The first-generation Chevrolet Camaro appeared
in dealerships on September 29, 1966, for
the 1967 model year on an all brand new rear-wheel
drive GM F-body platform and would be available
as a 2-door, 2+2 seat, coupe or convertible
with a choice of six-cylinder and V8 powerplants.
The first-gen Camaro would last up through
the 1969 model year.
The Camaro's standard drivetrain was a 230 cu in
straight-6 engine rated at 140 hp and backed
by a Saginaw three-speed manual transmission.
There were 8, 10, and 12 different engines
available in 67-69 Camaros. And there were
several transmission options. A four-speed
manual was optional, replacing the base three-speed.
The two-speed "Powerglide" automatic transmission
was a popular option in 1967 and 1968 until
the three-speed "Turbo Hydra-Matic 350" automatic
became available starting in 1969. The larger
Turbo 400 three-speed automatic was an option
on SS396 cars.
There were a plethora of other options available
all three years, including three main packages:
The RS was an appearance package that included
hidden headlights, revised taillights with
back-up lights under the rear bumper, RS badging,
and exterior bright trim. It was available
on any model.
The SS performance package consisted of a
350 or 396 cu in V8 engine and chassis upgrades
for better handling and to deal with the additional
power. The SS featured non-functional air
inlets on the hood, special striping, and
SS badging.
The Z/28 performance package was designed
to compete in the SCCA Trans-Am series. It
included a solid-lifter 302 V8, 4-speed transmission,
power disc brakes, and two wide stripes down
the hood and decklid.
Almost all of 1967-1969 Camaros were built
in the two U.S. assembly plants: Norwood,
Ohio and Van Nuys, California. There were
also five non-U.S. Camaro assembly plants
in countries that required local assembly
and content. These plants were located in
the Philippines, Belgium, Switzerland, Venezuela,
and Peru.
1967
The 1967 Camaro shared the subframe / semi-unibody
design with the 1968 Chevy II Nova. Almost
80 factory and 40 dealer options, including
three main packages, were available.
The RS was an appearance package that included
hidden headlights, revised taillights with
back-up lights under the rear bumper, RS badging,
and exterior rocker trim.
The SS included a 350 cu in V8 engine and
the L35 and L78 396 cu in big-block V8's
were also available. The SS featured non-functional
air inlets on the hood, special striping,
and SS badging on the grille, front fenders,
gas cap, and horn button. It was possible
to order both the SS and RS to receive a Camaro
RS/SS. In 1967, a Camaro RS/SS convertible
with a 396 engine paced the Indianapolis 500.
The Z/28 option code was introduced in December
1966 for the 1967 model year. It was the brainchild
of Vince Piggins, who conceived offering "virtually
race-ready" Camaros for sale from any Chevrolet
dealer. This option package was not mentioned
in any sales literature, so it was unknown
to most buyers. The Z/28 option required power
front disc brakes and a close-ratio Muncie
4-speed manual transmission. It featured a
302 cu in small-block V-8 engine, 3" crankshaft
with 4" bore, an aluminum intake manifold,
and a 4-barrel vacuum secondary Holley carburetor
of 780 cfm. The engine was designed specifically
to race in the Trans Am series and public
availability of the car. Advertised power
of this engine was listed at 290 hp. This
is an under-rated figure. Chevrolet wanted
to keep the horsepower rating at less than
1 hp per cubic inch, for various reasons.
The factory rating of 290 hp occurred at
5300 rpm, while actual peak for the high-revving
302 was closer to 360 hp and 400 hp at 6800-7000
rpm. The Z/28 also came with upgraded suspension,
racing stripes on the hood and trunk lid,
'302' front fender emblems on the 67 and early
68 cars, and 'Z/28' emblems in late 68 & 69.
It was also possible to combine the Z/28 package
with the RS package.
Only 602 Z/28s were sold in 1967, along with
approximately 100 Indianapolis Pace Car replicas.
The 1967 and 1968 Z/28s did not have the cowl
induction hood, optional on the 1969 Z/28s.
The 1967 Z28 received air from an open element
air cleaner or from an optional cowl plenum
duct attached to the side of the air cleaner
that ran to the firewall and got air from
the cowl vents. 15-inch rally wheels were
included with Z/28s while all other 1967-9
Camaros had 14-inch wheels.
The origin of the Z/28 nameplate came from
the RPO codes - RPO Z28 was the code for the
Special Performance Package. RPO Z27 was for
the Super Sport package.
Cars assembled in Switzerland, at GM's local
facility in Biel, were all coupés with the
198 PS 4,638 cc small-block V8 - an engine
which was not available in contemporary Camaros
built in the United States. The Swiss-built
Camaros were not available with the three-speed
manual and had a differential lock and front
disc brakes as standard. Some additional safety
equipment was also standard.
Production numbers:
1968
The styling of the 1968 Camaro was very similar
to the 1967 design. With the introduction
of Astro Ventilation, a fresh-air-inlet system,
the side vent windows were deleted. Side marker
lights were added on the front and rear fenders
which was a government requirement for all
68 vehicles. It also had a more pointed front
grille and divided rear taillights. The front
running lights were also changed from circular
to oval. The big block SS models received
chrome hood inserts that imitated velocity
stacks.
The shock absorber mounting was staggered
to resolve wheel hop issues and higher performance
models received multi-leaf rear springs instead
of single-leaf units. A 396 cu in 350 hp
big block engine was added as an option for
the SS, and the Z28 appeared in Camaro brochures.
The 427 cu in was not available as a Regular
Production Option. Several dealers, such as
Baldwin-Motion, Dana, and Yenko, offered the
427 as a dealer-installed replacement for
the factory-supplied 396 cid engine.
Production numbers:
1969
The 1969 Camaro carried over the previous
year's drivetrain and major mechanical components,
but all-new sheetmetal, except the hood and
trunk lid, gave the car a substantially sportier
look. The grille was redesigned with a heavy
"V" cant and deeply inset headlights. New
door skins, rear quarter panels, and rear
valance panel also gave the car a much lower,
wider, more aggressive look. This styling
would serve for the 1969 model year only.
Collectors often debate the merits of smooth,
rounded lines of 1967 and 1968 model versus
the heavily creased and sportier looks of
the 1969.
To increase competitiveness in the SCCA Trans
Am racing series, optional four wheel disc
brakes with four-piston calipers were made
available during the year, under RPO JL8,
for US$500.30. This system used components
from the Corvette and made for a major improvement
in the braking capability and was a key to
winning the Trans Am championship. The option
was expensive and only 206 units were produced.
The Rally Sport option, RPO Z22, includes
special black painted grille with concealed
headlights and headlight washers, fender striping,
simulated rear fender louvers, front and rear
wheel opening moldings, black body sill, RS
emblems on grille, steering wheel and rear
panel, Rally Sport front fender nameplates,
bright accented taillights, back-up lights
below rear bumper; also includes bright roof
drip moldings on Sport Coupe. $131.65, 37,773
built. This 
option could be added to any other option
IE- SS or Z/28, making the model an RS/SS
or a RS/Z28. These vehicles had a wider wheel
track at front 60 in and rear 59.5 in.
The Z28 option was still available with the
302 cid small block. It was backed by Muncie
four-speed with a new-for-69 standard Hurst
shifter and connected to a 12-bolt rear axle
with standard 3.73 gears. The 302 featured
11:1 compression, forged pistons, forged steel
crankshaft and connecting rods, solid lifter
camshaft, and Holley carburetion on a dual-plane
intake manifold. A dual four-barrel crossram
intake manifold was available as a dealer-installed
option.
The 1969 model year was exceptionally long,
extending into November 1969, due to manufacturing
problem that delayed the introduction of the
second generation model planned for 1970.
It is a popular myth late-'69 Camaros were
sold as 1970 models, but they were all assigned
1969 VIN codes.
Production numbers:
COPO 427s
A GM corporate edict forbade Chevrolet from
installing engines larger than 400 cu in.
Requests from dealers who were dealer-installing
427 cu in engines in the Camaro caused Chevrolet
to use an ordering process usually used on
fleet and special orders to offer 427 engines
in the Camaro. Two Central Office Production
Orders, numbers 9560 and 9561, were offered
in the 1969 model year.
The COPO 9561 used the solid lifter L72 big-block
engine, making an underrated 425 hp gross.
Yenko ordered 201 of these cars to create
the now-legendary Yenko Camaro. Other dealers
also became aware of the L72 engine package
and ordered it. Around 900-1,000 Camaros were
fitted with the L72 engine option.
The COPO 9560 used an all-aluminum 427 cu in
big-block called the ZL-1 and was designed
specifically for drag racing. The package
was conceived by drag racer Dick Harrell,
and ordered through Fred Gibb Chevrolet in
La Harpe, IL, with the intention of entering
NHRA Super Stock drag racing. Just 69 ZL-1
Camaros were produced, the engine alone cost
over US$4,000—nearly twice that of a base
coupe with a V8. Though rated at 430 hp gross,
the ZL-1 made 376 SAE Net HP in its "as installed"
state. With exhaust changes and some tuning,
the horsepower jumped to over 500.
The ZL1 engines were hand assembled in a process
that took 16 hours each, in a room that Corvette
Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov described
as "surgically clean". All ZL1 engines were
manufactured at the Tonawanda Assembly Plant
before being installed in Corvettes, Camaros,
or sold over the counter to racers.
Two of the 69 ZL-1's are known to have landed
in Australia, with both owned by local motor
racing legend and milti-millionaire tyre retailer
Bob Jane, with both cars painted in Jane's
team colour Sebring Orange. One of the Camaro's
was used by Jane for drag racing in Australia.
Jane drove the other Camaro to win the 1971
and 1972 Australian Touring Car Championships,
though due to regulation changes Jane was
forced to replace the 427 engine with a 350
in 1972. The ATCC winner, which holds the
record for the largest capacity car to ever
win the championship since it first began
in 1960, has since been restored to its former
glory and has been seen at numerous historic
events around Australia.
First-generation engines
1967–1969 L26 230 cu in I6 140 hp
1967–1969 L22 250 cu in I6 155 hp at
4200 rpm, 235 lb·ft at 1600 rpm
1967–1969 Z28 302 cu in V8 290 hp 350 hp
actual
1967–1969 LF7 327 cu in V8 210 hp
1967–1968: L30 327 cu in V8 275 hp
1969: L14 307 cu in V8 200 hp
1969: LM1 & L65 350 cu in V8 255 hp and
250 hp
1967–1969 L48 SS350 350 cu in V8 295 hp)
at 4800 rpm, 380 lb·ft at 3200 rpm
1967–1969 L35 SS396 396 cu in V8 325 hp
at 4800 rpm, 410 lb·ft at 3200 rpm
1968–1969 L34 SS396 396 cu in V8 350 hp
at 5200 rpm, 415 lb·ft at 3200 rpm
1967–1969 L78 SS396 396 cu in V8 375 hp
at 5600 rpm, 415 lb·ft at 3600 rpm
1968–1969 L89 aluminum cylinder head option
for the L78 SS396/375 engine—lightened the
engine by ~100 lb.
1969 COPO 9561/L72 427 cu in V8 425 hp
at 5600 rpm, 460 lb·ft at 4000 rpm
1969 COPO 9560/ZL1 427 cu in V8 430 hp
at 5200 rpm, 450 lb·ft at 4400 rpm
References
External links
Camaro Research Group - reference data for
1967-1969 Camaros
Chevrolet Camaro at DMOZ
