Vehicle Description
Very clean and well-maintained early third-gen F-body. Original
paint in great shape. Numerous upgrades under the skin: 350 V8,
5-speed, Hotchkis suspension, 4-wheel discs, and more. Affordable
early Camaro with more bite than bark!We've learned in this
business that people collect the cars of their youth, and there are
a whole lot of us at a certain age (say, in their 50s) who grew up
with the third-generation Camaro being the top dog on the street.
1982 was the first year for the all-new car and boy, was it ever
all new! Long, low, and wide, it was everything the Mustang wasn't.
This bright red 1982 Camaro Z/28 is a super clean car that has
always been treated as something special, and with just 41,528
original miles, it has definitely led an easy life. There are lots
of upgrades-we'll get to those in a moment-but externally, it's
just a nice, original 40-year-old F-body. The paint is
factory-applied and in good condition, with the only notable issue
being some buff-through on the deck lid. Otherwise it shines up
nicely and red always looks great on the Camaro. The decals are
likewise original and the stripes are showing a little bit of wear
along the doors, but reproduction decals are available and
inexpensive if you need perfection. Oh, and maybe search E-bay for
a replacement rear wiper (a rare option!); we tried, but they're
apparently tough to find. No T-tops means this F-body is a bit more
substantial-feeling than its open siblings and there's no question
that the design has aged rather well. This is still a great-looking
car!WE believe most of the interior is original save for the gray
cloth inserts on the front seats, which add some welcome contrast
to the otherwise monochromatic driver's compartment. The Camaro has
a great low-slung driving position and the early cars have big,
easy-to-read gauges that really work well. These are all
functional, and look great through the spokes of the leather-rimmed
steering wheel. Notable options include power windows, a tilt
steering column, A/C (inop, but the system is complete), and the
aforementioned rear window wiper. The original Delco radio is gone,
replaced by a modern Alpine AM/FM/CD/USB unit that's a big
improvement. You'll also note cool details like the twin pods on
either end of the instrument panel, the remote hatch release on the
center console, and the big cue ball shifter for the 5-speed manual
gearbox (the original transmission was a 4-speed). It's all in very
good condition, making this a car you can get in and enjoy right
away. There's even a good-sized trunk area out back outfitted with
custom speakers (we don't believe they are hooked up) and a hidden
cargo bay underneath. The real upgrades are found underneath, and
the list is long. The most critical item is the fresh 350 cubic
inch V8, a massive upgrade over the wheezing 305 that was
originally in place. With a 4-barrel carburetor on top, long-tube
headers, and an upgraded camshaft, it's probably at least twice as
powerful as the factory motor. Of course, being a small block
Chevy, it slots in there like it was born there and aside from the
open-element air cleaner and chrome valve covers, it looks quite
OEM. There's even Chevy Orange paint on the block itself. All the
A/C equipment was transferred to this new engine, so it should not
be difficult to get that system back online, and you'll note a lot
of new hardware throughout the engine bay. Underneath, there's a
5-speed manual transmission feeding the original rear end, which we
believe has 3.73 gears inside-this sucker is quick! The floors are
extremely clean because this is a low-mileage car that has never
seen winter weather, so no worries about hidden structural issues.
Look a little closer and also you'll see numerous upgrades like an
upgraded front sway bar with reinforcing brace, 4-wheel power disc
brakes, a UMI tubular torque arm with Hotchkis trailing arms and
panhard rod. There's a rumbling stainless exhaust system that feeds
a single Magnaflow muffler with twin outlets, so it looks and
sounds right. And that stance is exactly right thanks to 16-inch
alloys from a later Z/28 which wear 245/50/16 performance radials
all around.We believe cars like this Camaro are the next generation
of collectables as those of us who remember how awesome they are
get to the point where we want a fun toy to enjoy on weekends. With
a long list of upgrades and a clean ownership history with none of
the usual issues, this Z/28 is a great choice if you're on a
budget. It's not perfect, but with a little bit of elbow grease,
this could really be something special. Call today!Harwood Motors
always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections
of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
