PUTTING A CELLAR-DWELLING CAMARO BACK ON THE ROAD
When there is a lack of proper storage space available, classic cars seem to end up being saved in any available spot the owner can muster. Backyards, driveways, garages and barns are typical resting spots for cars that have been taken off the road. If you didn’t want your cherished ride to face the climate and weather during storage, you just have made do with what space was on hand.
When muscle car aficionado Chuck Fisher was alerted to a classic Camaro that had not seen light of day in three decades, he set out to see if he could make a deal on the F-body for his very own. Once he met up with the current owner, he wasn’t led to any of the typical locations you might suspect when looking at a car that’s been off the road for so long. “The owner told me it was in the basement of the house, which turns out was actually fed by a ground level entrance through the backyard,” states Chuck.
After over 30 years in the basement of the family’s house, this 1967 Chevy Camaro SS was brought out of the cellar after Chuck Fisher struck a deal with the owner's widow, who wanted to see the Camaro back on the road where it belonged.Photo: Provided by Chuck Fisher
The 1967 Camaro SS had sat in the cellar for the last 30-odd years. The owner had recently passed away, and his widow was managing the sale. She was adamant that she wanted the Camaro to go to somebody that would put it back on the road where it belonged. Chuck is that kind of guy, skilled in getting long dormant rides running and driving the way they should. “When I saw it, I realized it was in reasonably good shape. I asked a few questions, but she really didn’t know much about the car. What was apparent was the fact that it was her husband’s pride and joy.”
After a quick look around, Chuck purchased the car and brought it back to his shop nearby. He immediately tore into the car to see what this true Super Sport was all about. The interior was in pretty poor shape and had obviously been ravaged by pack rats and mice. “The inside of this car was one of the most disgusting I’ve ever had the displeasure to clean,” he noted. However, there were some bright spots: “It was all there, at least, and it had some cool aftermarket gauges installed at one time.”
The original interior was intact when Fisher bought the Camaro, but after years of rodent infestation, a major cleaning was in order. Chuck went ahead and replaced the seat upholstery while keeping the original door panels. A trio of vintage gauges on the column give this Camaro true "day two" appeal. Photo: Scott Lachenauer
Looking at the exterior, Chuck was impressed with the condition of the paint. The body was in good shape with minimal rust. There are some dings and dents, but nothing major. “Once I cleaned it, I could tell the paint would probably come back with a little work.”
In the engine bay is a replacement 350-cu.in. small-block, but luckily the original motor was out of the car and in the garage on an engine stand. “There were a few "day two" add-ons under the hood, but nothing out of the ordinary. The car came with an M21 four-speed that was out of the car when I bought it, but it looked to be in good working order.”
This true Super Sport Camaro sports a replacement 350-cu.in. engine and M21 transmission, though the original numbers matching engine came with the car. Sometime during the car's life, the past owner did some work on the current small block. “It’s definitely got an upgraded cam. The solid lifter cam is lopey and nasty and gives this engine an incredible boost. It’s an animal out on the streets.”Photo: Scott Lachenauer
After a quick inspection of the transmission, Chuck reinstalled it into the Camaro. He then shifted his focus towards getting the 350 to turn over. After a little bit of elbow grease, the engine sprung to life. According to Chuck, “Amazingly this small block sounded strong from the start. It definitely had some cam in it, that’s for certain. From there, I just did the basic maintenance on it. I changed the oil, added new plugs and wires, and it just ran like a friggin’ top.”
Chuck decided to spruce up the car, adding a set of new seat skins after giving the interior a major cleansing. Next, a set of Cragars on new rubber were added at the corners to be safe out on the road. After the brakes were checked, Chuck took this little Camaro for a test drive. “I’m not sure what this guy did to this motor, but this punchy small block is an animal. It is one of the nicest running 350s I’ve ever owned, and it’s got power to spare. The solid lifter cam is lopey and the car has a killer tone.”
Chuck removed the beaten and tarnished Centerline Auto Drags when he bought the Camaro and put on a set of Cragar S/S wheels to give the car that 1970s street machine look. Period-perfect slapper bars not only help with traction, they also add to the street machine image.Photo: Scott Lachenauer
The original 12-bolt rear axle is out back and is stuffed with 3.73 gears. A big surprise is that this Camaro still has its original brake and fuel lines, a rarity in Chuck’s locale. “This is the first time I have ever seen this on a fifty-year-old East Coast car. All original brake and fuel lines. The brake lines popped open with an open-end wrench and no heat! The only other time I have seen this was on southern west coast cars.”
After the Camaro was running properly, Chuck gave the paint a nice buff-out. “For a car that sat for a long time the paint even buffed out real nice. I’m going to have a hard time putting it away for the winter once the bad weather comes. I’ve had a blast out on the streets with it and I’m happy that I got to put another muscle car back on the road again. This one without doubt deserves to be driven!”