My First Camaro - What was Yours?

[rich69rs]

Cleaning out some old documents today and came across this.  It is the dealer invoice copy of the first Camaro I owned - a 1976 sports coupe.

I had graduated from college in late Aug 1975 and took my mechanical engineering degree to my first job in Deer Park, TX (Houston suburb - on the industrial/ship channel corridor).  Within a month I had purchased my first Camaro from Timmers Chevrolet in Pasadena, TX - a 1976 Camaro Sports Coupe - and although from a performance standpoint, she couldn't get out of her own way - she was mine - all mine, my first Camaro.  I clearly remember that I had negotiated an out of the door total cost (car, tax, title, license, etc.) for $5,000 - and I felt pretty good as a brash 22 yr old.

The poor car had a horribly detuned, EGR equipped, 305 CID engine with a Rube Goldberg assortment of hoses and vacuum lines running all over the place - early attempt at emission controls.  The heat riser valve was actually operated via a vacuum canister mounted up on the passenger side of the engine that either left the valve closed or opened it based on vacuum to the canister.  What a mess.  The 305 was rated at 140 HP at the flywheel, and if I got 90 to a 100 HP at the rear wheels I was lucky.  Top speed, flat out, pedal to the metal, long straight run of highway was 90-95 mph.  The mid to late 70's was not the high point of Detroit manufacturing prowess to say the least.....but she was mine all mine.  A pretty car, by mid-70's standards with Firethorn Red Metallic paint.

I kept that car until mid-1988 when a growing family and other transportation needs dictated that it was time to sell - which I did via a private sale to a lady for $1500.

When I sold the car, the door hinges were in need of replacement.  That car had some big, heavy doors on it and by 1988 the hinges were showing the strain of supporting those heavy doors.

All good fun.

Richard

[LVN 67]

My first Camaro was a 70 SS that I purchased when I came home from Viet Nam. I kept the car until 73 when our second daughter came along. Then like so many others, the Camaro turned into a Chevelle Wagon.

[Vince]

My first Camaro was a 1975 Type LT in bright red with a saddle interior that I bought new off my local dealer's lot.  I had just got my first full-time permanent job after graduating from college and wanted to buy a new car (If I only knew then what I know now I would have looked for a 1st gen just 6-8 years old).  I sold the '75 Camaro to a co-worker for $4,000 in 1978 when I bought my new '78 Z28 that I still own.  My old '75 is still around the local area, and I see if every so often and know the woman who now owns it. 

[Mark]

Mine was a 68 LF7 3spd Saginaw with console, Teal blue with standard blue interior, white D90 sport stripe.  Bought it in 73 from a local bone yard for $250.  It had been punched in the rear between the taillights, looked like it slid into a pole or tree.  Fixed it up and drove it for my junior and senior HS years and some of my Navy years.  Blew the engine up (cam broke in 3 places, crank in 2 and punched a couple of rods thru the block) around 76 or 77 and replaced it with a 350 from precision motor rebuilders.  My brother sort of commandeered it while I was in the Navy.  Heres a picture from 78 or 79 looking kind of haggered.  Should have put the cowl hood on before it was painted.

[x66 714]

My first Camaro was the 1968 Z/28 that I still own. Bought it in 1976...Joe

[sleepsinshed]

My first Camaro was a 1968 plain jane coupe that I bought in 1977. It was originally red with a black vinyl top, but had been painted blue before I bought it. It had a 327 and TH 350. I think I paid $80 for the SS wheels. It was a great car but I sold it in 1984 for the usual reasons; kids, house, etc. Bought my current Camaro in 1988.

[77thor]

My first Camaro was a 1974 burgundy Sport Coupe with a 3-speed manual.
In 1977 I ordered a new black Sport Coupe with a 350, 4-speed, and positraction,
which I owned for 30 years before selling to buy my dream car (a rust-free 1969 Camaro).

[69Z28-RS]

My first Camaro was a '68 Camaro Z28 which I purchased from an individual here in Huntsville, AL in 1974 (for $1000).  It had no options (AM radio and heater) but of course the z28 option (and disk brakes and 4 speed - M21) to go with the original MO 302...  It was all original blue with white stripes and ran like a scalded dog! 

A couple of years later in 1976 I traded it to another individual for a 'loaded' 69 Z28 RS which I still own today.  All original drivetrain, sheet metal, tinted glass (and paint) with ZL2 Cowl Induction, custom cloth orange houndstooth interior, gauges, tach, AM radio, remote LH mirror, woodgrain trim, wheel lip mouldings, etc - orange with black stripes and black vinyl top (factory original).   The only things I've added in addition to rebuilding the engine after I got it was 'tilt column', and wood grain wheel (original factory).  It's a KEEPER..

I also owned a '70 Z28 for a couple of years, but I let someone talk me out of it during a period when it had to sit 'outside'... a move I regret!

[camaroboy68ss]

Mine was and still is my 68 RS L30/M20. My grandfather found it in the paper for sale and bought it for him and I to restore together as a learning experience (he has been restoring cars his whole life and still is). Paid $6500 for a barely running, but rust free, rainbow colored project in 2000, when I was 8 years old.

[169INDY]

Purchased from my 'future' bother-in-law in 1980 as a junior in high school. 1st Car for ME 1967 Camaro
230 cu/in 4 speed Saginaw open 2;73
We called these a "Singer Special",  Jim Singer @ Longs Autobody paint and tires (Wheels) and flip it.

Was a great First car that I used my Summer earnings from Hard labor on Naval Ships in Bremerton, while buddies partied,,,, Was a fun car to learn on (6 cyl) and develop the f body passion and pursue other F body iron.

Dig the AMC scoops!

I promptly SOLD it to fund my Pace Car in 1984. Funny How you miss the ones that are gone,,,,,Last I saw it was headed to Arizona a dad bought it for his Marine Son, Car Has to be out there somewhere.

Jim

[Daytona Yellow 69 Z/28]

Bought my first car a 68 SSRS 396 in February 1980.  It had just been wrecked right before I bought it & unfortunately I was hit pretty bad in it twice, once in 1981 and again in 1984.  We patched it back together each time and I drove it / raced the car all the way up to 2006 when I hurt it out at the drag strip. I let it sit until September of 2009 & then started on a "1 year" restoration that took me 5 years to complete. lol.. I have been driving it again since the end of January 2015. I did everything except the machine work on my block & heads here at home in the garage.  The car is not perfect, but I will say even after 37 years owning it, it still puts that same big @ss smile on my face just like it did as a kid driving it..

[x77-69z28]

My first Camaro was a 69 Indy Pace Car that I bought from the orig owner in 1974 for $1500. Kept it for a year and sold it for $1800. Thought I made a killing. The only reason I sold it was it was a 350/300 automatic. I wanted a stick. Bought a Cortez Silver RS/SS big block 4 speed. Blew the tranny. Racing a 70 LT-1 on the belt pkwy and sold it. That's 2 mistakes! In 78 I bought my 69 Z which I own to this day.

[z28z11]

Bought my X77 in March of '73 from a high school buddy, had to part with my first car ('57 Bel Air) to swing it, princely sum of $1600 (he was asking $1800).Resisted the urge in the late '70's of 1) cutting the roof for aftermarket T tops, 2) modifying the grille to install square headlights, 3) painting the car black, 4) putting aftermarket Ansen wheels on it and selling the 5 original YH rims to finance them; instead I kept it mostly intact including keeping the original exhaust manifolds when I installed headers. Found the original paperwork in 1980 after a tip in Super Chevy led me to the State DOT records, after learning what the X codes meant, and X77 to the car. 
If I had modified the car as per above, I probably would have disemboweled myself with a dull deer antler after signing up with the CRG - fortunately I saw the best thing to do was accumulate what I have when things were a lot less expensive.

Regards,
Steve

[Oldtimer]

I know I don't participate here much, come here mostly for the nostalgia.

Here are a couple of pictures of my first Camaro.  I bought it in 1975, raced it a few times, parked it for several years, and then eventually sold it through a broker who I have since lost track of.  Have no idea what the VIN # was.

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Guy I bought it from said it came directly off the showroom floor of a Chevy dealer in Huntsville, Alabama straight to the race shop.  Reportedly, the car won it's class at the 1972 Daytona endurance race (I don't think they ran a 24 Hour that year) and also ran pretty decent at Sebring that same year.

Here are a couple of pictures from Sebring (obviously it was repainted somewhere between Sebring and my ownership.





Wish I still had it.  Sold it to fund the build of my next racer.

Thanks for letting me view from the sidelines.

[69Z28-RS]

I know of two 69 Camaro Z28s which went from the dealership in Huntsville directly to a race shop.  I know both owners well and have worked on race cars ran by each of them over the years.   I believe they each drove the Bolus / Snopes car at one time or another, and I think both their names are on the side of the car in one of  your photos...   Do you know the original colors/equipment for the car you owned?