This 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 has just over 3,000 miles from new, fitting the description of being a time-capsule to a T. There has to be a good story here, but the seller only goes so far as to say it has been in climate-controlled storage for 42 years and was only licensed for road use for just one year. As it’s a Z28 car, it comes with the full assortment of wings, spoilers, and spat, and all of these cosmetic enhancements are accounted for. Basically, this is like buying a brand new 1979 Camaro, or at least the closest you’re going to get to it. Find the Camaro here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $73,000. Special thanks to Larry D for the tip!
We’d love to know more of the backstory here in terms of the owner’s decision to effectively drive this Camaro so sparingly over the course of their ownership. That’s not easy to do on a car that’s made to run – imagine walking past it every day in your garage, and then scolding yourself for considering driving it! Still, while the mileage may seem incredibly low to us (and it is), 3,000 miles still gives previous owners plenty of opportunities to stretch the Camaro’s legs on occasion. Putting just a few hundred miles on the clock every year will still keep the mileage of this survivor low while still getting some actual seat time. Just look at that paintwork!
The interior continues the theme of being absolutely meticulous, as you’d expect for a collector car with this sort of mileage. There’s no evidence of alterations to the cabin, unless the seats were redone in fresh upholstery at some point in the recent past. I doubt it, as the seller mentions that the Caramel interior is original to the car, and that the only deviation from 100 percent stock condition is the battery. This may not be the raciest color combination ever offered in a Z28, but it sure is handsome and inviting. The Camaro will come with its original window sticker and temporary license tag used to drive it home from the dealer.
The 350 / automatic transmission isn’t exactly exotic, but it will run well for years to come. Of course, a car like this needn’t be concerned with running reliably for years to come; it just needs to be fired up every other month or so to keep fluids moving. Effectively, you’re buying a paperweight that will take up a full garage spot, but damn if it wouldn’t be a treat to walk out and see this picture-perfect Camaro greeting you every morning with its sweet “Hurricane” wheels ready to roll out. Would you be afraid to add a few miles each year, or would you exercise it regularly? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Boot for the find.
wow. that is a hunk of cash being asked. GLWTS
They are fishing. Not sure why people get so upset about the price of cars they aren’t even interested in purchasing. There are plenty nice of late-70’s Z28’s out there to choose from. The black 4spd Z28 featured a few hours after this one makes much better sense, though, that one might even be priced beyond the upper limit of the market. Serious buyers that are patient and willing to put in the effort find nice cars at reasonable prices, they always have and always will. Cars like this don’t matter to them.
Steve R
If he gets half the ask it will be a surprise to me. As noted in the write up, seller won’t give a good back story. One of the biggest problems on this site is no back stories. Come on, why save this? Not at all an unusual car for its day. Did the seller inherit it from some sick guy and didn’t lust after it himself? I think a good back story is more interesting than the car itself. Might be fun to make up a back story, anyone have any good ideas?
I see no one has any fun made up back stories to tell, but I have been thinking out loud (ask my wife), and I wonder if this wasn’t used in a crime. If the cops saw the car and had the description, then to get it forever off the street might be beneficial. Why else save a plain Jane Camaro? They were a dime a dozen. Okay, so so idea, but my one that involved wild hookers can’t be poster (per my wife, too bad, I had a lot of fun details for that one)
I know it’s low miles, but….SEVENTY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS. For a 1979 Camaro. A BEIGE 1979 Camaro, no less.
I honestly don’t know what to make of this. I applaud the car’s condition, and am happy it exists, but…
Chevy made nearly 85,000 Camaro Z28s in 1979. This is not a particularly rare car, and while there certainly will be a price premium on a car of this mileage, what’s that worth?
Just checking the internet for less than three minutes, I found a 16,000 mile Z28 (in much better colors, with a 4-speed) for $40,000. Nice Z28s with higher mileage can be found all day for $20,000-$25,000.
https://www.autoblog.com/cars-for-sale-detail-7473267200182173395-Chevrolet-Camaro-1979
Nicely kept.
$6115 new (typical high end Z28), accounting for inflation brings this to about $23,500 today.
Is the condition of this car really worth asking three times the value when new? Maybe to someone who has to have one like this but you nailed it J Paul-there are Camaros out there that are better optioned and very well kept for a heckofalot better (more realistic) price.
Too much lockdown time watching BJ?
You can buy a 1969 Camaro RS/SS 396 325 HP M-21 331;1 12bolt pos for that 20k for the 79
Are you talking about the commonly found RS/SS/POS option package?
Honey I tried to sell it like I promised but no one was interested. Guess I will have to keep it.
More believable than 95% of the barn find stories.
73K is just silly, the car isn’t worth it. But if you are going to ask that kind of money for something, there should be a plethora of professional pictures showing every angle and every bit of the car. These look like a child took them. They made sure to include their other toys and their trophy collection in the garage though.
The color is awful, these are the worst looking wheels from the factory for this vintage, and it’s an automatic. Keep it in your garage and keep dreaming pal.
I agree. I remember when these were new, never thought much of them either. Just Imagine what 1st generation Z/28 one could buy for $73,000.00!!
If you can’t swing 75K for this one, I can sell you my 72 Pinto wagon for 42K…
No low ballers of offers, I know what I got…
Sounds like a fireball of a deal.
You’ve really got to love a beige Z28 before you would pay $73K for one. The King James version of the bible (“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up”) said it best “A fool and his money are soon parted”.
GLWTS
Too bad this wasn’t a ’70 1/2.
Odd you could get hood insulation on a 2nd gen z28 but never on a t/a.
One really can’t use this car at all – should be acquired by the GM Heritage Center or some other museum.
No cracks in sidewalls on the 42 yr old tires! Some tires today have cracks, bulges, indentations, slits, tread separation & rot after just a couple of years!
Some wearoff of the chrome on the plastic plate to the left of the radio’s volume control knob. Is that a factory radio?
Wonder if the a/c blows as cold as it did in ’79.
Love the rare color combo on this! So much nicer than the usual run of the mill boring colors you see so often on camaros.
$73k…
My reality check just bounced.
It is a nice car and undoubtedly a lot of effort has gone into maintaining its pristine condition. Great job doing that. But…..no way this car is worth that kind of money. No worries, it will stay where it’s at. I am convinced a lot of people advertise their cars for sale at astronomical prices in hopes their friends will see the ad and think they have a car that’s worth that much. It’s a way of bragging I guess. Maybe someone has a memory so precious that happened in a car just like it that they’ll get glassy eyed and foggy brained and mortgage their house for the beige cream puff. It never hurts to drop a hook in the water I guess.
These designs were full on Fleetwood Mac and fondue!! The seller is completely irrational with perceived value. Not even worth half of the current ask on it’s very best day at any auction.
That guy is dreaming. Those years were defined by gaudy plastic add ons and stickers and pathetic performance. Not to mention you can’t drive it without losing $20k in supposed value. Hard pass for me!
The trim on this car looked dated when it was new.
I wouldn’t have wanted to drive this tan colored thing either. Odds are the new car manager who ordered this shade on a z/28 got put on storage too? Lol
’79 auto with a 170hp 350 for 70+k? dream on lol
Arthell64 nailed it.
If I had known my now-ex was going to leave a year later, I’d have waited and listed my MR2 for $73k instead of selling it for what I took for it and then forking over half of that for no reason.
What I saw maybe I’m wrong But let’s see? Could it be a repaint? Front nose and rear bumper have not faded?? Inside Front fenders where hood closes on matches rest of car and over spray on cowl? When my 78 was repainted the inside fenders were just over spray from factory and the painter asked if I wanted them painted for a cleaner look and said yes. Tach doesn’t seem to be right. It’s at 6 O clock should be at around 1000 rpm when motor is off. The door latches on door jam has over spray on them? Radio does not look original. Let me know if I’m wrong.
As my Father used to say. — “You can always come down on your asking price, but it is difficult to go up “. Plenty of “Wiggle Room” on this price ??
Very nice original (In a rarer color) `79 Camaro, though.
So many wanters turned haters…
LOL Somebody is dreaming!
$73K for a 180 HP automatic Camaro that was really only “special” when it was new? I don’t think so.
$70k+? No way. For a 175HP, Auto, blah-beige “dog”? As the owner of an earlier vintage Z, I can tell you GM had no right to call this a Z28. I’d go no more than $20K and save enough for a re-spray.
Item location:
Jenkins, Kentucky
Nice car, I actually like the colors cause it’s rare, but 73,000 for 180 hp, what a dreary drivetrain, I mean it was probably faster than my new 79 Grand Prix with its 301, but we weren’t fooling ourselves with stickers,
I think they transposed the 7 and the 3. Even 37 grand would be on the high side…
Old man tan. Automatic. 73K? Haaaaaarrrrrd pass.
Yes,most definitely overpriced, but low,miles,super clean, and hard to find one so clean, 70k-80k,does,that include the car parked, next to it under the car,cover,hmmmm,45k-55k,for each one, hmmmm, it still doesn’t add,up.l think most people will pass, because it’s just to expensive.
So many times a well preserved, ultra low mileage car features negative qualifiers like unpopular colors or strange combinations of colors, interiors or options. It’s almost as though no one wanted to be seen driving them as they were as overlooked as a pimply Romeo at a Jr. High dance or more appropriately, a flatulent geezer at a Seniors Mixer. And so they sit, unloved.
Folks, they aren’t making any more of these. I have a feeling someone will step up, maybe not to the asking price but pretty good enough.
Jeff Lavery nailed it when he described its possible future as a giant paperweight. I would like to point out that the photos taken using a wide angle lens have exaggerated the already considerable front and rear overhang into something a bit grotesque. Or more grotesque depending on your what you already thought of the styling.
I don’t believe the striker pins for the door latches were factory painted.
Wild asking price. Insane.. Looks like a special edition ” le fromage”.
Insult to injury.. isnt the rear gear a 2.57 or something on these models?
1979 Z28’s came with 3:42 gears with the automatic trans.
$73k??? bhahahahahahahahahahahahaahahaha…
Ok, you decide to keep a z28 with low miles. Color of choice? Beige??? As someone says…Come on man!!
That is the color of all my grandma’s cars for years. yuck
That is NOT the factory interior. I wonder what else is not right about this car.