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  1. #1
    Member Daniel P.'s Avatar
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    2000 Camaro Z28

    Just ran across my term paper from Eng. Comp last year take a look

    The History and Future of the Chevrolet Camaro
    What comes to mind when you think of a Muscle car? I think of the Chevrolet Camaro, probably because I have a prime example. After the muscle car era started in the early 1960’s ford introduced the Mustang in 1964 which sold 100,000 cars in the first 6 months, and almost half a million by the end of its first year. GM then took an interest. Responsible for GM’s Mustang fighter, the Camaro was Henry C. Haga and George Angersbach, who was also heavily involved in the Corvette.

    As the launch date for the first model neared, the car still had no name it had been called many names by GM and the press including Nova, Panther, Chaparral, and Wildcat. It is rumored that Chevy also considered using the letters GM in the name and came up with G-mini, which turned into GeMini and eventually Gemini. General Motors executives supposedly killed that name because they didn’t want the letters GM used if the car was a failure. The car was finally introduced to the press as the Camaro. It was considered a good name because nobody knew what it meant. Chevrolet produced an old French dictionary that said that Camaro meant “friend” or “companion”.
    The designers did mock-ups of many different models including a two-seat roadster, a fastback, and a station wagon. GM was trying to keep costs as low as possible to compete with the mustang, and decided to make just two models, a coupe and a convertible. As far as the power plant goes, the vehicle was offered in a wide variety of sizes a 230 cubic inch six cylinder, a 327 cubic inch V8, and a 396 cubic inch V8. Also available was a new engine size that was created just for the Camaro, a 350 cubic inch V8 rated at 295 horsepower. Cubic inches refer to the size of the engine, the bigger the size the more power the engine will have. Power is referred to as horsepower.
    Three versions of the first generation were available the Rally Sport (RS) the Super Sport (SS) and the Z/28. The RS was just an appearance package that had deluxe interior trim and hidden headlights. The SS was all about performance and was painted differently than the other cars with “bumble bee” stripes encircling the nose and the SS icon. The SS also had a heavy duty suspension and larger tires. The SS-350 offered the new 350 cubic inch V8 which was the first vehicle to have the 350 which is still in use today. The RS and SS packages could be ordered together to form the best Camaro of them all, the RS/SS. In December 1967 the race oriented Z/28 was introduced. The Z/28 was unknown to most of the buying public and not mentioned in any sales literature. The only way someone could order the Z//28 package was to order a base Camaro with the Z/28 option. The Z/28 option included front disc brakes, and the Muncie 4- speed transmission. What buyers got was a unique little 302 cubic inch motor that was created especially for the Z/28. Specifically designed to compete in the Club of America Trans Am racing series which placed a 305 cubic inch limit on its entries, the Z/28 was offered solely to qualify the car for racing. In 1969, the final year of the first generation, another extremely rare version of the Camaro was built. The ZL-1 was stuffed with a 427 cubic inch all aluminum motor that put out 425 horsepower. Only 69 of the ZL-1s were built, and because of their rarity and tremendous output they are the most widely sought after as a collector Camaro.

    The second generation of the Camaro started in 1970 and lasted till 1981. The second generation Camaro was redesigned and inspired by Ferrari and was also bigger, heavier and no longer available as a convertible. The car used the same frame as the older models also. As before the Camaro was offered as a Rally Sport or a Super Sport or both. The RS package featured a unique front-end appearance with a split front bumper and a center grille cavity encircled in rubber. The SS had again a better suspension and “SS” logos. In 1970 the Camaro boasted higher horsepower engines but by 1971 the government had stepped in with new emissions laws that steadily dropped the horsepower throughout the next few years until it was so pitiful that it is laughable. By 1975 no engine options even made 175 horsepower, but in 1980 it was back up to 190 horsepower. Even though the power numbers were back up in 1980 a fuel crisis had sales down to around 150,000. Aside from the total redesign in 1970 little was done to the appearance of the Camaro throughout this phase in its lifespan except cut performance numbers.

    The third generation started in 1982 and would last through 1992. A whole new chassis and body was designed for this generation which was only available in a coupe the chassis wasn’t all that was new. These were also the first Camaros with factory fuel injection, four-speed automatic transmissions, five-speed manual transmissions, four-cylinder engines, 16 inch wheels and hatchback bodies. At the bottom end of the performance scale buyers could order a Camaro with a 2.5 liter four cylinder engine rated at 90 horsepower. Also available was a 112 horsepower V6 and a 165 horsepower V8. In 1985 a new variant of the Camaro was introduced, the IROC-Z which featured larger 16 inch wheels, unique graphics, and a larger engine. The IROC-Z was named after the International Race of Champions which had drivers from several different types of racing identical cars, in this case the Camaro. In 1990 the IROC- Z was dropped as dodge had gotten the sponsorship. The convertible was reintroduced in 1987 the first convertible since 1969, and more good news, the 4cylinder was discontinued. Driver side airbags were added in 1990. 1992 was the last year of the third generation Camaros however they saw little change.

    The Fourth Generation Started in 1993 and had changed quite a bit with a whole new exterior and the loss of the convertible once again. The model lineup was highly simplified to just the base sport coupe powered by a 3.4 liter V6 rated at 160 horsepower and the Z28 with the 5.7 liter LT1 V8 which was under rated at 265 horsepower. As expected the convertible returned in 1994, and 3.8 liter V6 was added as an option and would replace the 3.4 liter in 1996. The 3.8 liter was the least powerful engine available in 1996 yet it still had more horsepower than the highest horsepower car in 1984. The SS was again reintroduced in ’96. Alan Wagner has a black 1996 Z28 convertible, which is probably the nicest example of a 1996 you will ever see. In 1998 the front end was redesigned with different headlights, which I have to make it very distinguishable, also changed in ’98 was the engine in the Z28 and SS. This was the first year to have the all aluminum LS-1 350 cubic inch motor that puts down close to 325 horsepower. There were really no significant changes until when sadly the Camaro was discontinued with no certain future in 2002.

    What does the future hold for the Camaro? well this past year GM has developed a new concept car and has decided to put it into production in 2009. The totally redesigned 5th generation Camaro has elements from many previous generations, most notably the body lines resemble that of the first generation as do the gauges. The power plant and suspension is anything but first generation with a special electronically controlled 400 horsepower motor that can shut down engine cylinders to improve fuel economy on the highway while still having those 400 ponies for when you wanted to let loose. There are also rumors that the ZL-1 will return with the new LS-9 engine that puts out 600 horsepower. Also new on this concept Camaro was that it has independent Rear suspension that should make it ride smoother and handle better. Why come out with the new Camaro now? well it could be that ford is seeing huge sales once again with its redesigned mustang, or it could be that they have finally given in to what Camaro lovers have wanted since 2002.
    I like many Americans I love my Camaro, and will hopefully never have to part with it. I guess my love of muscle cars would have to come from the stories I hear my dad and uncle’s tell stories about their cars when they were young. With these powerful cars comes a tremendous amount of responsibility that some say a teenager can’t handle. I got in trouble with my car within the first week of getting it, and got it taken away for two weeks, this was my wake up call and I have been able to keep myself under control ever since. Camaros were a hot car back when my dad was in high school, and now almost 40 years later they will be back to inspire an entirely new generation.
    feel free to correct any fals statements. The supid ass teacher wrote on the front after given me a 98% for it "I had a roommate in grad school that had a 1964 Camaro"

  2. #2
    COME AT ME BRO Soltakr's Avatar
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    2002 Camaro SS (crashed)

    and I'm spent...

  3. #3
    SSweet Home Chicago!!! BlankinSShip's Avatar
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    2001 Camaro SS

    You should go give that teacher a good crack in the face... 1964 Camaro??? Come on now...
    -Nick
    '01 Camaro SS M6 "The Beast"

  4. #4
    Senior Member splitfinger09's Avatar
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    Bright Rally Red
    2000 Camaro SS #5075 M6

    wow I wonder how much those 1964 camaros are worth these days... Nice paper btw.

  5. #5
    Sarge for AAG Emperor hutch1999's Avatar
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    06 HD Softail
    1998 Trans Am m6

    lol 64 camaro. Good paper. The only thing was the rating of the Lt1 was 275hp in 93'.

  6. #6
    Rice Killa JwMonE99's Avatar
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    Black With T-Tops
    96 Z28 M6

    It was a good paper, go back and smack the hell out of the teacher who confused the camaro for the mustang...

  7. #7
    Member Daniel P.'s Avatar
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    2000 Camaro Z28

    thanks guys, the limit was 5 pages min. so i made that then put in pics which made it 8. the next semester I did a paper in how the lyrics of johnny cash's songs changed durring different periods in his life and she made comments on that where totally false, she just hates to be outdone by students I think. everyone hated her but thinkin back she was prolly my best teacher, she is in her 70's so she won't be around much longer, its too bad too cuz I have a math teacher here at college that is right outa school that sucks.
    end rant

  8. #8
    SSweet Home Chicago!!! BlankinSShip's Avatar
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    2001 Camaro SS

    Camaros and Johnny Cash... Outside of the Chicago Bears (and maybe Elvis), could there POSSIBLY be anything better to write about?

    Good choices my friend... And don't fret over some math teacher, college goes by WAY to fast to worry about one class...

  9. #9
    LSX whore allbaugh_04's Avatar
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    2000 Z28 Camaro

    I did one just on the Iroc-Z...I'd never be able to find it again though...my senior project was my car stereo...looking back, that had to of been pretty boring for everyone but me. Haha I did 3 on ethanol, lightning, and lasers too...

    I liked ur paper though, too bad ur teacher don't know $hit

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