Our picks for the top Camaros to buy at Mecum’s mile-high sale
From the moment the first Camaro hit showroom floors in the fall of 1966, it had but one goal: obliterate the competition. While some generations were more efficient in outpacing their rivals (or simply looked sexier doing it), we can conclude that we wouldn’t turn down a ride in any of the muscle machines to follow. And lucky for your driveway, our five ponies are conveniently sampled from the upcoming Mecum Auction, June 8–9 in Denver.
1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible
350 cubic inches, automatic
Hagerty #3 condition value: $25,000–$35,000
Parades can be fun, but only if you’re a child. Or if you own this car. The first installment of Chevrolet’s historic line was meant to kill the Mustang. This variety of the ’67 killer is a bit gentler, possessing the smallest displacement available in the SS that year. Not to mention it has an automatic. What it lacks in top performance, it makes up for in iconic style. White on blue, new ragtop, and hideaway headlights.
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 RS
302 cubic inches, four-speed
Hagerty #3 condition value: $70,000–$95,000
It’s lonely at the top, but it’s a damn good view. This ultra-rare 1969 Camaro Z28 RS is guaranteed to be crowned the king of any Camaro meet and averages a 19-percent higher value than the Z28. The product of a rotisserie restoration, sprayed in Hugger orange, it demands to be worshipped. And the union of a 302-cubic-inch, 290-horsepower V-8 to a Muncie four-speed transmission promises to assert its divine right on the boulevard. Peering inside, it’s like heaven on earth. The all-white seats suggest seven Hail Marys before you breach the door jams. For a slight stretch of the billfold, this lot will have you looking fine in a ’69.
1973 Chevrolet Camaro LT
350 cubic inches, automatic
Hagerty #3 condition value: $14,000–$18,000
In 1973, the SS nomenclature and accompanying big block were dropped. The LT package tried to fill the void. Chevrolet’s newest platform came standard with rally wheels, hidden wipers, and a quieter interior. This Camaro comes fitted with the 350-cu-in V-8 (the highest displacement available in ’73) and Hydra-matic transmission. Here’s your chance to ball on a budget and pick up an all-original, garage-kept beauty.
1981 Chevrolet Camaro
4.4 liters, automatic
Hagerty #3 condition value: $8,000–$12,000
This was the final year of the second generation. The line was getting stale and relatively unchanged year to year. The only changes were in favor of the environment, as a computer controlling emissions constricted performance. Its 115 hp aside, Camaro’s forgotten child from ’81 is doing its best to be remembered in this lot. Unrestored black on black on black, with um, well… whitewalls. Hagerty valuation expert Andrew Newton says, “It’s almost more special to see a base two-barrel than a Z/28 in this condition.” Less emissions, less power, but still sharp as hell.
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS Pace Car Edition
6.2 liters/400 hp, automatic
Hagerty #3 condition value: N/A
Any list of consigned Camaros wouldn’t be complete without a pace car. A Camaro has led the Indy field to green nine times over the past five decades. This 2010 edition is one of 294 and comes packed to the gills with a 6.2-liter 400-hp V-8 engine. With only 32 miles and factory plastic still locking in that new car smell, this fifth-gen Camaro is a perfect candidate for those inclined to keep their Hot Wheels in the package. Considering the curation, we estimate it to fetch $35,000–$40,000.
