Many generations of Camaro, even more rain
Chevrolet got everything about the sixth-generation Camaro’s launch just about perfect. Cool, scenic venue on the grounds of Detroit’s Belle Isle, with part of the IndyCar Grand Prix circuit open for hot laps in current-generation Z/28s? Check. The ever-critical chilled beverages? Check. An on-site “museum” collection of the best Camaros from throughout the nameplate’s history? Check. A claimed 250 privately owned Camaros on site? You bet—only Chevy screwed up one thing: It forgot to roll out the weather-control machine, and for a significant chunk of the day’s festivities leading up to the 2016 Camaro’s reveal, it rained cats and dogs. Hey, you can’t have it all, but to their credit, the Camaro owners shrugged off the lousy weather in stride, meaning we had the opportunity to photograph some of their hot rides. Representing all five of the Camaro generations nearly equally, the field was impressive—see the best ones by sliding to the right.
1969 Chevrolet Camaro
This classic ’69 Camaro weathered the weather nicely, and we dug its stock appearance. A closer inspection revealed subtle modifications, such as those impressive-looking modern rear tires and a body-color front bumper.
Camerica—wait, haven’t we seen this at SEMA?
This super-mega-‘Murica-tastic Camaro was not, in fact, a privately owned car, but we had to add it to this list purely because, well, look at it. This is Chevy’s troops-supporting Camaro, and its hyper-detailed, American-history-themed airbrush paint job is just epic. The eagle painted over the nose’s point? Just perfect.
1971 Chevrolet-Camaro
This ’71 Camaro looks just about perfect with its contrasting black stripes and sweet Cragar rims.
1993 Chevrolet Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Special Edition
What Camaro gathering (or Mustang gathering, for that matter) would be complete without at least one Indy Pace Car edition? Fun fact: There were actually TWO of these at the 2016 Camaro reveal—and the other was a convertible.
Third-Generation Chevrolet Camaro, Doin’ It Right
This murdered-out third-gen is about as awesomely rad as third-gen Camaros get.
This Camaro Art Holier than Thou (or something like that)
Do the gods really smile on the Camaro faithful? This owner probably thinks so.
We found the real Transformer!
Sure, Chevrolet brought three of the famous, yellow-over-black Camaro “Bumblebee” movie cars from the Transformers franchise to Belle Isle. But they didn’t do this. Plus, flames.
Chevrolet Camaro “2SS/RS”
This is a rare, never-before-seen-in-the-wild Camaro “2SS/RS” model. We’re not sure if that means it is a double-shot SS, or a partial RS, but we can say it definitely has a paisley-ish paint scheme, which is neat.
Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible
A far more common “SS” Camaro, this convertible looks great on modernized Chevy Rallye wheels. Given the moist environs, its top stayed up.
Luck ‘o the Camaro!
We imagine there’s one day of the year when this green, shamrock’d Camaro truly shines.
Chevrolet Camaro convertible Brougham
Okay, so there wasn’t ever a Camaro Brougham, but this first-generation RS droptop looks mighty luxurious with its wire hubcaps, golf course–ready pastel paint job, and refreshing lack of SS/Z28/COPO pretense.
Chevrolet Camaro convertible
Yet another classic Camaro in umbrella mode. Did we mention that it was extremely wet outside?
Chevrolet Camaro convertible, part II
Who’da thunk it? Two nearly identical old-school Camaro convertibles in one spot!
Chevrolet Camaro “Streetmaster”
Not only is this late second-generation Camaro’s green paint the absolute business—and awesomely period-correct—but it has cool stripes, side-exit exhausts, and a towering hood scoop for its 350 V-8.
Restoring mods—or is that restomod?
We think restomods can be quite cool when they’re done right, and we’d say this classic ‘Maro was done very, very right. A largely stock-appearing body sits over modern low-profile rolling stock, and the big rims hide massive front and rear disc brakes. Even if nothing underhood was touched, the braking upgrades are enough to vastly improve on the original Camaro’s performance envelope. Ever try halting a ’67 Camaro with unassisted four-wheel drum brakes? Yeah.
Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
The Berlinetta trim level was introduced late in the second-generation Camaro’s life cycle, but it was continued with the third-gen car in the 1980s. The idea was to build a luxurious, classy Camaro to appeal to less performance-minded buyers. Whatever you think of the result, there’s not question that this owner’s Berlinetta is not only rare, but it also is in exceptionally original condition. Kudos.
Rear window louvers, Camaro-style
It’s a fact: Rear-window slats not only are among the best things to come out of the ’70s and ’80s, but they also work surprisingly well on a fifth-generation Camaro.
The IROC, the Z, the legend
You don’t need our help understanding the Camaro IROC-Z’s essential freakin’ awesometude, so let this photo stand as an explanation-free reminder.
Chevrolet Camaro SS 396
Nearly as self-explanatory as the IROC-Z, this ultra-clean second-generation Camaro’s cool factor stands on its own.
Chevrolet Camaro SS
Previous-generation Corvette ZR1–lookalike mesh wheels on a fourth-generation Camaro is trickle-down performance we can get behind.
Earthy tones, tight bra
Now here’s a color combination we can’t say we’ve ever seen on a modern Camaro. We think that it nicely channels the black-over-gold scheme made famous by a certain Burt Reynolds–driven Pontiac. The front bra at first makes little sense, but we’re calling it genius, what with Detroit’s post-thaw roads a mess of potholes and loose stones.
Chevrolet Camaro SS 350
This simply adorned Camaro is remarkably similar to the red 1969 Camaro featured earlier in this list, but it’s even more original. In fact, the owner proudly displayed the car’s original window sticker in the rear quarter window. As delivered, this beauty cost $3866. It does not cost that now.
Chevrolet Camaro Z28
The stripes on this later second-generation Camaro? We almost can’t even—they’re that cool. And are those T-tops we see?
Chevrolet-Camaro-SS-350
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Oh, look, it’s Bumblebee’s Baby Boomer ancestor!
Ken Block’s Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Okay, so we know that linking visual cues from a Chevy Camaro and similar cues from a—gulp—Ford rally car driven by Ken Block might seem like a stretch, but bear with us. The chunky five-spokes pictured here remind us of the blocky Fifteen52 rims featured on Ken Block’s Gymkhana ride, and they look pretty rad.
Chevrolet Camaro Z28, wingin’ it
One of Chevy’s marketing lines for the third-generation Camaro played up the car’s “ground effects” body kits. We’d say this later model, with its big rear wing and deep side skirts, lives up to the hyperbole.
Chevrolet Camaro Z28, ditto edition
Same impressive stripe kit, different color scheme.
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Props to this Z/28’s owner for making the trip to Belle Isle in the rain . . . on the stock, near tread-less Super Trofeo tires. In case you were curious, these barely DOT-legal pseudo slicks are, in fact, spooky in the wet.
. . . and what all these Camaro die-hards came for!
Just yards away from the concrete expanse that serves as the Detroit Grand Prix’s pit lane, Chevrolet pulled the wraps off of the sixth-generation Camaro.
2016 Chevrolet Camaro
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