The mid 1970s were not kind to muscle cars. The highest-horsepower Mustang was pumping out 139 horsepower and the Dodge Challenger was no more. Only the Pontiac Trans Am was available with large engines and even those were only producing around 200 horsepower. Chevrolet had canceled the Z-28 option and this example is about the best performance car in the Camaro lineup. This 1976 Chevrolet Camaro is a Type LT with an LM1 350 cubic inch V8 engine backed by a 4-speed transmission. The car is for sale here on eBay and bids have reached $5,300 with 3 days remaining in the auction. The reserve has not been met. The car is located in Algoma, Wisconsin and we appreciate T.J. bringing this one to our attention.
The Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V8 engine (5.7 liters) has been a workhorse engine and probably the most popular small block engine ever produced. The base engine in the Camaro was an inline six-cylinder engine (250 cubic inches) and the standard engine in the LT was the new 305 cubic inch V8 engine rated at 140 horsepower. Fed through a 4 barrel carburetor, the LM1 350 cubic inch V8 engine (as in this car) was rated at 165 horsepower. This was better than the Mustang but much less horsepower than the Trans Am’s base 400 cubic inch V8 engine (180 hp) or optional 455 cubic inch V8 rated at 200 horsepower.
The interior of this Camaro looks stock with manual windows, an aftermarket stereo, and the gauge package. The seats need recovering and most of the plastic surfaces are worn and/or showing sun damage. According to the seller, only 11,000 Camaros were built with a 4-speed manual transmission out of 182,000 produced in 1976. The seller states that the car drives well but the engine needs refreshing. When I was in high school, I remember looking at a green 1976 Camaro that was for sale. The paint was fish-eyed so I passed on the purchase and bought a 1979 Trans Am with original paint.
A new headliner, brakes, windshield, carpeting, and tires have been added along with a new paint job. The rear quarter panels were replaced prior to the new paint. The half-vinyl roof matches the interior color and the car is riding on aftermarket Cragar wheels. This should make a nice cruiser but still needs some work to be fully restored.
New rear quarter panels and the car is in Wisconsin?
I would want a thorough look underneath it. I bet it resembles Swiss cheese!
I had one of these in the late 1980’s, the body was as solid as quicksand back then. The rear leaf springs sprang up through the trunk floor. You could see through the trunk from one end to the other because both rear quarters dissolved from our wonderful Wisconsin winters.
If solid, this could be a neat cruiser. I doubt it is solid.
Keystone wheels they don’t look as good as Cragers imo.
Love those Keystone Crager wheels. My father owned a 74 Monte Carlo he bought back in 1981, he bought it from the guy with the same wheels as this Camaro included and it just made his Monte so much sportier and those wheels bought a nice refreshing look to it. My father sold the car Immediately a few years later for a Caprice and I’m sure those wheels were why the car sold very quickly.
I dolled up my 75 AMC Pacer with the same wheels. Really made that car look better.
Interesting. I have a friend who absolutely loves those wheels but I could never stand them! In high school in the late ‘70s it seemed like all the farm boys put them on their jacked-up Fords and painted the brake drums fluorescent Orange. Another thing I never understand, but that same friend likes that look too. Why would you want to highlight your brake drums??
To each his own I guess!
The half vinyl roof looks better than the earlier full vinyl roof, tho i would have skipped that option. Should be able to drive off stone cold after a 30sec-1min fast idle wait. Problem could be choke adjustment,dirty fuel filter, vac leak, etc.
I bought one new in 76. Mine was a four speed. I paid 5,689.35. It was silver with the fire thorn (red) interior.
305 350 or a 400 doesn’t make much difference in this mid
70’s cars as all are low compression engines.
To improve fuel consumption better fit some hc heads or a
ZR 1 engine as for valves feed the engine better with fuel/air
then only two. Or at least a SPFI engine.
A nice offer and it looks from the view pics nice except the
engine bay needs a cleaning.
Huh??
Color combo and Keystones match up well. I really like it. Anyone that buys this will be older and not looking to be street racing on Friday nights so the engine power shouldn’t matter.
Needs a thorough underside examination, these cars had rust issues that were pretty serious!
Keystone classics. Had then on my 74. Monte Carlo.
In 78 I totaled my first car , a fully loaded 69 Olds 442 , my Grandmother bought new . I was 17 and in need of a replacement , my parents agreed to co-sign a loan for a new to me ride . I found a hard loaded , just traded 76 Camaro Type LT in Bob Davidson Ford’s used car department in Baltimore , MD . It was like new , 36k miles , medium blue metallic and equipped with a factory Hurst shifted 4 speed , A/C , PW , Tilt , Power trunk , AM/FM 8 Track CB , blue velore buckets w/ console . I put a $100 deposit on it and brought my parents the next day to close the deal . Dad had no problem but Mom asked if it was “8 cylinder” . The salesman replied “of course , it’s a performance car” . Well Mom knew of most of the trouble I had in the 442 and told the salesman I was 17 and to give my deposit back , I would have no more than 4 cylinders . It did work out . I got a 77 MK.1 Scirocco which landed me in more trouble than the Olds ever did . Mom’s 91 and sharp as a tack , maybe I should buy this and show her the car I couldn’t have .
Very funny and made me LOL as a similar story came up me me. I was trying to buy a ’71 Road Runner 383 after totaling a ’66 Impala 396 SS. I was 17 at the time but My Dad was having no part of it. I had to drive our 52 Chev farm PU until I turned 18 if I wanted to get around. Parents knew how to parent back then. That’s all I can say.
These mid-70’s Camaros take me back to my High School years when these were a few years old. I went to a private school, so many kids parets (not mine) could afford to put their kids in brand new, or almost new, cars.
Many of the kids picked these Camaro LTs.
Although I ended up buying a new Camaro in ’81, my car lust back then were Barracudas, and a ’73 became my first car.
Love the color, I would like to own this little Camaro. The keystones were the first aftermarket wheels l bought as a teenager, the went on my 70 Galaxy 500 two door with a 390 also green. Boy do I wish I’d had the sense to trade that two ton turd in on something cool, a mustang ,Camaro,Chevelle, road runner, oh the list goes on and on…
LITTLE camaro? You need to see how long that hood is in person & the size & weight of the doors – & there is room for 4 inside. The trunk is small, but so is it on the modern camaro which has room for only 2 inside & a lot shorter hood – THAT one is little, IMO.
Wow Joe , please excuse my stupidity for the unexplainable incorrect use of the word “little”. You see when I see a car that I really like will use certain terms or words like, “cute, hot, cool , next and little ” But thanks to I now see the foolishness of my ways and will stop immediately, and once more thank you Joe