This ’78 Camaro probably isn’t the most desirable year, but these cars have been gaining interest and just look at its stablemates! While the Camaro looks like a decent buy, I’m curious to know the story behind the rest of the cars. As of right now, this is the only car the seller has listed, but hopefully they will be listing the rest of the finds soon. If you’d like to give this T-top equipped Camaro a good home, you can find it here on eBay in Freehold, New Jersey with a current bid of just $760 and no reserve! Why so cheap you might ask? More on that later.
If this car doesn’t get bid up much more, it could be a good buy, even just as a parts car. As I stated earlier, this generation of Camaros isn’t the most sought after, but for the money they are fun cars. At this price, you could afford to put some money into it to make it a nice driver. Of course that’s assuming you can get it running and it isn’t completely rusted out.
While emissions really took its toll on the 350’s horsepower by the time this one was built, it’s still a good old American V8! It appears someone already bolted on a 4 barrel carb and intake manifold to recover some of the power. The engine is said to have run when the car was parked in the barn.
The interior is pretty beat up, but is complete. The dash cap even looks to be in great shape. I have a feeling though that this interior is going to have to be gutted out and thoroughly cleaned before going back together. Why? Well sadly this car sat in water a few years back when the small stream next to the barn flooded. All of the cars sat in 2 to 3 feet of water for several hours. That’s just enough water for just long enough to do some serious damage.
Looking at this car, I’m amazed it isn’t completely rusted out. The seller has listed it as a parts car, but they do have a clear title for it. With any luck it will be solid enough to save. It won’t be a simple task to get it back on the road, as I’m sure water took its toll on the wiring, plumbing and just about every other part of the car. I’ve seen flood damage cars put back on the road before with minimal work though, so perhaps the next owner will get luck with this one. What do you think, is it even worth the work?
I would be interested in the 1958 Chevy wagon that is hiding under the El Camino camper shell.
For the life of me I cannot figure out what good it does to throw a $30 tire and rim onto a seat and risk ruining the whole interior that way
Looks like a 71 or 72 Eldorado in the corner. I’ll take that.
I’ve done several flood car rescues, but they were all high dollar cars, not a well used Camaro. The damage comes not as a result of the 3 hours in water, but in the months/years it sat with moisture, mildew & corrosion creating permanent damage. The key to saving a flood car requires the disassembly of the ENTIRE car within hours/days of being pulled out of the muck.
This is a parts car, nothing else.
Nice to know someone else who has worked thru this dilemma before Bill,… I did a 72 Corvette convertible, that had been under fresh water for about 8 hrs.(Thanks goodness not salt water) and was pulled out and immediately began to be disassembled. The car luckily was not real dirty, just wet. Once it was totally disassembled the biggest problem in the end, was the contacts on most all the electrical components…The original door panels were also a big concern, but an initial cleaning with soapy (Dawn dish detergent) water and a good heater and a few days in the sun and they were good to go…the rest was just being a perfectionist and good cleaning…and drying out…
Most flood cars totaled by insurance companies have sat too long to be saved, due to the slow bureaurocracy of the insurer.
If the car was under 2-3 feet of water for any length of time, repairs would be costly and extensive. The floor pans will need to be replaced due to water damage. Pass on this ride….
Bill McCoskey is right on. This is a parts car only. Not worth the time / money to restore it. You’ll be (so very sorry) under water on it in less than a days time invested.
While the location listed in the auction is not directly on the coast, if flood was result of Hurricane Sandy then the cars were probably submerged in salt or or at least brackish water mixed with sewage runoff. Have seen that combination after several hurricanes on the Florida gulf coast. Pass.
3 hours in water and a lifetime of battling water-born gremlins.
It’s cool, I’ll pass.
I am not a fan of this generation but my cuz absolutely LOVES them! As far as being a parts car / price, I would have to imagine those t-tops if needed by someone would bring a pretty penny just by themselves. $500? $1000?
Shame it was flooded.
In a word: Nope.