While I realize a 1967 Rally Sport Camaro is a desirable car, there are many different levels of desirable. Does a 6 cylinder, three speed, drum-braked Rally Sport float your boat? If so, or if you are looking for a Rally Sport that won’t break the bank, this might be your find–or is there too much Rusty Stuff for you to pursue this car? It’s for sale here on eBay out of Simi Valley, California, and so far bidding has yet to reach $8,500.
Since the car has been off the road in storage for the last twenty years, it doesn’t surprise me to see some rust damage. The seller tells us it is confined mainly to the wheel openings and bottom of the fenders, although there is some surface rust on the trunk lid as well (but no rust through). This lower front passenger side fender is missing the trim as well. However, since a whole reproduction set is available for less than $150, I wouldn’t let the missing trim worry you too much.
Not that we were thinking that this paint was original, but the peeling clearcoat means it’s a repaint for sure. It also means you’ll need to strip the shell to bare metal to have a decent paint job. I can handle some paint wear, but peeling clearcoat bothers me more so than most paint defects.
The seller describes the interior as “still like it was in 1978 and looks bad (bought it like that)”. I’d have to agree. Luckily, all parts are available as quality reproductions, so you know the situation can be improved. Personally, I would slip a four, five or six speed transmission in there as well. We do a lot of highway driving as my family lives in the middle of nowhere, North Carolina, so low RPM cruising is a must for me.
Instead of the expected small block V8, we have this inline six. Nothing again six cylinder engines, but it was a bit of a letdown considering the external appearance of the car. But maybe that was the idea at the time–all show and not much go (or stop). Please save me your defences of drum brakes and sixes, I have several sets of both in my cars. But there’s something about a performance-oriented Camaro that just demands some form of V8 under the hood, at least for me. But I’m interested in your thoughts–feel free to disagree!
Six in a row will go! Try a 292 and a 5 speed to stand out from the crowd.
292’s are too tall. They don’t fit.
Had a 68 with a healthy 250 and 2004r. Pushed about 250hp at the crank. It was above average.
Would’ve considered a 292 but they’re about 2″ taller and there isn’t the head room under the hood for it.
Just slam the hood down extra hard and trim away all the stuff that bulges. Or you could run three Webers. The front of the valve cover might clear by the thickness of a cigarette paper, a Zig Zag or equivalent. A 292, all the class of a three-buckle overshoe but will pull like a Cummins….
If you want to keep an inline 6, why not throw an overhead cam 6 with a quadra-jet. They fit under the hood of the early firebirds. Not sure what other cars Pontiac used them in
LS swap it, decent set of breaks, subtle suspension tweaks, clean up the rust, and dehazmat the insides, would make a nice little sleeper.
How many 6 cylinder RS’s could be left out there? Keep the driveline, and fix the body!
Is that the original engine? Distributor looks like HEI. Wouldn’t that be ’70’s?
GM HEI started in ’75 as mandated by congress,and as it appears to be am upgraded unit here
Clear coat paint didn’t come into use until the 80’s, thought we had that figured out on that Maverick last week.
Who are we kidding, do you want to drive a 6cyl camaro. NO. Ls3 grand touring all the way.
The point behind a rally sport was to have a light front end that provided great mileage (relatively speaking) and awesome handling in the curvy roads. Just get that six a rebuild, with emphasis on speed, front and rear sway bars ( unless they are already there) and head out for the canyons.
The rally sport was an appearance package with hidden headlights and reverse lights mounted in the lower valance. Its presence would have actually added weight to the front end.
It was by no means a performance package.
Steve R
It’s a six and I like it. RS=Rusty Stuff or Rally Sport? Well, some years ago I had a Mustang GT. My friends kept telling me that GT stood for Garbage Truck….
These 6 cylinder engines have more pep than you think. I would not replace it with a small block.
An Offy or Clifford twin carb setup would be a nice tweak.
Me eather-a big block would slide in no problem.
I had a 6 cylinder in a 69 chevy Nova with a 3 speed on the column and when I put it on the floor with a Hurst shifter it could beat a 283 off the line.It had a lot of pep.Bruce.
You could beat a 283 off the line…I’m impressed! (not)
I’d leave the straight 6 and add a turbo…you wouldn’t be lying when you roughshod over the v8s and tell them it’s the numbers matching v6 under the hood. Inline 6 turbos put down major hp and torque.
P.S. I’d probably run a rear mount turbo to keep the engine bay uncluttered and looking as original as possible. I’m a stinker I know lol
I like the way you think!
A rear mount turbo…You push the gas pedal on Sunday and accelerate on Monday.
According to hot rodders who have used or experienced a correctly set up rear mount turbo system …there is essentially no lag oddly enough… id do it in a heartbeat pun intended … http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85869…
This needs a lot of work and a bundle of cash….there is better choices available imho…..
Truth be told….it shouldn’t reach much further than 5.5 to reach it’s “gold”.
how many 6 popper 67/RS’s are left? not many is my guess? the interior and the rust kind are worrisome. I also bet many of the options like the rear spoiler and maybe the console were added. anyone know what the switch under the headlight switch does? looks aftermarket?
Looks like an aftermarket intermittent wiper module.
Steering wheel is from a 2nd gen Camaro, & pretty sure the column is also.
Bidding ended at 9:30PM Eastern Daylight Time (6:30PM Pacific) with a high bid of $10,100 and the reserve not met. I am not the bidder or a participant in the auction, but it seems to me like $10K is a fair and reasonable offer for an old rusty straight-6 Camaro that needs lots of work.
Count me in the “keep it 6” crowd. Unless you’re actually going to drag racing the car, does it really matter as long as it keeps up with modern traffic?
Definitely keep the six!!!
They are more dependable then any v8 of the era.
What is that thang on the steering column?
JC Whitney gauge pack.
Extra height can be gained with a cowl induction hood, which many of these cars have been fitted with.
Asking more than ten grand for this seems a little unrealistic.
According to the E-Bay auction web site, somebody actually BID ten grand. Not that it matters to me, but I hope that the seller will give the offer serious consideration as it is MORE than fair and reasonable. As for keeping the engine, I am a huge admirer of the straight six and enthusiastically support running it as is especially with the manual transmission.
You can do a lot to take more performance and embarass cars with aHuuuuge v8; trust me (like a 3 Weber package), I´m from Argentina, here and in Brazil they make miracles with these engines.
Simi Valley CA,…..what is that near by or next to…….Illinois?!!! From the looks of the rust that is a Road Salted Midwest car OR it spent most of its years at the beach sucking up plenty of sun and salt!!
I,M putting together a 327 block w/ a 283 late model crank._made up 302!!!
love to put in this Camaro with a 5spd / 3:55 in the back. Keep the stock kook outside. Very simple and fun. and not overthought