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The Perfect Car Is This 1967 Legend Chevrolet Camaro Z28 With a 1-in-2 Feature

The perfect Camaro was born in July 1967 under the 28 auspices of the Z-coded performance package. In 2023, the car will be offered at no reserve at the Barret-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, on January 21-29. History will only open a new chapter for this monument of Chevrolet automotive excellence.
1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 120 photos
Photo: msclassiccars.com
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“The car is a legend” is a phrase often penned about exceptional automobiles. Still, this time, the attribute is literal: this red-hot-Chevy not only did it gain the Legend status, but it did so with a maxim score.

Only eight of the 602 Z28 Camaros from the first model year are certified Legends. Furthermore, five other Camaros made between ‘69 and ‘81 are flawless top-scorers in the same rankings. This Bolero Red is one of the perfect six, and the rarity doesn’t end here.

This absolute Chevrolet Camaro is the car Lucifer would drive to heaven to regain his wings if he intended. Until then, the automobile has been in the curation of a very dedicated owner for the past 40 years. Twenty-five of those years were spent restoring the Z28 to an unprecedented level of magnificence.

Jerry MacNeish, the ultimate authority on all things high-performance Camaro, granted this vehicle the seal of authenticity. Everything on this four-wheeled American splendor is correct, with many parts from New Old Stock. Now we understand why it took one owner a quarter of a century to get his car to a perfect level.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Photo: msclassiccars.com
Between 1981 and 2007, the red Z28 went through a painstakingly accurate restoration process, from the tires up. This is not a metaphor – the 15-inch rally wheels are shod in original 1967-made and preserved brand-new red-ring rubbers. Please scroll through the gallery to admire the restoration work and see how the Z28 looked when the paint was still fresh.

We mentioned above that several other traits make this car a once-in-a-lifetime find. Folding rear seats (something most uncommon in Camaros back in ‘67), heavy-duty brakes (factory-installed), and contour bench seats with a foldable armrest. All three are included – and documented – in the original production order form.

The engine is the high-output Mustang-hunting 302 CID (4.9 liters) V8. The Mustang reference comes in because the Boss 302 had been giving GM enough performance headaches to fill Lake Michigan, and they had to do something about it.

In 1967, they did 602 somethings against the Boss. However, they omitted the car from their sales literature and dispatched the top-of-the-heap Camaros to the dealerships. Nonetheless, the no-nonsense Chevy became an instant hit thanks to its performance-backed looks and manners.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Photo: msclassiccars.com
290 hp, various suspensions, power disc brakes, a close-ratio Muncie transmission (of the four-speed manual breed), and 4.56 Positraction rear diff. The power specs were intentionally understated to keep insurance costs out of the outraging “one horsepower per cubic inch” rate cards.

We gave away the car’s rarest feature – the contour front bench seats. According to the seller, Mark Schiliro of MS Classic Cars, only two ‘67 Z28s with that option are still alive today. This is one of the two, and being a show car for the past 15 years means it is in better-than-new condition.

It wasn’t always the case, though, as the Z28 was a daily driver until 1981. Not by all means neglected during that time, but not pampered either. A primordial Z28 wasn’t made for protective care on all days except the 4th of July and the owner’s birthday.

The Z28-exact specification engine is a replica of what GM themselves would have put under the hood 55 years ago. The owner went to such great lengths about the Camaro restoration that he acquired an original small journal crankshaft (NOS – new old stock) that was a ‘67-only feature.

1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Photo: msclassiccars.com
The same NOS status applies to the rods, pistons, 30/30 solid lifter camshaft, and the list goes on (watch the video for a detailed overlook of the powertrain). The owner did imbue its beloved Camaro with an original cowl plenum air cleaner, 1967-built and kept in a parts dealer’s stock for later purchases. The result is a V8 symphonic concert conducted by the famed Z28 magic baton.

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About the author: Razvan Calin
Razvan Calin profile photo

After nearly two decades in news television, Răzvan turned to a different medium. He’s been a field journalist, a TV producer, and a seafarer but found that he feels right at home among petrolheads.
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