Hopefully it's ok to make one of these threads about a non-5th gen Camaro. Figured hey it's still a Camaro so why not.
I'm sure most of you by now know that I used to have a 2010 1LT/RS..pic in my avatar..which now be longs to dsirmans (username on Camaro5). After some family issues I was forced to give it up and I then bought a 2005 Silverado Z71. It was a great truck and I wouldn't mind owning another one some day but after driving it for a few months I realized just how much I missed my Camaro. One night while I was at work I was looking at some used car listings (third shift retail can get very slow at times, lol) and saw that a dealership about 1/2 a mile down the road from work had an 02 Z28 listed. Didn't say much other than it was auto and had t-tops. They also had listed a 98 Camaro Z28 convertible with an LT1
(98-02 V8 Camaros were all LS1's). This was just the start of all the stupidity at this dealership. So when I got off work I decided I'd go down and check out the 02. It was about 6 am so they weren't open yet but I did a good walk around and looked at the window sticker. They wanted $13k for it, which was a little high but I figured I'd get them to come down on the price a little. Came back a few hours later and took her out for a test drive. Everything seemed nice and I negotiated them down to $12k, still a little high. They looked my truck over and offered me $11,500 for it which was about $1500 more than what it's worth (it had over 100k plus a huge dent in the side from an off roading incident I had
). I told them I'd think about it and went home. The next day I came back and asked if I could take a longer test drive because I wanted to go to a car wash and make sure the t-tops wouldn't leak. Luckily they didn't and I decided to go ahead with buying the car. Now here's where the dealership's stupidity really begins. I told them the truck was financed through PSECU (a credit union in PA, for those that don't know) and I still owed about $13k on it. They said no problem we'll pay off the $11.5k and the rest of what you owe will go on your new loan. So first they decide to try and finance it through their bank despite me telling them to just try PSECU first since they have better rates then anybody. Nope they try their bank and I get denied. Well gee let's try PSECU. Of course they want me to call them and tell them all the information. Turns out the amount to finance was wrong because they somehow didn't add up the numbers right but at the time I didn't realize this. I told PSECU I needed a check for $12,2xx. They approved it and I had to drive about 30-45 minutes to Harrisburg to pick up the check. Come back to the dealer and oh no the check is wrong. It needed to be for $12,6xx
So I call PSECU again and they said they'll need the check back so they can make a decision on the new amount. Another drive to Harrisburg to return the check. I go home and get some sleep (third shift sucks btw). That night I was really thinking about telling the dealership where they could stick their car because it was rediculous that they couldn't even get the correct amount that I needed to pay. I started looking at 4th gen sites to see what mods I might want to do. I just happened to come across the very last 2002 Camaro and noticed the VIN number ended in 172465. I thought to myself that is really close the one I want to buy. I went and looked at the paperwork and realized the one I was going to buy was 172442 which was only 25 numbers before the very last Camaro. I told myself then that I'll deal with their BS to get this car because it really is something special. So the next day I went and picked up the new check and drove home in my Z28.
When I bought the car I was the 3rd owner and she only had 50k miles on her. One of the previous owners installed the SLP Loudmouth II exhaust with quad tips (the tips are going to be changed soon..I hate the quad look on these cars). Other than the exhaust and window tint (which is showing its age..soon to be redone) the car was bone stock. First thing I did was remove the dealership's name from the car (sticker, plate frame, and front plate). Since the car was originally sold in Virginia and then in Maryland it's always had a front plate. Since Pennsylvania doesn't require I front plate I drilled out the rivets that held the front plate frame in place and of course now I'm stuck with holes in my grille. I think I'm going to replace the stock grille with one of the billet ones with the 69 style bowtie on it. Or maybe the black SLP grille with the red bowtie. Haven't decided for sure yet.
I'm fairly certain this car has every available option for a 2002 Z28 coupe..leather, auto, t-tops, Monsoon stereo, keyless entry, steering wheel radio controls.
Mods so far (not shown in the pictures..they were taken a couple days after I got her)
Volant Cold Air Intake
SLP Loudmouth II exhaust (previous owner)
UMI Performance Shock Tower Brace
Replaced Z28 fender emblems with 5th gen CAMARO lettering (as a tribute to my previous Camaro)
Replaced rear Z28 emblem with Emblem Pros ZR1 style Z28 emblem (left the stock red bowtie as is)
Replaced nose emblem with Emblem Pros Z28 nose emblem
Added stainless inserts in the rear CAMARO lettering
Painted brake calipers red with silver CAMARO lettering
Not really a mod but I had to put on new Falken all season tires (was a lot of fun "using up" the tires that came with her
)
Mods ordered but not here yet:
SLP 25% Underdrive pulley and required belts
SLP Chrome lug nut caps (I'm missing a few of my stock black ones)
Mods I want to do (this is gonna be a llloooonnngggg list lol)
American Racing torque thrust wheels 17" chrome (probably on Pirelli P Zeros like my 5th gen)
Cowl hood of some kind
Throttle Body
Dyno tune
Lowering Springs
Sub frame connectors
Sway bars
Cam..no clue where to start with that, anything I read on the subject gives me headache
Redo the window tint
Drilled and slotted rotors and new pads
Heavy duty plugs and wires
Upgraded stereo..right now my passenger door speaker rattles something awful
Headers
Probably forgetting a ton of stuff but that's what's on the top of my mind right now.
I'm open to suggestions from 4th gen owners past or present but I'm trying to stick with stuff that can be undone (should 4th gen prices skyrocket
) because of my car's historical significance. So as much as I'd love to turn it into a full fledged race car I'm not going to..not like I have the money any way
So for now here's some pics as I got her. Once this snow goes away and I have a chance for some pictures I'll post them up. Meanwhile enjoy the pics
