1st muscle?

[zzpza]

hi

i've never had a muscle car before but am thinking about getting one. i live in the uk, but don't want to spend too much on a car, so i can get a feel for them and see how we get on as all my previous cars have been about handling first and formost then performance (except for the turbo which does both). what's the handling like compaired to your average euro / japanese car? i don't mind it being a bit tail happy as long as it's predictable...

i've seen a few camero's on eBay that seemed quite interesting. should i be considering one? what elese should i be looking at? is rust much of a problem on these sort of cars? it rains a lot over here... is the chassis / bodywork usually galvanised? how difficult is it to get new panels for them?

as an aside i'm a bit confused over fenders. what is a fender? i used to think it was a bumper, but now i think it's a wing. is that right? a (front) wing is the bit of bodywork between the wheel and the bonett (US:hood - i know that one!).

any and all comments appreciated

[MrPbody]

Body parts for all the popular American performance cars of the '60s/'70s are readily available from several sources. The GM cars are a bit better than the Ford and Chrysler offerings of the same era (in resisting rust).
Yes, a fender is the same as a wing. It's the body panel that covers the tire and looks good (painted the same as the rest of the car).
Camaros are VERY popular, and for good reasons. The '70s versions are among the toughest and best handling of all the American performance cars. All of the good chassis pieces from Trans Am will fit, and make it handle better than a Corvette of the same era (ala T/A). With the right engine/transmission combination, a very capable performer.

[-Josh-]

Good post Pbody...*salutes*

[SamBlob]

OTOH, there are British alternatives, like the MGB GT V8 and the Triumph TR8 and all the other odd contraptions the Rover V8 has gone into...

[zzpza]

Originally Posted by MrPbody

Yes, a fender is the same as a wing. It's the body panel that covers the tire and looks good (painted the same as the rest of the car).

Thanks for clearing that up.

Originally Posted by MrPbody

Camaros are VERY popular, and for good reasons. The '70s versions are among the toughest and best handling of all the American performance cars. All of the good chassis pieces from Trans Am will fit, and make it handle better than a Corvette of the same era (ala T/A). With the right engine/transmission combination, a very capable performer.

Cool. Any areas in particular that I should pay special attention to when looking at a car?

Originally Posted by SamBlob

OTOH, there are British alternatives, like the MGB GT V8 and the Triumph TR8 and all the other odd contraptions the Rover V8 has gone into...

They have the bonus of being RHD, but aren't really what I'm after. Good idea through.

[MrPbody]

The F-bodies (Firebird/Camaro) of the '70-'81 models are generally pretty tough. We've seen a few rust out around the left rear subframe section (where the leaf springs attach). The rust at the base of the back light can also be a problem. Check the trunk (boot) floors closely. Rocker panels aren't too likely to be an issue with these cars.
My personal favorite of these cars would be the '70-'74 Trans Ams. Pontiac had an "edge" in performance in the '70s, as their engines weren't nearly as hampered by emmission controls as the Chevy. The last MONSTER car produced by Detroit was the '74 T/A 455SD (Super Duty). You can forget finding one for sale at a reasonable price, but you can use it as a pattern to build a serious car. DO NOT underestimate the power potential of the Pontiac V8. Many otherwise-good cars have been altered with the "Chevy only" mentality. Use a Chevy motor in a Camaro. Use a Pontiac in a Firebird... But that's just my opinion...!

[Cam1970]

1st or 2nd generation Camaros, 1st or 2nd gen Mustangs, etc., all the 'old school' muscle cars are at a premium now, and if you are good with dealing with mechanical stuff, you're in luck - even getting a less-than-pristine one isn't that difficult, and there are literally dozens of catalogs and websites where you can get replacement parts. Car clubs, both internet and local, are also great areas to get information on deciding which car you ultimately will get. If money isn't too much of a worry, even having one shipped from one side of the pond to the other is doable.

Having a '69 Camaro, I'm of course, biased towards it, and pretty much any of the 60's and early 70's muscle cars (my next favorite would be a Pontiac GTO) and can attest that the attention this car gets, even when she's been sanded down to bare metal before her paintjob, is priceless. I don't race mine (The Wife would neuter me), but just cruising down main street doing 30 mph is fun, plus it gives everyone a chance to get a really good look at the car.

Having visited Britain, and having driven the roads, I will also say that where you live and plan to drive your car should be a determining factor in your choice. By their very definition, American muscle cars are wide, large, heavy, have lousy gas mileage, if it's old enough, it probably might still have the old carburator system, etc (and that's part of the fun ). My car came straight from New Jersey (wet and damp) to south Texas (hot and damp), and since it has been rust-treated, I just keep an eye on any potential future rust. The TR8 and others on your side of the pond would be dwarfed even by a Mustang Fastback, and from experience, some of the roadways may be too narrow - but that's where you get a $#%$ loud exhaust to announce your arrival!

Dan