Undoubtedly, by the time the last Second Generation Camaros rolled off the line, changing legislation left them a performance shadow of their former selves. The Camaro had become a triumph of style over substance, and the situation would gradually improve with the introduction of its successor. This 1981 Camaro seeks to right the wrongs of history because it is a genuine sleeper that hides its light under a bushel. Those seeking stunning performance could find the supercharged V8 lurking under the hood irresistible. The Camaro is listed here on Craigslist in Colchester, Vermont. The seller appears to have slashed their price from $11,750 OBO to $10,000, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Tony P for spotting this beauty.
If first impressions count, there’s a lot to like about this Camaro. Its Code 11 White paint shines nicely, although the limited photos make it hard to spot any potential problems or issues. This is particularly relevant because while those in the listing clearly show this classic’s driver’s side, the one image of the passenger side doesn’t include the rust-prone lower extremities. I always shake my head in these situations because such an approach doesn’t do justice to a car of this caliber. It isn’t perfect because peeling paint in the engine bay requires attention. The panels are straight, and there is no evidence or mention of rust. That is unsurprising because the seller emphasizes this Camaro spends its downtime in a dry garage. The car lacks the extrovert stripes and decals seen on the Z28 variant, giving the vehicle a clean and crisp appearance. The factory alloy wheels, rear spoiler, and hood scoop are the only indications there could be more to this Camaro than first meets the eye.
Lifting this Camaro’s hood is a revelation and is enough to gladden the hearts of performance enthusiasts. What motor originally called this engine bay home is unclear, but that is now irrelevant. Powering this Chevy is a 355ci V8 that inhales deeply via an Edelbrock carburetor and a Weiand supercharger. The spent gases exit via a seat of headers, but it is unclear what internal modifications may have been performed to extract additional ponies from this powerplant. The best a buyer could hope for from a 350-equipped Z28 in 1981 was 175hp and 275 ft/lbs of torque. It would be safe to assume this V8 produces considerably more, which feeds to the rear wheels via a three-speed Turbo 350 automatic transmission. A 1981 Z28 could cover the ¼-mile in 16.9 seconds off the showroom floor, but I would be unsurprised if this car didn’t recapture the badge’s glory days from the early 1970s. There is no information on how the car runs or drives, but the indications are positive. The seller also supplies no interior shots, but we can catch glimpses of Red trim and upholstery. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine!
Regular readers know I prefer unmolested classics, but I always respect a well-executed custom build. This 1981 Camaro isn’t perfect, but I would find the idea of slipping behind the wheel and flooring the gas irresistible. It won’t suit everybody, but that is true of any classic. The seller’s price makes this an affordable option for those who find a genuine Z28 beyond their financial means. It has only been on the market a short time, and I doubt it will take long to find a new home. Could you be tempted to make it yours?
Not bad, is it me or does the nose cap curves don’t match with the lower front fender where the turn signal is. Engine bay is at least clean and devoid of clutter. Would have been nice to have inside pic’s though. If the 350 is bone stock i hope that its a low boost supercharger. It should be a fun week end driver
I’m with Robert on the question does the front bumper look right? It looks to be from a different year in my opinion and view.
Wrong bumper cover for car
Never did.
Same thing i was thinking , doesn’t look like it matches…
I really like the approach, however, since it appears the upper engine upgrades would fit beneath a cowl induction hood I would seek an original and begin the reverse course. These came with red, blue and orange trim if my memory serves me correctly so since the interior is red, purchase a red Z28 trim kit. As Robert points out, get the door and body panels straightened out but also try to find out why they don’t. Get the IROC rims replaced with the correct year and you have a very nice ride here for a decent price.
This Camaro is wearing third generation Z28 aluminum 5 spoke wheels. This was a popular modification back in the day to upgrade the standard Camaros 14 inch wheels to the Z28’s 15 inch wheels. The IROC Camaros wore even larger 16 inch wheels.
This is not a Z-28 it’s just a base Camaro, so it wouldn’t have had any stripes. You can tell it’s a base model not only by the lack of fender inlets, but also by the stainless windshield and rear window molding. Z-28 ‘s had all black window moldings.
Looks like the correct front bumper cover. Evidently the 1981 Z28 came with or without front spoiler and side extensions. Most of them had the Z28 script on the left side of the grill. The wheels are the same as the ones that came on my wife’s 1984 Z28 which we bought new in 1984 and still own today. This looks like a solid car. Not sure about the comment on the Craigslist ad about this cars engine having 14:1 compression ratio?
Wrong. Not only did all Z-28’s in 1981 have side scoops, they were all Air Induction Z-28’s which means they not only had the front spoiler, they also had the side seats in front of the rear wheels like Trans Ams had. This car is not a Z-28. The wheels are also not just Z-28 wheels, they were available on RS models in the mid 80’s too. I had one when they were new.
Should have said side spats. Stupid spell check changed it.
With the Red Interior though it very well could have been a C-150. That was a fairly uncommon option in 1981 only that kinda replaced the Rally Sport. All the ones I’ve seen had the 150HP 305
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1755951448192771/
I have never heard of the C-150 package. I ordered my ’81, so I knew the factory options pretty well.
Was this a dealer special or something?
A lot of people never heard of the C-150. And if you do a Google search on it a picture of another one in a junk yard shows up in another state. I am from Maryland and there were a couple around here back in the 80’s they were all white with red interior as is the one in the salvage yard and the one in the Facebook post I linked. I suppose a dealer special is possible, but they show up from time to time all around the country, of course by now I’m sure the majority of them have been repainted so you can’t tell anymore that it once wore those stripes. I always assumed it was a factory special but only a partial year thing that didn’t show up in all the brochures.
Mark, that is very interesting. Would you know what year(s) they did the C-150?
It’s an interesting name and I wonder how they came up with it.
Only in 1981 as far as I’ve ever found. Every one of them that includes a model year is always 1981. Some have speculated that the C in the C-150 has to do with 1981 being the first year for a form of computer control. Others think it just stands for Camaro.
And there is also speculation that the 150 is the horsepower rating. The base 305 had a 150hp rating that year
That makes sense. That Computer Command Control wasn’t that great, at least not on the 229 V6 in my ’81.
Add in a more stock like hood, and this plain white Z is a Nice little sleeper.
The nose of the care does not seem to match up with the fender???
car
Looks like an older model bumper cover, or a bad fitting aftermarket
Just needs adjusted. A lot of these flexible noses lose their shape a little over time though if they are outside in the sun a lot, so it could be some of that coming into play. Car was repainted at some point or at least the front fenders were as the paint is peeling on the fenders under the hood, so it’s likely that the front end was at some point removed and when it was reinstalled the proper time wasn’t given to align everything perfectly.
Being from the Rust Belt (I’m in Maine) there’s a saying at local body shops:”If it ain’t right,paint it white!”Due to the fact that shoddy body work is easier to hide with white paint (no real depth/reflection)
needs the front spoiler.
If its not a z/28. , then i assume it has the commuter car suspension and loose steering box !
I dont see anything wrong with a white plain look
I would LS it and put an overdrive transmission in it
And beef up the suspension or take the easy way out and buy a newer one that has all of thatwithout having to deal withthe headaches !
Here is a picture of my ’81 Camaro Sport Coupe, circa 1984. Sorry that the orientation is wrong, but you can still see that the nose on the featured car is correct, just that the plastic has settled a bit over the last 40+ years.
I like the idea of this car – it overcomes the big problem with the original Sport Coupe – lack of power. And, you could get the sports suspension package on these – I did,
Nice ride 👍
Thanks Stan. It was my first brand new car and I ordered it exactly like I wanted and could afford at the time.
Wish I had it still. I went looking for it and the trail ends around 1992.
Claudio. Why would you take a car that’s this far along and LS it? Why not find one in as good of shape for half the price that needs a drive train instead. Just makes more sense. Leave this one for someone who likes the setup and save another one that really needs it. Just saying. I would leave the drivetrain and clone a nice Z28 driver although I personally would like it better with a standard transmission. A nice set of Keystones 50’s and 60’s. Dressed up 80’s style. Just my opinion.