The 1974 model year was pivotal for the Chevy Camaro, seeing an increase in sales of 57%. That may have been helped by the market leader, the Ford Mustang, shifting to a subcompact platform. And don’t forget there was an economic recession with fuel prices surging thanks to the OPEC oil embargo. There was only one performance version of the Camaro that year, the Z28. The seller’s car is one of them and it looks like one of the nicest examples we’ve seen in a while. Located with a dealer in San Jose, California, this sweet survivor (or nice restoration) is available here on eBay for $39,850 OBO.
Of the 151,000 Camaro’s produced in 1974, 13,100 of them were ordered as Z28s. This beauty looks to be finished in bronze paint and is flanked by bold decals and a black vinyl interior (bucket seats, of course). This car carries the top Camaro engine at the time, a 350 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor (numbers matching). A wide-ratio Muncie 4-speed manual transmission is its faithful companion. We’re told the Camaro runs, stops, and sounds as great as it looks.
Air conditioning wasn’t available in early Z28s, but you could get it by 1974, and the unit here blows cold. From everything the seller tells us, this appears to be a turnkey car that you could drive anywhere. This would be the last year for the Z28 (temporarily) though it would return in in 1977. All 1974 Camaro’s got larger bumpers fore and aft to make the Feds happy. They were better executed by GM than some of the cowcatchers other automakers came up with.
Anyone who has ever owned a 1974 car may recall the passenger restraint system that required the seat belts to be fastened for the auto to start. It was a terrible idea, especially if someone was trying to hijack your car as you were getting into it. Fortunately, it was canned later in the year. We don’t know if this Camaro has that “feature”, but we understand there were tricks to get around it. This sharp Z28 might be the best you can find from the 1974 model year – is it priced correctly for the market?
Neat car. What does everyone think of both bumpers being ‘tucked’ in?
Compare this one to the black 1977 Z28 posted earlier. Looks far better to me with the shorter bumpers.
Such an underrated Z28. Always has been by many. 245 hp in 74 was more than the 454 was putting out, and 3 yrs earlier would have been rated at about 310 hp by gross ratings. And best of all its a 4 spd. Love the firemist red. always thought Mannix’s blue 74 was sweet! Random complaint;the pop-ups on this site make it damn near impossible to comment anymore. Ive x’d out a half a dozen since i started typing this
I meant *firethorn
My 1974 454 Corvette had 270 HP.
The 74’ model year Corvette with 454 engine was rated at 275 horsepower…..laughable for sure…..the 350 L82 in the Z/28 wasn’t a bad engine, but the low compression, smog equipment & EGR valves definitely hurt performance……I previously owned a 73’ Corvette with L82, 4 speed, 3:36 rear (A/C equipped)….it ran ok, but nothing like the high compression small blocks of earlier years.
Amen. My favorite year Z/28 and by a significant margin. This was not the “regular” L-48 350. This was the L-82 2.02 intake/9.0 compression engine. I know of owners of this very vehicle that claim it performs as good as anything from ’65-’70.
40k may seem like a lot of coin for this car, however it was really in a class by itself then (think that a the biggest engine you could get in a Mustang II that year was a 2.8L V6) and it’s really only competition came from Pontiac (like the Super Duty), so it really is one of only a few legends of the time.
I’d have it in my garage now if it didn’t come complete with divorce papers!
I think an autoworkers strike held back the 1973 production numbers, which would contribute to the sales increase for ’74.
The strike was in started in March of 1972 and lasted for 174 days, it might have marginally effected the 1973 model year but would have been insignificant compared to the effects on the 1972 model year production run, all Camaros and Firebirds on the assembly line were crushed (estimated to be in the neighborhood of 1,100) when the strike was ended, as it was said they couldn’t be brought up to standards for the 1973 model year.
Steve R
It’s too bad that in the 70s and 80s Americans had such an obsession with huge obnoxious decals on vehicles. So many cars would have looked far better without the added graphics. This is a case in point. Still a pretty car in spite of it though.
There actually was an option on these cars to delete the decal.
Too bad few chose it.
That option still exists. A heat gun and some adhesive remover are needed to execute the option.
The decal is the reason this year is my fav all time Camaro,i was 11 when these came out and my 11 year old eyes loved it and that stays with you forever.
It does not have factory air conditioning. It has an aftermarket unit.
That’s what I thought too, you wouldn’t be able to see the rear plugs on the rightside if it had factory AC.
Definitely aftermarket.
Steve R
I had a 74 350/4speed no air and was a quick car.
Green over green. Miss it to this day!
Fun times in that ride. 😎
That’s what I thought too, you wouldn’t be able to see the rear plugs on the rightside if it had factory AC.
Already gone…
Just can’t past those god forsaken bumpers. They just detract from the overall look…sorry.
If I had $40,000 in the loose change car, I would use it for a down payment on a 1969 Z-28.Each to his/her own.
Still today my gen 2 favorite is the 70 Z/28 LT1 M22 and a 12 bolt. The look, performance. They had the streets covered. We cruised a 70 Z/28 which was also RS split bumper Friday and Saturday nights. And my Friends dad was always taking the keys on Sunday. Yes we were always getting in trouble but it was some of my best memories.
I never paid much attention to the 1974 Camaro. I was a college student and it was out of my price range. I bought a 1974 Vega GT in 1976, it was a POS. I never realized how much the front end of the Vega looked like the Camaro until today, reading this article.
I had the 74 Mannix Blue Automatic version of this car and it was a huge disappointment. They were so cheaply made by lazy union thugs and low bid suppliers it was absolutely maddening.They used so much cheap cheesy plastic crap in the construction of this car that I felt gipped after making the final payment. The Reynolds wrap in the door lock knobs and pull handles, turn signal lever switch, door edge guards, etc., all started peeling off exposing the ugly yellow plastic underneath, the armrest pad on the center console peeled and split and broke within 6 months, that huge ugly red flashing seat belt nag on the dash board was just awful and the windshields and tee tops leaked unbelievably causing the awful carpet to rot in no time flat. Hats off to the original owner for miraculously being able to keep this one in one piece. The single most disappointing dream car a kid could ever own.
I had the 74 Mannix Blue Automatic version of this car and it was a huge disappointment. They were so cheaply made by lazy union thugs and low bid suppliers it was absolutely maddening.They used so much cheap cheesy plastic crap in the construction of this car that I felt gipped after making the final payment. The Reynolds wrap in the door lock knobs and pull handles, turn signal lever switch, door edge guards, etc., all started peeling off exposing the ugly yellow plastic underneath, the armrest pad on the center console peeled and split and broke within 6 months, that huge ugly red flashing seat belt nag on the dash board was just awful and the windshields and factory tee tops leaked unbelievably causing the awful carpet to rot in no time flat. Hats off to the original owner for miraculously being able to keep this one in one piece. The single most disappointing dream car a kid could ever own.
Tuck the bumpers and ditch the Johnny Lightning decals and this car is not bad looking. The engine could surely be warmed up and it gets even better. I love those wheels and they really make the car. This gen of Camaro reminds me of the Stacey David Gearz episodes when he took in a driver quality specimen and transformed the front and rear with 70 Camaro style parts (nose, split bumpers, rear bumper etc.). It turns out the body is similar to the pre malaise body, so it works. Nice to see one of these in such nice shape : )
The hood decal was not std equip – but was not seen often, unlike the screaming chicken.
Hidden wipers(not on this car) were not std equip even on the z28, but were on the t/a.
Prop up/support the heavy front bumper & double ck the support bracket attaching nuts – they tend to loosen up or even fall off! on non rusty cars.
I thought all ’73 -’74 chevy v8s had an air pump – even non Calif cars.
Surprised – for ’74 – the air cleaner has no provision for hot air to the carb when engine is cold.
Can’t tell if this is a later ’74 when there was a switch to HEI.
Aftmkt a/c sure makes it a lot easier to change spark plugs, & is probably made for R134A.