1977 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Description

The Camaro franchise has certainly been a money maker for Chevrolet for more than 50 years. Beginning in '67 and with just a few model year absences, the Camaro has been a popular staple of the American muscle car landscape. And no Camaro model represents that ideal better than the Z28. By the time 1977 came around the Camaro was fully entrenched into the zeitgeist and it was cars like this gorgeous black 1977 1/2 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 leading the charge.

The black paint gives the second-generation F-body a sinister look and if you're going to own a performance car from the late '70s, this is the probably the shade you want. It's certainly not perfect and there are imperfections visible, but it still looks extremely good going down the road and under the neon lights, and the attention this body style brings out on the thorough helps you quickly forget those flaws. The gaps are essentially the way the factory set them when the car was built and even things like the deep chin spoiler and ducktail out back are still in place. The 1977 decal package was much more subtle than what Chevy introduced a few years later (1979 got the big side stripes), and this particular car is missing it's hood decal on top of that, resulting in minimal Z/28 decals on the front fenders and rear panel that give this car a very slick, uniform look. After a brief hiatus, the Camaro Z28s were reintroduced in 1977 as a direct result of the popularity of the Trans AM, and GM was smart to include several aggressive styling cues to capitalize on the sporty look that people were looking for in an F-body. And this time, the Z's weren't just RPO packages, but rather a completely separate model. Consequently, Camaros outsold Ford Mustangs for the first time ever in 1977, and 13,000 Z/28s were made to keep up with that demand. That popularity feels to be reviving once more, as we're seeing more and more solid examples of the '77 Z/28 enter the market again, and cars like this black driver are sure to keep rising in value.

Great quality continues inside, with a black vinyl interior that's been restored to original specs and looks like a time-capsule from the disco era. Seats, carpets, door panels, and just about everything else inside this car is dialed-in and comfortable enough to spend some serious time in. The seats show very little wear, the carpets are plush, and even the dash, which was notorious for splitting/cracking/fading just a few years after production, is free of cracks and blemishes and looks great. This Z is also heavily optioned, including factory A/C (still ice cold thanks to a Vintage R134a conversion), a modern AM/FM/AUX/Bluetooth stereo that fits neatly into the dash and looks like the stock unit, and a 4-speed manual transmission, with in our opinion is the best option of all. The gauges are original and great inside the clean bezel, the original Z/28 steering wheel isn't cracked or faded, and, well, if you want a well-sorted 1977 Camaro, they don't come much more dialed-in than this. The trunk was sprayed with spatter paint and houses its original space-saver spare and jack assembly, none of which appear to have ever been used.

Of course, a Z28 is all about performance and the Z was powered by the most potent engine choice available back in the day, a 350 cubic inch V8 producing 185 horsepower. That may not seem like big number now, but in 1977, the half-year Z/28 was one of the few American muscle cars available to a buying public that was thirsty for performance. Rebuilt approximately 7k miles ago, it's nicely detailed and mostly stock under the hood with a little flash from a chrome air cleaner replete with correct decals, finned valve covers, long-tube headers, and an upgraded compressor for the Vintage A/C system. Of course, maintenance items have been replaced to keep it in top health and the factory-style carb and MSD ignition ensure reliability. The power is transferred to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission and a 10-bolt rear end and manageable gears out back make the most of the small block's power. The undercarriage, while not show-ready, is super clean and reveals a fresh dual exhaust system with chambered mufflers, so it sounds great and may even make a few extra horsepower. This entire '77 road show rolls on black factory Z/28 with 225/70/15 blackwall radials to complete the look.

So, to all of you Class of '77ish graduates wanting to relive those happy days, begin your journey back in time and call today!