This 1980 Chevy Camaro Z28 Sat Parked for 22 Years. Now, It Is Dying To Drive Back Home

Chevrolet introduced the Z28 version in 1966 as a 1967 model year of the first generatio,  fitting it with an air induction hood scoop with an intake door that would open under full throttle. The one in our story is one of those Z28s but saw the light of day with the second generation.

It seems that the time has come for the white Camaro to shake off the dust and moss and be resurrected. Rust has eaten at the 44-year-old Camaro from every angle. All body panels were cut to shreds by corrosion. Humidity had its way with the poor Camaro.

There is a hole in the B-pillar on the driver's side. So, when this Camaro is restored, if ever, that pillar has to go unless its future owner would rather have it flapping in the wind as he drives at high speed.

The driver's seat cushion was changed at some point. The owner was only able to get one in cognac brown, while the entire interior of the Camaro is wrapped in black and navy leather. But, no matter the color, the leather on the seats was cut open along all the years of neglect.

The old Chevy Camaro is coming apart

The headliner is coming off. Glue must have melted after all those years in the heat. The trunk hosts a spare tire, a hose, and dirt. Dirt has also sedimented everywhere on the white paintwork, which is peeling off every here and there.

At the opposite end, the hood shelters a 350-cubic-inch (5.7-liter) V8 engine, which still has oil in it. The 350 was optional in 1980, while the lineup started with the 230-cubic-inch (3.8-liter) inline-six. The V8 generates 190 horsepower (192 metric horsepower) and 280 pound-feet (380 Newton meters) of torque.

In its good old days, this Camaro used to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 8.5 second and cover the quarter mile in 16.5 seconds. That's a lifetime by today's standards. The needle of the speedometer went all the way to 109 mph (176 kph). We have yet to see if it is going anywhere right now.

The 44-year-old car features an air conditioning system; the air compressor is still in its place. There is no exact information about the mileage of the over-four-decade-old Camaro, but considering how worn the key is, it must be a high-mileage car. The Camaro sits on flat Road Hugger tires, which do not seem to hold air at all.

Will it drive to the shop on its own power?

Daniel and Brittany of Resurrected Garage plan to have it running and drive to their shop to get it fixed. But will it be able to do it?

Daniel installs a new battery but he does not have the appropriate bolts, so he will have to resort to a makeshift. He expects the car to resurrect with a bit of fuel, but it does not get where it should.

He also gets to see the mileage: "It starts with 666," he says. He will try to change the fuel pump, because that is the main suspect. However, with a new battery, the radio of the car works.

With a new fuel pump in, the engine starts running smoothly and quietly, but the transmission is dried out. He pours some oil to fix up the issue. That is why it didn't go into gear.

It eventually does, and Daniel says he sees no reason why the Camaro would not go home on its own wheels. It needs, however, to have its brakes fixed because now, the only way to stop is in the rear end of the vehicle in front of it.

The next day, the Resurrected Garage team returned to solve the brakes issue and install the fuel line hose. They wiped 22 years of dust layering on the windshield, hoping to drive the Camaro to the shop for further fixing.

With the top down, he enjoys the summer day while driving the Camaro. And the car runs like it has been longing for this moment for 22 whole years, dragging a trail of smoke behind it.

Daniel is proud that he worked a few hours on a car that had sat parked for 22 years and now, he is driving it. On the road, it looks as if it has just escaped from a zombie apocalypse.

Minutes later, the Chevy gets its first wash in over two decades. There is a lot of work to peel off all the dirt from the white body of the muscle car. And there will be a lot of work on it before it comes anywhere near what it looked like when it rolled off the production line in 1980.

Once Daniel and Brittany are done with it, they are going to list it for sale.