Thus 1977 Chevy Camaro was in the same family since new. It was tricked out in the 1980s, but the owner got into trouble, went to jail, and never came back. His parents recently had an estate sale, which included this time capsule which was protected by Cosmoline wax for more than three decades. All cleaned up and ready to rock, this Chevy is in Assonet, Massachusetts and available here on eBay. An unmet reserve is still in play at $8,100.
As the story goes, this 1977 Camaro Type LT was purchased new by the seller’s son who began transforming it into some sort of street rod not long after. Whatever engine was there was replaced by a 1978 date-coded L82 350 cubic inch V8 with a mild camshaft upgrade, Weiand intake manifold, Holley 650 carburetor, Flexalite fan, Accel wiring, Hurst shifter on the TH-350 automatic transmission, headers with Thrush side pipes, and modifications to the suspension. The odometer reading on the car is 36,000 miles and given the way to car performs and handles, the seller believes this is accurate.
The exterior of the auto was tweaked as well, with graphics on the back that read “Street Pharmacist.” That’s prophetic as we’re told the owner went to prison in 1988 due to some narcotics charges and is either still there or has since passed on. In preparation for a lengthy stay away, the owner prepped the vehicle for long-term storage. Besides adding some sort of wax all over the car to protect the sheet metal, the tires were even coated, and they look quite good for being more than 30 years old.
A walk around the Chevy invites you to relive the 1980s, which is what the look of the car harks to. An L88 hood with front valance chin spoiler has been added, the grille was borrowed from a ’73 Camaro, and Trans Am flares were added to the sides along with flipped Cragar mag wheels and BFG Radial T/A tires. Other than a couple of small imperfections, the interior looks as good as the day the Camaro went into extended hibernation.
If you like the looks of a 1980s street rod, perhaps this Camaro will light a fire inside of you. So, the machine could be roadworthy again, the seller installed a new gas tank, fuel pump, and aluminum radiator, and rebuilt the carburetor. The automobile was somewhat famous back in the day and was featured in Hot Rod Magazine and online in Chevy Hardcore. This was an expensive build back when and if this kind of car is up your alley, perhaps it can be in your garage for a fraction of the original cost.
Cool car and impressive level of self-snitching…
The lettering on the rear spoiler (Spoiler – get it?
cracked me up.That’d be like putting “DEFUND THE POLICE”
on it.
It is a time capsule in that I can remember any number of Camaros hot rodded that way when I was in high school in the early 80s. It does catch my eye, I won’t deny that. Nostalgia with some performance. Shame that silliness on the rear is hand painted and not a decal. It has to go.
You had me scratching my head on that one Russ. The wheel flares are “flipped “, not the Cragar wheels!!!
I’ve never seen an “UNGO BOX” before, but figured it was some sort of vehicle security system, based on that name.
Yep, looks like it was the best you could get back in the day, which really adds to the vintage style of this car. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/391742-vintage-car-alarm-ungo-box-need-information.html
I figured it would also have a graphic equalizer, based on the age of the build, but this owner meant business when behind the wheel – no tunes at all!
I found Jesse Pinkman’s new ride! Get rid of the El Camino and this is golden!
A Breaking Bad reference for those who didn’t get it.
Ordered a 77 RS new ,two tone silver black interior with 350 and a 4 speed with positraction .Ran nice but a dog in first gear.Changed the 4 speed with one that had lower first and second gearing.Drove it 39 thousand miles and gave it to my son,now it has 41 thousand miles on it. He’s had it 8 years.
Is this the car Jack Reacher “borrowed” from Sandy ?
I can just picture ‘ol boy doing lines on a mirror sitting on top of a tape case with his woman keeping an eye out for Johnny law in the strip mall parking lot. Then heading out onto the street to look for a street race, all the while blasting Eric Clapton’s “cocaine”!
Seriously though- I dig this 80’s street machine and would love driving it around town, all the while blasting Eric Clapton’s “cocaine” looking for a street race. I don’t and never have done any booger sugar, so I’ll leave that part out.
“Street Pharmacist” huh? Guess I better rethink that “Practicing Felon” forehead tattoo I was thinking about.
There are huge holes in the front seats and that exposed shifter looks horrible with no boot. Looks like a wannabe Trans Am owned by a drug dealer that flaunted it! And what’s with that wax job.. I hate to think me in stir and my parents selling off everything I own. Bad luck heap…
Street Pharmacist II. That’s 2. Must’ve gotten away with it the whole time he drove the original? First edition was probably a little more under the radar…..
Thumbs up if you’d keep the “Street Pharmacist” graphics.
Of course I would keep that. This car has a story, and it’s not shy about telling it.
My best friend in high School had one with a 305 and 3 speed auto trans.
Sold for 15K. Someone did really well as this is a well preserved presentation of a late 70’s hotrod. It is exactly as I remembered they were and I’d probably go out of my way to check it out. Of course they were a fraction of that cost back then,and a used Hemi or Boss could be had for that new price. You don’t see many, if any, preserved like this. For nostalgia, I like it. Bring on the bell bottom hip huggers.
Why doesn’t the vin# match this car? Mine was stolen many years ago in Massachusetts!
Just missing the NITROUS OXIDE and Mel Gibson to make another “Mad Max” film. Not a bad idea. Yeah when I graduated high school in 1983 the nitrous oxide was a big deal, so were these Camaros. You know, If I were to buy this car, I would leave it just the way it is. Definitely a lot of history here and lots of enjoyment. Good luck with this time piece! Best of luck to the new owner!
Total hack job car like from high school days with little knowledge of putting things together right. A Trailer Park Boys level of build.