[HighGs]

My third grade buddy's older brother had a 67 SS coupe in dark green metallic. He had it jacked up in the back for the huge rear tires he substituted. He also removed the hood. The new engine had chrome valve covers and some type of a pyramid chrome intake. He was always working on it.

In high school, these twin girls were given a new Berlinetta in light blue metallic. By then, I don't think they were putting vinyl roofs on them. This one was a light blue metallic. I think it had the wrap around rear window. That one would still look good today.

[HighGs]

Originally Posted by Max RS

The first Camaro I purchased was a 1969 Z-28, 302 CID, 4 Speed in 1977.

...

And that reminds me of when I scared the crap out of my brother showing the 69 off, but that is another chapter in my story.

But the seats and carpet were ok, right?

One of the editors of Automobile recently wrote about five cars he wish he hadn't sold. If he were lucky enough to have had it, yours would have made the list.

[BrianL]

I always liked the looks of the Gen1 & remember them fondly when I was Jr. High age & first in High School.

Later, I had a stock '69 Mustang Mach One with the 428 Cobra Jet engine (just what every 19 years gear head needed). One of my room mates friends has a '69 Z28 that was built with a cam, head work, intake, long tube headers. And had some suspension work (but I don't really remember the details), that at the time, I thought made that car handle just like a slot car. Of course I was coming from a very nose heavy Mustang also that was a beast in it's day for drag racing, but didn't corner worth a damn. I could take him from a standing start, but with a rolling start we were about dead even until 115 where my 4.11 gears ran out of steam (of course in Mexico!). He took us for a ride through Rancho Santa Fe CA before it was built up through all the windy roads & it just stuck & was easy to perform controlled slides through the corners. I was very impressed for sure.

[HighGs]

Originally Posted by RollaMo

Not the best pictures, but digital cameras didn't exist back then. LOL

Thanks for posting them.

I know. All of my first car pics look like they were filmed through thick smog, but that wasn't the only thing hazy in those days.

[HighGs]

Originally Posted by myold88

My first was actually my parents new 1969 coupe.. White, black interior, black vinyl top.
The car was an early build as it had the 327 V/8 engine- Was pretty quick considering.

From the looks of your gen 5, that white '69 coupe made quite an impression. ;^)

[dorifto]

I bought my first Camaro in the late 1980's. It was a Chocolate Brown 1970-1/2 coupe with a 307 and a manual 3 speed on the floor. I bought it from the original owner for $2000 in immaculate condition and 105k miles on the odometer. Everything worked, including the original air conditioning. A few years later the engine grenaded itself one block away from my home when the nylon cam gear teeth stripped off. Luckily I had enough momentum to coast to a stop in front of my house.

This gave me an excuse to do some upgrading. I built a 355 with Dart heads, mechanical roller cam, dual valve springs, cast crank, 4 bolt main block, 10:1 hypereutectic pistons, Competition Plus Headers, all the good (but not the most expensive) stuff. Induction was a Performer Plus intake topped off with a 600cfm Holley 4150. I used a recurved HEI distributor for ignition. The 3 speed transmission was tossed into a far corner of my backyard and a junkyard Muncie M20 took it's place. My machine shop teacher donated a disk brake, limited slip from his Turbo Trans-Am.

While I was waiting for parts and machining, I painted the car in my garage IROC blue and re-did the interior in black. I rebuilt the suspension with stock and Hotchkiss parts.

The car turned out awesome. Monster torque from off idle all the way up to 5500rpms. It ran very traction limited mid 13's all day long. Which was pretty darn good for a home built daily driver in the 1990's. Eventually, one of my friends made me an offer I couldn't refuse and as far as I know, he still has it. Sure wish I could have kept it but I was a new father at the time and I really needed the money. At least I sold it for more than what I had into it.

I greatly appreciate the incredible power, handling and braking of my 2016 2SS. It will blow the doors off my first Camaro in every kind of way. But I really miss the sound and feel of a loping idle, banging gears on the Hurst shifted Muncie and smelling the gas fumes mixed in with the tire smoke. My son will be driving in a couple years so maybe I can use that to justify building another muscle car the old school way. Yeah, a father/son project!

[crazydmc]

I remember the days we dressed like that... what were we thinking!


moderator... FYI, this ad steals the focus when trying to reply to a thread.... REALLY annoying.

[detltu]

This was my first Camaro on the day I got it in 1996. Belonged to my uncle since it was new and he sold it to my dad when he bought a 94 corvette convertible.

Kicked off a love of Camaros (and third gens) that has continued ever since.

[Frank237]

No photos unfortunately, but my first wife had a 69 rs Camaro, 210 hp 327 IIRC. Auto, Air, white exterior, black vinyl interior. I had a 69 chevelle SS, 396.

Few years later the gas crunch hit and BOTH were traded in on more fuel frugal rides. I regret the loss of BOTH of them.

[camaromike77]

Back in '79, my best buddy bought a 71' SS. He STILL has it to this day, and it is tracked. He loves that car as much today as he did almost 40 years ago. He always told me I would end up with a Camaro one day........... He was right........Here is a pic of his car......

[init4fun]

No pics of my first Camaro but it was a 92 RS V8 305. I was a younger stupider man back then and felt the need to dress up my RS to look like the Z28 of the day. Back then a couple of badges some stick on fake heat extractors and a big old box wing was all it took. A few hundred dollars to the GM parts guy and I had a Look alike that could get out of it's own way. After that Camaro I was swayed away from GM to the Dark Side and drove various Fox Bodies and Toyotas before coming back in 2012 with a 45th Anniversary and now my to my current 2SS 50th Anniversary.

Unlike years past I will not be letting this one go until the General releases something I like better.

[CWOFOR]

My first was a '67 base model that I traded a '56 2door post for. I towed it home and a week later I had it purring with a 350, 3spd, dual glass packs, and a 12 bolt with 410s. I lost that car when the deal went south, but kept all of my running gear.

A few years later bought a '71 Z28 with a M21 & 350. Held onto that for a few years but changed the trans for a turbo 350 so the wife could drive it (she loved stop light racing it when she was out with the girls) (she still doesn't think I know). That went the way of a growing family mover.

Then came the 3 '67s; one was an all original CA car with 327/powerglide/stirrup shifter (sold that one to the wife's brother). I built up the '67 RS and drove it to my next duty station (NC) and sold it for a down payment on a house. The third one became a parts car for mine & the brother-in-laws, and went to the junk yard afterwards.

Upon getting orders back to CA (after 2 divorces) I bought a '89 IROC-Z w/ 305 TBI. That one got traded for '89 Corvette convertible.

Now I'm retired, no kids to haul, and loving the hell out of my '16 1SS. It has all the good stuff without all the convenience items. But it rides better, handles better, and is (IMO) more of a blast to drive. I get a lot of looks (probably what the hell is that OLD guy doing in that hot car), but looks none the less. I do miss some of the previous Camaros I've had from time to time, but then I get behind the wheel of this one and all that goes away with the start up bark.

Didn't mean to be so long winded and thanks for listening. Shiny side up and between the ditches.

[chrest]

[/URL]

My grandfather bought my grandmother this 1967 car brand new in 1966. My dad bought it from her about 40 years ago. This car is near and dear to my family and is where it all started for me. The 50 year milestone was pretty important when i was deciding on finally getting my own Camaro.

Growing up, my dad bought my mom a brand new 1991 RS that i rode around in the back seat of for years and ending up driving it in high school.

all our family and friends say that Camaro's are "chrest cars" (our last name) so it was only fitting that i get myself one.

[oilgear]

Sooo... back in the day (q the harp music) Cops used to hang around A&W's and liqueur stores to make sure the young people didn't get in trouble.
There was a cop I always ran into who drove his own car to the location he was working. It was a 67 Camaro ss 350, 4 sp, 3.55 posi, disc brakes, sierra fawn metallic. I dreamped I was Grumpy Jenkins with this car! Kept in contact with him, and a few years later he contacted me, as he was getting married, and his bride and him were starting a family, and he was buying a 4 door Olds.
I bought the car in 1972 for $1800, he included a case of beer, and an extra fan belt in the trunk! I kept this car for 20 years, and had to sell it ($12,000) to buy my first property. This car was so cool, it was crazy!
Bought another new 1975 Camaro rally sport, and now I have the 2017 50th anniversary, ss, convertible, npp, 6 sp, mag susp, nav. LOVE THIS CAR!
Makes me smile every time I fire it up.
Cheers, Greg