Comparing Cars

[Guest Anonymous]

I was just looking for some feedback on what some of you guys thought about some cars, how reliable they are, costs for parts, overall cost, do they handle well, is the V8 swap easier with one or the other, etc. I know this is a Z page but don't be buyest in your answers please.

 

Camaro: 67-69

Mustang: 64.5-73

240Z: 70-73

Corvette: 68-73 (just for fun, WAY too costy)

 

You can pick one or two if you want, I just basically want others opinions on them. If you have a suggestion for another good, but relatively cheap 73 or older car add that too.

[Mike C]

This is one of those "depends" kind of questions. At least around my neck of the woods, it is much cheaper to get a 68-82 Corvette than a 67-69 camaro. Complete rust buckets bring $4k or so. A decent late 70's 'vette can be had for $6500. Small block is a small block in a camaro or a vette. Mustangs seem cheaper than camaros I guess just since they made so many unless you talk fast backs, highly optioned cars or convertibles. Afterall, there were a million mustangs on the road before the 1st camaro was produced... 6 cylinder mustangs are 4 lug while v8 cars are 5 lug, but 6 cylinder camaros are 5 lug already. A good 240 can be had around here for about $3500 or so, and swap costs have been well documented on this board. My advice, unless you can find a CLEAN, complete car cheap, by one that is nice already. I paid $2500 for my convetible with no engine or trans, hit in the front but came with used fenders, new GM upper and lower valances and a new cowl hood. I sold off about $500 in parts ('67 tach, console and seats that were in the car). I bought a '67 camaro parts car for $500 and sold over $3k worth of parts ( and still have the 4 bolt 350, ac parts and a bunch of odds and ends)I have spent another $3k or so on '96 Camaro SS LT1, '86 TH700, rare options(fold down rear seat, deluxe belts, tic-toc tach, console gauges, drivers remote mirror, speed warning, woodgrain wheel, custom cloth interior, power windows, speed warning), custom duplicate of HD rear axle assembly (similar to JL-8 12" brakes but with larger big car wheel bearings)the car is still apart, still not painted, and I need the front rotors and brackets ($400 for the JL-8 repro brackets alone), DFI, fuel system, dash pad and carpet, paint and assembly. I have been collectin parts for 7 years and have gotten smokin' deals on just about all of it. I figure $5k in the car running and painted. It may take 5 more years, but wheeling and dealing and waiting on the good deal can get it down. If you don't want to wait, IMO you'll be money ahead making payments and driving it. (sorry to ramble like that...)

[Guest Anonymous]

Its probably a matter of opinion, but unless mod'ed, I'd think the Z and the Vette would be better handlers and probably cheaper as Mike was saying. People think camaro's are the holy grail and if its anything special they'll get alot of money for them (same as early vettes). Mustangs, well unless you're talking a shelby which would be expensive, I don't think personally and I've driven several that handling is what I'd call it. Mid 60's ford passenger cars tend to body roll alot, the mustang likes to drag its ass around like a old german sheperd and I'm not saying this because its a ford product, camaro's tend to be nose high as well.

If I had the car of those that I wanted, it'd be a 69 302 z/28. I've seen a few done with iroc like flares and lowered and oh momma it gives me a chubby just looking at them.

Its all personal taste though, you can answer it yourself pricewise by going to like auto trader and comparing prices on the 'collector' car area.

 

Regards,

 

Lone

[Guest Anonymous]

On a scale of 1-10 what would you rate the Z, Vette, and Mustang on handling? I have been looking at Camaro prices and I agree they cost about the same as an old vette, and I'd much rather have a vette than a camaro. Everyone trashes the handling of the older Mustangs but how bad is it really compared to the Z and Vette?

[Heavy Z]

Well, funny you should ask about handling. The Mustang, Corvette, and Camaro are all great for strait roads - lots of power, great rush. Eventually you will come to a bend in the road, and that is where the fun stops and the danger level multiplies. When you combine all that inertia from a heavy car on top of inferior suspension, well, you'll surely beat a sleigh pulled by a dozen reindeer through a hairpin turn, but that's the extent of the good news.

 

Heavy Z

[pparaska]

I'd definitely rate the Mustangs last in handling, unless they have the Shelby suspension pieces on, then they'd be 1st! 70+ Camaros handle a good deal better than the 67-69, although Mark Steilow has been building some killer Pro Touring 1st Gen Camaros. I prefer the 69 styling to all, and I'd love to have one of Mark's 69s. Vettes = $$$ for car and parts, except a SB is a SB, unless you are talking rare Vette-only parts.

 

Be different, get a 70 AAR CUDA

 

I'd rate the Z as a better handling car than the early Camaro, Mustang, and 53-68 Vette. And the aftermarket still exists to make it a really good handling car.

 

Don't forget power to weight - the Z wins with a streetable SB in each.

[fl327]

mustangs, camaros, and vetttes have a high entry price, but i think a vette modded with same things a z has will outhandle it, but will need more motor to deal with power to weight, i think vettes take the power easier and better than a z chassis will without mods, they were set up for sbcs and some setup for bbc's but they cost outrageous for burnt out examples, and you gotta be pretty up on the greenbacks to get one cherry-but those vettes, i tell you if i could i would do a vette, full framed irs with a crazy cage, and no roof baby, but thats about 10-15 for an ok vette or pre-73 age and about 8-10k for the parts IF i do it myself. expensive either way look at the situation. my next car probably gonna be either a chevy2 or a skylarkGNX.....

[Mike C]

All of the cars were competitive with each other during their day. Pick the car you like the best IMO. My '69 Camaro had Guldstrand road race springs and urethane control arm bushings in the front, Rancho military wrap springs with urethane bushings in the rear, Herb Adams sway bars and KYB shocks. Coupled with the subframe connectors and aluminum subframe bushings, it handled quite well. Especially after converting to a manual trans. This was all done around '85 or so. At the local autocrosses it would out run most Z's, especially on a long course. (notice outrun and not outhandle...)No doubt that even the 60's unequal length control arm suspension is better than struts for the most part. One thing you haven't talked about is weight. It's easier to make a light car out-handle, out-brake, and out-run a heavy car. Especially if this is a driver and not a "race car" that has to meet certain class guidelines.