So long story short, in 2009 I wrecked my first F-body, insurance company lost it via unauthorized tow from the body shop to Baltimore, they found it 3 months later, I bought the car back in hopes to fix it myself or use the running gear to build something else. Well after 3 years in storage (2012) I regretfully sold her to a guy I know to get money for the down payment on my house. He “fixed” her enough to be reinspected and drove it for a bit before being dumb put it into a cornfield at over 100mph. She took a worse beating than what I did to it. He then sold the car off never to be seen again. Or so I thought.
Yesterday, I received a txt from my best friend Rich. He told me he picked up a new car and it was on his trailer. In my head I was like “wtf do you need another car for” 2 3rd gens, a 4th gen and a LS Malibu wagon are already in his stable. He said that I’d be real interested in this one cause it was my old car. I immediately txt back and said I wanted it and to name the price. That’s when he dropped the bomb on me...”It’s your car, it’s coming home to you”. I started shaking like actually shaking in my seat at work. I couldn’t contain my excitement. Last I saw the car it was hurt bad but I didn’t care, she was back and I’d take her down to bare metal if i had to. I turned to my supervisor and made sure we had minimum staffing, got to go ahead and left work. I wouldn’t have been very effective at my job anyway as my head was not in the game. I did all of the speed limit home, I had to see her and figure out what I was getting into. FYI, Rich and I are neighbors too...best friends since the 4th grade and bought houses next to each other. Also, he was the previous owner of my Formula. Back to the story, I got home and there she was sitting on his trailer.
Got the scoop on her from Rich later on. She was put on a frame rack and brought back straight and had all the body work and paint done. The guy lost interest in the project a few year ago, pushed it into the weeds and trees and never touched it. The last owner contacted the guy I sold it to about buying it back about a year ago. He gave him Rich’s number and they talked but never made a deal. Last week, he contacted rich again and told him he needed it gone off his property. He went without telling me and drug /cut it out and loaded her up, got handed the title and brought her home.
There’s a lot of bad but some good...The interior is trashed, he never sealed up the holes for the shifter and wiring harness. It became a snake den. Not the most pleasant in there right now. I evicted 2 residents but one is still eluding me. The LS1/T56 are long gone. The body work is cracking, looks like a new quarter will be in the cards. Paint was prepped horribly and the clear has failed not to mention they taped off nothing, emblem and fogs were literally painted over. Underneath is still solid and I haven’t found a trace of rust yet.
So the plan as of right now is a caged and gutted street car. It is a savage titled car after all. I’m going to strip it down completely and do the body work right. There’s still some damage inside on the wheel well so I’m looking at the mini tub option. Gut the dash of all none essentials. For drivetrain I’m following a proven combo of a 5.3/4.8, SS2 cam, VS7875, 80e, and a 9” or 8.8. Still want it to street legal so I’ll be keeping the 0411 ecu for obd2 compliance.
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Sitting on the trailer cover covered in moss and dirt.
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Sprayed down with the pressure washer, a long way to go but at least it’s half shiny again.
Needless to say the last thing I need right now is another project and this will be a long term one. I don’t want to rebuild this one 5 times being indecisive like the Formula. Overall, I’m still in shock that it’s finally home again.
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