Looking for thoughts and opinions regarding my JL8

[Jeff H]

The car is still in the middle of the restoration and I'd like to get the car finished within the next year. The shop can finish it if I can come up with the money. My original plan with the car was to restore it like a 69 Z28 could have been ordered up and equipped to race in the Trans Am series. So I got a crossram setup, TI parts, radio delete, heater delete, original GM fiberglass crossram hood, reproduction Minilite wheels, Stahl factory style headers, 140 off-road cam/valve springs. If I don't sell my 68 Camaro and boat, I won't have the money to get the car done any sooner. So I'm thinking about selling the crossram and parts and finishing the resto back to stock specs. If it was your car, would you prefer to keep the crossram and parts or restore back to stock specs? The car is numbers matching engine, trans and rear to POP and VIN. It's so hard to find these parts now that I'm not sure I want to sell them. I'm open to thoughts, opinions, criticism. Fire away! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[camarojoe]

I'd hawk the 68 and the boat before the crossram if it was me...

[Belair62]

Me too....whats the 68 ?

[JoeG]

Jeff,
I've been following your progress on the car ,I don't know your time schduele or your money situation, but that cross ram is all you talked about---you can't stop time it will pass and the car of your dreams will be done---------------------------------- http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/BelairSucks.gif

[Belair62]

Duh...sorry Jeff...I see what your 68 is in your signature ! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/Charley.gif

[Mr70]

You have a JL8 Camaro?

[Jeff H]

[ QUOTE ]
You have a JL8 Camaro?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I got the car from Charley almost 5 years ago. I prefer to sell the 68 Camaro and the boat, and hopefully that will net me around $17K. But if they don't sell, I only have $500 in the bank so selling the crossram and parts would net me enough to finish the restoration sooner than later.

[GM-26]

Stay focused to your original plan for your Camaro. Even if it takes longer to complete, you won't look back with any regrets and you will have your dream car. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Born30YrsLate]

JEFF...this is God speaking...."keep the crossram"... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif

[Eddie M.]

Jeff...If thats your dream I'd stay with it.

[Charley Lillard]

Jeff...for all the times you have told us you have a crossram JL8 Z28, if you try to do anything else we will kill you...twice......

[nuch_ss396]

Jeff,

Any way you cut it, cross rams are cool! The prices these
original setups are fetching these days, I'd keep the X-ram
until the dire end. What are the odds of getting another
in a price range you can either afford or want to pay?
Steve

[NEW]

Keep on working on your original plans! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif IMO

NEW

[Jeff H]

Hmmmmm, sounds like everyone likes the crossram on the JL8.

[Steve Shauger]

Jeff, if this is your dream car, then keep the dream alive. The JL8 was an option designed specifically for racing, and so was the crossram...they belong together.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Sell the '68 and the boat, what are you doing with a boat anyway! Don't you know they are money pits? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Don't rush the project, or change your focus, and don't sell the ram setup. Good things take time and money, which are usually mutually exclusive, so wait it out.

[mrrec]

Everyone likes the cross ram, so I'll diverge. The xram is neat, but since I'm an originality fanatic, it would be difficult for me to install. I know it's easy to change back, but it's one of those grey areas since it was never factory installed. The only way I could use one is if I had dealer docs supporting it. Many don't share my opinion, I know.

I can't say sell it though, unless you really don't want it on the car. It's a lot easier to just go out and make more money than to find some of this stuff!

Dave

[olredalert]

-------NOS complete crossram with a couple of spare pieces was available at Carlisle with an NOS hood for a paltry $25,000. Theres a reason these units are so valuable. More people want them than there are set-ups. I say keep the X-ram and tell me about your boat. Any chance its a DONZI?........Bill S

[Jeff H]

No, the boat is just a 13' Boston Whaler Rage jet boat. It's only worth $4K but I might have a buyer for it. Then I can focus on selling the 68 Camaro.

[njsteve]

Keep the cross ram, sell the JL8 (to me). http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif oh, and sorry about the Charger cutting in line ahead of you back in June. Rich just needed more room and getting the Charger out made enough room for probably 3 Camaros. -NJSteve

[Jeff H]

Yeah, those Mopars sure take up a lot of space! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I think my boat would fit in the trunk of that Charger!

[Stuart Adams]

Keep the setup as you planned. It's hard when your caught up in it, but don't panic. You WILL sell the boat and car. You have had it for 5 yrs., what is another couple months. From someone who wishes I would have kept a few cars along the way, just stay on course, you will look back later and say WOW I did it.

[Motion Camaro]

<font color="blue"> http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif How about a pic &amp; a price on the '68.
Maybe I can help your cause. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif </font>

[JChlupsa]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&amp;Board=UBB3&amp;Number=97594&amp;Foru m

[Jeff H]

1968 Camaro with 94 Impala SS LT1/4L60E and converted to 4 wheel disc brakes. Recent paint, but not a show winning paint job. Solid car built in LOS and spent most of it's life out west. Still needs finishing(needs a speedometer hooked up, needs gauges, needs headliner installed, it could use some programming to adjust idle. I have new kick panels and console OD conversion kit on the way. Fun car. Asking $13,500 obo.
Here's a link. 68 LT1 Camaro (http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/[email protected]/68LT1/)

http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/[email protected]/68LT1/68LT1-26.jpg

[Zedder]

Tough decisions Jeff! I think you need to be honest with yourself regarding your financial situation and what really turns your crank with respect to the car. If the car had some T/A history with a crossram etc. I would definitely think twice about selling the crossram set-up. However, if it was a street car for its entire life I would restore it to its original, as-delivered to the dealer condition. The fact that it's a numbers matching, documented JL8 is where the value and interest would be for me. If you sell the '68 what are you going to drive for fun? I doubt you'll be putting too many miles on the JL8 from what you have posted about it. Just my thoughts, good luck with your decision http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Jeff Murphy]

Stay away from the light!!!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif Don't give in to temptation...

[Chris396]

You've come this far. Stay with it and finish it the way you want. As far as value goes, I would think it would be worth more with extra stuff on it when it's done.

[ssl78]

Jeff, Do you want to drive the car? I know somebod who has a crossram Z and is taking it off so he can drive it a lot more next year. Any other comments on the drivability of a crossram.

[olredalert]

--------Chris brings up a good point. Not that you are doing this for monetary reward (perish the thought), but we all saw what a well turned out, made up, JL8/crossram car did at Barrett/Jackson. Its possible that you should think forward to what the cars ultimate value is going to be to figure out which way to go on this!............Bill S

[Steve Shauger]

I know of one owner of a 69Z Kerry S.,who has been running a crossram setup for a couple of years. He puts on about 4k miles a year and after much tweaking has it running perfectly. He is the exception however, as most owners I've spoken to running the crossram find them difficult to start, and the cars run rather poorly. I quess if dialed in properly they should run fine. BTW he is also running the 140 cam and has it idling around 1100 rpms.

[NEW]

I had the crossram on my car, had problems to get it run well. Reinstalled the orig. intake and carb. Didn¨t start using the car that much more anyway, so i will mount it back on this winter. The problems you get with using the XRam is possible to live with, your car will probably be so nice, that it wont be driven even every weekend, so the plug changes, and high gas consumption is just a bonus. The looks of that intake together with your headers, wheels and the JL8 package will be awesome... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

NEW

[Jeff H]

The car will not be driven much when finished. NJ roads and traffic are too dangerous.

[427TJ]

Jeff, sell the boat and the '68 and finish the JL8 car the way you originally planned it. Take your time and be as patient as you can and one of these days you'll look back and realize you did the right thing by sticking with your plan for the '69.

Here's another way to look at it. You don't want to be on your death bed someday wishing you'd done the '69 with the crossram. That's kinda' harsh but it helps me put things in perspective when I'm in similar situations.

Or: The boat and the '68 can be easily replaced once the Z is done.

Good luck and post pictures of the Z. Lots of them.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[nuch_ss396]

[ QUOTE ]
--------Chris brings up a good point. Not that you are doing this for monetary reward (perish the thought), but we all saw what a well turned out, made up, JL8/crossram car did at Barrett/Jackson. Its possible that you should think forward to what the cars ultimate value is going to be to figure out which way to go on this!............Bill S

[/ QUOTE ]

Bill,
Good point! Now, if we can only find that "yellow jacketed
dude" @ BJ, Jeff's "In like Flint" !

I know it's so, but I still don't understand it! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif

No X-ram setup came installed from the factory but yet
buyers ( and eBay bidders ) put forth piles of cash just so
they can say that their car has a cross-ram setup! What
ever happened to originality? Don't get me wrong Jeff, I
still say keep the X-ram and install it. It's cool to look
at. As far as buyers spending ton's of $$ to buy one - I
still don't get it!
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Steve

[Charley Lillard]

The yellow jacketed dude is supposed to be bringing that yellow Z28 and several others to Barrett Jackson to sell. He is going to focus on his Corvettes.

[BillD]

Jeff. It seems the consensus here is to keep the cross ram. However, I suspect your financial situation may not be the same as many of the other members here. Only you know that. 2 carbs and an intake that are worth $25000 by themselves is alot to think about. A single 4 barrel carb 69z with documented JL8 is not such a bad thing. Also, I think your plan for the trans am parts is appealing but I don't know how popular that is especially when you have a documented car with the brakes. Just my 2cents.

[DaJudge]

I agree with BillD. I would keep the X-ram and install it if I could and restore the rest of car to original specs. If the market (God forbid) slips cars that are restored to original specs are the ones that hold their value the best even when the market falls. JMHO. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[Steve Shauger]

Also Jeff if you are planning on showing the car at the Camaro Nationals, the modifications would place your car in the modified category. Eliminating you from the concours class. Just a thought...

[Jeff H]

I never planned on showing the car in any original or concourse class so that wasn't a concern. I always wanted a Camaro that was unique and the JL8 is definitely that. Add some of the GM over the counter parts and you have a cool car that could have been ordered as such but the HD parts you would to have installed yourself.