350 cubic inches, four gears in the transmission, and brilliant black paint make this 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 tribute a highly appealing and surprisingly affordable hobby car. Second-gen Camaro prices are on the march, so if you've been looking this might be the time to make your move. Forget the talk of mullets and jacked-up rear suspensions, this Z/28 tribute has graduated to the big league now that collectors have realized that these cars not only look great, but drive superbly compared to their older siblings. The sleek sheetmetal was certainly dramatic in 1970 and today it still gets its share of admiring glances from folks walking down the street and next to you at red lights. Much of that is surely due to the almost sinister black paint job, which is correct for this car but surely bolder than the factory offerings that year, and shines with the benefit of 40 years of paint technology. White SS stripes and a tall cowl-induction hood add the necessary dose of aggression, along with a chin spoiler and the factory's smaller deck lid wing, which was unique to the Z. A full-width chrome bumper up front is original equipment and matches the rear bumper, and they both shine with a fresh polish. Stand back and take a look at this car in profile and you'll see why they're getting popular: it's just clean and sleek. The black interior is almost completely stock and has been recently restored with a lot of new equipment. Obviously the seat covers and other soft parts were replaced so you'll find it easy to spend some time in there, and the matching black carpets are in great shape. The cool steering wheel is fatter and smaller than the original, but surely a bit more functional, too. White-faced Auto Meter gauges fit into the dash like they were born there and keep a much better eye on the engine's vitals than the original dials. There's no console, but as you can see, this car was built for combat, and a console only adds dead weight. They also deleted the radio and the heater in the interest of pure performance, but once you hear this sucker run, you won't miss the radio. Pop the deck lid and you'll also find a correct mat and space-saver spare tire with jack, just in case. The snarky 350 cubic inch V8 under the hood provides plenty of entertainment out on the road, thanks to a wide torque curve and great manners. An Edelbrock carb and intake provide the air/fuel mixture, inhaling through a chrome open-element air cleaner and nestled between matching valve covers. There's the usual Chevy Orange paint on the block and it's maybe a little brighter than stock, but otherwise the engine compartment has a fairly correct look. Lots of new service equipment, including belts and hoses, mean that it's ready to rock the moment you get it home and you'll never get tired of the bark from long-tube headers and Flowmaster dual exhaust. A 4-speed manual gearbox amps up the fun quotient in a big way, and with a rugged 12-bolt rear end, you don't have to worry about mashing some gears. The undercarriage isn't detailed for show, but it has been reinforced with a set of subframe connectors that really reinforce the structure. Classic Cragar mags always make the right statement on an early F-body, with these wearing fat blackwall radials. Fast and inexpensive fun, this Camaro definitely delivers on the promises made by the brilliant paint job. Call today!
|