After a successful initial three years, the Chevy Camaro got a complete redesign in 1970. But growing pains being what they are, the new cars didn’t hit dealers until February, so the 1969 Camaro had a 15-month run. That means that the number of ’70 Camaro’s amounted to only about half as many as the ‘69s. But the design would prove popular and run for more than another decade. This 1970 Z28 looks like a beautiful car with low miles, but no mention is made of originality vs. restoration. It’s in a showroom in Fairview, New Jersey where the pass-go price here on eBay is $70,000, though you can make an offer.
Like the Ford Mustang which had roots with the Falcon compact, the new 1967 Camaro sprung from the Chevy II/Nova. The nifty Chevy would quickly reach second place in “pony car” sales and would stay there until the advent of the Mustang II in the mid-1970s. Because the second-generation Camaro was four months late in getting to market, they are sometimes called 1970 ½ models, but they all are titled as 1970s. Changes in the body included a more steeply raked windshield and doors that were eight inches wider than before. No effort was made to continue the convertible version of the Camaro in that decade.
Buyers could still order RPO Z28 which was Chevy-speak for the Z28 Special Performance Package. 8,733 of the 124,901 Camaro’s produced in the abbreviated 1970 season were ordered that way. Thanks to changes in SCCA Trans Am Series rules, a 350 cubic inch V8 could now be used, replacing what had been a somewhat troublesome 302. You could not get factory A/C when you ordered a 1970 Z28. These may have been some of the most powerful 2nd-gen Camaros as compression ratios would be dialed back starting in 1971.
Although this ’70 Z28 is said to be offered by a private seller, its setting and limited photos and information suggest it’s been consigned to a dealership to sell. But the limited details may pose more questions than answers. For example, is this an original Z28 or has it been redone? Are the 32,500 reported miles original or has the odometer turned over? What we are told is that was built in Flint, Michigan, lived in California, and is numbers-matching. And a 4-speed manual transmission is present. If this car is such a find, why not pull it out of the showroom for better photos? At least a walkaround video is provided.
Troublesome 302? The only trouble was when the were abused by trying to make dragsters out of them.
Yeah, ‘troublesome’ is not a description I’ve ever heard attached to a Chevy 302. I have heard:
Hyper.
Herky Jerky.
Intense.
Fidgety.
High Strung
Explosive.
Awesome.
Sort of the V-tec of American muscle…a four wheeled Kawasaki triple if you will.
Troublesome? Maybe the fact that it had solid lifters, and so needed regular adjustment?
How do you make a dragster out of a 302? A dragster is not an engine.The engine fits in the dragster.
Never heard of a Camaro built in Flint, it was Norwood or Van Nyes
FYI,
The engine was built in Flint’s engine plant, not the entire car.
The trouble with the 68 and 69 Z-28 302 engine was fouling the plugs when trying to drive it like a normal car. To keep the plugs clean, you had to keep the revs up like every stoplight was a competition. The Chevrolet service managers had to explain to folks that they had not purchased a commuter car, but a slightly disguised race car to drive on the streets. Aggressive cam, huge carb and geared to run fast everywhere. Luckily, high octane fuel was available and cheap until 1973, when most Z-28’s went to the used dealer lot, or the storage shed. Great cars, if you were willing to drive everywhere like your hair was on fire. And adding to the fun was the fact that air conditioning was not an option on the Z-28, so our Oklahoma summers were a delight on black vinyl seats. Awesome cars, at a time when performance was king in the showroom.
🙌
Where do you get that information from? I owned a 1969 Z-28 and never had to do what you refer to. I drove mine ‘like my hair was on fire” because I wanted to, not because I had to.
I own 2 69 Z28 Camaros all your information is totally wrong
I drive mine fast because I want to
I owned a 68 Z28 and the only trouble that I ever had was trying to avoid tickets!
Would be a nice toy! Unfortunately I do not see cars like this being an investment for much longer. Aging primary purchasing demographic, diminishing disposable income/ investment savings, and the demonization of the gasoline engine will only drop prices/ values further. It’s like we’re living in the seventies all over again only I don’t see things bouncing back this time. Just wait until automobile insurance targets gas powered vehicles.
You have nailed it. Now that the woke crowd has impugned us car guys, we are seemingly doomed. I wonder what my 1950’s Lionel trainset is worth now?
I do not look forward to tearing down an electric motor.
No politics.
I don’t know where you get the idea the 302 was troublesome, I’ve never had any problems with that engine like plugs fouling out , it had 11.1 compression back then you could get 100 octane fuel no problem for around 75 cents a gallon, you didn’t buy a 69 Z/28 to baby it best chevy small block ever would rev to 9000
These cars were a handful to drive. But that kind of fun doesn’t come along every day.
Woops, I misread, most small blocks were assembled in Flint MI and big blocks were assembled in Towanda NY
I bought a new 69 Camaro n69 almost 70. It had a 350 two barrel. It was built in Towanda. The engine that is.
You want $70 large yet the steering wheel has a cover which usually indicates it has cracks and needs to be replaced or reworked?
Or they just wanted a cover on it?
Great looking machine!, Far too rich for my means.
My limited knowledge recalls that 67 and 68 302 engines had “small journal cranks” not sure of dimensions, and were notorius for spinning main bearings because rpms rose so quickly. In 1969 a “large journal” crankshaft was used in 302 and seemed to resolve problem. Rode thousands of miles in a 1970 1/2 as they were called. The 350ci/360hp engine was a beast and yet could easily be a daily driver. Idled fine at red lights with a nice lump lump in the cam.
Vin tag will tell if it’s a z28..car was not made in flint.mich..prob.norwood ohio…also the motor has a z28 Vin tag too.to read its a z28..car needs to be verified with proofs..lots of these cars are being faked with previous 70 camaro bodies.on some z28 equipment..cars were raced and motors destroyed long ago..vins will tell..if I’m buying it..I would look at every number on the car..motor.tranny.rearend.trunk nos.and nos.under heater cores..to prove it is authentic. R
There was a 70 z28 faked out 2 years ago on eBay..asking 65k..the firewall number’s.under the heater did not match the car vin#s..and they had faked the cowl tag#s…and the numbers in the trunk.were wrong and. The inspector found red paint on the underbody around trunk lips..speaker panel and.rear fenders..the guy found a z28 motor and tried to pull it off..it was a ss70 car.
What about the full front bumper? Not a split bumper.
Split bumper cars were RS cars, non split were standard cars