Third Gen Restoration - It Begins

This story begins almost two years in the project. Up until recently, the plan was to restore the 1986 Z28, which was the first car acquired. As we dug into that car, we realized the body was really too far gone to salvage (see the carnage here), especially with our meager abilities. We did a lot of cutting and welding before admitting that we weren't very good at it. It was felt that the cost of making the car whole again (not to mention safe!) was just not worth the investment.

The past two years haven't been completely wasted though. While trying to figure how to proceed with this mess, we spent a lot of time restoring individual pieces that will be going back on the car. By restoring, we really mean cleaning and re-painting. Most of any restoration is the dirty work, the hours scrubbing grime and sanding rust. It's a PITA now, but the results will be worth it. In keeping with our low budget, we used spray bombs to paint the small parts. Heavily rusted parts, like the front lower A-arms, have been sandblasted and treated with a rust encapsulator.

Recently we came across an ad on Craigslist for a shell from a 1988 IROC. It was advertised as rust-free with very low miles. This being New England, and us being cynics, we had our doubts about the rust-free claim. After looking at it and being amazed at its condition, we soon became the proud new owners of it. The shell is in spectacular condition for a Northern vehicle. There is absolutely no rust-through and only a few spots of surface rust. Best of all, the floors are solid! At $300, it was a fraction of what we would have spent just on new floors for the 86. Things are looking up!

To date, everything has been stripped from the 86 to be used in the 88, and the 86 has been sent to the junkyard. Although it pained us to scrap a piece of American iron, there was really no other sensible option.

We will use the term 'restoration' lightly here, as it's turning out to be more of a restification. The final product will be a Frankenstein; a collection of parts from various vehicles. The drivetrain may be the one from the 86; a carbureted 305 with a 5-speed. The rear end from the 86 was junk, and the 88 came with one of unknown origin. There are lot of decisions to be made, and a lot of work to be done. So sit back and enjoy the ride as we document the progress.