Russ, you hit on a lot more parts then I even thought to look at however with "Fast times" she is a T Top car and those tops leak damn near from the factory (or at least my 3rd Gens did). One thing that I did see on the second gens is that at least in Ohio they like to rust out at the front frame rails (unibody) and the mounts would rot out around the 10 year mark to the point where the rubber bushings were garbage and it made you wonder (I found this out after I totaled my '79) Please folks if you are rebuilding a Camaro make sure that you buy new body mounts and bolts for the car, it is money well spent, trust me

The world is a better place with guys like this making informational KZfaq videos.

Them good ol’ boys are like gospel when it comes to fixing up old cars. Just found your channel and am a new subscriber!

Getting to the rust under a folded seam, use Evapo rust. If the part is small enough to put in a bin, if too big I set up a little $4 pump and a tarp. Put the hood on the tarp wirh a few 4 x 4 under it so it was tilted. Evapo rust runs over the seam with a vinyl hose clamped to the hood and the run off is picked up by the pump. Let it run for a day and it will remove any rust in the seam.

I got a 79 Z28 still runs like new got it in high school. Love to find the right person to paint it for me

Boy if I were in the market for a 2nd gen I'd be watching this video twice! Great information. It will be interesting how you get to some of those area for repair.

This is great information to those obviously that can get access to all the nook and crannies of these 2nd gen (and even 1st gen Camaros). The problem is that when finding a car you are looking to buy that's all together , all the interior areas are just not going to be accessible. Areas in the cowl and under the floor footing especially. Usually a good gauge of how bad the decay in these cars are is to look at the trunk floor above, floor pans below and around the windshield glass and lower inside area of the doors. If you see rot, you know it's just about every where else. Especially from a car living in the northern areas for most of it's life.

Back in the 80's I did a total teardown rebuild of my 72. Day-um! This guy nailed it! Nice job! Up here in upstate NY its the rockers, lower rear front fenders, (obviously floor) and most of all that front portion of the rear unibody frame. Low corners of windshield too. But he nailed all of these. Please check the rear frame since it hold the leaf springs and is very prone.

When I lived in the rust belt, the thing that always took these cars off the road was rear frame rail rust. I've seen a few so bad that the rear springs went up through the trunk or under the rear seat

Thank you for making this video, i’m 15 years old and im looking to get myself my first classic project car! My dream is a 1965 Ford Mustang, but Im also looking at the 2nd gen Camaros because the prices of the first gen mustangs are skyrocketing. I also just love the look of the 2nd gen camaros.

Thanks a lot. I'm going to look at a 81 tomorrow and will be using this information.

Hi Russ. I have been around these cars many years, you did a very good job on locating rust areas. See you next time.

THANK YOU RUSS !! I GOT A 79 T-TOP JUST STARTING ON IT GREAT MOTIVATION AD INFORMATIVE VIDEOS..

Russ, Thanks for the great videos. Wished I had seen this one before I bought my 78. Now I have to go down to the garage and check it out. I am in the middle of my Jeep project and will be starting on my Camaro this spring/summer.

Thanks for the video, appreciate the time in putting it together.

Great info, Russ. Will refer to this often when I start on my 2nd Gen. Thanks.

Just got my first camaro few months ago. Watching the video step by step and cheking Doors and under. Think i Lucky. It Came to Norways in 07 just whit driven 150miles its a 75mod. Always stored in garage in wintertimes. And No rust yet😁👍 Cheking floors and rest in wintet but feelingen lucky👍

Great info. video Russ. I'm sure it will help others who are looking to buy a 2nd. gen. Camaro. That bondo tool is a neat tool to have. Wish I had dad one when I bought my 75 chevy pickup. Would not have had to buy a new bed a year later. That was in the mid 80s.

Excellent info Russ. I wish I had watched something like this before I bought mine. I lost count of how many hours I have in replacing sheet metal. So far I've replaced outer wheel houses, quarters, roof skin, driver side rocker, rear tail pan and inner tail pan, partial floor pans, trunk drop offs, trunk corners where braces mount, and cowl panel. All on your list. One other place I had rust was in the cowl area where the wiper motor mounts. There's a low spot in there that is a great place for junk to sit. This problem area will leak water into the car. A buyer might be able to see this by looking under the dash.

I like your late 70s z 28 my uncle has the exact same car except the t tops its so cool that your meticulously restoring this beaty

Great tips on what to look for Russ. Rust can be a real bummer on a project if you're not aware of it.

Great information Russ. Thanks for sharing

Some great information! I will need to check some of these same spots on my 68.

Wish I would have found this video about 8 months ago when I bought my 78 Rally Sport. I have been making a few videos of my current refreshing job on it and sure enough have found rust in just about all of the locations that you pointed out in this video.

Oh boy! Russ, I think you've now convinced me I don't need one! 😂 That feeling will only last as long as your next video coming out and watching you tinker, I'll want one all over again! 🙄😂😂

Great info here for anyone in the market for one of these bad boys.

Nice video Russ..... great info for anyone wanting to restore a 2nd gen Camaro. It looks like you have another F body in the garage.... I see a Red 4th gen in the background!!

Nice info, brother thanks

Nice job Russ!

Some great advice Russ! So true, too with the typical areas prone to rust, window channels, lower A pillar corners, cowl panels, lower quarters, front floor pan corners, etc.If I had my choice I would look for South west cars for the best steel and pay to ship it, worthwhile in the long run.

Nice job Great info!

Thank you very much for the details you provided

Thank you for posting this.

Man where were you 3 years ago before I bought mine... LOL You definitely have some rust on that car but your climate is a lot more friendly than mine. My Z came from Detroit and the doors are beyond salvageable. Great video, keep up the great work Russ!

Awesome video. One critique, you forgot inside the trunk on the sides down in the big hole. Dirt gets collected in there and stays wet.

Great Video Russ

I just ran into the same problem with the scope camera upgraded my phone and the outlet to plug it in is the same as your new phone as well.. and I find it quite hilarious that I purchased it to look for hidden rust in the same area that you are .. and I almost overlooked it as well. Without this video I just got a little laugh out of the same problems you're having.

Hey, I like that filler meter!

Hot Rod Filler Detective.... I need to see more! Can you make a video about this please?!

Russ, I bought a very clean and rust free 79 Z28 about seven years ago. But after watching this I wonder if it really is rust free! Thanks for the advice!

I really love this car, I’m in 10th grade and this year I’m planing on getting my license, getting a job and saving up to get one.

I think I'll source my 2nd gen from the South West

Me and my dad bought a 78 camaro with 0 rust bc it was in Las Vegas it’s whole life then we moved to michigan and my dad had to drive through a snowstorm to avoid tornadoes. Now there is surface rust all over the underside were working on getting off

Hi. Found your channel through Str8Six Fan and Olde Carr Auto Guy's Livestream. Camaro's All the way.

Very helpful thank you.

Mine is real bad behind the front fenders by the door, its can only be seen with the fenders off so send it

👍

Great information

Hello! Just found your channel and I'm loving it. I own first and second gen camaro 68 and 73 one in Netherlands, and I wanted to ask someone with your experience, do you recommend reproduction parts from chinese manufacturers like AMD, Dynacorn and so on? Is thickness in metal noticable and do they actually line up? If you have time please answer. Thank you!

This is good for where to look for rust when restoring, but a lot of it is NOT for buying. Are you going to tell a buyer, yeah let me just look around for rust, and start peeling off window trim, pulling carpet, taking seats out, taking body peices off? Some of it you can tell from outside the car. Paint bubbling in certain areas, look under/behind the rear bumper, etc.

Russ, a very informative video. I purchased a PA 1980 Z28 that "appeared" to be a solid driver but upon further research, that back window took water and it went all the way to the trunk gutter! Upon reaearch, rebuilding that will be a bitch and now it looks like I will need to also check the package tray extensions. I have found 2 different fabrication shops that "might" tackle this project. What is your guestimate on getting this repaired?

have watched alot of your overkill videos now this one what are your thoughts on blasting vs chem dipping the car thanks

very good video.

i have a 1977 camaro the thing is a rust bucket hahaha but it runs 10s so FTW

Hey Russ. I know this video is pretty old but what brand of door stand do you have there?

Anywhere in New York State!

Great video. I don't think mine 1978 z28 would be an issue since it was kept in a garage for 32 years. Rust free Texas car. But I will do a follow-up check-up to make sure of that. I did upload a video of my camaro please feel free to check it out.

Just bought a 78 z28 silver paint just like the thumbnail lol

I have a 1980 Camaro and I have water coming in when I go through the car wash on the passenger side right near where the right foot would be. I confirmed that it doesn't come in if I cover over the cowl vent. When the cowl vent isn't covered a fair bit comes in. Less comes in when the A/C is turned on and the cowl vent flap closed, but it still comes in. Any idea where it might be getting into the car and how I could fix it? Also, in the winter for example you wouldn't have the A/C on so the cowl flap would be open and if you went through the car wash in that situation lots of water comes in. I could permanently cover the cowl vent but that doesn't seem like a very good solution. Thanks

Booya 😎

i been trying to find someone that knows camero good i have a 79 z28 rs t top with the full spoiler kit from factory were it has spoilers in front and in back of all wheels and it is on the option sheet so far i can not find any camero that has the full spoiler kit on it i'm wondering how rare is my car i was told it was one of a kind from the former owner and i got it for free so the guy had no reason to lie about it and he said i would never find another one like it so far he has been right and most of the z28 rs camero's have stickers for the gills but mine has the gills plus it has power windows and locks he said when he got it new he ordered every option he could and it has disc breaks on the back don't think it is factory did not find it on the option sheet but i get rigs for free all the time

Will these same tips work for second gen firebirds?

i got 2 79 hard top z28 and 1 79 z28 rs t top with the full spoiler kit from factory it is on the option sheet got all 3 for free all are rust free good clean bodies one has no engine was a show car has new interior the other 2 one is t top have factory paint ok condition i have nothing like u are showing on all of them but i live in a high desert so it is real dry here . i get a lot of rigs rust free for free mostly pu's .i just can't turn down a free good project car or pu or real cheap like no more then 300 . i got a 55 2 door post rust free for 300 bucks sold it in a week for 2000 with no engine or trans . just picked up a 79 chevy 4x4 short box cheyenne full option truck with under 35,000 miles on it in mint condition been parked in a shop its hole life got it for free just had to put a new fuel pump and clean the carb and i got a really nice truck been offer by supper chevy 12,000 but they told me to come back when the big boss was in too get more they said it is worth a lot and the boss will give me more for it but they did not have the permission to go higher . but i would never sell it but i do want to put a different color ugly green it has just in real good condition and repaint will lower the value of it . every time i drive it people want to buy it . it so far been my best free deal right now i am building a 68 pu very clean truck very few dings put a stroked 454 in it the camaro is the next project got a 454 ho with a 4 speed or heavy duty 400 turbo got it with 6000 miles on it for free . i know a trick to get good crate engines cheap or free . and all the 454 are stroked with steel crank and heavy rods witch saves about 6000 bucks on a build

Would you recommend a 17 year old car novice get one of these fully restored? I'd be using it as a daily driver and would like to know what I should worry about and how to care for these particularly. I'd be getting a 79 z28 Camaro. Thank you for your time sir!

Lol after watching this I'm afraid to look any further. Already doing the floor where needed all the front and rear of quarter panels and front fender rears

I really like that filler detective, cool beans😅

My 1980 was rusted badly on the battery tray

is this rust something you'd expect for the average second gen camaro?

I would expect rust on any 45 yo car . my 81 Z has rust on rear deck under the trunk lid Always garaged since I bought it in 83

That’s a badass camaro 79? 80?

Man, was considering buying a second gen Camaro but after watching i lost interest . Great content btw, thanks for sharing.

I wanna get one 😂 so bad.. but I would just get one as a collectible..

2nd gen with t tops? Everywhere.

I had to stop watching... I’m about to dive into a mine and I don’t even want to know now. Cars been sitting for 20 years ...

Are you going to live long anough to finish this car. Lol.