SALVAGE 1SS to Zl1 Journey
 

I Know I know I know... a lot of you guys have a love and hate relationship on salvage vehicles but hear me out. So back in November I started my search online and ended up at GM dealership to test drive a 2SS and instantly fell in love(but left home empty handed).Then about a month later the 1LE came out and well that was it! I then again went to the dealership with 15k ready to put down, but for some reason I got cold feet and ended up driving back two hours once again empty handed :/.

A few months passed & a friend of mine mentioned that he owns a salvage title 2SS Fifth Gen Camaro and said I should try to bid on one on the auction thats wrecked and fix it up and well after a lot of convincing and with a impulse and a click I was the owner of a salvaged title 2016 1SS Camaro(M6 9400miles with front end damaged will post pics).

Here we go.. So I ended up winning the Camaro for $14543 out the door but I live in California and the car was in New York so towing cost me an additional $1400 to my shop in Cali.

As of now Im $15943 on my 1SS

1 week later the car arrived and surprise surprise I think it was a special ordered camaro it came with white stripes, dual mode exhaust, sunroof and mag ride and a Cold Air Inductions intake on a 1SS, Im not sure how rare is that but I sure felt pretty lucky. Since it was an online buy it was hard to see if any of those options were available without researching the VIN. I mean even the sunroof was hard to see but looks like I lucked out guys!:thumbup:

So I originally was just going to fix it up to a stock SS but after a few days of discussions and research on what I wanted to do with my build I ended up deciding that I wanted a ZL1 on a budget lol. * Love the look of it and it will not be badged for the sake of the purest out there. :bow:*

So I ended placing my first order for OEM ZL1 parts.
I ordered the whole front end except the HID headlights and hood scoop as Im deciding on whether or not to spend the extra $$ on the carbon fiber hood scoop and new headlights. The front ended up running me $3622.88. (Will post receipt in the next post)

Still Need: Hood Scoop, HID headlights, Rear Diffuser and spoiler/wing

Future: ZL1 1LE Rims, ZL1 interior with the red seat belts ;), 6 piston brakes, ZL1 1LE taillights and 3rd brake light and as now I have not decided if I should stay NA or go with a LT4 supercharger or a Procharger.

So as of today 7/28/17 my total is $19.565.88


Update 7/31/2017

-Frame specialist 600.00 (no frame damage) :D!
-Quote from body shop 3000.00
-Purchased AC condenser
-ZL1 L+R Inner Wells
-Both with all hardware and brackets ect. $407.45

Update total 7/31/17 $23.573.53

Part #'s Enjoy ;)

-ZL1 Front Fascia 84176916
-ZL1 Fenders L+R 84157562, 84157561
-ZL1 Hood 23483328
-ZL1 Carbon Fiber Hood Scoop 84225758
-ZL1 Grille 23455471



















Comment your thoughts on the bottom and here are some pictures of the car before and as it stands.
https://preview.ibb.co/dq1iN5/Screen...728_233503.png


https://preview.ibb.co/dxLXFQ/Screen...728_233754.png

http://i63.tinypic.com/ind4dt.png

https://preview.ibb.co/g9pypk/Attach...728_221851.jpg

*These are all supposed to be high quality images but the hosting site is reducing them*

What about the frame? As long the frame is still straight the rest is only body work and not a gig issue. We have here in Europe the problem that the guys from Lithuania are buying the Salvage cars ship them to Lithuania fix it and sell it as special price.:mad::doh: in Germany, Swiss and so on. Thanks to the car fax we can see the history of the car but they do it also with EU cars and there we don't have a car fax. If you fix it and keep,the car it is ok. If you want to sell it you have to say it I was a salvaged car.

When its all said and done it will be the same as buying new

Also its going to be hard to resell the car if you ever want too as a salvage title

Just my experience being down the same path

Any factory existing warranty is out the window with a salvage title. I never buy salvage title cars. Never. Ever.

Carfax is a gimmick. It only documents reported vehicle repair (insurance job) Carfax is easy to get around.

I know, but we don't have this at all. The guys in east repairing the cars very cheap removing the airbag the lamp and selling the car just 10.000€ cheaper than the average. :eyebulge:without really knowledge you will buy a wreck.

Well, I for one wish you the best of luck. My hat's off to you for this project. You seem to surely know what you are doing. Make it how you want it and post pics. I look forward to this. Congrats to you. Oh, and prove all the naysayers wrong. ;)

Nothing wrong with a salvage car as long as its fixed right. My first car was an 88 Z24 with a salvage title and it was a great car. Ive always wanted to buy a wreck myself and fix her up like new . Most people who do the work themselves never want to sell them later because they enjoy the memories of turning a wreck into something that looks like it just rolled off the assembly line. Good luck with the rebuild and looking forward to pics when she's all done.

Welcome to the dark side

This might not be everybody's experience with salvage but I bought my a 2010 2ss gxf kit back in 2011 for around the same price as you did. I fixed it up to stock and was in it 22k and I added 10k in mods Coilovers , wheels suspension etc and a used turbo kit thanks to camaro 5 classified, I was in $32k on my salvage camaro ss fml.. but then when the time came to sell I sold it at the same price as my buddys 1ss for $18500 and mine for $17500

I did the math and my salvage 2ss $22,000 +$10,000 in mods =$32,000 and with 5 years depreciation it sold last year for $17500 my
buddys 1ss was 34-35k plus finance taxes , wheels intake and exhaust added it to about 42k (with warranty) lol jk but luckily both of our cars did not have any major issues, but if you plan to mod your car the warranty goes out the window either way.

So Im not completely saying that its good to buy salvage and salavge is not for every one, its a gamble plus its a lot upfront when you can make payment on a financed car for 5 or 6 years easily, if your Zl1 clone is built under $ 39k the same as the 16 1ss, I don't think you'll lose and you can sell
It easily 20k down the line as an stock 1ss would be worth in 4 years after depreciation

Posts lots of pics ,good luck subs:popcorn:

Meh
Salvage is ok on a 50 yr old car that is getting frame off. Otherwise these cars are still production, and aren't rare by any means.

Very cool project to take on! If i had my own shoo, i woukdnt hesitate to do likewise. Im sure you already have other means of transportation, so taking on a project build is cool to see come to fruition!

I like what your doing! keep us informed.

I'm wondering if any insurance companies will insure a salvage vehicle. Good luck!