What is/are the main difference(s) that the Gen 2 weighs like 600 or 700 pounds more than the Gen I Camaros?

 

Curious myself. Hope there's some unnecessary metal. 600 pounds is a lot.

 

I did some some extensive research and found the following:

The bumpers both front and rear including the bumper supports to meet the Federal Safety guidelines. Check out those leaf springs that connect the back bumper - very heavy.

The Catalytic Converter

The doors - each door has like an additional 40 pounds of weight with the safety beams inside and the inner part is almost entirely sheet metal.

There are many other additions in weight, but these three seems to estimate out at several hundred pounds alone!!

 

I assume most people are talking post 73 Camaros, as the earlier Camaros were not that much heavier. The '69 weighed 3135 lbs. curb weight with SBC, and a 1970 was 200 lbs. more equipped the same. The '70 was two inches longer and 3" longer than the '69, and the '69 was the biggest of the 1st gens.
The main difference for the 200 lb. increase on the early 2nd gen, vs. the '69 was size. They're just a wider, longer car. Later increases were federally mandated 5 mph bumpers, and then other smog equipment. The early 2nd gens were 188" long, while the later 2nd gens were 197.6" long. The extra 10" wasn't lighter stuff, it was all very heavy!

 

As opposed to my 80 coming in a well over 3500# with a SBC and AC.