From a distance, this 1976 Chevrolet Camaro looks pretty good with Cragar wheels and a rear spoiler. However, the closer you get, the worse the pictures become. I am said to think that this Camaro might not be around very much longer but at least not in one piece. The car is sitting in a field in Bloomfield, Iowa. Being sold with no reserve here on eBay, the car is bid to $1,499 with two days remaining in the auction.
You could say that this car is dug in or sunk into the field below it. With the grill gone and the paint falling off due to the rust behind it, the car has obviously been parked and left to the elements. The seller states that the car has been sitting for approximately 12 years. A 350 cubic inch V8 crate engine sits under the hood of the 1976 Camaro. There is no additional information about the motor or drive train other than the interior pictures indicate that the car has a manual transmission.
The black interior is spartan and includes an aftermarket steering wheel and covers over the front driver and passenger bucket seats. Two small gauges have been installed below the dash pod but it would be hard to see them or get a reading while driving. The black dash does look good but there appears to be water damage on the interior and the back seats are growing a green mildew or mold. One neat option that this car has is a rear defrost that you can see mounted in the rear deck tray.
The seller states that he has two of the original rally wheels that presumably go with the car when it sells. At some point, a previous owner has installed Trans Am exhaust tips on the car. The top of the line Camaro in 1976 was the LT as the Z28 option was dropped for 1975 and 1976. With rust on just about every body panel, I would hate to see what the underside of the car or the frame looks like. Buyer beware and look at this one before you make an offer.
Source a new grille, get it mechanically sorted, drive it around as-is for now, paint it and upgrade it later
This could be built into track car, or pro tour kind of thing. Every component under this thing, suspension, hard lines, maybe even the subframe will be garbage. It will probably need floors and a trunk pan. The Cragars and the rally wheels, to me, are trash. Then it will need an interior and paint. You are basically buying a crate motor and a manual transmission. But the price is right. It will look good when done though.
Why build a pro touring car from this? It’s cheaper and quicker to start with a nicer, rust free car since all they care about is the condition of the body. This will be bought by someone on a tight budget or a beginner, because they don’t know any better.
Steve R
Ironically, and unlike the paint, those ugly-ass bumpers appear to have survived quite well.
If it was some sort of a rarity maybe, but as it sits, let it sit. BTW a crate motor refers to a new complete engine ,”in a crate” from GM. If that’s the case and it has never been run then it’s worth buying it for the motor alone.
What idiot wold ever have parked the car there for 12 years? At least put it up on jackstands or blocks.
Over the years, I have bought a number of “field find” cars like this one. Every one of them turned out to have rotten floors,suspension, and exhaust. Most ended up as parts cars.
Even in good condition, this is not a particularly desirable Camaro.
If you want to take a chance on it, I suggest you pay no more than for the parts that you can confirm are saleable.
Don’t recall there ever being a Z-28 for year ‘77. I had a “Sport Coupe.” Bought it new. It had “variable ratio” steering whatever that was. It handled and hugged the road like no tomorrow.
It really was only a two person car. One had to practically be a contortionist to get in the back seat, so forget trying to craw into the back with your best girl at the drive-in movies!
That sort of work took place with one knee in each bucket and her head in the back seat… My very first car and girlfriend!
Wow this car is sinking deeper every day and I am not just referring to it’s position on the dirt! Rust is going to be a very big issue as in floor pans, trunk floor, fenders, rockers and sub frame sections! There is very likely the chance that this car is way beyond saving!
Another mid-west rust bucket with zero structural integrity.
Boy Howdy.
Reminds me of the 77 Trans Am my sister gave me. When it was in nice shape. I tried to buy it. Then when she had to move and no where to put it.She gave it to me. I have a roller 76 I have been thinking about transfering all the parts to it. I don,t know why people let them get in this condition.
One reason is that they think of a car as an appliance. Use it up and throw it away.
I messaged the seller for a location as I’m close got no response I could have used this car but not before an inspection
For those of us that ever wondered what a set of Pontiac splitters would look like on a Camaro, there ya go.