Was Talking to a friend about one I had back in the late 80’s when I was a kid and wanted to know more. Not stock, but bought it off a dealership floor room from a guy that built racers on the nice and had a beautiful Shelby Cobra on the same floor. Got a steal because in my small town, people wanted trucks so traded in a restored ‘78 Silverado. It was two of the cars I miss but was a kid so only remember the elementals. A ‘72 with a badged Z28 steering wheel. Black vinyl with black carpet. No AC. Was beautiful on the outside. Black with flat silver Centerline 60’s all the way around. The rear spoiler was low profile and attached to the tailgate so aftermarket? The best I can remember, it had a bored out 350 with a Holley 4 barrel. I wasn’t responsible for the upgrades and was young, but first smoked a late model GMC owned by a local guy that pressed me a little, then a late model Z28 at that time from behind on a lake road. The went off to college and bested a late model Vette from a stoplight and a friend on the quarter with what was widely told as one as being a movie Trans Am from the Smokey and the Bandit series. I’m not driver and just get by as a mechanic but sometime wonder about what I had something cool, and while was never a racer, also never got bested in that thing. No bragging here because I didn’t build it, but also think I was lucky enough to have owned something special for a bit and only still remember a few of the details.

 

If was simple back in the day. In the mid to late 70's you could find 350 4 bolt main L48 engine from a 3/4 pickup 69-70 junk yard pickup truck and you had 300 HP. If it was an original stock Z it would have been 255hp because of emission standards. A change in pistons meant you could easily beat the truck engine in HP and changing the pistons and cam meant you could beat the corvette 350 and be close to 400 hp and still have some street manors. The Z would have also come with or a Muncie M21 4 speed or a TH400 if it was an automatic which you could beat all day long and you did not have to worry about the transmission.

To put that in perspective a Stock 1977 Z28 had 190 hp and weight about 200lbs more because of the safety and emission upgrades. That adds up to about 2.5 seconds in the 1/4 mile. That is a lot in racing.

I also owned a 72 and I loved it. but it is the perfect example for the fact rarity does not equal more value. 1972 was a strike year for GM then and they made about twice as many camaro's in 71 as they did in 72 yet the 71 sell for more money. In fact the 72 was probably the least produced year. I did not verify that. I am not saying you can find them cheap, all the 70-73 second gens are pricey but the 70 and 71 are the kings of that period.

 

Welcome to the site! I still have my Camaro from the late 80's.

 

Welcome