I'll let him have his fantasy.....until I fly by him and promptly get pulled over for not seeing the cop on the other side of him. Then he can just laugh at me...

And end up washing fire trucks or something. I wonder if anybody will EVER be stuck with that fate...

I have a great idea for that BBC in your garage: SHIANNE!!! Thanks for donating a full turn-key build to me and my "new" car. You're such a sport, John.

Here's a dose of reality to this ribbing: He's been driving stick for a year now, I've been driving a stick again for a week, after a 13 year hiatus. Yeah, right now, he'd smoke me BAD. Then I learn the F-Body and end up doing donuts around Diva up and down the 1/4, and still finish 6 seconds ahead...such a wonderful vision! LMAO!!!

Better hurry and get that A reattached... Hard to drive with nothing to sit on. :p

Oh and I'm not that bad with a stick... lol... really want to buy a short shifter for it though. I think that would help me eliminate my missed shifts.

P.S. Also, with that shifter you have on Shianne.. I'd be through three gears before you could shift from first to second.

think so? Too bad Diva needs 6 gears to do the same thing that Shianne can do in 5. My gears are fewer in number, yes, but far more effective in deed.

Salt Flats it is to see which of us has the highest top speed.

Betcha Diva still has it...

She's got the curves, accelleration, and the speed. :p

she aint curvy! she needs to work out more to get that tone back. Once she gets toned down, she'd look like a Camaro.

LOL. You 2 are pretty amusing.

LOL, you should see us in person. It's HILARIOUS to hear him TRY to cuss. And see the facial reactions when I rip on him and his car. It's like he really realizes I'm right.

Well someday when I'm so rich I dont have to wkr I'll travel all over the US to meet and chill with everyone on the forum!

I havent seen a testosterone weeing contest like this in some time...I wonder what either of them would do if the drove a REALLY fast car

LOL. Curiosity wants to get the best of me...!

Other than 98hp. there isnt to much of a difference bewteen these cars! Weight/Wheelbase/Width, all comparable. If Rick could get that extra 98hp. it would be a really, REALLY good race!

Dont need that power, I got skill.

OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH SICK BURN!

Well, you do have many, many, many years more driving experience. Like, a lot more.

:p

Heres your Diva Spanker Rick:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aufNPWXx860&feature=related

You want a Diva killer, this is what you want.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miWlcEfMzQ0

He hasn't been driving that much longer if at all... Seeing as we're the same age I'd have to say our skills would have to be at least comparable.

I can't watch youtube here at work, but if Rick has to start spending more than a few k to beat the diva, then it's on and I'll start planning the mods.

Speaking of which... I did drive a 12sec GP once... All I can say is WOW That was fun.

Rick says he has skill...this must be true, a skilled and very active imagination

Its also quite obvious Rick has wanted a car like this for very long time...while he has Shianne by the stick, it seems she has a pretty strong hold on his as well

(let your imagination run wild)

Then again, any guy who names his car "Diva" may well be in the same situation...this thread casts a whole new light on the symbiotic relationship between man and machine. (and maybe a little 2MI category to boot)

TBat, you always have a way with words...

dont he though?

about time to wrap this thread up:

John, I do realize that, in all likelihood and all other considerations being equal, your car will smoke mine hands down. Do I necessarily feel the need to challenge you on the track? No. But it would make for a fun day, regardless of who wins.

LOVE this car, and am very happy about this purchase. Shianne has a LONG service life in front of her, and I intend on making some good, lifelong memories with this car. I didnt wash and detail the car this weekend, since we have bad weather heading this way today and tomorrow. More pics when I can. Thanks for all the props on this buy.

Awwww, Rick... Did you have to end the fun?

Congratulations again! and I'll see you pull up in that baby monster here before too long I'm sure.

yeah, I didnt want everything to get outta hand and such.