Hidden away in this garage is a 1983 Chevrolet Camaro that might have a story to tell. It has occupied this space its entire life and hasn’t emerged from hiding for several years. It is a low-mile survivor with no signs of rust or other nasty surprises, with the seller indicating its only immediate need is a new battery. They have listed the Camaro here on Craigslist in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. If an affordable classic has been on your radar, the asking price of $6,500 OBO might look pretty tempting. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Mitchell G. for spotting this beauty.
Some classics leave us wanting more, which is true with this Camaro. The seller provides little information about its history, leaving us to assess its condition via the supplied photos. First impressions are positive. Its Code 11 White paint appears to be in reasonable condition, but I make that statement cautiously. The most prone area for chips, scratches, and impact damage is the front bumper, but this is hidden behind all manner of garage debris. The pinstriping looks okay, with only minor damage on both back bumper corners. I can’t spot any rust problems, and none are mentioned in the listing. The glass is in good order, the struts keep the hatch open, and the aftermarket wheels give a sense of purpose to a mild-mannered car.
The interior might tell more of this Camaro’s story. It is trimmed in Blue velour cloth and vinyl, and the condition is impressive. History demonstrates that velour from this era is prone to wear and deterioration, and it didn’t take long for some of these cars to look tired and dog-eared. This Camaro hasn’t suffered that fate because the seats look exceptional. The remaining upholstered surfaces are fine; there’s no evidence of cracking plastic, UV damage, or aftermarket additions. The interior isn’t loaded with factory options, but it appears the new owner receives air conditioning and an AM/FM radio.
The seller supplies no engine photos, and the drivetrain configuration may disappoint some potential buyers. The engine bay houses the 2.8-liter V6 that produced 107hp and 145 ft/lbs of torque in its prime. Shifting duties fall to a three-speed automatic transmission, meaning this classic wasn’t the fastest on the planet when it rolled off the showroom floor. The journey down the strip would take 19.1 seconds, but it is worth noting that outright performance wasn’t the object of the exercise with these cars. They could sit at 70mph on the open road all day while sipping fuel at over 23mpg. Therefore, they are accomplished long-distance tourers that hold their own in city traffic. The seller claims this Camaro has a genuine 33,000 miles on the clock, although there is no mention of verifying evidence. It hasn’t run for a few years, but the impression from the listing is that it needs little beyond a new battery before it roars back to life.
I admit that a Camaro with a V6 under the hood is unlikely to set pulses racing, but the condition and price of this one make it worth considering. Confirming the odometer reading would place it in elite company, and returning it to a roadworthy state would be a rewarding undertaking during the upcoming winter months. It has been on the market for three weeks, meaning the seller might be open to a respectful offer. It costs nothing to ask. You never know, but today might be your lucky day.
I used to drive a 2010 prius and it made 130hp…
And, if yours was like the two Prius that I have owned, essentially maintenance free. In over 100K miles on each of them, gas, oil changes, wiper blades, one headlight bulb and tires. Even the OEM brake pads and shoes were in place at the time of sale (thanks, regenerative braking). Neither of them spent any time in a mechanic’s bay. Toyota tried to sell me an extended warranty on my current RAV4, but I just laughed at them.
maybe for 400k +
I don’t ever recall seeing a Camaro from this era with that stainless steel strip running across the top. That alone is pretty interesting. Factory or aftermarket?
This post brings back bad memories. When I graduated college I got a very similar Camaro as this. White w/ matching wheels and dark brown vinyl seats and yes theV6. Always wanted a Camaro. The transmission went at 23000 miles and the best tranny shop I found fixed it and gave me a 1 year warranty on the repair but the mechanics said it will never be right because there is a defect in the DESIGN of the transmission. Sure enough within a week of that 1 year it went again and they stood by their warranty. The mechanic claimed they were even getting Camaro and Firebirds straight from the dealerships to fix. Oh and no rear main seal either. “Please dad let me park it in Brooklyn !” Never wanted another new GM car after this
Never saw one with that stainless steel on top, and I don’t believe the miles either.
Buy it on the cheap and put a 350 in it?
This. You have a straight body with an undesirable engine/transmission combo.
6500 isn’t cheap for a rattling disco ball. These are 3k cars tops. And that’s a Z model .
These ride and handle like 💩. Gutless lumps … What could possibly make it worth more than a few grand?
“Rattling disco ball” ✔️✔️✔️
My mom had an ’82 version of this with the same engine. That V6 was an underpowered troublesome dog!
For all those whiners who complain that there are no classics left that don’t cost an arm and a leg, here’s a great entry level opportunity.
These cars were still quick even with a v6. Without interior and engine compartment photos, I’m skeptical. The best giveaway on the mileage is whether the odometer numbers line up perfectly or not.. ..
I had an ’84 Camaro Berlinetta. It had the digital dash complete with the digital pods on each side of the steering wheel and its infamous “lollipop” radio.
To say I hated that car is an understatement. It was at the service bay at the Chevy dealer more than it was on the road. Most of the problems had to deal with the digital dash. The pods on each side of the steering wheel held the lights on the left pod and wipers on the right pod. One day we has a drizzle and I put the wipers on pulse. They wouldn’t shut off. For a week in nice sunny summer weather I’m driving around with my wipers on. Same problem with the lights. The “lollipop” radio was such a p in the A. Spent two weeks driving around with no radio because they took it out to repair it.
As for the car it’s self, it wasn’t a bad car
It had the 350 V8 and generally ran well. But that digital dash was a nightmare.
Not to mention I got a damn speeding ticket in it every week! Didn’t drive it any differently than I drove it’s predecessor, a 1974 Mercury Marquis, and never got a ticket in the Merc. Don’t tell me they don’t discriminate against sports cars. Or, I should say “sporty” cars. After a year it was stolen in Elizabeth, N.J. That’s just as good as Brooklyn, Ronnie. Ha, it’s their problem now!
Yawn!
white 83 here with the v-8 and automatic- I think they made a manual. anemic performance, funny noises from catalyst told it was “normal” , decent cruiser but customer service was less than well done.
How does everyone see 6500 a “good\cheap deal”. That crazy top dollar money. These ride like 💩. A gutless rattling plastic disco ball might bring 3k tops in my book. And that’s for a loaded Z model.
Berlinetta model, 6 cylinder , was not gutless and drove and steered well. Air was cold 75 mph Highway with air on, no problem. Looked nice with rims and had decal package
i had the same with the v-8 and I thought it was gutless, but it did cruise nicely with the air on driving to LA once in a while- not that you need air along the Cal coast in the fog.
I’ve owned a couple of 3rd Gens in my time and like someone else stated, I’ve never seen that strip of stainless going over the roof. That actually looks pretty good and breaks up the paint a bit. Definitely interesting- could be a JC Whitney add-on but if it’s stock that’s cool. As for the 33k miles, looking at the rear quarter panels behind the rear wheels its super clean , same with the rest of the paint- I think it’s probably legit. Now of course, no matter how nice a 100hp 6 cylinder Camaro isn’t going to get anyone’s pulse racing but it’s still too nice to butcher. I think this would be great entry car for a young person to get into the hobby or if you like attention probably more people will talk to you in this at a cars n coffee then a Ferrari…