The attraction between a certain element of the car community and the limited-edition runs of pace car tributes issued by domestic manufacturers is limited to a specific age demographic. These days, you don’t see much fanfare about major racing events and the vehicle chosen to pace the field, which I suppose is a sad bit of commentary on the general public’s lack of interest in motorsports. Which leads us to this car, a fourth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z28 pace car replica, listed here on craigslist with just 7,400 miles and issued in commemoration of the 1993 running of the Indy 500.
So many of these pace car tributes were put away with the wrappers still intact, meaning very few saw any significant mileage accumulation. What always struck me about the number of owners who socked these cars away is how many caretakers perceived a decal kit and some special trim options as a pathway to future riches. I’m not disparaging anyone who does this, but it’s a shame the manufacturers didn’t make the cars more desirable with upgraded performance features. However, if we look at the special edition through the lens of how popular major racing events used to be, it begins to make a bit more sense.
One detail I do love about this Camaro is how the Pace car elements reflect the era in which it was made, which is perhaps my favorite time period of enthusiast vehicles. In the early 90s, a specific design language was prevalent among the manufacturers, with colors like teals, yellows, greens, and purples used liberally on mass-produced models. The Camaro pace car reflected these broader consumer trends with its bright, multi-colored upholstery and even the colors of the decal kit that adorned the exterior. A few years earlier, Chevy was parading the Beretta convertible as a Pace car tribute with similar color palettes, and those Pace cars are still sought after today.
You could have ordered this Z28 pace car edition with a 5-speed manual, and that option would have turned out some decent 0-60 times when paired with the powerful 5.7L V8 that packed around 275 horsepower at the time. However, this Camaro has an automatic transmission, considerably reducing the volume. The seller notes this Camaro also has the “…performance rear end 3.23 gear” and a T-top roof panel. The asking price is $22,000, and given the shifting demographics behind who buys these cars, this low mileage pace car Camaro may be for sale for a spell. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Tony Primo for the find.
I bought a red ’93 Z28 in early April, 1993, just as they were hitting showrooms. It was fairly basic, with crank windows, but it had the 6-speed manual (no Z28s were built with 5-speed transmissions after 1992). I paid the full sticker price of $18,993. I had owned it 8 months when my salesman called to tell me that a hold had been placed on 6-speed Z28s not long after I bough mine, and that he had a long list of customers waiting. He offered me $1000 more than I paid for it against a new ’94 Corvette priced just barely over net dealer cost (after incentives). Get paid $1000 to drive a new Z28 for 8 months and end up in a cheap new Corvette? Wish I had the opportunity to repeat that deal!
The only Beretta convertibles built were the five pace cars. A production version was announced, then cancelled due to cost, chassis flex, and the “beer tap” door handles in the b-pillar.
The manual option was a 6 speed – not 5.
Looks like a lot of Pace Car Replicas got put away as
investments,& rarely/never driven & enjoyed.
What a waste!
3.23 rear end ratio was standard. 3.42 ratio was the performance ratio which my 93 Z has.
Much like the Jeff Gordon circus car we saw a few weeks ago. A silly looking paint and sticker scheme which is simply ugly.
These will never reach the values we see in the ’67 and ’69 Camaro pace cars.
A lot of “older” people back in 1969 probably thought the Camaro Pace car looked totally silly and dumb when it first came out. But it was period correct for it’s time and today is totally cool, retro and desirable. History will likely repeat itself in regards to a lot of these replica pace cars of the 90’s and early 2000’s that are period correct for their time.
I really have my doubts. But one can never say for sure. This one is 30 years old and it’s not yet achieved high collector status.
To have your vehicle be the pace car for the Indy 500 used to be a badge of honor for a vehicle manufacturer. Think of Ford with the band new mustang pacing the 1964 race, Chevrolet with the 1967 Camaro, and who could forget Dodge’s misstep with the 1996 Stealth that ending up causing the Viper production to be put into high gear to save face?
Once the speedway sold out Pace Car rights to GM it’s been a consistent parade of ho-hum cars……No longer the BEST new American car.
And recently for the 500 Festival parade not only must the car being loaned to the parade be a GM, but it must be a Chevrolet.
When I was a kid I used to be excited to hear what car had been chosen. Now days…..oh look another Corvette…..yawn……
The 93 Z28 pace car never came with a 6 speed just the 4l60 automatic and the performance axle was the 3.23 standard was the 2.76 never heard of the 3
.42 except for trucks look it up.
Where did I put my Mullet???
Business up front and party in the back dude … 😎
Yup,but I don’t think anybody has ever sat in the back seat ,that is my car I own it
Sell it yet?
Haven’t seen no money yet