Meatloaf, mullets, and MTV

[Eye of the Tiger]

I always liked those Capris, but the Z28 is a close second.

[shp4man]

If you were inclined, it would be relatively easy to replace the engine/transmission in the Camaro with something that would make it go as fast as it looks.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If you were inclined, it would be relatively easy to replace the engine/transmission in the Camaro with something that would make it go as fast as it looks.

Chevy crate motors are a dime/dozen and all of them make 3-400HP with bolt ons.

[GoCougs]

If you were inclined, it would be relatively easy to replace the engine/transmission in the Camaro with something that would make it go as fast as it looks.

Behold - moderately built 350 (Performer RPM cam/carb/manifold, ported heads, 9.5:1 CR, headers) and even swapped out the Turbo 350 for a Turbo 400 (would not recommend however). This is the day I bought it - mods didn't come till much later though.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Unacceptable. This is not a Camcord.

[Payman]

Behold - moderately built 350 (Performer RPM cam/carb/manifold, ported heads, 9.5:1 CR, headers) and even swapped out the Turbo 350 for a Turbo 400 (would not recommend however). This is the day I bought it - mods didn't come till much later though.

Beautiful. One of the few designs that don't quite look complete without a spoiler.

[GoCougs]

Thanks. I couldn't afford a "spoiled" Camaro. That car looked great but the 2-bbl 305 V8 was toast (specifically, flat cam lobes, bad carb and low-ish compression) and was only good for ~100 mph.

[cawimmer430]

Behold - moderately built 350 (Performer RPM cam/carb/manifold, ported heads, 9.5:1 CR, headers) and even swapped out the Turbo 350 for a Turbo 400 (would not recommend however). This is the day I bought it - mods didn't come till much later though.

How come no Mopar muscle car?

[GoCougs]

How come no Mopar muscle car?

Couldn't afford a decent one at the time (was only age 16) whereas '70s Camaros were a dime a dozen. Mopars didn't come till after college ('72 Demon below, and than a Power Wagon pickup and Ramcharger):

[CALL_911]

That's a pretty cool car for a 16 year old. Especially considering you bought it yourself. props son

[GoCougs]

That's a pretty cool car for a 16 year old. Especially considering you bought it yourself. props son

Thanks. I started working at just before age 16 for $3.35/hr at the local grocery store. I begged/borrowed and cheaped out on everything I could for about a year, and then with my saved $1,900 bought a few months before my 17th b-day I bought the blue bomber off a shady used lot.

In that pic it actually looks nicer than it really was IRL - it was 10 years old and had ~120,000 miles on it. The paint was good but it had some shoddy body work, the interior had some wear-n-tear and as I noted the motor was tired. But it was all mine baby!!!

[CALL_911]

It has to be a nice feeling. Much as I love my car, I know I'd like it (appreciate it) 129308x more if I had paid for it.

[GoCougs]

Mega nostalgia. I think this is actually the day that I bought it. In the above pics the tires are different F&R but here they are the same. This was me likely heading out to work at the local grocery store.

[hotrodalex]

That's a pretty cool car for a 16 year old. Especially considering you bought it yourself. props son

15 years ago it was much easier to get a cool car like that. My dad bought his Camaro in 10x better shape than my El Camino and has probably spent less on it even though it's in better condition and has more go-fast parts.



(side note - 2nd gens look sooooo much better after the front end is lowered ~2 inches. not sure how my dad could stand the stock height for so many years)

[hotrodalex]

Still partial to the Trans Am of that year, though.

[GoCougs]

15 years ago? More like almost 25 years ago (pic was taken in summer 1988). But yeah, those were the ONLY (sorta) cool cars pretty much even remotely in reach for a young adult. The import scene was unthinkable at that point, and the redneck truck/jeep/suv scene was much smaller (and actually the lowered mini pickup scene was probably bigger).

Not sure why but FWIW that front license plate is hanging in my parents' garage to this day.

[hotrodalex]

15 years ago? More like almost 25 years ago (pic was taken in summer 1988).

Ehh, anywhere from 15-30 years ago was pretty good for picking up cool old cars for cheaper(er).

But yeah, those were the ONLY (sorta) cool cars pretty much even remotely in reach for a young adult. The import scene was unthinkable at that point, and the redneck truck/jeep/suv scene was much smaller (and actually the lowered mini pickup scene was probably bigger).

Not sure why but FWIW that front license plate is hanging in my parents' garage to this day.

I probably would have had a mini truck if I was in my late teens back then.

[dazzleman]

Mega nostalgia. I think this is actually the day that I bought it. In the above pics the tires are different F&R but here they are the same. This was me likely heading out to work at the local grocery store.

The acid-wash jeans are a nice touch, too. 

[dazzleman]

Can we make this a Turbo T/A? I want power to swell out of my hood to tell the world where it's at!

Pontiac Trans Am 1980 TV commercial
More
Pontiac Excitement
for the Great ones

That's great!  I love it.

[dazzleman]

I like that one better. The 1980 model looks worse.

The '78 was really the last one I liked.  After that, GM ramped up the gindoloon factor and they moved steadily down the social scale.

[dazzleman]

Thanks. I started working at just before age 16 for $3.35/hr at the local grocery store. I begged/borrowed and cheaped out on everything I could for about a year, and then with my saved $1,900 bought a few months before my 17th b-day I bought the blue bomber off a shady used lot.

In that pic it actually looks nicer than it really was IRL - it was 10 years old and had ~120,000 miles on it. The paint was good but it had some shoddy body work, the interior had some wear-n-tear and as I noted the motor was tired. But it was all mine baby!!!

Was the Camaro an '81?

[dazzleman]

Here's what I was driving in 1980.  Not a Trans Am, but a standard 1973 Firebird.

[hotrodalex]

White interior? Nice.

[GoCougs]

Was the Camaro an '81?

It was a '79.

[dazzleman]

White interior? Nice.

Yes, white interior and vinyl top.  Stylin', at least for back then.

[dazzleman]

It was a '79.

The Firebird had some major changes to the styling in '79.  I imagine the Camaro did too, but the headlights look pretty similar to the earlier period ('76-78).

How long did you have that car?

[GoCougs]

The Firebird had some major changes to the styling in '79.  I imagine the Camaro did too, but the headlights look pretty similar to the earlier period ('76-78).

How long did you have that car?

The Camaro didn't have quite as many styling changes as the Firebird. For the Camaro headlights and upper grill were basically the same '74 - '81. However, there was a change in there on front bumpers...

The '74 - '77 had an exposed front bumper:




The '78 - '81 had a hidden front bumper:



More nostalgia. I had the blue bomber till after college. During college I was bored and not really doing the best with it all so I diverted myself into spending too much money hot rodding it (my one and only experience with running up credit cards - but by today's standards that $3k was nothing). It kept me busy and sane but it ultimately didn't work out too well and I ended up selling it to a friend for only $500. He did some work to it (I had my first engineering job so was too busy to deal with it) and sold it. Who knows where it is now.

[L. ed foote]

15 years ago? More like almost 25 years ago (pic was taken in summer 1988). But yeah, those were the ONLY (sorta) cool cars pretty much even remotely in reach for a young adult. The import scene was unthinkable at that point, and the redneck truck/jeep/suv scene was much smaller (and actually the lowered mini pickup scene was probably bigger).

Not sure why but FWIW that front license plate is hanging in my parents' garage to this day.

Ah, I remember when minitrucks were all the rage I used to subscribe to "Truckin" & "Hot Rod" magazines. People were all about filling the bed with speakers. Still are, come to think of it...

The import scene was starting to take off, but then again, I was in an area with a lot of Puerto Ricans, so there was no shortage of hopped up "punto ochos."

I do remember seeing quite a few GTI's, Sciroccos, I-Marks/Spectrums and Sprint Turbos back then; late 80's early 90's.

[CJ]

Here's what I was driving in 1980.  Not a Trans Am, but a standard 1973 Firebird.

Ugh.  Such a poor person's car.

[dazzleman]

Ugh.  Such a poor person's car.

  I was poor then!