Camaro Special Editions 1967 Present

Since its launch in 1967, the Camaro has been a friend to driving enthusiasts. Chevrolet’s performance-minded individuals had their bona fide bowtie pony car, and right away, it was off to the races to craft and create versions that went above and beyond. The Camaro proved to be the perfect canvas for many kinds of special editions, and it has remained that way throughout six generations of the iconic model that have been loved worldwide. In Camaro Special Editions: 1967–Present, author and expert Matt Avery spotlights the most significant special editions and closely explores the pinnacles and highpoints of the model’s lineage. Beginning with the classics, the story is told of the venerable Z28, the Corvette-sourced L89 and JL8, and the factory COPO zeniths, including the legendary ZL1. Moving to the realm of outside heavy hitters, Avery profiles the efforts of dealership partners, such as Nickey, Dana, Gorries, Baldwin-Motion, Yenko, and the works of motor maverick drag racer Dick Harrell. From its first year, the Camaro played a starring role as an Indy 500 pace car and during the festival celebration. A comprehensive look at the many different variants that have been present at the famed Brickyard speedway is included. A new bodystyle in the 1980s brought further special editions, including the race-ready Player’s series and subsequent 1LE option. Fast forward to the Camaro’s fourth generation, and activities accelerated even quicker with contemporary tuners, such as Callaway and Street Legal Performance (SLP), joining the fray along with dealer programs from Berger Chevrolet, GMMG, Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet, and more. The very latest Camaros are documented as well, including the resurrected ZL1 and Z28, Specialty Vehicle Engineering’s reimagined Yenko street terror, and Chevrolet Performance’s all-out COPO race car. Factory packages, such as the Hot Wheels and Transformers, are covered, and all of the anniversary editions are examined, each marking milestones in the model’s 55-year journey in becoming the thumping heartbeat of American sports car prowess. It’s been quite a ride, and there’s no letting up anytime soon. This book is a must-have resource and authoritative guide for celebrating the Camaro and its many fantastic and storied special editions.

Learn about the creation of every generation of Chevrolet’s pony car! For more than 50 years, the Chevrolet Camaro has been an indelible part of the modern automotive landscape. Since its introduction in 1967, Chevrolet’s immensely popular pony car has redefined American automotive styling by setting the bar and then raising it with the introduction of each generation. How did the Camaro become one of the most celebrated automobiles of all time? What was its origin? What factors contributed to its creation and continued evolution through periods of economic uncertainty? How, when so many other cars have come and gone, has the Camaro survived and flourished? Automotive historian Scott Kolecki explores those questions in Camaro Concept Cars: Developing Chevrolet’s Pony Car, as he introduces the men and women who created Chevrolet’s successful sports car. This book looks at the factors that contributed to its evolution through six distinct generations and explores the concept and design prototypes that gave rise to the production models that we know and love today. This is the ultimate book for anyone who has owned (or dreamed of owning) a Camaro as well as for the countless enthusiasts around the globe who continue to celebrate and share the car’s rich heritage with future generations.

The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro, 2nd Edition profiles every model of Camaro from 1967 to the start of the fifth generation. See it all here. The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro, 2nd Edition continues the story of America's premier performance car. In 2016, the sixth-generation Camaro rolled off production lines and roared onto America's highways, earning best-in-class accolades from all over the performance spectrum. Renowned automotive photographer and historian David Newhardt is here to tell the Camaro's story. This is a Camaro book like no other. The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro, 2nd Edition covers the entire production history of Chevrolet's iconic muscle car, from the original concept car (codenamed Panther) to the latest and greatest sixth-generation vehicle. The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro showcases every model of Camaro since 1967 in stunning detail, using original and GM archival photography as well as insider interviews and technical specifications. The original model was developed to fight the Mustang in the muscle car wars of the late 1960s; the second-gen cars became icons of American automotive styling in the 1970s; the third-gen cars helped lead a muscle car renaissance in the 1980s; the refined fourth-gen cars continued to demonstrate GM's prowess and engineering know-how through 2002; the fifth-gen Camaro brought back the iconic nameplate in 2010; and now the latest generation has debuted to rave reviews in 2016. This book also features all the production vehicles, prototypes, show cars, anniversary editions, pace cars, and more from the vibrant Camaro culture.

“Get one before one gets you!” Motion Performance’s catchy sales pitch for builder Joel Rosen’s Phase III Specialty Muscle Cars sums up the escalating performance scene in the late 1960s. Special edition muscle cars were essential to keep pace. Joel and other independent car builders (such as Carroll Shelby, George Hurst, Dick Harrell, Mr. Norm, and Jim Wangers) did what the factories couldn’t do: take the muscle car and turn it into a tire-burning monster. Although the Pontiac GTO established the muscle car category in 1964, a host of corporate safety restrictions restrained factories from offering turn-key race cars off the showroom floor. Independent car builders enhanced appearance and amplified performance in an attempt to do what the manufacturers wouldn’t. Motion Performance issued a written guarantee: Phase III cars would run 11.5 at 120 mph down the quarter-mile! Some of the most iconic nameplates in automotive history were applied in this era with names that included Cheetah, Black Panther, Royal Bobcat, Super Hugger, Manta Ray, Super Snake, Deuce, Fast Track, and The Machine. How did manufacturers stealthily promote these special edition muscle cars as “halo cars” while pretending not to endorse them? What happened to these innovators when factories assimilated their ideas? It’s all covered inside. Muscle car historian Duncan Brown takes us through these special edition muscle cars, their creators, and the behind-the-scenes forces that shaped these wild beasts into legends that left a lasting legacy.

Factory-correct cars will always be the most valuable cars on the market. Original Chevrolet Camaro 1967-1969 tells you exactly which parts, accessories, finishes, fabrics, and colors you must have to restore your Camaro to its factory-original condition—or exactly what to look for when shopping for a restored Camaro. Some 250 color images detail Chevy's major performance packages of the period—the SS, RS and Z/28—while exhaustively detailing engines, interiors, and bodies. Of equal importance, muscle-car authority Jason Scott provides factory records, comprehensive specifications, detailed parts lists and codes, and period literature to offer the definitive guide to originality. Chevrolet’s Camaro was introduced in 1967 on the heels of Ford’s best-selling Mustang. It quickly established itself as the go-to option for muscle-car customers wanting a more aggressive pony car. During its first generation from 1967 to 1969, GM offered option packages to satisfy all tastes, from six-cylinders grocery-getters to agile small-block cars to big-block monsters ready for drag racing straight off the showroom floor. Today, these first-generation Camaros are some of the most valuable cars in the collectible muscle-car market. This is a must-have volume for any enthusiast shopping for a first-generation Camaro or about to undertake a restoration project.

Renowned engine builder and technical writer David Vizard turns his attention to extracting serious horsepower from small-block Chevy engines while doing it on a budget. Included are details of the desirable factory part numbers, easy do-it-yourself cylinder head modifications, inexpensive but effective aftermarket parts, the best blocks, rotating assembly (cranks, rods, and pistons), camshaft selection, lubrication, induction, ignition, exhaust systems, and more.

This is the high-performance tale of what was undoubtedly the fastest, loosest era in automotive history. Through the 1960s and into the 1970s, America’s carmakers fought an unbridled war for street supremacy. The warriors ranged from light and agile Z/28 Camaros and Boss 302 Mustangs to big-block brutes like the 440 Road Runner and Stage I 455 Buick GS. A few of these boulevard brawlers were closing on 500 horsepower before the insurance lobby, Ralph Nader, OPEC, and various governmental agencies conspired to stop the madness. Muscle cars all but disappeared by 1974, with only a few anemic models soldiering through the 1980s. But by the 1990s, thanks to vastly improved engine technology, muscle cars were back with a vengeance. Motor City Muscle traces the full history right up to today’s new Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger.

DIVThe Complete Book of Camaro covers over 40 years of high performance with an in-depth look at the prototypes and experimental models, the anniversary and pace cars, and the specialty packages for street and competition driving./div