Old bird, new life!

**Mr Z** · 06-10-2008, 01:38 PM

Back story: This '79 T/A was my dad's first car and was saved for my first car. Back in '03 I was in rush hour waiting to turn into a muffler shop. I was waived in by the 2 big 4x4 trucks in the lanes and started to go. As soon as the nose made it past the trucks, this lady comes cruisin down the shoulder. I'm guessing she knew the cops cuz they were all kinds of nice to her and gave ME the ticket. (pissed me off when they were talking about her pos Chrysler 300M being ruined)

Anyways, the whole front was shifted to the left and twisted up the frame ends and the hood/door got twisted. Here's the pics of the car after getting it back to my garage that faithful night:

And after 4.5 years of saving money and searching for parts, here she is after leaving the body shop:

I'm so happy! It's been a long road to this point. I never realized how hard it was to find parts for this car. Now it's just a matter of locating an upholstery shop to redo the interior. And tearing down the Olds 403 and rebuild it. I was wanting to throw an LS1 in there but I really like the fact that it's the original engine.

**02cetransam** · 06-10-2008, 01:58 PM

nice color and sweet car

great story as well

**Too Fast** · 06-10-2008, 02:09 PM

Very cool. Great story x1!

**third_shift|studios** · 06-10-2008, 02:09 PM

HOLY COW!!!!! congradulations...those previous pix made me

**Mr Z** · 06-10-2008, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

HOLY COW!!!!! congradulations...those previous pix made me

You're telling me. I was so bummed for so long. And that was probably the most tense drive home with my dad I ever had...

Thanks for the kind words everyone

**banditgirl78** · 06-10-2008, 03:44 PM

Very beautiful car! They are very hard to find parts for. I have a solar gold 78 that I am trying to restore and I have problems finding parts for it too.

**brynnda** · 06-10-2008, 03:53 PM

omg she is gorgeous!!! it wouldnt be a ws6 would it???? i could use another second gen on my website!

**muteki** · 06-10-2008, 06:03 PM

Save the Birds!!! Good Job!!!! Nice Ride!!

**INMY01TA** · 06-10-2008, 06:04 PM

Lookin good man. Keep it up.

**Hurley711** · 06-10-2008, 06:10 PM

Nice job! Good for you!

**Hawk23** · 06-10-2008, 07:50 PM

reminds me of my 96 Camaro I had before my Hawk. I was pulling into a parking space and some lady was doing about 50mph through the parking lot and t-boned me. She knocked me into 2 other cars. The cops come and they say I was going too fast. I was parking! I was going maybe 10mph. To make it worse, I got hit by a Mustang. Also, she was uninsured and I had liability only, so I spent several months buying parts on ebay and finally got it put together. It felt so good having her back together. Unfortunately I spun out a few months later on a rainy night and destroyed the rear end which led to the me getting the Hawk. Anyhoo, don't mean to hijack your thread, it's just that I feel your pain and know that feeling when you finally get your baby back.

**scotthd** · 06-10-2008, 08:00 PM

wow awesome 79 that is one of my fav. models live the color!!!!

**scotthd** · 06-10-2008, 08:02 PM

how much have you invested so far to get it to this point.. Just curious cause I want a 78 for my next toy

**Mr Z** · 06-10-2008, 08:40 PM

If you take into account the parts I've boughten and been burned on (gotta love ebay descriptions/people's honesty some times...), I'd say somewhere in the neighborhood of $4,000 with me doing some of the work when I could get time to drive up there.

And Hawk, that's an amazing job on repairing your Camaro. Really sucks that you lost control after all the time that must have been invested. Spinning out is a scary trip. I did it in my '98 getting onto a snowy freeway at about 50mph. Luckily I was able to regain control and swing it back the other way and kiss the guard rail with the rear. I've always said if I'm going to wreck, I'll do my best to go tail first. At least that way the drive train will be salvaged into a 70's 240z.

**Hawk23** · 06-11-2008, 05:22 AM

Yeah, I put about $4000 into that Camaro and had it repainted 3 times (thanks Earl Scheib

). I spun a 180 right into a curb, broke my driver side wheel off and my panhard rod was shaped like a V. Not good. I put a junkyard rear end on it and it was from Louisiana after Katrina, so it had water in it. I just ended up trading it in after I got it driveable. Hopefully your T/A will last a lot longer than my Z28 did. I had a 79 T/A that looked similar to yours, but not nearly in as good a shape. Looks good, now take care of it!

**ArcticZ06** · 06-11-2008, 01:10 PM

Get some Armor All on those tires!! j/k! Looks good man! I have a 79 with the olds 455.

**JoshieDoom** · 06-11-2008, 04:56 PM

jesus.

**Cronex** · 06-12-2008, 12:52 AM

A main flaw in owning one of these cars is if you ever get into an accident, more or likely reguardless of who is at fault, even if your not they generally blame you, which is bullshit. Good to see shes nice and pretty again though. Much or any frame damage? Or do you not know?

**GULLETT17** · 06-12-2008, 04:19 AM

she looks beautiful man . . . so glad you saved her!!!

**Mr Z** · 06-12-2008, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by Cronex

A main flaw in owning one of these cars is if you ever get into an accident, more or likely reguardless of who is at fault, even if your not they generally blame you, which is bullshit. Good to see shes nice and pretty again though. Much or any frame damage? Or do you not know?

It tore up the ends of the frame rails a little bit. But it was nothing a big f'n hammer, a welder and 40 minutes of my time couldn't fix. Threw it on a frame stretcher and everything lined up fine.

I sure miss driving that beast. Car hasn't driven on it's own power since '03. It's a whole 'nother feeling being in a big old tank like that compared to our late models.

Thanks for the props everyone!