Last week, we marked the 55th anniversary of the second-generation Camaro (and Firebird), so it seems completely logical to choose one of these Chevrolets as our Pick of the Day. We scoured the listings on ClassicCars.com to find the best one to present to you, doing our darndest not to get sucked into the obvious because you’ve seen enough Hugger Orange Z28s already. After all, there are other Camaros to appreciate. Yet here we are with this 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 of a different stripe. We predict you’ll be just fine with it. It’s listed by a dealership in Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada.
The 1967-69 Z/28 package was initially an under-the-radar offering, as the Trans-Am circuit had yet to capture the attention of the American public. Plus, most performance prospects gravitated toward the Super Sport with the 350 and 396. What’s this piddly 302, anyway? That’s a performance car? Yet Car and Driver got a hold of this “gran turismo disguised as a Detroit sporty car” and pulled 14.9 ETs powered by what was a 327 equipped with a short-stroke 283 crank.
Of course, the other key ingredients included the “Duntov 30-30” solid-lifter camshaft used in the Corvette’s top 327s from 1964-65. Through word-of-mouth, the Z/28 package picked up in popularity and by mid-1968, Chevrolet began branding the package with Z/28 badges. Come 1969, over 20,000 Camaro Z/28s were built—quite a lot more than the 602 built in the 1967 model year.
So, as you may know by now, the second-generation Camaro’s introduction was delayed due to transitional assembly plant issues. When it was finally introduced on February 26, 1970, the Z28 returned without a slash (“/”) and without an engine that slid under the five-liter limit imposed by Trans-Am racing. “A Camaro like none before challenges Ferrari,” said Car and Driver in its May 1970 issue. “It would be every bit as much at home on the narrow, twisting streets of Monte Carlo or in the courtyard of a villa overlooking the Mediterranean as it is on Interstate 80. It’s a Camaro like none before … the result is a car of brilliant performance for its displacement and with prep school manners.”
A more refined, adult Z powered by a new 360-horsepower LT1 350 (using a solid-lifter camshaft that was only slightly less radical than the 30-30) with most of its desirable features intact? Still capable of eliciting the same wide grins? That’s what Chevrolet went for. Quarter-mile times were a good half-second faster than the 302, plus this Z was available with an automatic.
This 1970 Camaro Z28 is not like all the others—it’s an actual Trans-Am racer campaigned by Dick Brown in both the 1971 and 1972 seasons. According to the seller, “This 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 was initially purchased by Don Duncan from Nurse Chevrolet in Toronto,” after which he enlisted John Todds of TODCO racing to turn the pony car into an SCCA racer. For the 1972 season, this Camaro ran with Sunoco of Canada sponsorship and was reconfigured in Sunoco blue and yellow trim, as you see here. Its best finish was 5th place in the 1972 season.
This Trans-Am-prepped 1970 Camaro Z28 comes chock-full of documentation and pictures of its history, plus it’s eligible for historic racing, if that’s your bag. There is no asking price listed, so inquire with the seller to take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
