Bidding is suitably low for this 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, which comes with no motor or transmission. It’s a roller, but one with very little rust, according to the seller. The factory aero pieces are hanging on by a thread under the front bumper, but it’s good to see the fragile bits attached at all. With under a day left and bidding not even at $2K, this project-grade Z28 here on eBay could be worth a look. 

The body does look solid, with no obvious signs of rot or prior accident damage. The wheels are mismatched, but the original Z28 side-body graphics are still reasonably fresh. The seller offers few details as to why this Camaro no longer has its engine or transmission, but the reasonable suspicion is that these cars have been cheap for a very long time, and it likely looked more attractive as a parts car than a restoration candidate. Or, perhaps it was drag raced, and the drivetrain was yanked when its racing days were done.

Is that tide turning? Depends on who you ask. This generation of the Camaro (and Firebird) were severely handicapped by aggressive fuel economy requirements and marked a dark period in muscle car history. But now, with nostalgia fever taking over, cars like this Camaro are ripe for rebuilds. It may seem silly, but period-appropriate details like the spoilers, fender ducts, and Z28 graphics are elements the Radwood crowd loves, simply because these cosmetic tweaks are rarely seen in the very streamlined and monotone modern era we find ourselves in.

As you can see, the interior will need some work, too. This Z28 is dying for a modern engine swap, along with a nicely lowered suspension and other resto-mod features. Some genius has begun producing a larger, widened replica of the iconic Firebird “honeycomb” wheels, and surely something similar exists for the Camaro. Whatever path you choose, with bidding so cheap at the moment, it seems like this Camaro roller is worth a bid if you’re hunting for a restoration project you won’t feel guilty modifying.