How it All Started

This picture was taken in August of 1986. Check out that high tech jack and toolbox. I sure hope that there were some jack stands under that thing! My dad bought this car for me in the fall of 1985 when I was in 10th grade. I am the second owner. Needless to say, he had some regrets when he discovered I had this never-ending desire to make my car "better". First I had to put a Moroso gold anodized air cleaner on it. After all, a Moroso air cleaner would let the engine breath better, and of course, get better gas mileage. This was the beginning of the end. Next I had to put headers on it. I told my dad, headers would give it more horsepower and get better gas mileage. For some reason, I could always justify my growing addiction by telling my dad it would get “better gas mileage”. Well, little did I know that putting headers on a 1981 Camaro would make a computer-controlled car operate like a piece of junk. 1981 was the first year the Camaro had a computer that controlled the air/fuel ratio with an electronic, factory-set carburetor, oxygen sensor, MAP sensor, and a fully electronic controlled HEI distributor. There was no vacuum or mechanical advance. The headers presented two problems:

1. How to remove the exhaust manifolds, install the headers and rework the exhaust before your dad gets home from work? With the help of some friends, a couple blocks of wood and a trunk jack, we almost pulled it off. But we did not get the mufflers on before he got home. I can’t really remember how he reacted, but I am sure he was pretty pissed off. After the ass chewing, my next objective was to install a couple of nice header mufflers and a wonderful product called flexible exhaust tubing. Everyone at some point in his hotrodding career has to have some nice flexible tubing coming out from under his doors, just ahead of the rear tires.
    
2. How to deal with the lean air/fuel ratio? This solution would require a nice used Holley carburetor and a new high tech Accel dual point distributor. That made the car run a little better, but I was far from a master mechanic.

Well, nearly twenty years later and an unknown amount of money, I am getting closer to perfection. Other than the body, fenders, paint, seats and center console, everything has either been replaced or is aftermarket. But as close to perfection as I am, I must admit that there will always be something new and improved that I will have to get.
 

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