It’s easy to judge a book by its cover, and sometimes doing so can lead a person to an incorrect conclusion. That is the case with this 1967 Camaro because while it is looking tired and baked, below the surface is a solid car that should represent a pretty decent sort of project. It also features some interesting optional extras and this should make it a real eye-catcher once it has been restored. It is located in Swisher, Iowa, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. With bidding now sitting at $13,500, the reserve on the Camaro has been met.
The exterior of the Camaro seems to be finished in a 50:50 mix of the original Tahoe Turquoise, coupled with wide expanses of surface corrosion. However, actual penetrating rust is quite minimal. It looks like there are some relatively small spots in the bottoms of both front fenders, along with some in the lower sections of both rear quarter panels. It’s hard to get a really good look at the rockers, but they seem to be okay. What is okay is the trunk pan. It has a good coating of surface corrosion, but it and the drop-offs look really good. The same would appear to be true of the floors, and while areas such as the cowl will require careful inspection, with the seller stating that the dash is solid, what can be seen to this point is pretty encouraging. The factory tinted glass appears to be free of any significant damage, and while all of the external trim and chrome is present, some of it will require either restoration or replacement.
Lifting the hood on the Camaro reveals the original 327ci V8, while the vehicle also features a 2-speed Powerglide transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The engine bay is untouched and original, but it is starting to show its age quite markedly. It would appear that the Camaro might be in pretty respectable mechanical health because the owner does state that it runs and drives. However, it does have an exhaust leak that will need to be attended to. The odometer shows 53,128 miles, and while the owner believes this to be accurate and original, he holds no documentation to confirm this. In this case, it is probably better to essentially take this particular claim with a grain of salt, unless evidence does actually come to light.
It’s when we start looking around inside the Camaro that we find that the original owner chose an interesting mix of optional extras. As well as air conditioning, the Camaro is fitted with a driver’s side remote exterior mirror. Add to this a console with the clock mounted on it, and that is where things begin to look distinctive. Of the total production run of 220,906 Camaros built during 1967, only 13,185 buyers chose this option. In addition, the Camaro comes with the AM radio, along with a folding rear seat. The owner mentions the rarity of this particular option, but with it having been fitted to 17,993 cars, the folding seat actually isn’t as rare as the clock. There are some obvious tasks ahead of the new owner if they want the interior to look its best once again. The dash pad will certainly require replacement because while it is conceivable for it to be repaired, a top-quality replacement can be found for around $280. The wheel has a couple of cracks, while there are some minor defects in the driver’s seat. Honestly, before I made a shopping list of parts that would be required for a restoration, I would get in and give the entire interior a thorough clean. It’s all looking pretty grotty, and a deep clean might yield a surprise or two. If it does, then hopefully, these surprises will be pleasant. Of course, the complete opposite might also be true, so there are some options available. A basic trim kit can be found for around $620. When you add that to the cost of the dash pad, then you are looking at around $900. I also located a complete kit which includes absolutely everything, including the pad. This runs out at around $1,400, but the entire interior would look brand new.
When someone decides to take on their first restoration project, choosing the correct candidate for their hard work can be difficult. On the information that the owner has provided, this Camaro looks like it could represent an interesting option. It appears to be essentially solid, and it would seem that any rust issues could be addressed with patches, rather than with the wholesale replacement of panels. It has an interesting list of optional equipment fitted and once restored, it could be a really eye-catching classic. I tend to think that this is why bidding on the Camaro has been so strong.
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