Owned For 32 Years! 1977 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

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Some enthusiasts will buy a classic car and enjoy that vehicle for a short period before selling it to acquire something bigger and better. Other people will find a car that ticks the right boxes for them, and it will spend years parked in their garage, and their heart. The latter scenario seems to be true for this 1977 Camaro Z28 because the seller has owned the vehicle for an impressive 32-years. All good things must come to an end, so the owner has decided that the time has come for the Z28 to find its way to a new home. Located in New Milford, Connecticut, you will find the Camaro listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $16,500, but the option is available to make an offer.

It seems that the Camaro has led quite a life since the owner acquired it more than three decades ago. He says that he performed a restoration in the 1990s, but I’m more inclined to refer to the work as a refurbishment. When the work was performed, the owner went the whole hog by sourcing many genuine panels from a dealership to ensure that the body was physically sound and straight. So far, so good. He then applied a fresh coat of paint, but this stunning Burgundy that you see in these photos is not the car’s original shade. The Trim Tag indicates that the Z28 rolled off the production line wearing Code 51 Bright Yellow, but the owner chose this new shade. normally I’m an advocate for maintaining originality, but I’m happy to make an exception in this case. The Burgundy may not be perfect, but it certainly makes a bold and classy statement. There are a few marks and cracks, but nothing that would require immediate attention. The stripes, graphics, and glass are in good condition, as are the Rally wheels. Delving underneath the Camaro reveals spotless floors, while there are frame connectors that run from the front to the back of the vehicle.

When I look at the supplied photos of this Z28’s interior, I come to the conclusion that it is a tidy driver-quality car that should be a blast to own. The Black trim is generally in acceptable condition, although there are a few very small rips and splits in the seat covers. I’m not sure whether these could be repaired, but I suspect that the best long-term solution will be for the buyer to source a replacement set of covers. The remaining trim and headliner are very presentable, while the same is true of the carpet and dash. The original owner didn’t load this Camaro with optional extras, so there’s no air conditioning, power windows, or power locks. There are some aftermarket speakers in the rear parcel tray and some additional gauges in the console, but the only other factory option included is a tilt wheel.

When this Camaro was shiny and new, the 350ci V8 under the hood would have produced 170hp. When coupled to a 3-speed automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes, this package could’ve covered the ¼ mile in 17.3 seconds. That was a long time ago, and much water has passed under the bridge since then. It isn’t clear whether the Camaro is numbers-matching, but it is abundantly clear that the small-block is now anything but stock. I can spot an MSD ignition, and the owner states that the engine now houses a pretty aggressive camshaft. Spent gases exit via a set of headers and a Flowmaster dual exhaust. It isn’t clear what this motor now produces, but I’d be willing to bet that it is plenty more than 170hp. The engine bay presents beautifully, and it doesn’t flatter to deceive. I have included a walkaround video at the bottom of this article. Not only do you get a closer look at the vehicle, but you have the opportunity to hear how incredibly sweet that 350 sounds. The owner refers to it as a great cruiser and advises potential buyers to get ready to use and enjoy this classic.

If the buyer felt inclined, returning this ’77 Camaro Z28 to a factory-fresh state would be possible. However, I’m not sure that I would spend that sort of money. The original Bright Yellow paint would’ve looked nice, but this Burgundy is eye-catching for the right reasons. The other consideration is purely economic. The BIN price for this car is probably in about the right region for a tidy survivor. That means that spending money on a color change would be over-capitalizing on this classic, and the new owner would struggle to recoup this cost in the future. Therefore, I’d be inclined to address the few minor paint flaws, fit some new seat covers, and then hit the road for plenty of classic motoring fun. There’s nothing wrong with doing that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWCqjKZ1vCE

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Comments

  1. Moparman MoparmanMember

    Looks really good, and I, too, approve the color change! GLWTA!! :-)

    Like 9
  2. jrc

    gotta luv the fasten set belt light on dash

    Like 1
  3. JoeNYWF64

    No fact hood scoops avail in ’77 on camaros – even z28s, but very tasteful hood decals were.
    I think RWL tires are becoming less common, which these days could be triple the price of cheapie blackwalls! Not sure why at all!

    Like 1
    • Mike

      My thought too. 77 had a flat hood with the decal.

      Like 0
    • jerry z

      Yep, ’77 1/2 Z28 only came with decal on flat hood. Nice car, too bad its an auto.

      Like 2
    • Steve R

      The scoop is likely there to hide a hole in the hood which was made to clear the air cleaner after the really tall intake manifold was installed. I had a 71 Camaro with a shorter intake than the one on this car and couldn’t shut the hood with an air cleaner installed. The second generation Camaros run out of room quickly.

      Steve R

      Like 1
  4. GCSMember

    That is sweet. Great color and my favorite wheels. If it was a stick, it would be perfect.

    Like 2
  5. Mike StephensStaff

    I’m just totally diggin’ that color!

    Like 2
  6. John Oliveri

    No a/c, no power windows, doors, No Sale

    Like 0
  7. Kenn

    John O., be grateful you weren’t driving in the 50’s and before. Jeeze Louise, the effort it took to crank the windows down to get air flowing. (‘Course with my Model ‘A’ I could open the windshield too.) And to add to the effort of using the car, I had to push down on a 1/4 inch diameter plunger to lock the door. Four times if it was a four door car! Talk about working up a sweat.

    Like 6
    • John Oliveri

      I’m spoiled, got my first car in 77, it was 4 yrs old, a loaded 73 Luxury Lemans, never owned a car without options, I’m pushing 60 now, and have a 73 Grand Prix SJ with every option in the book, including power sunroof, even has 8 track!!!!

      Like 3
  8. Stoney End

    Looks nice, sounds nice (probably more sound than spunk, but that’s OK).

    Nice cruiser for someone…

    Like 2
  9. Ban One

    It’s a wonder any of these sold, with Pontiac reaping in the gold with the success of Smokey and the Bandit. Chevrolet made 14,349 Z/28 in 77, compared to Pontiac’s 68,745 Trans Ams

    Like 0
  10. Harry

    Can I buy it???

    Like 0

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