Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Orange Peeler: 1976 Chevrolet Camaro

Medium Orange isn’t the most creative name for a color, but it sure is an eye-popping one! This 1976 Chevrolet Camaro would turn a few heads in this bright color, and I, for one, am glad that GM offered such a bright color. Today it’s black, white, silver, gray, and maybe a navy blue or maroon and that’s typically it. It’s posted on Craigslist in Grass Valley, California with an asking price of $6,500. Thanks to Pat L for submitting this find!

How this car is even still for sale is beyond me. Hagerty lists a 1976 Camaro with a 350 4-barrel and 4-speed transmission in #3 “good” condition at $11,500! This car has to be in at least good condition. $15,700 for #2 “excellent” condition. This car is priced way below Hagerty’s value, whether that’s market value or not is a whole other discussion. I hope that the next owner wears their collars outside of their jacket like the typical 1976 Camaro owner did, according to this ad.

Thankfully, a set of rally mags come with the car as well as the wheels seen in the first two photos. I’d maybe want even less chrome on my wheels for this car, but that’s just a personal preference. 1976 was the best year for sales up to that point for the second-generation Camaro.

The owner says that this car doesn’t have AC or power windows, but for 1976 even some luxury cars didn’t have those things as standard equipment. One thing that was standard equipment on the V8 cars would be power front disk brakes, and this car also has power steering. This is it for interior photos, but for some reason they included three photos of the trunk! Another Craigslist head-scratcher. This is a 4-speed car and that’s great news. You can see the rip in the driver’s seat, but just on the side, the bottom portion looks perfect. It wouldn’t take too much to make things look like new inside this buckskin interior.

This is the engine that you’d want in this Camaro, at least from the factory. By 1976, you couldn’t get a horsepower monster in a Camaro, this 350 V8 with around 160 hp was it. I had a friend in high school that had one with the standard engine, a 250 inline-six, and he put a header on it and it was the craziest thing that I had ever heard! It sounded like the Green Hornet car, black beauty. The engine could use a solid weekend of detailing, but otherwise this car looks really, really good car to me. I can’t fit in these cars without hitting my head on the headliner, but for those of you who are under 6′-5″ tall, what do you think about this orange peeler? It seems like a heck of a deal, no?

Comments

  1. Avatar sparkster

    Really not that bad of a deal for a California Camaro with 350 and a four speed. Paint it black and call Jack Reacher

    Like 0
    • Avatar billy

      My most vivid memory of these was at a spring 1978 high school graduation party. A really dumb classmate (dumb as a box of rocks, not sure how he passed) shows up at this party with his graduation present, a brand new Camaro. Green metallic, white interior, and an auto. He was grumpy, we all asked why, he pops the hood and shows a shiny new 250 inch six. He went on with an angry raised voice how his “stupid a..” father didn’t buy him the V8. He then starts to kick the left front fender, he would have dented it badly if another hadn’t pulled him away. Ungrateful little twerp. Man, what I would have given for that car at that time, even with the six. (I still would love that car) My folks had given me a one hundred dollar bill, and that was a real struggle for them. I felt guilty taking it, but in the end I took it to pay off my 70 Plymouth. Wonder what happened to that ingrate? Prob. inherited Daddy’s construction company, and is now retired on the beach in Florida. Life is not fair, I figured that out a while back. Hope whoever buys this car, treats it with respect and love, I am sure MR Idiots car went into a ditch sometime in the early 80s so he could get something more to his liking. BTW, hate the wheels. (something to end this pleasant little post. Sorry guys, I am in a grumpy mean mood tonight, get that way sometimes. Someone should slap my fingers when I post at such times.)

      Like 3
  2. Avatar 86 Vette Convertible

    Does not look bad to me. If there’s no bondo or rust, not a bad deal at all IMO. This is assuming the mechanicals are in line with how the body looks. I noticed there’s no mileage given.

    Like 0
  3. Avatar Rock On

    Most 2nd generation Camaros have all had the 3 piece rear spoiler installed by now. This one doesn’t look too bad without one. Super price.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar JW

    Not a big fan of this body style Camaro but the Orange looks great on this one and being a west coast car and a 4 speed V8, I love it.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Joe M

    I have fond memories of these cars. A friends mother used to drive us to school in one. Fire Engine red with white interior and a white vinyl roof, 350 4bbl, automatic though. There isn’t much of a trunk to take pictures of. Nice car except for those bumpers.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Kman

    I put a bid on it.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Scotty Staff

      Nice! As Rock On says, please let us know if you get it! Our fingers are crossed.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Horse Radish

      how do you bid on craigslist ?
      You mean offer him less than his too low asking price ??

      Like 0
  7. Avatar Rock On

    Hey Kman, good luck. Let us know if you get it.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Kman

      Will do.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Gabe

    I was shopping these a little while back. Found plenty in the $5k range in pretty good shape a couple years ago. I like the styling but the anemic performance killed the idea. If people think $11,500 is a good deal now it looks like I made a mistake!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Pete

      I love the color Orange…..Just like hugger Orange 1969 Camaro!! I think this is a GREAT car….Love the 4 spd!

      Like 0
  9. Avatar Blyndgesser

    It’s not perfect enough to worry about originality. Pop in an updated crate motor and some seats that actually recline, then drive. Repeat every 100k miles as needed.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar JCW Jr.

    Like the car. There is something about it that just does not seem right. For some reason it is kind of a I like it don’t love it. Maybe the wheels or engine compartment. Just gives impression of it has not being taken care of?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Flman

      @JCW, maybe the locations where the photographs were taken are holding your emotions down?

      Like 0
  11. Avatar C Brand

    I had a 76 in midnight blue w/black interior…nice car for the time..brings back some good memories…man i miss that car!!

    Like 0

Leave a Reply to Blyndgesser Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.