I thought it would be fun and intersting for people to post stories of why they've selected the Camaro as their personal favorite car. There are so many cool cars out there and I began to think why Camaro? Here's my story:

I'm 38 now, but when I was about 7 years old I started playing with AFX race-track cars. My older brother and I would have contests. We'd allow each 30 minutes to make modifications to our favorite cars and then race them against each other. I tried everything from adding copper windings to the little electric motors, putting on addtional magnets for traction, etc, etc (I'm sure many of you out there can relate). Well it turns out that my favorite car out of the box full of 20 or so that I had collected was a blue 70 Camaro Z28. I liked it so much that no matter what chassis was the fastest, I would find a way to attach that camaro body to it. Then when I was about 11, I had my first real encounter with a 68 Camaro. My mom took care of an elderly couple down the street who were the original owners of a white 68 Camaro with a 327 and Horse-shoe auto shifter. It had hubcaps and wasn't anything fancy but that little car really spoke to me. The elderly lady who was 90 would drive it about once a week. By the time I turned 15, it was still there, she was now 95 (still occasionally driving it and now had a dent in the rear quarter). I asked my Mom to see if she would agree to sell it to us some day. My mom asked her and she did agree to selling us the car. That was great news!!! I would sneak out of my house and walk down the street to look at that Camaro at night. I'd sit in their driveway and just stare at that car and imagine driving it to far-away places and how cool that would be. Nobody locked their cars in that small town I grew up in so sometimes I would get inside it and pretend it was mine. Well as luck would have it, when she finally couldn't drive it anymore, one of her Sons claimed it and my dream fell apart. So my senior year I worked and saved up enough to buy one of my own but couldn't find a Camaro so I settled on a 70 Mach I in perfect condtion for $3,000 (not a bad 2nd choice). Well I sold that car after 2 years and then when I turned 25, I decided I needed to get that Camaro that I've always wanted and still wanted. I looked in the paper and there it was: a 68 RS/SS for $3,500 with no rust and mostly original. Now I've owned it for 13 years and no matter what new car comes out nothing can compare to this timeless design. :noway:

What's your story???? Why a Camaro??? :hurray:

I was younger than 10 and my mom brought me a hot wheels, which I still have, and I played with it a little bit. One day I looked at the bottom of it to see what it was, -Red w/flames 67RS/SS REDLINE, I told my mom that day I would own one. Well, CLOSE. Well for $5500 I bought a 2 owner 68 RS 210hp P/G car when I was 17. Which my EX-brother promptly sold out from under me while I was at bootcamp for $6500-with the 600hp stroked 400SBC still in it. Well prices soared and I did a few cruises and deployments in areas I didnt know existed, and finally had enuff saved up to buy a 68 true RS car(SS clone) and spend 14K on it to make it look good, and I would do it all over again.
What is it about Camaros?

I had owned and restored a 67 Mustang for 11 years. I was pretty much bored with it at the time. I told my wife I was thinking of selling it, she asked me what I was going to do with the money?? I told her that I would find another car and start all over again. I asked her what kind of car she liked and she told me a CAMARO. So off I went to find that car. I finally sold my 67 Mustang for 8,000.00 and quickly dropped 4,000.00 on a 67 RS/SS (shell) that I'm still putting together 3 years later. Needless to say that initial 8K (and then some) is long gone buying parts for this thing and yes I would do it all over again. I'm just glad she didn't say she liked an AMC Javelin or anything crazy like that! :D

Harley, i hope you kicked your brothers a** for that.

I did better than that. I told him not to consider me as his brother anymore.
Actually, its kinda a long story. In short, my family invited a friend of my REAL brothers to stay the night in ..1982-3ish. He stayed for about 10 years. In this time, he and I became pretty close (like brothers) because of our common affection for ALL things Hot Rod. He had some cool cars/pick-ups let me tell you. He wanted my Camaro, asked for it, I said no cause it was my first Hot Rod, he looks for one, sees an opportunity to take mine while Im at boot camp and sells it (in my Dads name-told Dad I said to sell it-so Dad signed title) when he got bored with it. Anybody sees/has a 68 RS 327 car from OKLA for sale send me a pic PLZ. EX-brother's name is Gene Heider.
Oh....I actually bought 2 cars back then. I have an original BB 68 RS/SS 4speed car just a hull with some parts..missing interior and part of front clip is all. He took that too..however I never signed the title to that one. :D

Why a Camaro? Why not?

I saw a 67 at a party store when I was 16. I knew NOTHING about cars but I fell in love with it on the spot and vowed "one day" I'd own one. 22 years, a figure skating career, 3 kids, 2 husbands, and an empty checkbook later, I finally have one in my garage. 1st husband was a Ford guy and said "no way!" 2nd husband has patience of a saint and is helping bring this car back to life.

Why a Camaro? Why not?

Exactly :cool:

I was always envious of a friend who had a RS/SS back in high school. This was around 73'-74'. At the time, almost everyone was driving the muscle cars loved by all today, but I loved the Camaro best. In 80', I bought a 79' Z28 with 12K on it. Loved that car. Bought an 84' Camaro even before I...um..left the 79' Z with my first wife :o. So, I finally own a 69', which was always my favorite year Camaro.

I was into 4x4's and had a 74 Blazer with 6"+ lift , 38's, and a pretty stout drivetrain. Had lots of issues with the Cops and after 14 inspection tickets and the last hora was "Materially altering vehicle after inspection" (2 years and $1K max fine) which got me 3 years probation and registration suspended.
I got the idea of sticking a antique truck body on my frame and get historic tags. Wife didn't like anything I found and wouldn't give an OK. On our way home from looking at one truck she seen a 69 Camaro that she liked... I found my 68 4 months later. :D I always did like the first gen Camaros too :yes:

I was 18, had just sold my '64 Comet convertible...was driving through Wisconsin Rapids (jr68 you know where that is!), in a driveway was a freshly painted '68 Camaro RS for sale, hugger orange with black stripes, black deluxe interior, in-dash tac etc etc, (see my sig link for pics). I stopped, drove it, it was fast as hell w/ a muncie 4 speed, had 62K miles. I bought it for $1,600 dollars....from then on I strayed to other chevys, mopars, but always came back to the Camaro. Fast forward 30 years, it's still the only car for me!

Long story short,In 1985 My first car burned up :(, Went looking at a few 70-75 Camaros just did not like them, Then I looked a 68RS Fell in love,..............Love lost from the COP's and tickets, Got another a year later 69 SS 396 Convertible, Same as before Johnny Law! Moved to Oldsmobile's COP problem solved!...........20 some odd years later I found my love and we have been reunited :hurray:

Rich, your story is similar to mine, same time period even...sure wish I could find my old '68 RS! I've tried searching online using the VIN# but no luck...by the way the VIN is 124378N316762, the guy I sold it to re-sold it in Dayton Ohio right around 1981, that's where the trail went cold.

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=89115

I was 14 when they were introduced and 19 when I bought my first one. A 67 Aqua coupe. 327/210 column shift PG. It only had 2 notable options. The 10 bolt had a G80 in it and it had a reverb system, that the seller removed before I bought it.:mad: I only had it 1 year and sold it to buy a 68 SS Chevelle. I did own 3 more 1st gen Camaros over the next several years, but only to buy them cheap, drive the snot outta them and sell em for profit. I started looking at them again about 3 years ago and was shocked at the prices, so I bought my 88 IROC instead. After a year of working on the 88, I couldn't shake the feeling that I should have bought a 1st gen instead, so I decided to bite the bullit and get one. Well, after a couple nightmare deals, I bought a 67 rs/ss basket case this past March and put it back on the road. I really like driving it around and am depressed at the realization that I will need to store it for the winter soon....:( I can't say that the Camaro is my all time favorite car, since owning a factory original 70 SS 454 Chevelle during the 70's, but I have one of those to restore too and be my 67's stablemate some day....:D

Why a Camaro?
"It's the next best thing to a 'Vette yet" :)

in a nutshell ............
my second car was a 82 Camaro, I was hooked .. .. then 91Z , 97SS , 93Z, 91Z Convertible , ....... then in 2000 the old car bug hit me Big time ..then I started going backwards in years..... I was on my search for my Old Camaro ... in my search of my Favorite year Camaro a .. " 67 RS " .. I found a nice 71 Camaro , i could'nt pass it up .. needed alittle bit of help.. Good price though.. BUT it was'nt what I was looking for .. Continued looking and in Sep 06 I Found my Baby .. My 67 RS !!

Dont know why I love Camaros so much ........... but this 09 is gonna kill me cause I have still yet to like it . !! Plz. Plz.. ............PLEASE change the Grill or Grile on that thing. !!!

Rich, your story is similar to mine, same time period even...sure wish I could find my old '68 RS! I've tried searching online using the VIN# but no luck...by the way the VIN is 124378N316762, the guy I sold it to re-sold it in Dayton Ohio right around 1981, that's where the trail went cold.

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=89115

Mine is not the same one its the best of both, My 68 RS was a Coupe,The 69 a Vert.
Loved the overall of the 68 except the roof,Loved the 69 because of it being a convertible, Dont like the 67 Because of the wing windows:p

I was 18, had just sold my '64 Comet convertible...was driving through Wisconsin Rapids (jr68 you know where that is!),

Hey Terry not only do I know where that is , it's also where I bought my 68 Camaro ( Wisconsin Rapids ) and I was 19. wow.

I had always thought they were cool cars since the tv commercials when they were referred to as the " road hugging cousin to the Corvette " but it wasn't until I was drooling over my buddies 68 in my senior year of high school in 1976 when I knew I wanted one. I got mine 4 years later in January 1980 and I still have her.

Jerry, holy $hit you bought your camaro in 'the Rapids'?? I bought my orange RS from a guy who did auto painting out of his house, I'm not sure exactly where but it is on the 'main st' because we were driving through town... It's quite the coincidence that you bought your '68 in 1980, it's right around when I bought mine, I have the registration app somewhere so I could track it down to the exact week...what color was yours when you bought it? The guy who sold me mine also had brown one for sale around the same time I think.

I'm 33... I've always liked a 68 Camaro. When my mom and dad were looking for my first car, we looked at a 69 Camaro, SS 350, Matching numbers car, just painted the original color...................for $3500.00. To this day, I wish my dad had of bought that car. The interior was perfect, outside was perfect. All original metal. We settled for an 84 Camaro Z28. But about 5 years ago I decided to sell my motorcycle. I felt like the days of too many close calls were over with. I sold the bike, and bought my 68 Camaro. I've never driven a first gen camaro, but hopefully one day soon I will. I love my 68.

What , you mean they made other cars?
Camaro's RULE, there is no other car id rather have.:yes:
Ive loved the styling and awesome looks for 25 yrs.
enough said :thumbsup:

When I was growing up in the 60's it was Tri 5's ,but they were for the teenagers let's say 18 yrs old , and I was about 8 yrs younger, 10 to be exact so when I turned 18 and old enough to drive I had my eye on Camaro's and Chevelle's ,I had a black 67 Chevelle B/B 4 sp. I was buying ,but the deal fell through,so I called on this one owner 68 Camaro and the guy just bought a new 76 Camaro and needed the $$$ , I was so glad the Chevelle deal fell through ,and its all history from there as I have been togather with my (friend ) Camaro ever since ...Happy Motoring:yes:

I really wanted a '66, L-79 Duece Coupe like my '67 350SS/RS is, but Mom said that I didn't have enough down payment saved up back in July or Aug. '66 after I started work on the old N&W-RR Traveling Tie Gang that April.

So when the '67's came out in Sept, '66, the L-79 was history so I sat down w/ our Car Salesman friend and I custom ordered my car in early Oct..

It arrived in Dec. and when my Mom and I went down to see it, (and me later that evening, came back and picked it up), Mom took one look at it and started to cry b/c I'd optioned it $1200+ above it's $2495 base and it had ONLY power windows on it!

All three of us walked back into the Showroom and Mom looked over at the cute '67, 275hp/327 Duece sitting there and said, I thought you wanted that one and I told her until I couldn't get the L-79 engine so I bought a Camaro sight unseen instead as the Salesman gave my Mom a hug and said that I had GREAT taste in cars to try to make Mom feel better!

It was a hoot when I went back to pick it up b/c I made one loop around the square and as I came back around ALL the girls that wouldn't have a dam thing to do w/ me were out on the sidewalk in front of the REX-ALL Drug Store hangout waiting for me to make a second pass and I turned left and went to Atlanta and took a razor blade to my window sticker, it was that hard to remove!!

And to this day, none of the girls ever rode in my car and I owe two sisters that lived in a near by smaller town a ride in it once I ever get it back on the road. The older sister that looked like a young Cher bought a dark teal w/ a white convert top '66 Dodge Coronet and they took me a ride in it and said they wanted a ride in my car when it came in..

pdq67

My dad gave me a stock Butternut yellow 67 rs 210hp/pg with a black vinyl top when I was 14. When I was 16 I did what any red blooded american teenager would do I took the vinyl top off and painted it torch red!

I was 9 years old with my dad at Indian River Chevrolet in Cocoa,Fla. He was looking at trucks ,I ran over to the new 1969 Camaro, SS ,Z28, at did'nt know it at the time but even a few COPO ZL1's because of the big prices, never forget my dad saying they 've lost thier mind..researched it since and it is confirmed they had a few back then on the lot. #58 and #64
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/76000/an/0/page/0
.anyway I am now 48 and on my 2nd Camaro....1969 Camaro SS ,this one is a code 72Hugger Orange, Black Vinyl roof............but remember them new on the lot ,forever lasting memory, that might have something to do with my fever...........alan

I was more into street rods back in the 70's, but when my son bought an 85 camaro a few years ago I got the bug to buy one. Ended up with a 70 Z-28 R/S. The original plan was to build a Sunday afternoon cruiser, but it has sorta' morphed into a barely street legal tube chassis car.

I got bit early on. My first ride home from the hospital was in a '68 RS. Whenever my parents had trouble getting me to sleep my Dad would strap me in the seat of the '68 and take me for a cruise. Most of the time, all it took was one trip around the block. :)
As I grew older, my dad had a series of Chevy muscle cars, but none had the look of the Camaro. I would love to watch him work in the garage, and was generally fascinated with what he was doing. Some of my earliest memories of childhood had to do with that car. Such as sitting on the fender of that '68 while my Dad was working on an engine swap explaining what things did, or sitting in the drivers seat pretending to drive any time that car was in the driveway. I remember thinking, and still do think, that the '68 Camaro is the best looking car around.
Times change and families grow. A few years later my younger sister comes along about the same time as the '68 was beginning to show it's age. My parents put it up for sale. Trying to talk them into keeping the car, I would mention how much I liked the car at every chance I got. They always had another excuse to sell the car... and rightly so. Who in their right mind would trust an 11 year old when he says that is the only car he would want? I begged and pleaded for them to keep the car for me, but watched the car drive away a few days later.
That day I swore I'd own one some day. When I turned 15, I started looking. Being in high school, working on a farm, I didn't have the enough funds. I ended up with a respectable '84 Sport Coupe in my price range. Then came College. I didn't have the time or the funds for the '68 then, so I ended up with an '02 SS. After college my job wasn't the best, and I still didn't have the needed funds. My bank account never seemed to be able to accommodate the needs of that car. Fast forward another 6 years: I'm fronted with the idea of getting the 5th gen. When I took a step back and started looking into why I really wanted the car, all signs pointed back to that original '68 RS from over 20 years ago. I decided to bite the bullet and build a '68 rather than buying the new Camaro. The funds still probably aren't where the should be... but I've come to realize these cars aren't getting any cheaper. As of July 14th, I'm finally "living the dream."

Idont quite remember exactly what it was. But for as long as I can remember I have always wanted a 69. I have owned a couple other ones 1980, 1986. I have to admit I kick myself for selling the 80. But it was never a 69, So I finally got about 4 years ago. My wife actually set it up . Her neighbor growing up had all kinds of muscle cars. Not to mention the 69 396 bb .NEVER TITLED. That is another story.I did get one, Some days I think I should get rid of it, But I never will. Thanks to all of the help and information on this site. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE..:yes::hurray:

The first gen Camaro is still my favorite car (or one of) But i must admit i do get sick of seeing 8 million of them at every car show i go to. Which is one of the reasons i drove the Firebird way more than the Camaro this year.

I got bit early on. My first ride home from the hospital was in a '68 RS. Whenever my parents had trouble getting me to sleep my Dad would strap me in the seat of the '68 and take me for a cruise. Most of the time, all it took was one trip around the block. :)
As I grew older, my dad had a series of Chevy muscle cars, but none had the look of the Camaro. I would love to watch him work in the garage, and was generally fascinated with what he was doing.


Wow how cool is that. I commend your parents for bringing you up right. :thumbsup:
and you are dead on when you said " the 68 is the best looking car around."
it would seem that the proper upbringing by your parents has made you extremely intelligent. :yes:

I remember thinking, and still do think, that the '68 Camaro is the best looking car around.

:beers:

Times change and families grow. :yes:

... but I've come to realize these cars aren't getting any cheaper. As of July 14th, I'm finally "living the dream."

:beers:

I got my drivers license in 1967 and liked them from day one. In 1971, I bought a '69 RS convertible and in '79 I bought a new Berlinetta.

Actually the '67 I have now was supposed to be a '57 Chevy. Went out to buy the '57 and my buddy told me about his friend who had the '67 for sale. It was the same money as the '57, so I bought the Camaro. Still want a '57 Chevy though, maybe someday.

My dad gave me a stock Butternut yellow 67 rs 210hp/pg with a black vinyl top when I was 14. When I was 16 I did what any red blooded american teenager would do I took the vinyl top off and painted it torch red!

Ack!! There should be a law against that! Long live Butternut Yellow!

I have always liked the looks of the first gens! Could never afford one as a teenager. About 8 years ago, I saw one for sale in the local nickel paper and went to check it out. It was green from all the tree gunk and moss... I paid 2k for it and flatbedded her home. Been funneling coin into it ever since. If it had been a Charger, Cuda, or some other cool classic, I might have bought it just the same. A deal is a deal, but looking back, I'm glad that it was a Camaro and nothing else ;):thumbsup:
Dano

I had bought a new 68 SS396 in June of 68 and when the 69's came out, I wish that I'd have waited. They looked so damn good. Would only trade my 69 for 2 cars.......... a 55 Chevy or 67 Corvette. The Corvette being my first choice.

Just lucky that my dads friend had bought a 69 for his son. When he decided to sell it my dad and I went to look at it. I had had my license for 5 weeks. It was 1972. I remember when I first saw it and walked around the front to see if it had hidaway headlights. It didn't. Dad said why don't we just get a new one. But I had already fallen for Hugger Orange with white interior with a white hockey stripe. It was a 307 3sp in the console with Keystone mags and cherry bomb mufflers.