In response to the popularity of the Mustang starting in 1964 as a '65 model, the Camaro has been making its own history ever since the first car rolled off the assembly line. Chevrolet claimed the name Camaro meant “friend” or “pal” in French. And consumers quickly befriended the latest downsized entry from the Bowtie Brigade. Ponycar fever was at full-pitch in 1967, and people just couldn’t get enough of the new Camaro.
There was a Camaro to suit nearly every taste. The economy-minded or penny-pinched among us could opt for a base coupe with a 230-c.i. inline-six. From there, engines could be upgraded to everything from a bigger six, to a variety of small-block V8’s, right up to factory-built 396 big blocks. Not enough? Special factory orders or aftermarket enterprises spawned 427-c.i., 425-hp monsters by the end of the first generation run in 1969.
The Camaro was also available in a variety of trim models. A base coupe with homely full wheel covers and a bench seat might not have seemed very sporty, but the RS package added several appearance upgrades to transform that Camaro from ordinary to extraordinary. SS models continued the Chevrolet tradition of affordable performance. Click the Z/28 option code, and you could imagine yourself in a Trans Am Series race. Whatever you preference, whether it be beauty, brawn, or both, Camaro had you covered.
An all-new Camaro appeared late in the 1970 model year, and the swoopy fastback design was not only different than the Camaro it replaced, but it was a fair departure from the looks of the archrival Ford Mustang as well. Most people seem to go for the RS package with the split front bumpers during this time, but you could order a Camaro with everything from the base six to the gnarliest SS, split bumper or not.
The mid- to-late-‘70s were not a great time for performance cars in general, and Camaros were no exception. While Ford downsized the Mustang to almost comical proportions in the name of fuel economy during this time, Chevy opted to retain the Camaro’s basic formula, albeit with increasingly de-powered and pollution device-choked power plants.
Chevrolet modernized and updated the Camaro’s appearance during this time. Urethane bumpers, wraparound back windows, and a variety of decal and stripe packages kept Camaro hot, hip, and happenin’ during the swingin’ ‘70s, but under the hood, the story was a little less exciting. By 1975, the beefiest engine a Camaro could be ordered with only wheezed-out 155-hp. The Z/28 was on hiatus. It was a dark time in muscle car history.
Yet, in spite of the world around them, people still craved real performance. The extroverted Z/28 came back in ’77. Horsepower was slowly creeping higher. There was a dim light flickering at the end of a long tunnel. In fact, 1979 proved to be Camaro’s best sales year ever, with 282,571 units moving out the door.
The 1993 Camaro was a sensation. Virtually new from the ground-up, this car was a major leap in refinement and quality.
The convertible returned to the lineup in 1994, the 3800 V6 enhanced the base car in ’95, and the SS (produced for Chevrolet by SLP Engineering) came back in 1996. Chevrolet continued to improve and refine the popular Ponycar.
The Camaro forged ahead until 2002, after which Chevrolet decided to pull the plug. Slow sales and limited funds marked the end of Chevrolet’s Ponycar efforts. Affordable performance seemed bleak at the General, but Camaro enthusiasts could not be silenced.
OK, so this isn’t as good as getting an actual car. But at least I didn’t forget her birthday! I’m closing this story with albums from the last three Midwest Camaro Fests: 2010, 2011, and 2012. If you think this looks like a good event, the 2013 Midwest Camaro Fest is coming up on August 24. Check back right here for more details!
2010 Midwest Camaro Fest
2011 Midwest Camaro Fest
2012 Midwest Camaro Fest
One last note--this is the 600th story posted on Hover Motor Company.
How about that!
Thank you for the Camaro "gift!" More importantly, CONGRATS to you on the 600th article! You work hard, and I love seeing you have success with this. Glad I could be a part of your blog milestone! Love you!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I appreciate all your support, and hope you had a great birthday. Love you too!
DeleteThanks, my favorite Camaro model is 1969! I owned a 69 convertible once.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Mrs H!
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and congrats to Mr H on the 600th post. Lots of time and effort goes into this blog and I, for one, enjoy and appreciate it.
Thank you. I always appreciate you sticking with us here.
DeleteThank you from me too!
DeleteYou're welcome, whoever y'are!
Delete
ReplyDeleteAs a faithful Chevrolet family, we love our Red 94 Z28 Camaro with an LT1 Corvette engine. Bought it new for my wife Gayl for Valentines Day in 1994. I have on occasion tried to talk her into selling it, but as a true Chevy Camaro girl, she just laughs at me. It is her daily driver and she enjoys driving it every time she gets behind the wheel. Being from the Grotewold Chevrolet/Oldsmobile Dealer family will be in our blood forever and a day. Enjoy your blog, Craig, now that I have found it. Roger Grotewold