This 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z8 isn’t perfect, but its presentation is very tidy, and many enthusiasts would consider it an acceptable driver-grade classic. It has a few shortcomings, but none that would prevent the buyer from indulging in immediate motoring pleasure. They could be addressed at their leisure, making it perfect for summer fun followed by a winter project. The seller has listed the Z28 here on eBay in Thomaston, Maine. They set their price at $17,900 OBO.
Chevrolet adopted a fairly conservative approach to upgrades on its Camaro range for the 1979 model year. The recipient of the most dramatic cosmetic changes was the Z28 variant. The company added a front spoiler and fender flares, along with upgraded decals and graphics. The changes weren’t outlandish and were quite attractive if the first owner selected the “correct” color combination. This Camaro left the factory wearing Code 19 Black with Orange and Red stripes. I am typically not a fan of Black cars, but this Camaro is a case where the paint and stripes work well together, producing a stunning result. The seller believes a previous owner may have given the car a cosmetic refresh, and it presents nicely as a result. The paint holds a rich shine, and the graphics are crisp. They believe that the refresh may have included a hood change, but the remaining steel is said to be original. Rust is isolated to some pinholes in the trunk pan and a small, patchable area in the driver’s side front floor. The seller believes the problems aren’t severe and don’t warrant steel replacement. The glass is excellent, as are the wheels.
We are seeing an increasing prevalence of sellers listing classics with no engine bay images, as demonstrated by this Camaro. However, we know that it features a 350ci V8, a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic transmission, a limited-slip rear end, power steering, and power brakes. The 1979 Sales Brochure quotes a power output of 175hp for the small-block, which is pretty modest compared to what the engine generated at the start of the decade. However, within the pony car sector, it sat almost perfectly between the best that Ford’s Mustang and the Pontiac Trans Am offered. The seller states that this classic is numbers-matching and is in excellent mechanical condition. It runs and drives well, and is a turnkey proposition with no identified shortcomings.
This Camaro’s exterior may present nicely, but its interior needs love to reach the same level. The Carmine cloth has no rips or tears, but it looks tired and worn. The headliner is past its best, and the dashpad has cracked. However, replacement upholstery is readily available and affordable, and the seller includes a cap and adhesive to address the pad problem. The interior also requires a new console lid, and the kick panel plastic is beginning to discolor. The seller indicates that the air conditioning doesn’t blow cold, and the aftermarket stereo is inoperative. Otherwise, the power windows and remaining interior features work as they should.
The listing suggests that the rust issues hiding beneath this 1979 Camaro Z28 are relatively minor, and repairs shouldn’t be beyond an enthusiast with reasonable welding skills. They aren’t urgent, which is good news for those wishing to indulge in classic motoring enjoyment during the coming summer months. The listing statistics are impressive, suggesting this Camaro has struck a chord with enthusiasts. Do you share those feelings? If so, would you consider making a play for this Z28?
I sure was admiring this Z until I got to the interior shot. A black interior color would have been the icing on the cake. This (faded) red just spoils it. Pity.
Yes! I’d love to have this Camaro. It’s very nice and I agree that the color combo works well. Nice car! The interior shouldn’t be too bad to make near perfect with many aftermarket sources offering everything to fix it up. I would be intimidated by the headliner and would definitely find someone to handle that chore for me. I like it!
I hate to do this car like this but my OCD is triggered by the incorrect hood scoop, incorrect hood striping, wrong year tail lights, mismatched interior door panels, and the fact that they painted the inside of the wheels black instead of the correct titanium.
They then put on 1978 center caps as further indignation, not to mention the wrong cigarette lighter, and that 1980-81 Z28 fuel door emblem stuck to the glove compartment door. Ugh. Sorry guys, I’ve owned 2 of these, LOL!
I have absolutely no idea how the front seats got that bad, which particularly stands out against the new carpet. Though at least those look like correct ’79 standard cloth interior seats, to the car’s credit. This car must have been out in the sun for a very long time.
I would expect a bit more than this at this asking price. My guess is there will be a lot to sort out here, as the dry cracked rubber underneath shows!
I have owned four 1978-1981 Camaros. Iām curious as to what year these tail light lenses are? I was always under the impression that base Camaros got the plain lenses and Z28s got the black detail in the middle.
1980-81. The 1978-79 Z28s used standard taillights that do not have the black stripe in the middle.
Kudos to the seller! It is obvious he is selling the car just as he found it. He notes the car’s flaws and modifications as seen.
I’m meh about the car but the underside is exceedingly clean for a car this age in Maine.
This Z-2/8 is a bit of a Frankenstein mashup of 1979 / 80/ 81 parts.
Makes me think it is made up of multiple parts car donors.
I had a new 1979 Z-2/8 back in the day. Lots of things not quite right here.
Yes, that is the vibe I definitely get here. That and they had a Classic Industries gift card or something. For $18,000, I would expect much better than this. You can get really nice original cars in the low 20s, if not even a little bit less. I think this is a sub-10k car truthfully.
cool colors but pick a color for the inside. i would find all red and do it in that rather than 2 tone. that’s a deal breaker for most
That interior drops the price drastically
You can really wake one of these up with a .373 or lower gear ratio, headers, duals and a shift kit. Buddy had a light-orange 80 with buckskin interior and tan with bright orange striping. he did exactly that and it would scoot. I have only seen a couple with those colors.
It’s strange to see parts from Z28’s other than 1979 all over on this car; what’s up with that? The seats and headliner are a big turnoff, and I would want to see the floors under that new carpet. The trunk looks like it regularly holds water, and there’s no photos of the engine compartment. Too many red flags for this one, when other Z28’s from this era are easy to find.
The 1977-79 automatics came with 3.42 gears (the manuals had 3.73s). My ’79 automatic really woke up with a mild torque converter. With that, a mild camshaft, and a true dual exhaust, it ran in the low 14s in the 98-100 MPH range, so it’s very easy to get these to be pretty fast. That would feel pretty peppy even today.
I also had a 4-speed ’78 and the 3.73s are a bit much on the highway. The 3.42s aren’t much better but they improve things slightly.
And also eliminating the catalytic converter while installing a true set of duals.
Yes, I ditched the catalytic converter. It was a big single pellet style converter that was very restrictive. That alone probably cleared up about 25-30 horsepower!
Yes, I put a test pipe on my 1978 Z28 4 speed. Was still testing it 4 years later when I sold the car ššš.