Ignoring my personal fixation on the weird and unloved for a moment, ask yourself something: have you found yourself looking at something that ten, twenty, thirty years ago you would’ve avoided like the plague and are now starting to come around a bit? I saw it the other day while going through Facebook comments for a story I’d done on the Rod Shop Charger a few days ago and saw where someone had noted that they had hated the 1971-up B-body shape for the longest time, but after seeing that car they were starting to appreciate it some. I’ve done a bit of that…never thought that I’d crave a 1968 Ford Falcon, or a 1982 Pontiac LeMans coupe, or a 1980s Chevy Caprice like I do now, but time does wonders. 
The third variation of the second-gen Camaro has always been my least favorite Camaro, period. Too plastic, too Tupperware-like, too disco, bad experiences with several different cars…just didn’t like them one bit. It’s an absolutely irrational mindset, especially given that I would donate a testicle to medical science to pay for the build of a 1975-77 Camaro in the manner I desire, but such is life. Except…we have this car here. Most Z28s I see of this era are either black with orange or red stripes or are white with blue stripes. But this combination suits the car so well, and it’s both fitting and unexpected. The Dark Brown Metallic and the color-matched stripes, the Z28 turbines…on a 350/4-speed car…with air conditioning…this one is so perfect it’s painful. This wasn’t the 1969 Z/28 of the angry, high-revving crowd. Those kids had grown up and matured…this was the car had as much bark as 1979 would allow, but had comfort, style, and still kept a presence about itself.
And it’s clean enough to eat off of. All day long, this Camaro would be welcomed.
The graphics on the ’79 were nice. Too bad the rest of the car wasn’t.
A second generation Camaro is basically the same thing under the skin weather it is a 1970 or a 1981. The 1979 model year was no better or worst than the next. You can build any of these cars into whatever you desire. Plenty of aftermarket support.
If you want to pay $18K for POTENTIAL, go right ahead. As it is this it’s an over restored hot mess at the price of a survivor. They don’t state the mileage and missed cleaning up some dash panels. A Chevy II is something you can build into whatever you desire. A Camaro or Corvette should fulfill your desires out of the box.
Nice car, but they are not bringing this kind of money yet even as nice as this one is. Camaro’s are great cars. Handle and stop great. remember, these cars were built for torque, not horsepower, perfect for the highway. I’ve had 5 of these in various forms, all good cars.
A low mile survivor ANYTHING can bring this kind of money. This one is not that.
I always felt that what these represent was Chevy’s somewhat tepid response to watching the Pontiac Trans Am eat their lunch after they left the T/A-Z28 table in 74. Just like that, at the end of the 2nd-gen run Chevy was back but this time as the follower not the leader. The happy thing was that Chevy did not then follow Pontiac into the aberration the the T/A became in it’s last couple years, for ’79-on the Camaro was the prettier car.
And soon, every car on the road would also have giant body-color urethane fronts and backs.
Reading the EBay ad makes me chuckle, recently repainted survivor. Also said Saginaw transmission, Z28’s came with the Super T10.
Over priced and overhyped.
I’m a HUUUUUUUGE fan of rubber nose Camaros. Everyone has a car that stirs their heart. The 1978 to 1981 Camaro is that car for me. Particularly the 1980 and 81 Z-28 variety. I have a 1980 Z-28 in the garage right now next to my wife’s 1969 RS/SS Camaro, and I think the 1980 is a much better car. Nice to ride in, more room, better looks. They just move me.
This car is very nice. That dark dash bezel is one year only, Z-28 only, and not reproduced. The seats don’t look stock, but I bet they are more comfortable than the standard vinyl. Besides, it’s a stick 350 car with A/C! Sure it could use a cam, intake and headers to wake it up. Or you could literally daily this thing and LOVE every minute.
Great car!
What a SWEET malaise-mobile! Although I SMH at the re-painted “survivor” tag and Saginaw tranny at almost 20 large,… There IS one born every minute!
Dude don\’t let that stoner Jeff Spicoli anywhere near this one!
LOL…Not a problem, if anything happens his dad’s a TV repairman and has a gnarrrly tool set.
Damn it Loren, you beat me to it!
I had a buddy in the early 80’s who had one with a 454 swap. That car was badass and I’ve liked them ever since. This one is dying for an LS.
I bought a ’79 Trans Am on a whim in February. It caught my eye because you just dont see the 2nd gen F bodies running around anymore. They used to be everywhere, and they were entry level project cars for a lot of high school kids in the 80’s and early 90’s. In stock form they might not be the fastest, but they handle the road well and look sexy.
I had a white with blue stripes ’79 Z28, 350, 4spd. Fun car to drive, but when the opportunity to buy a numbers matching ’70 Nova SS, 350, 4spd. came up, I put the Camaro up for sale immediately. Luckily it sold quickly and I was able to get the Nova.