Extract from Australian magazine "Performance Street Car"

THE GENERAL MOTORS'response to the  1964-112 Ford Mustang'Pony Car'was the  release of the'F-Body'car called the  Camaro, and for the past 30 years these  machines have been loved worldwide.  The 1967 Camaro was developed on the  Chevrolet'Chevy li'piatform to keep  the budget down, and by the time the  GM Design Staff was finished with it, the  Camaro had a look all its own and looked  nothing like the much more pedestrian  Chevy 11 compact that it was based on.      F-Body cars (released in late 1966)  featured a new'unit construction'chassis  design, which had front and rear sub frames  rather than a conventional frame. The front  suspension featured coil springs with  unequal length A-arms, and on the rear,  mono-leaf springs were used. To isolate the  body from noise and vibration, rubber  biscuits were used and the wheelbase  stood at 108.1 -inches.

The Camaro's body was very sleek and it was one of the first General Motors products to extensively tested in the wind tunnel. For performance buyers a popular option was the'Super Sport 350'package (all 55 Camaros had a front  'bumble bee nose stripe) and it featured  a new 350-cube small block mill that  developed 295 horsepower. A 327-cube  engine (275 hp) was the standard VS and the  top-of-the-line power plant was the'178'  396 big block, rated at 275 horsepower.  Three and four speed manual  transmissions were available, and  both a two-speed Powerglide and  three-speed Turbo Hydra Matic  automatic transmission were offered.      One optional Camaro was the'Z/28'  model, and it was unique because of its  engine. Between the front frame rails sat a  302-cube V8 that was a crossbreed of a 350  engine fitted with a 283 crankshaft giving it  a 4-inch by 3-inch bore and stroke layout.  This combination of parts gave high revs and  lots of power from a small  package!
 
     A 346-degree camshaft, big Holley four  barrel carb and hi-flow cast iron headers  were part of the Z/28 engine package, and  the 302 was given a power rating of 290 hp,  while all the magazine writers of the day  said it had to deliver much more!. Part of  the reason Chevy down played the power  of this limited edition model was to help  get it legalised for the popular SCCA (Sports  Car Club of America) Trans-Am racing series.       F-41 heavy duty suspension pieces,  front disc brakes, metallic shoed rear brakes,  quick ratio steering (24:1) and 1 5 x 6 Rally  wheels (borrowed from the Corvette) were  factory add ons for the'Z,as was a cowl  induction hood. Only 602 Z/28 optioned  Car-naros were built in 1967, making them  among the most rare F-Body cars of all time!

 For 1968 the Camaro line was kept nearly identical as the '67s, save for the new required side marker lights and the updated "Astro Ventilation'system that eliminated the side vent windows. Four-wheel discs could now be ordered on Z/28s and all Camaros now had staggered rear shocks.  The 1969 Carnaro saw some body  changes (new fenders, doors, quarters)  and a new grille. Wheel openings were  now more squared off and the cat was  slightly longer and  wider, and appeared  to sit lower with a  strikingly different  profile. The restyled  1969 cars were sold  for an extended five  months because of a  delay in introducing  the all new 1970  models which have  now become known  around the world as  "1970-112'Camaros,  which debuted in  late February, 1970.

   BUILT ON A completely new platform (but still with a 1 08-inch wheelbase) the second    generation F-Body was two inches longer, an inch lower and slightly wider. The semi-fastback body had much longer doors and the rear quarter windows were eliminated.
Standard Camaros had a full width front bumper while optional Rally Sport models featured a pair of'rnini bumpers'and a more pronounced grille, complete with a urethane tipped frame.

The 1970-112 Z/28 now came with a larger 350- cube engine (known as the LT-1) and this hot new mill  featured large port cylinder heads, 2.02'intake and 1.60'exhaust valves, a forged steel crank, forged 1 1:1 pistons, high lift mechanical camshaft,  big Holley four-barrel and aluminium  intake. power was rated at 360 hp, and  interestingly enough, the very same  power plant fitted into a 1970 Corvette  had a 370 hp listing.

The camaro styling was changed very   little for 1971-72 but the engines got less compression and more smog equipment, thanks to the US   government clarnping down    on emissions. For 1973, the Type LT, (luxury Touring)    model was introduced and this optional package was a replacernent for the "SS'     version, and had features like ,wood grained dashes, body colour sport mirrors and Rally Wheels. Big block power was gone in'73 and the Z/28  engine was now fitted with hydraulic lifters.
1974 saw the installation of huge "bumper car front and rear bumpers (to meet new government standards) and the Chevy stylists added a new sloped grille to facilitate the aluminium faced bumper and the rear tail lights were revised as well. For the '75 Camaro, the Z/28 option was eliminated and the rear window was changed to a wrap-around design. Other new items for the 1975 Carnaro was HEI (High-EnergY ignition), and the use of catalytic converters. No big changes came for Camaro buyers for 1976 but by mid-1 977, the decision was made to bring back the Z/28 and this time the option dealt          with increasing handling rather than brute power. The'78 Carnaro had new.moulded in'front and rear treatments and in 1979 the Berlinetta name was given to the old 'Type LT" model. By  1981 the second-generation body was getting very dated and the automotive world was very glad to hear that GM  was launching a brand new third- generation F-Body for the 1982 model run.

 THE REDESIGNED'82 CAMARO had a shortened wheelbase (down from 108  inches to 1 01 inches) and an 1 8-inch shorter body. MacPherson strut front  suspension was fitted and coil springs replaced the rear leafs. The new body was  very sleek and featured a glass rear hatchback design, along with standard fold-  down rear seats for added cargo room.

A'Cross-Fire'fuel injected S.OL small block was optional on the Z28, but  unfortunately, it only mustered some 165 horsepower and could only be fitted  with an automatic transmission. The car looked great, cornered superb and  stopped well but had little grunt when the accelerator was floored!      1983 saw the production of a slightly more powerfui'High Output' L69 (190  hp) Z28 that had a hotter camshaft, less restrictive exhaust and more ignition  tirning. The Cross-Fire was neat looking but the Chev engineers discarded it in  favour of a large four-barrel carb. A new TS Borg-Warner five-speed manual  transmission was now available, giving much improved performance as compared  to the'82 automatic equipped version. 1984 Camaras were virtual carry-overs  from the'83 models.

The International Race of Champions Series used Camaro bodies starting in  1 985 and to help promote the production cars, Chevrolet released a "IROC-Z' Camaro that was now the flagship of the line. IROC-Zs came fully equipped with four- wheel disc brakes, 16 x 8-inch alloy wheels, Goodyear "Gatorback'sticky rubber and special suspension.

Power was provided by either the L69 305-cid mil or a new'Tuned Port lnjection'LB9 V8,that delivered 21 5 ponies from its 5.0 litres. On the skidpan, the IROC- Z was awesome and this new TPI engine helped quarter mile performance.      The 1986 models changed little and the big news for performance lovers in'87 was the larger 5.7-litre Corvette derived Tuned Port engine, but unfortunately it was not available with a manual transmission. Also, 1987 saw the return of the convertible Carnaro, the first "drop-top'F-body since 1969!      In 1989, the'] LE'option package was introduced, and it was a favourite with road racer types. Fitted with trick components like Corvette front disc brakes, an aluminium drive shaft and ultra stiff suspension, these special cars were only available without air conditioning and were very good handling machines.      While everyone thought the factory would make a special edition'25th Anniversary'edition of the Chevrolet pony car, no such machine was built. It wasn't until the release of the fourth-generation F-Body, the brand new 1993 Camaro, that things got exciting again for Camaro enthusiasts.

COMPLETELY REDESIGNED from nose to tail, the all new'93 Camaro had a fresh, contemporary look to it and was longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor. But all the classic Camaro design ingredients were evident; the smooth upper body, tenacious stance, aggressive front end treatment and brawny wheels and tyres. The 1997 Camaro'SS'LT4 features the 330-hp Corvette engine (with ram air) and performance is even more impressive than standard Z28 models. SLP Engineering is responsible for the creation of this ultra hot F-Body, and they are certain to become instant collector cars ... 0-60 mph can be reached in just five seconds flat and the quarter mile can be had in 13.6 seconds @ 106 mph. With a top speed of 161 mph, this special 30th Anniversary model (of which only 1 00 were built) is a true modern day muscle machine that surely the original Camaro designers would be proud of.

THE NEW 1998 CHEVY'PONY CAR' will get a definite double take from Camaro enthusiasts worldwide when it is released later this year. Most noticeable from the outside is a new front end that features new fenders, hood, front fascia and new composite headlamps.      Perhaps what the performance buffs will most appreciate about the'31 st' Camaro is what's under the hood of the Z28 models... a 305 HP version of the LSI V8 from the Corvette!
 

     'The LSI engine in the 1998 Camaro weighs about 1 0-percent less, fully dressed, than the LTI engine it replaces. The result is an engine that's lighter, more powerful and quieter,'said GM Power train's John Juriga.      Suspension upgrades include new spring rates and retuned shocks front and rear, and an all new standard equipment Bosch ABS system was developed. A new traction control system is available optionally for Z28 and 55 buyers, and a'more pleasing'exhaust tone was added, thanks to larger mufflers.      55 Camaros also have new power steering coolers, a rear spoiler and forced-air induction hood. Power increases for the SS version is to be announced at a later date.

Extract from Australian magazine "Performance Street Car"