Normally, I’d pass on reviewing yet another vintage Chevrolet Camaro. Let’s face it, they’re everywhere and many of the first and second-generation examples are either ridiculously overpriced or have been molested and poorly modified beyond any sense of reasonableness. Well, here’s an exception, an original, and untouched 1970 Camaro Z28 – suddenly it’s 1970! The owner is funding his retirement by liquidating some of his car collection and this Z28 is next up. It’s located in Independence, Missouri and is available, here on Hemmings for $50,000, OBO. Thanks to Boot for this find!

The year 1970 was a pinnacle for the Z28, it was the highest horsepower version made in the Camaro’s classic years as power started to tumble in ’71 thanks to Federal emission control laws. This was also the first year for the second-gen Camaro and these are sometimes referred to as a 1970.5 due to their late February 26th introduction date. Nevertheless, the short ’70 production year didn’t hurt sales, just under 125K Camaros went out the door that year with the Z28 accounting for over 8K copies.

Another first for the Z28 in ’70 was the inclusion of an automatic transmission and that’s what’s here in the form of a Turbo-Hydramatic 400, three-speed automatic unit. It’s connected to a 360 gross HP, 350 CI, “LT1” solid lifter V8 engine. These were a handful on the street, not as wooly as their predecessor 302, but still, an engine that liked to rev and stretch its Holley carburetor fed 11.0:1 compressed cylinders. It’s not only the exhaust sound that is magical music to a gearheads ears but the sound of those mechanical lifters ticking away in unison that tells the listener that this is a special engine. The seller doesn’t elaborate on this Z’s running prowess or divulge its mileage but there’s no reason to assume that this Camaro is not a strong performer.

The seller also notes that this Z28 is wearing the Rally Sport (RS) option package which consists of front bumperettes and an endura nose piece. This is not a car that you want to try to parallel park if your front judgment is off – the endura grille surround is essentially worthless at providing front-end protection. Scrapes, and contusions here, however, don’t seem to be an issue, the Forest Green finish reflects beautifully and shows no sign of typical lacquer fade. I’m a sucker for green and this shade just hits it – this is a beautiful example, one of the finest that I have encountered.

The interior is a surprise in that the upholstery is a knitted cloth fabric and not the more commonly found vinyl. It looks to be in clean, neat, and non-worn shape though that color might take some getting used to – it’s a matter of personal preference of course. There is only one image, so it’s tough to get a complete look but what’s revealed here looks fine. This Camaro is equipped with a seldomly seen rear window defroster which is a package shelf-mounted fan that blows air up at the underside of the glass – it’s a nice option to be able to say that you have it but its effectiveness is marginal. The seller also notes no A/C; it wasn’t available on the Z28 or any other solid lifter engine that Chevrolet was offering at the time.

As for the price, I don’t think it’s outsized for this vintage Z28 in such smart condition. The seller may be pushing it a bit but it’s not out of line with others that I have reviewed, and he’s negotiable. A mileage reading would be helpful, and a four-speed manual transmission would be preferred but this is still a heck of a nice find and I’m sure it will find a new home before long. Anyone interested?