Text by Chris Harrell.
Since I was a kid, I’d always had a fascination with cars. My family didn’t have anything nice, new, or interesting (for the early 1990’s), so any new car intrigued me. My interest led 5-year-old me to venture inside the broken-down Opel Kadett rotting away under a tree in the yard, wondering what was inside; it was bees. Lots of bees.
I took a break from exploring like that, but my interest in cars didn’t stop. I’d stand by the window whenever I heard a V8 rumble coming from the shop in the back of my neighbor’s house, who was a GM mechanic. He restored cars and I’d wait by the window to see what was pulling around front. Seeing those beautiful C3 Stingrays and Chevelles, really upped my interest.
My first exposure to Camaros was my cousin’s 1982 model, and I instantly liked the body style. It turns out he wasn’t the first in the family to own a Camaro, as my mother traded in her new Mustang II for a 1976 Camaro LT, a car which she loved but had to part with when starting a family.
Years went by, and I took a summer job during college, where I met a coworker driving a 1994 RS with T-tops and a 5-speed. She agreed to sell it to me at the end of summer, but changed her mind. Luckily my aforementioned cousin missed his Camaro and bought a 1991 RS, which he later agreed to sell to me. Auto, 6-cylinder, and a coupe – nothing I wanted, but I fell in love with the dark teal metallic paint with the color-matched wheels. I still have the car; it just needs a new drivetrain.
I drove that car throughout college, but still wanted a 3rd gen with T-tops, a 5-speed, and a V8. I found a 1988 RS nearby matching that criteria for cheap, rattle-can paint job and all. I was with a friend of mine getting ready to take it to go pick someone up to hang out at my house, and she told me her friend had a date canceled on her. I put the T-tops in the hatch, closed it, and said, “Well invite her over”. That was the day I met my wife.
I eventually got rid of the 1988 RS since work was occupying all my time and I rarely drove it. But a couple years ago, I had a dream I was driving a 2nd gen Camaro. I woke up and started searching. I found two that interested me, a 1977 LT with an automatic, and a ratty 1975 with a custom front-flip hood, manual, and flame-throwing side exit exhaust. I checked out the 1977 first, but the automatic turned me off. So I continued down the road, tow dolly attached, and purchased the 1975. I got it home and questioned my decision, but the ink had already dried. The next day, I got in touch with the owner of the 1977 and went to pick it up. I now had two 2nd gen Camaros in the driveway.
I traded the 1975, but kept the 1977, realizing almost every missing piece of interior and exterior trim was in the trunk. Once assembled, I started taking it to shows. When my mother came to visit, she was instantly taken back to her youth, a giddy smile on her face as she sat in the driver’s seat. It provided illumination for fireworks in the yard last 4th of July, with someone snapping a picture of my wife and I in front of it. Appropriate, since I was driving a black Camaro when I met her 12 years prior.
Welcome Chris! Wonderful tale of cars and love.
I was a bit disappointed you didn’t mention the real stars of this era, the 1970-73 Camaros.
The early Camaro discussions are a dime a dozen. I liked that he was into the often-neglected mid 70s and later Camaros.
Chris, welcome aboard, and this was great! The Opel with the bees… man, I can only imagine what that had been like.
I like that you mention that your mom had traded in a *new* Mustang II for her ’76 Camaro LT. Equipped with six-cylinder / auto, I wonder how much a ’76 Mustang II and Camaro had differed in terms of efficiency and performance. I’m a fan of the Mustang II, but also totally get why your mom may have traded – for a larger, more substantial car.
I thought the ’74 – ’77 Camaros were nicely styled and did a good job with integrating the new, larger bumpers.
Great picture at the end – many more happy years to you, your wife, and your Camaros.
Thanks! It was imprinted on my mind enough to be one the few childhood memories I recall. As for why she traded the Mustang II, I guess she was just drawn to the Camaro. I do find the Mustang II quite neat, always saw it as a future collector, and I equally appreciate Mustangs. My “show car” is my 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente convertible, which shares many parts with the first Mustang, so I spend much of the day chatting with the Mustang guys at shows (while wearing either a Chevrolet or AMC t-shirt; if I take the Camaro I wear a Ford shirt).
And thank you for the well wishes.
New 1974 Z28 with air lt package $4675.00 new that’s with tax
Thank you for sharing this .
Was it an inline or V6 ? .
-Nate
Hi, Nate. My 3rd gen (the teal one) was a 3.1L V6, an evolution of the 2.8L GM 60 degree V6. The 1976 Camaro that my mom owned was an inline 6. I didn’t detail the cars my family owned in the 90’s, but they’re all somewhat collectible now – a 1978 Datsun pickup, a 1977 Suburban with the venerable 350ci/TH350, and a 1984 Olds Cutlass Supreme with the 3.8L Buick engine.
My “show car” is my 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente convertible, which shares many parts with the first Mustang, so I spend much of the day chatting with the Mustang guys at shows (while wearing either a Chevrolet or AMC t-shirt; if I take the Camaro I wear a Ford shirt).
Okay, this is gold. Awesome to read this.
Your enthusiasm is infectious – I have never been the biggest Camaro fan in the world, but I loved reading about how you have loved them and why.
Welcome to the CC’s contributor club! I look forward to reading about that Comet.
Hi JP, I already wrote about that one on another website a few years ago, Classic Cars Journal. If you search “my classic car 1964 comet”, it should be one of the first results. It shared a page with a 1957 Chevrolet 210, since both of our stories were rather short.