It’s a tough World out there if you’re in the market for a classic. Prices have shot through the roof, then caught a plane and headed towards the sky. Even project cars these days can run $15-$20k for a desirable car, and that’s usually without horsepower or decent paint. If you’re looking for something a little outside of the box though, deals can still be had. Take Jacob McEndarfer’s second-gen Camaro for instance.

There’s a lot to Jacob’s ’73 that might not be readily evident but adds to its total value, as well as making it a more drivable, fun car. For starters, it’s a real Z28, not a clone, and it’s powered by a 454 big-block, which is something you don’t see every day. The rat motor in Jacob’s Camaro isn’t a high-dollar build either, in fact, it started life in a 1990s truck. From there it was gone through and fitted with a mild camshaft that was installed with a Pete Jackson “quiet” gear drive. The compression ratio is around 9:1, and the engine has all the basic bolt-ons including Hooker headers, an Edelbrock intake, and a 650 cfm carburetor. Breathing through an exhaust kit from Pypes, this setup the engine makes around 400 horsepower, with torque in the 450 lb-ft range. It’s completely drivable and the cam has just enough whine and thump to let people know something other than stock is underneath the hood.

If there’s one thing that you don’t want from your street car, it’s overheating. Fortunately, Camaros have plenty of radiator room and clearance for a powerful twin-fan system from Custom Works to keep things frosty.

Of course, big-block power still requires that the engine’s supporting systems be in line, and Jacob’s ’73 has all the supporting hardware. A mechanical Holley fuel pump supplies some 91 Octane up from the factory fuel tank, while an Optima red top battery makes sure the car always starts right up. Since Camaros came with big-blocks from the factory, the car received a factory-style radiator that could handle the heat from the big engine. Jacob ditched the flex fan though, in favor of a pair of electric fans from Custom Works Performance out of Chico, CA, which also supplied the front core support braces for the car.

The interior of the Camaro is mostly original save for a few tasteful upgrades. Corbeau seats give a comfortable ride, while the steering wheel is a swap-meet find. “I just needed to feel the grip in person before I bought it,” notes Jacob.

Behind the engine is where things get interesting, as this Camaro has three pedals! That’s right, it’s a manual transmission, in the form of a Tremec TKO five-speed with a McLeod clutch. “The manual transmission is definitely one of my favorite things about the car,” notes Jacob, “I can still have enough rear gear to get off the line, but boy does fifth make things nice at highway speeds,” says Jacob. Cruising at 65 mph is about 2,200 rpm, an enormous drop from the 1:1 fourth gear. The RPM drop at cruising speed and the small-ish carburetor means the Camaro actually gets decent mileage—about 16 mpg on the freeway.

A big part of what “makes” the car is a Tremec TKO600 transmission. “With 4.10 gears it’s an absolute necessity on the highway,” says Jacob.

The fun doesn’t stop with the engine and transmission. The rest of the car has also seen its fair share of upgrades. It was painted that eye-grabbing green with white stripes about six or seven years ago by the previous owner, and the paint has handled the weather and potholed roads rather well.

I decided to splurge a little on gauges since they are something I look at every time I drive the car. – Jacob McEndarfer, owner

The Camaro’s suspension has also been upgraded to help it handle the twisties. A set of Viking Performance shocks bring up the rear, while Hotchkis lowering springs and a Performance Suspension Technology sway bar give the car a bit of a stance up front. Braking is handled by some cross-drilled and vented Wilwood rotors and calipers up front, while the rear just houses a set of stockers. The rearend is a factory 10-bolt. There is a positraction differential equipped with 4.10 gears inside the housing that has somehow survived throughout the years and continues to give Jacob excellent service.

The Camaro has a slight rake to it thanks to a host of suspension modifications including lowering springs up front. The 235-width (front) and 275-width (rear) BFGoodrich tires also magnify the look.

The interior has also been revitalized with a new carpet kit from Classic Industries and seats from Corbeau. The factory Camaro dash is still intact, although Jacob did upgrade the inner interior gauges with a trick setup using SpeedHut gauges from Custom Works Performance. The entire panel is real carbon fiber, and it inserts in the factory dash, in the factory position. It just looks a lot cooler.

“I decided to splurge a little on gauges since they are something I look at every time I drive the car,” notes Jacob. The custom carbon fiber cluster is the work of Custom Works Performance out of Chico, California.

Between a few different owners, including Jacob making the car his own, he estimates there’s about $35,000 in his Z28, which really isn’t all that bad for a classic cruiser with a manual and a big-block. “The car is different and a lot of people like the big-block and manual combination,” says Jacob. The car always gets attention at car shows, rides surprisingly well, and clicks off 12.90s in the quarter mile. “It’s not the fastest thing in the world or the nicest, but it’s just about right for what I’m trying to accomplish,” says Jacob. Hey, we wouldn’t mind a big-block Camaro in our garage! And yes, building a fast and fun ride can still be achieved on some sort of budget.