69Z body style VS. new camaro..........

**pewterzron** · 01-25-2008, 05:20 AM

I dont like the new camaro at all and with Dodge bringing out the new Challanger, my question is would you trade your F-body for a camaro that would look identical to the old 69Z28. And please dont rip on me about the new camaro cause it does not look anything like the old ones, I had a 69 Z and this one does not do it for me.

**Firebirdjones** · 01-26-2008, 01:46 PM

I think we commented on this earlier.

I don't care much for the new camaro either. It's not retro in my opinion, looks more space age.

If GM did come out with a nice retro camaro???? I wouldn't be trading any of my current F bodies on one,,,,,if I were interested I would just buy one outright.

With that said, it would also have to have a certain look, certain options available, and I would like the option of deleting certain things that seem to be forced on you like ABS, air bags, power windows and locks, power seats etc....if I could truly order a car exactly the way I want it like you could 30-40 years ago,,,,and it looked retro, preferably with some chrome,,,,I would very much consider a new camaro.

Until then it won't happen for me. To be honest, I like the 4th gens,,,and when I want retro, I have a 70 Formula, SS 454 chevelle, a 71 vette, (to name a few) that I can jump in and drive. I am lucky enough to be able to subdue my craving when the need arrises. These cars you simply cannot replace no matter how hard GM tries to. Just my thoughts on it.

**JL8Jeff** · 01-26-2008, 04:14 PM

The retro idea is dumb. Where do you go from a retro car? New generations of cars should not be like any previous generation other than the common idea of V8, rwd 2 door. Nobody liked the 3rd or the 4th gen when they came out be everyone got used to them. Major changes mean better things. The current retro Mustang is pretty blah looking when you realize there are no lines to it. You can put a straight edge from the nose to the tail and it's dead straight! It has 69 style taillights and headlights but where does that car go now, to the Pinto style Mustang II retro?

**pewterzron** · 01-26-2008, 06:37 PM

I just dont like the new camaro. Guess I will save my pennies and buy the Z06. GM has done a bad job on looking to what the consumer wants. I think they would have sold alot more camaros if they would have given us options like powder coated brakes, better rims. Like the stuff we put on our cars now, but from the factory.

And one more thing, I bet you my car that if GM were to offer a body style very similar to the 69Z, they would sell like hot cakes. Look at Dodge, the challenger has had 6000 pre orders for their retro car. Does that tell you that there is a market for retro style.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 01-26-2008, 07:54 PM

I would not trade my 4th gen for a 5th gen. I would upgrade the powertrain in my Camaro before I bought a 5th gen instead. I would buy a Challenger over the 5th gen Camaro based on what I have seen so far from both. The Camaro still might change some for the better between now and then though. My next car will be a Corvette, not a Camaro though.

**Firebirdjones** · 01-27-2008, 04:58 AM

Originally Posted by pewterzron

I just dont like the new camaro. Guess I will save my pennies and buy the Z06. GM has done a bad job on looking to what the consumer wants. I think they would have sold alot more camaros if they would have given us options like powder coated brakes, better rims. Like the stuff we put on our cars now, but from the factory.

And one more thing, I bet you my car that if GM were to offer a body style very similar to the 69Z, they would sell like hot cakes. Look at Dodge, the challenger has had 6000 pre orders for their retro car. Does that tell you that there is a market for retro style.

Ya there is a huge market for the retro style, chrysler and ford have figured that out. There are only a few people that don't go for the retro idea, but the majority will tell you (and sales show) that retro is in.

It's true it may only last a few years,,,who knows for sure,,,but it sure is better than cancelling a model line and building nothing for the last 6 years,,,,,,hint hint GM

There are other options for GM too,,,,if they did make a retro 69 camaro,,and found themselves stuck not knowing where to go,,,,they could always go retro with the second gen style,,,,,a very popular style as well that was successfull throughout the 70's.....

**JL8Jeff** · 01-27-2008, 02:44 PM

You guys are talking about building specialty cars like the SSR. The Camaro has been a rwd, 2 door for it's whole life. There's limited appeal based on that configuration. The original Dodge Challenger had a short life span so doing a retro is no big deal since they don't expect it to last long. Cars like the Mustang, Camaro, Corvette have a long production history aimed at specific buyers. Retro cars don't sell nearly as many as an original design. The 2007 Mustang was down almost 20% in sales from 2006. And those numbers don't come close to some of the early/mid 80's Mustangs and early 2000 Mustangs. Normal production vehicles shouldn't be retro vehicles. If the Corvette went retro at some point in time, then we wouldn't have this awesome piece of modern engineering. If you want a retro car, buy the old car you like and put a modern drivetrain in it. I like the look of the 1st and 2nd gen Camaros so I bought one of each. I like the 4th gen, so I bought one as well. I'll probably get a 5th gen at some point as well. How many people would really use a new Camaro as their daily driver anyway(besides me)?

**pewterzron** · 01-27-2008, 02:51 PM

A new one I would drive everyday. Except in snow. Looks like the vette is gonna be my next option!

**Firebirdjones** · 01-27-2008, 03:01 PM

Your statistics are based on 2 different eras though. Comparing sales of the mustang today to sales from the 70's or 80's isn't a true comparison really.

Nowadays people are keeping there cars longer and longer and putting more miles on them than we ever thought of 40 years ago,,,where the average driver was trading a car in every 2-3 years,,,,,now people keep their cars an average of 7 years or more,,,which has a huge reflection on sales numbers.

I wouldn't mind using a new camaro as a daily driver,,,that wouldn't bother me a bit.

I have seen alot of older cars with modern drivetrains,,and it's cool and all. But quite frankly I would never do that to any of mine,,,it just kills the value, some of them are too rare to think about swaps like that. And even then I wouldn't drive it everyday with the climate we have here in Ohio,,,too much salt, and too much money in paint and body work.

A new car on the other hand doesn't bother me so much in that aspect,,,since at this point they are very easy to replace and much less expensive. I can find them about anywhere I look.

Maybe a newer drivetrain swap into a car that is much less desirable would be interesting, I wouldn't be so afraid to drive that everyday???? A 4-door nova would fit this profile nicely.
Hard to say,,,this could go in so many directions.