To think Chevrolet could sell every Camaro it built in the late 1960s without any incentives or zero percent financing is almost unbelievable today, especially now that the famed nameplate has been dead for four years. A revival of the famous pony car was showcased at the recent Detroit Auto Show, in the form of an aggressively styled concept that borrowed styling cues from the 1969 Camaro. The new car generated some excitement and with 400hp on tap, it certainly won’t be a slouch. But whether GM will build it without gobs of power-robbing luxury nonsense remains to be seen. Not everyone wants air conditioning, leather upholstery, a CD changer, and satellite-guided navigation. GM should offer a stripper model and if one wants to order all the gizmos–so be it.
Let’s back-track a bit to the golden years of the Camaro and study how things were before the SUV rage. (Which seems to be waning with nearly $3-a-gallon gasoline and ridiculous insurance rates.) Chevrolet sold 243,085 Camaros in 1969 and that was the end of the first generation after three fabulous years. In fact, the ’69 models were continued well into late 1969 as GM waited until February 26, 1970 to debut the new second-generation car at the Chicago Auto Show. Low and sleek, the new Camaro was unlike anything seen before, especially with the split front bumper, denoting a Rally Sport model.
Today GM battles labor unrest and out-of-control health and pension costs, but things weren’t so rosy 36 years ago for the General, either. As Chevrolet planned to release the new 1970 Camaro, a strike crippled the company and delayed the release of the all-new F-body. Rather than finishing the new car with just a few employees, GM extended the popular 1969 model through December 1969. Even with the short 1970 production run, Chevrolet sold 124,901 Camaros.
Like the first-generation Camaro, the new second-generation car would continue to offer outstanding straight-line acceleration, thanks in part to an arsenal of high-performance small-block and big-block engines. But the new car also would offer buyers exceptional handling and ride, to hopefully attract more customers. To sum it up, the new Camaro would be much sportier than the old, pseudo-sedan it would replace.
And while the new Camaro was called a 1970-1/2 model, it was legally a 1970 model which arrived late. Chevrolet never officially acknowledged the ’70-1/2 moniker. Despite being late, the new design appeared by all accounts worth the wait. Slowly, Camaro competitors would follow suit with changes to their offerings.
Owner Ben Arena
GM Styling Chief Bill Mitchell wanted an all-new car and he got it. He wanted a better-handling, lower, wider and overall longer car than the first generation. Mitchell wanted it to compete with the Mustang and appeal to the average American. On the flip side, he wanted exotic styling like that of Jaguar or Ferrari, and even Porsche. Mitchell knew what buyers wanted and they loved the European supercars, so why not design an affordable American car in the spirit of those from across the Atlantic?
Starting with a clean slate, the designers and engineers started from the inside out and spent weeks laboring on seat and control placement. Irv Rybicki, who would eventually replace Mitchell as head of GM Styling, has said the second-generation Camaro had “perfect” seat and control placement. After engineers had the seats where they wanted them, work began on the chassis, which did follow the first-generation design with a front subframe and unitized passenger compartment and rear clip. This design proved stiff enough for a handler, yet saved the company money in production costs. For 1970, the passenger compartment was completely redesigned with a lower roof height and more glass area. To achieve world-class handling, engineers mounted the engine low and as far rearward as possible, with the weight bias ending up a 55- to 45-percent balance. This ratio provided roughly the same grip for the rear wheels as the front, leading to neutral, balanced handling.
When the stylists were done, Mitchell was pleased with the long-hood, short-deck, two-door semi-fastback look. And the icing on the cake ended up on the front of the car. The Rally Sport models, like our feature car, came with the beautiful split bumper. At the other end, a Kamm-like taillamp panel with recessed Corvette-like taillamps blended nicely with the rest of the car’s European design. The early ’70s had a subtle rear spoiler and, while less effective at speed, many Camaro aficionados prefer this design. The three-piece second design, COPO 9796, lasted through 1981.
To motivate its new Camaro Z28, GM unleashed what is arguably the best small-block of all time–the LT-1, a 360hp (370hp in the Corvette, thanks to a more free-flowing exhaust system and open element air cleaner), solid-lifter, high-compression screamer capable of more than 6,500 rpm. The LT-1 proved a much better choice for street applications than the cantankerous 302-cu.in. V-8 it replaced. First, the short 3-inch crankshaft stroke was not conducive to producing low-rpm torque, so the engine had to be revved much higher than other engines. Secondly, the 302 camshaft’s overlap was radical, adding to an already uncomfortable driving experience for an everyday driver.
The LT-1 addressed both issues by using the highest-quality internal parts, including a forged-steel crankshaft with a 3.48-inch stroke, resulting in far more torque at any rpm. The LT-1 camshaft preserved cylinder pressure at lower rpm and this further upped the torque figures, broadening the engine’s power curve, even if it sacrificed some top-end horsepower. These changes resulted in a 31 percent increase in torque from 290- to 380-lbs.ft. and the LT-1 had the aforementioned 360hp at an even 6,000 rpm. Even though engineers rated the 302 at 290hp, independent tests showed it was making about 390hp. The LT-1 had a rocker-arm ratio of 1.50:1 and huge valves, with 2.02-inch intakes and 1.60-inch exhaust. The alloy-steel valves had aluminized faces. The valve springs had a spring dampener and carried the following specs: 84 pounds at 1.70 inches in the closed position and 206 pounds at 1.25 inches open.
The cam was lumpy, with 346 degrees duration and 96 degrees overlap. Lift for both intake and exhaust was .458 inch. The pistons were made by TRW and were impact-extruded (forged) aluminum pieces, which featured a slipper skirt design. They were fitted with between .0036- and .0042-inch clearance in the bores. Spacing between the bores was 4.40 inches. Atop the iron block sat a GM aluminum intake manifold fitted with a 780cfm Holley four-barrel. The LT-1 was topped off with beautiful aluminum rocker arm covers. This engine was the only one available in the 1970-1/2 Z28. The Z28 package cost $572.95, and included the LT-1 engine; a heavy-duty radiator; bright engine accents; dual exhausts; a black-painted grille; Z28 emblems on the grille, front fenders and deck lid; rear bumper guards; special performance suspension (F41); 15 x 7-inch wheels with bright lug nuts; special center caps and trim rings; hood insulation; F60-15 bias-belted tires with white letters; a rear deck spoiler and special paint stripes on the hood and deck lid. Even in 1970 dollars, this was a bargain.
We at HMM had the privilege of driving one of the lowest-mileage, completely original 1970-1/2 Z28s in existence. We know of another low-mileage car–1,129 miles to be exact, and in the same color scheme–but we found this one first. Owner Ben Arena, 50, is a police officer living in Florida, New York. Arena had a near-perfect blue 1970-1/2 Z28, but it was over-restored and he wanted an original car. By all accounts he has succeeded. Arena told us what he paid for the car and we agreed not to publish it, but we believe with today’s inflated muscle car prices, he “stole” the car. He’s been offered more than $60,000, but has refused. He spent months scouring the country for the right car, taking advantage of his wife’s frequent flyer miles–she’s a flight attendant. He flew to Florida three times, Iowa, Texas, Kentucky, Ohio, Louisiana and California twice before finding “the” car in Sacramento about two years ago. Its perfect, original sheetmetal defies its New Jersey origins, where salt is dumped on the roads every winter. Giovanni Grasso of Belleville, New Jersey was the original owner of this Copper Classic Metallic beauty, which he bought on June 12, 1970, at Vic Potamkin Chevrolet in Newark, New Jersey. Grasso kept the car until 1986, when he sold it to Joseph Francis of Matawan, New Jersey, who raced the car at Englishtown in the late 1980s. Grasso and each subsequent owner meticulously maintained the car and provided a three-ring binder chock full of documentation. There isn’t a piece of documentation this car does not have. He kept it until October 1992, when the car was sold to Rick Smith of Kansas City, Missouri. Smith kept it but two months, then sold it to the fourth owner, Frank Kafoure of Zionsville, Tennessee. Kafoure kept the car for only about six weeks and sold the car to Peter Tam in Sacramento, California, who sold it to Arena, who says he is the car’s “last” owner. If anyone is restoring a similar car, one look at Arena’s car will show you “how GM really did it.” For example, the original engine still has its factory paint, the original air cleaner label is still intact as is all smog equipment, like the A.I.R. pump, belt, bracket, diverter valve and smog tubing still inside the original exhaust manifolds. The only items replaced in 36 years are the battery and tires, with reproduction Goodyear Polyglas. The original points, condenser, spark plugs, cap, rotor, water pump, brake pads and exhaust system remain. When Arena shows the car, he removes the “new” battery and installs the original, which was kept by all the owners. Though unable to fire the LT-1, the original battery is a nice touch on the show field.
Let’s go for a ride in a “brand new” 1970-1/2 Camaro Z28. Swing open the heavy door, scooch down onto a perfectly preserved black cloth bucket seat and there’s a tachometer to your left and a speedometer to your right. I notice the 6,500 rpm redline, secretly hoping to reach that number, and know this is a serious machine. The odometer reads 9,750 miles. That is 9,750 folks, not 109,750. All decals and labels are original. Seats, carpets, dash, console, headliner–all hospital clean. I look around the interior in awe that all the previous owners took such impeccable care of this one-of-8,733 Z28s made in 1970. I turn the key–Arena has the originals safely tucked away–and after a few spins of the starter, the LT-1 ignites and settles into a lumping idle, which this writer finds exhilarating, to say the least, in contrast to today’s velvety-smooth engines. The sound of a solid-lifter, high-compression Chevy small-block idling is unadulterated muscle. It’s akin to a caged animal seeking escape. I grab the chrome shift knob atop the Hurst stick resting in a perfect black console and move into first gear. The clutch is stiff, but in a car like this, what else is there? You have to rev it fairly high to keep the peaky engine from stalling. It’s hard to not squeal the tires. Remember, there’s a police officer sitting next to me as I prepare to drive what is one of the lowest-mileage 70-1/2 Z28 RS Camaros on the planet. He tells me he knows of a black 4,000-mile example, but the car is not an RS. The engine pulls strongly and with 4.10:1 rear gears housed in a 12-bolt differential, the red tachometer needle climbs quickly even though I am barely touching the accelerator. Knowing I am privileged to drive such a low-mileage original, I keep the rpms down and shift this King Kong small-block conservatively, at about 3,500. Even with the engine hardly working, the tachometer reads 3,600 rpm at 60 mph in fourth gear. I turn onto the Route 7 bypass in Vermont and am able to accelerate a little faster. I intently pay attention to the tach and at about 4,500 rpm pull the Hurst shifter into the appropriate gear.
Even under hard acceleration, there is no pinging as Ben spent $49 for five gallons of 108-octane leaded fuel before bringing the car for our photo session. Knowing my passenger had a Glock, I didn’t powershift his prize, but other owners report the LT-1 will pull to 7,000 rpm, though the torque drops off after 6,500 rpm and is basically not worth revving that high. We believe a richening of the primary side of the Holley and lowering the total advance point of the ignition may help. The ride is bumpy as the reproduction bias belted tires have some flat spots because this pampered car has spent its entire life in a garage or trailer. After a few miles, the bumpy ride goes away and becomes fairly comfortable. GM used softer springs on the then-new Camaro, but they caused too much tail-squatting on acceleration and upshifting. The car doesn’t handle as well as a third-generation IROC-Z, but with 1970 technology, this was a landmark handler at the time.
I really don’t care about that as we’re on a smooth highway and I want to enjoy the sounds only an LT-1 can make. My six-mile ride ends far too soon.
Owner’s View
Ben Arena, 50, from Florida, New York, is a police officer and loves second-generation Camaros. “A friend in high school had one and I just had to have one. I eventually did get a blue Z28 and it was perfectly restored, but it was not an original car, which is something I always wanted. I searched high and low all over the country. This car is virtually the way it left Chevrolet except for the tires and battery. Thanks to my wife, Tammy, who is a flight attendant, I was able to fly all over the country, at no charge, to look at cars. I must have been in every state–some twice–with my friend Kenny Pascoe, who looked at the candidates with me and we passed on them all for one reason or another until we found this car.” Ben found this beauty in California, so it came home of sorts–back East. “I don’t drive it much, to keep the mileage low, as it gets closer to 10,000 miles. But listening to those solid lifters and going through the four-speed is, well, just the greatest feeling. I want to thank Peter Tam for being such a gentleman and holding the car for me until I got to California to look at it. And, oh yes, it’s not for sale.”
PROS
+ First year of LT-1
+ Knockout styling with R/S grille
+ Quite possibly the best-looking Z ever
CONS
– Every mile added kills its value
– Compression is too high for the street
– Plays second fiddle to the ’69 Z/28
Club Scene
American Camaro Association
610-966-2492
Dues: $20/year; Membership: 200
International Camaro Club
570-585-4082
Dues: $25/year; Membership: 3,500
Online Resource:
www.nastyZ28.com
Specifications
Price
Base price: $2,839.00
Price as profiled: $4,427.65
Options on car profiled:
Engine
Transmission
Differential
Steering
Brakes
Chassis & Body
Suspension
Wheels & Tires
Weights & Measures
Capacities
Calculated Data
Production
8,733 Z28s were built from February 1970 through end of model year
Performance
1/4 mile ET 14.93 seconds @ 97 mph
