If it is CCC carbed, then clean or rebuild. The CCC carb is actually pretty good if its tuned correctly. It is the predecessor to the TBI system.
Just inherited a car that hasn't been driven since 1993
- Thread starter dman4384
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Pretty much everything that has been said. My MG sat for 18 years. Surprisingly, it did run on the the old gasoline even before I gave the carburetor a rebuild. The cooling system and clutch and brake hydraulics were more problematic. Brake and clutch fluid had turned to muddy sludge, and the cooling system had lots of rust in it. Didn't take too long before the water pump seal went south after I got it going, and that was after new belts, new hoses, new fan clutch, new thermostat, new coolant, etc..
Prepare for lots of crispy rubber parts, weepy seals, flaky electrical connections and switches, sticky door lock cylinders, and sticky mechanisms.
Prepare for lots of crispy rubber parts, weepy seals, flaky electrical connections and switches, sticky door lock cylinders, and sticky mechanisms.
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
YES, all great advice. You must realize somethings. First , do you have a bunch of cash on hand to deal with MANY surprises? Two, how much if any of the work can you do? If those two questions are not easily answered.... SELL THE CAR. Hard reality. While I love them all, the car is not a high dollar collectable. It will likely cost a lot more than it can sell for to get it going. I been down the road many times. Sometimes you win and sometimes you feel like the bug that smacked into the windshield. If you are not capable, you need a friend who is a good mechanic or an auto expert to look it over for you. There may be all kind of hidden bombs just waiting to bite you. #1 for certain the wheels have to be flat spotted and rotted from sitting so long unless its on jack stands with the air let out? Good luck. Sorry but there are no certainties with this type of car. The car should have been driven at least 2-3 times a year and warmed up well for a good 20 minutes or so. Too late for that now. I messed one up myself and let it sit for 12 years. I lucked out with zero engine issues but the gas tank had to go and the radiator , tires. Brings to mind the brakes may even be locked up. I wish you well and would be excited myself to get one as you have but there is a long road of trials before going down the road in it.
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You may be missing the point: this was his father's car, so pure financial input is not enough. Important, yes, but not enough.
Your observations have merit but they are unknowns right now and do warrant evaluating.
Were it my car under the circumstances he describes I would pursue the steps people have outlined. Maybe sell it but that, for me, would be the very last part of an involved process.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
^ THIS. Sounds like it may be a unique car and not just another '86 Z28.
More of the back story of this car, and pics would be fantastic.
I don't have any advice that hasn't been given so I'll just say congrats and enjoy the restoration.
Wow. Cool car! I remember when they were new...I had an /85 Trans_Am for a long time...
So, if it were mine. Drain the gas. All of it. Dispose of that.
See if the engine is stuck, as was mentioned. Big breaker bar on the crank pulley. Pull the plugs, and a squirt or two of thin oil, perhaps Kroil, in each cylinder. A borescope would be great. If it's stuck, let the Kroil sit overnight. If it's still stuck, then I think I would pull the engine and begin the teardown. Let's hope that's not the case. Clean the plugs and re-install.
Personally, I would change the oil, so that if any water got in, that gets drained right now instead of getting sucked through the oil pump. Put whatever oil you like in it. If it starts up and runs, I would be changing it again after an hour of running.
New battery. Clean the terminals.
1985 was the last year for the computer controlled Q-jet, I think this one is Tuned Port Injection. That means electric fuel pump. See if the pump runs with key on.
I would disconnect the ignition coil and crank until you get oil pressure. Then connect the coil, and hope for the best. I can't remember if this had an HEI tucked under the TPI manifold. Should be OK cranking without ignition.
It'll need new tires, for certain. Probably need new brake rotors, too. Neither age well when sitting.
It'll need a lot more, but you have to run it to figure out what's leaking/rusted stuck/broken/cracked/whatever. Once it's running, I would also pull the injectors and have them cleaned/rebuilt. I'm sure they're full of varnish. @Trav can tell you what type they are and if they can be rebuilt.
So, if it were mine. Drain the gas. All of it. Dispose of that.
See if the engine is stuck, as was mentioned. Big breaker bar on the crank pulley. Pull the plugs, and a squirt or two of thin oil, perhaps Kroil, in each cylinder. A borescope would be great. If it's stuck, let the Kroil sit overnight. If it's still stuck, then I think I would pull the engine and begin the teardown. Let's hope that's not the case. Clean the plugs and re-install.
Personally, I would change the oil, so that if any water got in, that gets drained right now instead of getting sucked through the oil pump. Put whatever oil you like in it. If it starts up and runs, I would be changing it again after an hour of running.
New battery. Clean the terminals.
1985 was the last year for the computer controlled Q-jet, I think this one is Tuned Port Injection. That means electric fuel pump. See if the pump runs with key on.
I would disconnect the ignition coil and crank until you get oil pressure. Then connect the coil, and hope for the best. I can't remember if this had an HEI tucked under the TPI manifold. Should be OK cranking without ignition.
It'll need new tires, for certain. Probably need new brake rotors, too. Neither age well when sitting.
It'll need a lot more, but you have to run it to figure out what's leaking/rusted stuck/broken/cracked/whatever. Once it's running, I would also pull the injectors and have them cleaned/rebuilt. I'm sure they're full of varnish. @Trav can tell you what type they are and if they can be rebuilt.
I don't have any additional advice to what's been given. But I am very curious how a Z28 with 11k miles just sits for nearly 3 decades. An incredible waste IMO, but can we know why?
You're looking at replacing every rubber hose and seal connected with the drive train. All the brake parts, rotors, pads and the brake lines. All the fuel lines from that gas tank to that carburetor. Maybe all four shocks/struts because the seals are probably rotted out.
Make sure the engine will turn before even trying to start it up. There are a number of YT videos on priming the engine before you try to start it up.
Being the car is sentimental value take your time putting it back on the road.
It will probably cost you more to get the car road worthy than the vehicle is worth after you're done.
I can say that because my brother likes collecting 60's mustangs and restoring them. He's told me that other than his 68 Shelby GT350 every one of his other Mustang's have more money in them than he could sell them for. He told me his father-in-law would roll over in his grave if he knew what it cost my brother to restore the 66 Mustang my sister in law learn to drive with. He got it free when her dad died and still it wouldn't bring enough money to cover the cost of restoration.
I knew a guy probably ten years ago who told me that his late father in law left him a 1980's low mileage Mercedes that had sat in the F-I-L garage for years. He had a mechanic that knew Mercedes come over and look at the car and give him an estimate on what it would take to bring it up to being driveable and road worthy. The mechanic told him to save his money and get rid of the car. He ended up selling it as is for $500 just to get it off the property. BTW the Mechanic who looked at the didn't even want to buy the car at any price because it had sat for so long.
Look at the Camaro as a labor of love and enjoy it once you have it back on the road.
Make sure the engine will turn before even trying to start it up. There are a number of YT videos on priming the engine before you try to start it up.
Being the car is sentimental value take your time putting it back on the road.
It will probably cost you more to get the car road worthy than the vehicle is worth after you're done.
I can say that because my brother likes collecting 60's mustangs and restoring them. He's told me that other than his 68 Shelby GT350 every one of his other Mustang's have more money in them than he could sell them for. He told me his father-in-law would roll over in his grave if he knew what it cost my brother to restore the 66 Mustang my sister in law learn to drive with. He got it free when her dad died and still it wouldn't bring enough money to cover the cost of restoration.
I knew a guy probably ten years ago who told me that his late father in law left him a 1980's low mileage Mercedes that had sat in the F-I-L garage for years. He had a mechanic that knew Mercedes come over and look at the car and give him an estimate on what it would take to bring it up to being driveable and road worthy. The mechanic told him to save his money and get rid of the car. He ended up selling it as is for $500 just to get it off the property. BTW the Mechanic who looked at the didn't even want to buy the car at any price because it had sat for so long.
Look at the Camaro as a labor of love and enjoy it once you have it back on the road.
We did the same with my wife's 77 MG-B. She purchased when she was a Sophomore in HS and it had been sitting in a barn in SE KS since the early 90s (many rat's nests and all kinds of other stuff). I didn't know where to start and paid to have it done and in Denver (Sportscar Craftsman). They first determined if it would run with an external fuel source -- she fired right up with strong compression and around $8,000 later (more than the car is worth) it is running great today. Good luck with your project .... sometimes you can't put a dollar amount on things!!!
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Sounds like a candidate for Nufinish...
Black Top is in great condition. Paint Is black too. I haven't tried to lower it. I'll wait till spring when it's warm.
I will. It's in Ohio and I live in North Carolina. I'm going back up later in January and I'll take some pics.
I probably won't transport it to NC till the Summer.
Yes. It's NOT a TBI system.
I don't know yet. It's still at the back of a very full garage and most of my time has been focused on other estate things. I've gotten to spend about 15 minutes with it so far. (which was basically sitting in the drivers seat and being mentally transported back to being 20 again when I last drove it)
But I like the idea of using a breaker bar first.
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Pretty sure it is an electric Quadjet.
As a side not. That very same year I had an intern job at the factory that produced them. My job for about a week was connecting the wire harness leads to the TBI throttle bottle on the cars that had those (I skipped the carbed models). Did a number of other jobs there to leading into the 1987 model year. I put on ALOT of motor mounts.
In the end, I didn't go the auto engineer route. I went into what data communications which later became Internet.
Still a car nerd though.
txs
Yes, I know. Its a CCC. Or, electric quadrajet as you stated earlier.
An LS1 will twist a convertible F-body. There's a reason the 350 wasn't an option for convertibles or T-tops.
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