There was a time when this Camaro ruled the streets of whatever city or town it was built in. Ok, maybe that’s not true because it doesn’t appear that the car was ever driven all that much. This baby has ISCA show car written all over it. The exterior is screaming early 1980s louder than a hostage trapped in a basement, the wire wheels wrapped in raised white letter Radial T/As also have an early MTV feel to them and the interior….holy smokes the interior is epic. We’ll get there in a minute. We’d have to skip over the gold plated Holley carbs and the nitrous lines that are shimmering equally bright as well. There’s a blower belt that is mostly on the pulleys, and a 6-71 huffer that is bolted to an iron headed small block Chevy engine. We’re saying iron heads because there is an engine photo you can expand and see what looks to be the casting ridge on the front of the head and a bolt hole. If we’re wrong on that, tell us why.
The interior is where we go from the weird to the totally sublime here as a previous owner had the entire thing done in crushed velvet. We’re talking LOTS of dark blue crushed velvet. It looks like a 1970s whorehouse in there. Kicking it up even another notch is the presence of a Panasonic “Cockpit” overhead radio. This overhead radio was very trick stuff when it came out in the 1980s and guys are actually seeking them out on cars they are building in that style today. We’re debating whether this radio or a Nintendo Power Glove rank higher on the 1980s coolness scale and frankly we think it is a push. There’s no indication as to whether or not the radio actually works but it has multiple amps and stuff in the trunk. Our belief is that whatever channel this radio is switched to, an even mix of Quiet Riot, Motley Crue, and Sammy Hagar will come pouring out. There’s just no stopping it.
The nitrous bottle arm rest in the back seat is a nice decorative touch but we’re kind of shocked that the guy who had the interior done didn’t get a crushed velvet bottle cover made for it. Four point chrome roll bar? Check. Elevendy gauges across the hood? Yes sir. Slapper bars? You better believe it. Nose high “anti-stink bug” rake? Present and accounted for. The underside of the car is finished with the same colors and detail as the top. As much as we’re bagging on the interior and stuff, the actual quality of the paint seems to be awesome. Yes, the scheme itself is a parody of itself, but the detail shots of the body show the paint work to be nicely done. We were actually impressed with the quality of the underside of the car. The chromed control arms and stuff? Not so much, but they looked boss when Spuds McKenzie was Bud’s spokes person and this car was displayed with mirrors under it at a World of Wheels show. In 15 years will guys be building stuff to recapture this era? We’re going on record hoping that doesn’t happen.
Brian Blackstone gets ALL the blame for tipping us off to the King of the 2nd gen Camaros!
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PHOTOS AND THEN HIT THE LINK FOR THE EBAY AT WITH DOZENS AND DOZENS MORE IMAGES!
eBay Find: The most second gen, 2nd gen Camaro the world has ever known
I’d ditch the wire wheels and cruise the hell out of it
I like the fact that the gauges can be read by the passenger, so the driver don’t have to take his eyes off the road during the high speed operation mode. I’m kinda glad I was before this era and the late 70’s “Street Freaks”
Is dis velvet?
Definately from the street freaks area, its like a time machine, or time capsule, really over done but that was hot rodding at the time, really kind of neat just because most of these over done cars are long gone, this is a very well perserved time capsule.
THAT is full disco. I’d like to see if the crushed velvet gives off glimmery blue smoke as that Camaro burns to the ground.
The radio Shack toggles on console MAKE IT
No Radio Shack toggles, Panasonic actually used to make that entire unit. You were a god if you had one back then!
The Panasonic RM-610 RM-710…. I didn’t even know what it was till 5 seconds ago, now I can’t live without it.
The only thing I’d change on this car is the wheels to some Fire-am Appliance steel wheels…
I just can’t get over the amount of detail that went into that car. Who built this thing? Not really my thing but that is amazing work.
Most likely all show and no go.
It is a good thing it is a later years 2nd gen. If it were a 1st gen Camaro, someone surely would strip that thing and restore it back to stock, or make a drag car or something much less interesting. There can’t be that many left from this time period in their original as built state, much less in this condition. This car needs to be kept just the way it is as an example of what the pinnacle of hot rodding was like in this era.
It is funny to think that guys drooled over this back then the same way guys will drool over some well built pro-touring car now. All you guys with pro touring cars with those fender flairs, wings, all the newest modern tech and racing guages, your car will be this goofy looking to others in 30 years
You nailed it …. trends will be trends. I am 52 years old…and I remember when these cars were the kings on the street machine crowd. They ruled the cars shows and car mags. Just like the pro touring cars do now.
I would cruise this car no problem. I would change the wheels , lower the front and make sure the engine had a least aluminum heads and would rebuild it for more power. But I would leave the paint, chassis , interior etc alone.
I wouldn’t even change that much. I think the only thing to do is swap out the autozone steering wheel for a chrome chain wheel. You can’t have crushed velvet interiors without the chain wheel. I’m willing to bet that at one time, this car had one.
so.much.freaking.awesome!
Flashbacks to WoW 1982…I freaking love it, wheels and all.
That car is so 70’s it makes me ill! That will cars barely made 200 hp, so it only natural to chrome it, gold plate it, and a lot of crushed velvet!
Now that’s a TIME MACHINE!!!!!!!
Needs stripes that Z up over the rear wheelwells and a fake Enderle to go with ALL those N2O lines.
I just threw up in my mouth a little bit…
Im digging it dude. If i had the cash it would be sitting in Jersey.
I know where this Camaro is located, I’ll “mullet over” if I’ll go see this in person.
May not be p.c. but the stance is “dago”, not “rake”. Thanks for the time travail.
Ready to hit Van Nuys Blvd and cruise for chicks.
One puddle and your f****ed for weeks of cleaning.
I’m just gonna lay here and have a smoke now.
Needs sidepipes and Champ 500’s. The console (complete with joystick) and spinners almost make up for it though!!!
I’m with Erik on the side pipes. I would swap up to some gold plated Keystone classics too. If it had a matching van to tow it to the fairgrounds I’d be in heaven, what can I say those were my formative years.
Too bad it has the overhead console; it needs the pop up sunroof.