It’s not often that we find an 80s car parked in a barn, but this 1980 Camaro Z28 is an exception. The current owner pulled it from his friend’s barn, where it had been parked for the past seven years. After he uncovered it, he was able to drive it right away; he’s even made a few trips in the car without any issues. He’s now listed the car on eBay with a BIN price of $8,500 and a starting bid of $7,200.
The second generation Camaro and its Pontiac Firebird sibling are often considered to be some of the last true American muscle cars with their big carbureted V8s powering the rear wheels. However these last generation V8s were greatly hampered by emission control devices and they started to grow heavy and slow.
The second generation F-body platform this car is based on was in production from 1970 to 1981 with very few changes to the exterior or interior for its entire life. Overall the interior is in good shape, with no cracks in the dash. There are a few problems with the interior that should be addressed though. The driver’s seat has one tear in it that could probably be repaired and the headliner is starting to drop in the back of the cabin, but this could be remedied with a can of spray adhesive.
With the ever tightening emission regulations of the late ’70s few cars even came with V8s, but thankfully some manufactures continued to offer them in their top performance cars. Sadly to make these engines meet the stricter regulations they had to decrease displacement and compression. This Camaro came with a 350 cui V8, which was the largest engine available that year and it only produced 190 hp.
We are not too keen on 80’s styling, but we really don’t mind the look of this Camaro. We wish emissions hadn’t killed the 350 V8’s performance so much, but we know the potential a properly tuned 350 can have. These cars have actually been gaining value recently and the seller’s asking price is right on target, if not a couple hundred under. This is a car that we would just clean up, fix the interior, and drive.
Awesome car!! love this style Camaro..My Brother had a ’81 when I was a kid..Buit My real question is..What the heck else is in that barn??!!? I see a chevelle and is that a 1st gen Camaro??
Definitely a Chevelle.If I remember, the ’71 & ’72’s had the round taillights. And looks like a ’69 Camaro to me. Graduating from high school in ’79, I knew a bunch of guys and a few girls that had second-gen Camaros. One of my main running buds had a ’73, 350 TH, 350 355 gears and it was a ball to drive!
I had a 78 LT Camaro with T Tops, and te weaker 305. Great fun car in the summer. and probably the nicest ‘riding’ car I ever owned. Very well damped. Everyone I ever drove in it, liked it.
yea they are great cars, like I said my brother had a 81, It was a V-6 3 spd. standard car when he got it, and before he was done he had put a 350 that he had gotten somewhere and the car just plain flew…it would smoke the tires in all 3 gears..really fast. Dont know if it was the motor or the axle ratio but it flew. it had a L-88 style hood scoop aluminum slot rims and sidepipes..loved that car, it was dark blue
The t-tops leaked from the factory, I found that out at the drive through car wash.
My ’76 LT had the 350 4-barrel/dual exhaust (TH350 automatic), but it was only rated at 165 net horsepower. It was respectably fast, but definitely felt strangled and detuned.
looks like the same car that darnell jefferson had in Fast Times at Ridgemont high!
I totally agree about the emissions restrictions. I am the proud original owner of a 79 Z-28. My 350 doesn’t have the AIR pump emissions but it still only has 178 BHP original 350 4BBL V-8. The car drive comfortably and the Fisher body T-Tops are a great option. Fully loaded with AC, Turbine wheels and T-Tops the sticker total was $9100.00. These 2nd gen Camaros are gaining in value. In the near future (4-7 years) their value is expected to rival the first gen Camaros value of today….