'82 Camaro in Upstate NY

[OdieTurbo]

Hello everyone!

I live in Upstate, NY (Endicott specifically) and just bought a 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta with a 2.8L V6.

I would love to restore it someday, but for now I'd just like to get it running and drivable. The first owner killed the engine and put it into storage back in 1994 or 1995. The next owner bought it for his grandson and completed repairs to the engine. Turns out the kids mom won't let him have it so the guy sold it to me.

It runs, barely. I look forward (some sarcasm) to dealing with the issues brought on by sitting that long. At least it is mostly rust free and never wrecked.

To give you some knowledge about me, I was a mechanic for 6+ years and used to street race a souped-up 1985 Camaro RS 2.8L V6. I do not plan on racing this one though.

With that said, I have 2 goals I would like to achieve through this forum.
1) Read, discuss, and gain knowledge from you folks to get the 2.8L V6 running good for now.
2) Eventually learn enough to swap it out for a 3.4L V6, preferably a DOHC but I'll take what falls in my price range.

Can't wait to get to know you folks!

[Jimmyfloyd]

Welcome. i don't have much knowledge on that motor, but I do happen to live in JC on Riverside drive and am always willing to lend a hand. I had a 3400 from an 02 Alero that spun a bearing, but unfortunately just scrapped the block. If I end up with another I can keep you in mind.

[tkoforpresident]

i'm over here near Buffalo, how far away are binghamton and endicott?

[OdieTurbo]

i'm over here near Buffalo, how far away are binghamton and endicott?

Endicott, Johnson City, and Binghamton are all pretty much the same darn city situated at the intersection of I-86 (Route 17) and I-81. Jimmyfloyd is within a few minutes of me and we're about 3.5 to 4 hours from Buffalo.

tkoforpresident, I like what you've with your ride! I like seeing souped up V6's!

[tkoforpresident]

lol thx odie.

any place 3-4 hours from Buffalo is probably some beutiful land. I'm jealous!

[OdieTurbo]

lol thx odie.

any place 3-4 hours from Buffalo is probably some beutiful land. I'm jealous!

I don't think anyone here would call it beautiful with all the darn rain we usually get

[Superdave]

Welcome!

I'm also starting a similar project, bringing a '89 V6 Camaro back to life with my 300+ HP 3500 V6.

[OdieTurbo]

Alright, someone needs to learn me about the 3500 V6!

[ForcedFirebird]

Welcome!

[IsaacHayes]

LX9 3500, non -vvt version. 200hp stock. Dave's has a BIG cam in there, port and polish work, and long tube headers, dual exhaust with h/x pipe in a 1991 cavalier right now. Click the link in his signature to read the full mods...

But yeah the 3500 is a great place to start... ForcedFirebird is putting a 3.4 with a 3500 top end in his car with twin turbos....

There's a few things to overcome putting a FWD motor in a RWD car, but I'm sure the guys here will chime in with what you need to do.

[bszopi]

Count me in on using a 3500 in a RWD vehicle. Eventually...

[Jimmyfloyd]

I'd be interested in helping you wrench some and a 3500RWD would be quite interesting.

[OdieTurbo]

Thanks Jimmfloyd! Some wrenching help might be appreciated. As for the 3500, it might have to wait. Found out the 2.8L had a complete rebuild! Might last a while. Right now I want to concentrate on cleaning the car up and getting it running well.

[2.8/3400 1985 Camaro]

Welcome!

I'm also starting a similar project, bringing a '89 V6 Camaro back to life with my 300+ HP 3500 V6.

Feels like everyone is going to beat me to it, rebuilding their v6 Camaros, sadly I think summer will be coming to a close by the time I have my engine rebuilt....and I have more than that to do....

Anyways, one thing to consider is doing a top end swap like me, I'm building up a 3400 top end on my 2.8l Camaro, also going to put in a big 3400 aftermarket cam, my goal for that is ~250 at the wheels, and I'm hoping to bump it up to 300 via things like exhaust system, under-drive pulleys, ram air intake and such, and maybe port and polish on manifolds and heads, I'm still deciding how much to do right now, cost is a limiting factor as much as I would like to have my heads done by WOT tech, and drop in forged pistons and crank. Speaking of which, does anybody know how much abuse stock internals on these things can take, ie. can they take 7k rpm and 300 hp? I'm thinking not, but can't hurt to ask.

But at any rate, dropping a FWD 60/6 in would be difficult I believe, but then so is a hybrid.....easiest thing is to probably find a 3.4l camaro engine from a 4th gen, all depends on what you're looking for really. Me for the moment, I want a high compression, beast cammed sixer to make me 300 off the stock block(after I do the other N/A tune stuff) at the wheels, with twin turbos eventually, while still being able to slyly state "oh its just a 2.8 under there" as if its not some beast that can run with the v8s
And to think I was originally just replacing the head gaskets...funny how that works out....