History

General Motors found themselves wrong footed by the Mustang when it was introduced in April 1964. Chevrolet designers were just putting the finishing touches to a reskinned Corvair for 1965 and believed that its engineering sophistication was what the public wanted. Ralph Nader ended all that when he published his book 'Unsafe at Any Speed' in November 1965. Ford had sold 1.3 million Mustangs before the Camaro was even put on sale in 1966. A small, in-house team under Irv Rybiki started the design in August 1964 and management go ahead was given for the new 'F' car in early 1965.

The Camaro was a remarkably clean design with few of the unnecessary adornments usually incorporated in car design of the time. Influenced by the 'Coke Bottle' theme, which was popular with GM designers (leading to the Corvette), the design was good enough to influence William Towns, when designing the Aston Martin V8 a decade later.

From the outset the Camaro was designed to be better than the Mustang. Its semi-unitised construction with front sub frame mounted by rubber biscuits gave a wider track than equivalent Mustangs as well as a quieter ride, and the flexibility to upgrade to larger engines, even before the late 60's horsepower race began in earnest. The use of the Chevelle rear axle gave the Camaro a wider rear track than initially planned. All but the high performance models were equipped with monoleaf rear springs, and axle wind up was not totally eliminated until staggered shock absorbers were instigated for the 1968 model. One problem which manifested itself quite early on with the convertibles was the tendency to shake under certain conditions. Harmonic dampers were found to be the answer when installed in the boot - chassis engineers termed these 'cocktail shakers'. The famous Chevy small block was available in several states of tune, from a 327 CID two barrel, to a very quick 350 CID four barrel, which came as part of the SS350 package.

The Camaro was launched on to the U.S. market in 1966 (as a '67) with a plethora of options and variables, and 220,906 1967 models were sold of which 25,141 were convertibles but only 602 Z/28's.

1968 was the year of Woodstock, Jimmi Hendrix and the student riots in Paris. The war in Vietnam was gathering pace and the Flower Power was in vogue. 1968 heralded the improved Camaro. Not much was different from the 1967, but aficionados will have picked out the lack of front quarter windows and the inclusion of sidemarker lights which became mandatory for all U.S. cars in 1968. The front grill came to more of a point with rectangular sidelights and the grill was painted silver instead of matt black. All SS396 cars had a matt black rear panel.

Rally wheels were available in 15" (P-28) size for the first time. The engineering improvements included staggered shock absorbers to eliminate axle wind up and multileaf springs were available on the more powerful V8's. Larger body mounts were fitted and the Turbo Hydromatic auto was available for the first time.

The interior received some attention with the additional gauges arranged in a sawtooth pattern, and the hard to find 'Tick Tock Tach' with silver background combined a rev counter and a clock. The dash padding wrapped around the dash for the first time. Astro ventilation was installed, thus enabling the front quarter lights to be discarded. The metal inner door cappings were removed and replaced by complete vinyl door panels.

1968 could be called the year of the Z/28 because it really came into its own that year. The Z/28 was only a delayed option package for the 1967 model (only 602 were sold).

In 1968 the model was designated as Z/28, having originally being nothing more than an RPO identification number. But Z/28 had a special ring to it and so Chevrolet stuck with it. This was helped by Mark Donohue's success for the Penske team in the Trans-Am series. He won 10 out of 13 races in 1968 and Chevrolet sold 7,199 Z/28's.

If comparing '67 and '68 models for desirability now, they rate a toss up. The '67 has the advantage of being the first model but the '68 models had better suspension and a more liveable interior. Overall, 235,147 models were sold in 1968 as against 220,907 in 1967. Unmolested Z/28's are very rare and must rate as very desirable.

1969 not only saw the end of the decade which was to have such important influences on design, fashion and style, but also the last of the first generation Camaro. Although the 1969 model was essentially the same as the 1967 - 1968, it looked considerably different and there were quite a few changes to powertrains and options.

In Detroit it was quite normal to introduce new sheetmetal to existing models every two years, and despite 1968's improving sales record (over the Mustang) and the fact that the 1970 model had been penned, 1969 sheetmetal changes were instigated to give the Camaro a lower, wider stance. Henry Haga, chief designer of the first generation Camaro, admitted design influences from the Mercedes 300 SL gullwing in the wheel arches. The front grill resembled an "egg crate" and became more aggressive but less aerodynamic. The rear lights were segmented into three to accentuate the feeling of width. Those wider arches now enable the modern day Camaro fiend to squeeze larger tyres under them without fouling.

On the mechanical front, the 327 was discontinued and the low spec 307 replaced it. The L-65 350 superseded the high performance 327, giving the 1969 Camaro two 350's and four 396's, as well as the Z/28 302, the base 307 and two 6's.

February 1970 heralded the new second generation Camaro, which continued in the same form for 12 years. Bill Mitchell was quoted as having said that the first generation Camaro was designed by Committee but the second became a designer's design.

Again, Henry Haga, Chief of Chevrolet's Studio Three, was instrumental in designing the new shape. The Pontiac team was run concurrently by Bill Porter for the Pontiac version of the new "F" car. Bill Mitchell, Chuck Jordan, Irv Rybiki and Dave Holls formed the mainstay of the Committee to which Henry Haga reported.

The Chevrolet engineers were having difficulty packaging a heater, air conditioner, radio, glove compartment and instruments within the limits of the cowl. They wanted to raise it. Hank Haga had a word with Bill Mitchell who was adamant that the low cowl was essential to the look of this new sporty car and that it was not to be raised by one inch!

The new car borrowed styling cues from Jaguar, Aston Martin, and Facel Vega at the front, and Ferrari for the Kamm tail with 4 round tail lamps. It is fascinating to see things go full circle as William Lyons has confirmed early 60's Camaro influences in his design of the Aston Martin V8, particularly around the muscular rear haunches.

The second generation did away with rear quarter lights at a saving of $18.00 per car. This enabled those huge doors to be hung - they are five inches longer than those of the previous model. Whilst the car was heavier, had less interior space, one cubic foot less of boot space, there was no doubt that the original shape was right from the outset, as well as having a much more distinctive front grill or "face". As a result of various last minute complications, the 1970 model was not ready for sale by September 1969 (as was Chevrolet's practice) but eventually was offered to the public in February 1970, hence the 1970.5 nickname.

The interior came in for major revision with a clearer instrument panel although the all foam, non-adjustable seats were considered too upright for many. Although much of the running gear was carried over from the 1967 - 1969, the front sub frame splayed out wider than before and the steering box was mounted ahead of the front axle rather than behind it. This improved steering deflection over steer immeasurably. Whilst the front suspension was the same design and looked remarkably similar, no piece is interchangeable! The roof had a double skin for the first time, contributing to the car's strength and front disc brakes of eleven inch diameter became standard.

NAME	CID	TYPE	BHP(gross)
Base	250	S6	155
Base V8	307	V8	200
Z28	350	V8	360
350 SS	350	V8	250
350	350	V8	300
£96	402	V8	350
396	402	V8	375

All V8 engines could be bought with a 4 speed manual or Turbo Hydromatic three speed automatic at no extra cost, except the high performance 396 4V V8 and the Z28 which only came with a 4 speed manual gearbox. The Z28 for 1970 provided one of the best power/user friendly compromises in Camaro history and coincidentally lost the slash (/) in the name. A user friendly but powerful 350 CID engine rated at 360 hp with 11:1 compression was used. This was the last year of the Z28 as a pure muscle car, in the following years the cars began to lose more and more power and gain additional weight. The beginnings of the end of pure muscle were on the way.

History of the Camaro

Part 2 - 1971 to 1981 Tim Boles

1971
If you cannot tell the difference between a 1970 and a 1971 Camaro, -join the club! There is very little difference. There were virtually no external changes. The one obvious change was the high back seats, which were introduced in 1971.

Some optional wheel covers, 12 new paint colours, revised interiors and thinner windscreen glass were the only major differences. However, under the bonnet all Camaros had lower power outputs as a result of GM's across the board reduction in compression ratios to enable unleaded fuel to be used. The high power L34 and L78 396 V8's were replaced by a single 396 CID engine rated at "only" 300 bhp. The L34 had previously been rated at 350 and the L78 375 bhp. The compression ratio was dropped from 11:1 to 9:1 for the Z28 resulting in fewer bhp and 20 fewer lb. of torque. The Z28 was also available for the first time as an automatic - sacrilege?

1972
The main news in 1972 did not concern the car, but rather the UAW strike, which caused 1,100 cars to be scrapped at the end of the year, because they were unable to meet new federal regulations.

Again, horsepower dropped although it was now quoted as SAE (net horsepower). The Z28 was rated at 255 bhp (down 10 hp) and 280 lb. ft of torque (20 point loss). No differences in compression ratio or heads over the 1971 were in evidence.

No cars were built at Van Nuys, California. 1972 was the last year of the big block. New interior door panels were introduced with map pockets and a coin shelf. The 1972 Camaro had white tail light protectors. Only 68,656 Camaros were produced in 1972.

1973
For 1973 there were new bumper impact regulations but Chevrolet managed to maintain the Camaro's front end styling without resorting to the "rubber baby buggy bumpers" adopted by other car makers. Chevrolet engineers did this by means of some ingenious reinforcing bars supporting the bumpers which were moved further away from the body. The trend away from performance continued with the Z28 losing 10 bhp and the arrival of the LT type (Luxury Touring) version. Other changes included, the solid lift cam, high rise aluminium intake and Holley carb were replaced with conventional Chevrolet items and no big blocks were available. The powerglide transmission was deleted and space saver tyres were introduced. There was a radiator recovery bottle added, as a result of a higher operating engine temperature. New turbine style wheels were introduced and power windows became available with controls on the centre console.

1973 was the last year of the "type A" second generation Camaro, a total of 96,756 were produced and the year probably saw the end of an era. The Oil crisis was only months away and the federal restrictions were getting more and more stringent. The Camaro was about to enter its blackest metamorphosis yet!

The period 1974 - 1977 saw the "type B" second generation Camaro and spanned a time during which some significant things happened.
The Rally Sport and the Z28 options both departed and then returned. Unleaded fuel and catalytic converters became mandatory; power was drastically cut throughout this period and yet the Camaro finally outsold the Mustang.

1974
The styling for 1974 - 1977 was marked by the addition of aluminium bumpers which saved weight over equivalent steel bumpers but the cars did weigh more. This period of Camaro metamorphosis is known as the 'Type B', for several reasons these cars are the least favored amongst Camaro collectors.

Base 250 6 100 hp RPO L22 six
Base 350 V8 145 hp RPO L65 V8
Base 350 V8 160 hp RPO LM1 V8 (CA only)
HiPO 350 V8 185 hp RPO L48 V8

Other changes included:-seat belt interlock, this device prevented the car from being started unless the seatbelts were done up. Infuriating everybody, this device was soon removed by all drivers who carried shopping on the front seat! Fuel capacity was increased from 18 to 21 gallons and high-energy ignition debuted in 1974 along with radial tyres.
All in all, 151,008 1974 Camaros were sold despite being the heaviest Camaros (3429lbs) and the least powerful yet produced.

1975
Sad news for this year was the demise of the Z28, although you could make up the same package by ordering the gymkhana suspension package, together with the 350 V8 and M20 transmission. A much larger rear window was introduced for 1975 to eliminate the "blind spot". Unleaded fuel became mandatory and radial tyres were standard.

145,770 Camaros were built and factory weight had gone up to 3530lbs. Engine selection dwindled still further; from the fourteen available in 1969, the Camaro only offered three in 1975 (and only two for California!).

1976
The 1976 Camaro was largely unchanged from 1975 although the 305 V8 was introduced as base V8 with 180hp. Power brakes became standard on all models. A landau-type vinyl roof was new. The 1976 Camaro weighed 3513lbs but still sold 182,959 models.

1977
The good news for 1977 was the return of the Z28 but emissions had effectively choked the power and it only produced 185hp. As recently as 1974 the Z28 350 produced 245hp. But the Z28 re-emergence was based around a considerably better designed suspension set up.
The base 6 cylinder engine power crept up 5hp to 110hp except in California where it was just 90hp. The 350 V8 was rated at 135hp in California, 145hp elsewhere. The RPO LMI 350 V8 was 160 hp in California, 150hp elsewhere and the Z28 engine 185 hp. No manuals were sold in California. Delay wipers were introduced for the first time. 198,755 1977 Camaros were sold despite the car's weight of 3456lbs. This was only the second year that Camaro outsold its great rival, the Mustang.

1978
This was the first year of the last metamorphosis of the second generation Camaro known as Type C. New body coloured bumpers front and back were a welcome change from the aluminium ones of group "B". Removable "T" roofs were new and often leaked. They were also very expensive to replace. The Z28 model had 185hp and came with a duct bonnet scoop that was non functional. The suspension on Z28s was tuned to give a somewhat softer ride and manual transmissions were not sold on Z28s for California.

1979
For 1979 a new chin spoiler was added to the Camaros which improved looks and performance, together with stripes which did neither. The LT model was replaced by the Berlinetta and the Z28 engine was further detuned to give just 175hp. But a new dashboard replaced the earlier antiquated design.

1980
The best news for 1980 was an upgrade in power to 190hp for the Z28. This was brought about by the reintroduction after eleven years of a cowl induction bonnet. The wheels were restyled, and wing louvres allowed engine heat to escape. The straight six engine was dropped in favour of the Buick designed 231 CID V6 (for California) and the 229 CID V6 for other states. Bill Mitchell introduced 90 Camaro "Huggers" with the IROC front spoiler, Minilite wheels and better suspension. These were sold in Florida and were painted orange.

1981
The computer age dawned as the 1981 Camaro was the first year of the Camaro super chip "command control". But you could no longer order the 350 V8 Z28 manual. Power dropped back to 175hp in the LM1 350 V8 but Don Yenko built a turbo charged Camaro.
The Camaro almost died on several occasions but each time it was reprieved although the engine power ratings declined throughout this period. There are momentary blips here and there as engineers learned new ways to pull more power from increasingly emission strangled engines, but the decline was obvious. Despite having a beautiful body which was designed in the late Sixties, the Camaro carried too much weight for a changing world in which safety, fuel consumption and emissions took precedence over power.

The Camaro of this period was a dinosaur in terms of chassis design, packaging, and engine management systems. But the product was successful and Chevrolet did not stray far from the Camaro's roots when faced with a redesign of their old war-horse. Despite the success of the Golf GTI, which debuted in 1979 and created an icon, Chevrolet kept much of the original blueprint for their new redesign for the third generation Camaro.

History of the Camaro

Part 3 - 1982 to 1992 - Tim Boles

1982
The third generation started off right with the "Car of the Year" award from Motor Trend magazine and, coincidentally for the third time, the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500. For the first time in 12 years, Camaro's body was totally redesigned, this time with a futuristic look and a hatch instead of the traditional trunk. A 151ci (2.5 litres) inline four with electronic fuel injection was the base engine. Options included a 173ci (2.8 litres) 102-hp EFI V-6 and a 305ci (5.0 litres) 145-hp V-8 with a four-barrel carburettor. Z28 buyers could pay $450 for an optional 305ci 165-hp Crossfire fuel-injected V-8. The 350ci (5.7 litres) engine would not become available until 1987. 189,747 Camaros, including 6,360 Silver pace car replicas, were produced.

1983
A 5-speed manual transmission and a 4-speed automatic were new options this year. Then, in mid-model year, a new 190-hp V8, known as the 5.0 Litre HO, was available with a 5-speed. Because cassette tapes had gained growing favour, the 8-track tape player was left out of the '83 model. 154,381 Camaros were produced.

1984
While Road & Track magazine named the '84 Camaro "one of the 12 best enthusiast cars of 1984," the Berlinetta model received the most attention. A brand-new dashboard featuring digital readout for speed, a vertical electronic tachometer and movable control pods on either side of the instrument readouts distinguished the Berlinetta from Sport Coupes and Z28s. The turn signal lever was located on the left control pod and was activated by a "paddle" of sorts. The radio was located in a swivel pod mounted to the console and could be rotated for use by either driver or passenger. The Berlinetta featured a roof console that was also optional on all other Camaro models. 261,591 Camaros were produced.

1985
A special Z28 sport equipment package, IROC-Z, commemorated the International Race of Champions that featured identically equipped special Camaros. This package allowed the Camaro to pull .92 gs on the skid-pad. The V6 engine received Multi-Port Fuel Injection, and top horsepower came with the LB9 Tuned-Port Fuel Injected 305ci engine rated at 215 hp. Ten of the 12 colours available on Camaro were new this year along with revised interior fabrics and colours. 180,018 Camaros were produced

1986
All 1986 Camaro Sport Coupe models received a host of new standard equipment that added greatly to the appearance of the base model. This included, among other things, styled wheels, dual tailpipes with tuned exhaust, black sport mirrors, power steering and brakes, lower-body accent colour, and an upgraded sport suspension. Standard 5-speed manual transmission replaced last year's 4-speed manual, and the Berlinetta model was discontinued. 192,219 Camaros were produced.

1987
After an 18-year hiatus, the Camaro Convertible was brought back to life. An engine similar to that used in Corvette was available on the IROC-Z, a 350ci (5.7 litres) V8 and rated at 225 hp. However, Camaro's heads and exhaust manifolds were made of iron instead of aluminium and stainless steel. The Norwood, Ohio, assembly plant closed at the end of this model run. 137,760 Camaros were produced.

1988
The Z28 model and the LT option once again disappeared as all production took place at the Van Nuys assembly plant in L.A. The Sport Coupe model received the Z28-style fascia from the previous year and the IROC-Z saw an increase in horsepower to 230 along with an optional 16-inch wheel. Chevy planned to use a three-piece spoiler on all IROC-Z models and a one-piece spoiler on the Sport Coupes. However, early Sport Coupes were built with a one-piece spoiler that featured a centre, high-mounted stop-lamp that was discontinued during the model run. 96,275 Camaros were produced.

1989
Success with a regionally offered RS model two years prior led to nation-wide distribution in 1989, acting as the base model. Visually, the change was primarily a set of body-colour ground effect panels, which were not offered on the 1988 sport coupe. Only 111 1LE Special Performance Components Package Camaros - targeted for the SCCA Showroom Stock racing series - were built. They came with an aluminium drive shaft, larger front brakes, fuel tank baffles, specific front and rear shocks, different jounce bumpers, 4-wheel disc brakes, a dual converter exhaust, and P245/50ZR-16 tires. 110,739 Camaros were produced.

1990
This short production run gave way to a new 3.1 Litre V6 engine rated at 140 hp. All 1990 Camaros received a driver-side air bag along with a standard tilt wheel, tinted glass, intermittent wipers and halogen headlamps. Yellow instrument graphics replaced the traditional white ones. 34,986 Camaros were produced.

1991
While IROC-Z was no longer; Z28 made a comeback this year and was available with the optional 350ci rated at 245 hp. All '91 Camaros featured new ground effects. Z28 Coupes received a much taller rear spoiler, while RS Coupes had the same spoiler as 1990, but the centre brake light was relocated to the upper inside of the hatch window. The Special Service Package (B4C), better known as the Police Package, helped put speeders in their place. 100,838 Camaros were produced.

1992
A special plaque on the instrument panel of all Camaros celebrated its 25th birthday. Plus, an exclusive Z03 Heritage Package featured a body-colour grille, heritage stripes and badging. It came in white with red stripes, bright red with black stripes, purple haze with silver stripes, black with red stripes, or polo green with gold stripes. This memorable year was the last model run for the Van Nuys, California plant. 70,008 Camaros were produced.

History of the Camaro

Part 4 - 1993 to 2002 - Tim Boles

1993
With a totally redesigned body and significant mechanical improvements, the fourth-generation Camaro debuted. All models included dual air bags along with analogue instrument displays and tachometer. The V6 bulked up from 140 hp to 160 hp and the Z28 received an LT-1 V8 similar to that used in the Corvette and rated at 275 hp. Camaro's fourth appearance at the Indy 500 was a Z28 with striking black-over-white exterior with special multicoloured stripes and interior seat covers. 40,224 Camaros, including 633 pace car replicas, were produced.

1994
The fourth-generation convertible was introduced with a power top, full headliner and heated rear window. Sequential Fuel Injection was added to the LT1 V8 engine and Z28's standard 6-speed manual transmission featured Computer-Aided Gear Selection. New options included Remote Keyless Entry and leather seating surfaces in graphite or beige. 119,799 Camaros were produced.

1995
This year Camaro focused on handling and performance improvements. Traction Control became an option on Z28 as well as a new all-season tire to complement the system. For V6 buyers, an optional 200 hp was offered. This was also the first year customers would see body-colour roof and mirrors with the T-Top option. And the optional 5-speaker sound system blew away the 3-speaker system from the previous year. 122,738 Camaros were produced.

1996
Two models were reborn for the '96 model year: the Rally Sport Coupe and the Rally Sport Convertible. They sported front and rear fascia extensions, ground effects along the sides, and a three-piece rear spoiler extension. Now standard in all base models was the 3.8 Litre, 200-hp engine, available with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. The SS Package made a comeback with up to 310 horses, a composite hood with a functional hood scoop, restyled rear spoiler, revised suspension and 17-inch Corvette ZR-1-style wheels. It was available nation-wide, but only through special arrangements with SLP Engineering. 61,362 Camaros were produced.

1997
To commemorate its 30th anniversary, the '97 Camaro was chosen to pace the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August of '96. Reminiscent of the '69 Indy 500 pace car, this Camaro was Arctic White with Hugger Orange heritage stripes and featured a special black-and-white Houndstooth interior. While all '97 models boasted a 30th anniversary logo on the front seats, a special Z4C Anniversary Package replicated the Brickyard 400 pace car. 60,201 Camaros, including 4,534 anniversary models, were produced.

1998
Camaro continued to make a statement this year. A completely restyled front end with new reflector optic headlamps, fenders, hood, grille and bumper fascia were just a few of the new parts and components this year. The biggest was the all-new all-aluminium Corvette-derived 5.7 Litre V8 engine. Horsepower was beefed up to 305 on Z28 and 320 on SS. Plus; the 4-wheel disc brake system included a new integral ABS system from Bosch. 49,218 Camaros were produced.

1999
Z28 was the racing choice for 1999. 50 identical Z28s were chosen for driver introductions at the Indy 500 and the Brickyard 400. Hugger Orange, Bright Blue Metallic and Pewter Metallic were new on the colour palette. Minor improvements included a larger gas tank than the '98 model and Traction Control available on all '99 models. 42,098 Camaros were produced.

2000
SS remained a favourite this year, and Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis used 50 of them. On the inside, a new Congo-Lexington cloth replaced the previous basket-weave style, while Camaro's aluminium wheels - both 16 and 17 inch - were restyled for a fresher look outside. 45,461 Camaros were produced.

2001
Still the race-inspired performer it was designed to be, the 2001 Camaro is as spirited as ever with more horsepower than last year's model. SS takes the lead with 325 hp and Z28 follows closely with 310 hp. Check out the hot new colour, Sunset Orange Metallic.

2002
For 35 years Camaro has remained true to its muscle car heritage, offering honest American performance with rear-wheel drive, sport-tuned suspensions, exceptional power and eye-catching, fluid-themed styling. To celebrate, a limited number of 35th anniversary Camaro T-Top coupes and convertibles were built featuring special graphics and interior.

As that was the last model year for the F-body, GM said it would continue to support the millions of Camaro owners with replacement parts, reproduction parts, accessories and technical support through its Service Parts Organisation.