Fbodfather
08-29-2008, 04:15 PM
At 9:04 am on August 27, 2002, the last 4th gen Camaro and Firebird rolled off the assembly line at Ste. Therese, Quebec.
The VINs were 22172466 and 22172467..........
It was a very bad day for a lot of people --
........................esp. the proud men and women who built them.
I'll never forget that day because it was the day that my family buried a favorite uncle who was a mentor to me.......
.........and the cars that I dearly loved went on hiatus.
I think that some of you may remember that day as well.
There were some that declared the Camaro dead.......forever.
Others - like you -- kept the faith.
Fast forward to January 9, 2006.
Camaro enthusiasts rejoiced when the Silver Concept made its way from behind the stage at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan.........and as anyone who was actually in the Chevy Exhibit will tell you -- the crowd went nuts.
I got many emails that week -- a few were not favorable -- but at least 99% were - I'll never forget what one person wrote to me:
"......Mr. Settlemire -- the beauty of what I witnessed today brought me to my knees....." I do know this: there were a lot of wet eyes.....
There were some that said the Camaro would never come back.
Others - like you -- kept the faith.
Fast forward to August of 2006 -- when Rick Wagoner and Ed Peper held simultaneous news conferences to announce to the world that the Camaro would, indeed be back -- and that we'd build it for sale in the early part of 2009. Many of you were present at the GM Tech Center to watch the Silver concept roll up for the announcement -- surrounded by many historic Camaros.
There were some that said "The Camaro will never look like that -- it will look completely different........"
Others - like you -- kept the faith.
And then the rumors started........
.....and then the pictures leaked.........
.........and the first picture to leak was of a white IVER in a garage .....a very unflattering picture.........
There were some that said "SEE!!!....a horrible looking car! It's fat....it does not look like the concept car in the least!....."
Others - like you -- kept the faith and said "I'll wait to see it in person...."
And then more information leaked out........and then a few saw the new Camaro in person -- and the media are saying great things about the V6....
And still a few have negative things to say about the pictures they're seeing -- or jumping to conclusions after hearing rumors.
Others - like you -- continue to keep the faith.
Yes -- it's been a tough, emotional 6 years..........
........but I can hardly wait to see the faces and expressions of those of you making your way to Indy in September --
To those of you who have kept the faith - I thank you from the bottom of my bow-tie shaped heart.
YOU are the ones to whom we dedicate this new Camaro!
__________________
The VINs were 22172466 and 22172467..........
It was a very bad day for a lot of people --
........................esp. the proud men and women who built them.
I'll never forget that day because it was the day that my family buried a favorite uncle who was a mentor to me.......
.........and the cars that I dearly loved went on hiatus.
I think that some of you may remember that day as well.
There were some that declared the Camaro dead.......forever.
Others - like you -- kept the faith.
Fast forward to January 9, 2006.
Camaro enthusiasts rejoiced when the Silver Concept made its way from behind the stage at Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan.........and as anyone who was actually in the Chevy Exhibit will tell you -- the crowd went nuts.
I got many emails that week -- a few were not favorable -- but at least 99% were - I'll never forget what one person wrote to me:
"......Mr. Settlemire -- the beauty of what I witnessed today brought me to my knees....." I do know this: there were a lot of wet eyes.....
There were some that said the Camaro would never come back.
Others - like you -- kept the faith.
Fast forward to August of 2006 -- when Rick Wagoner and Ed Peper held simultaneous news conferences to announce to the world that the Camaro would, indeed be back -- and that we'd build it for sale in the early part of 2009. Many of you were present at the GM Tech Center to watch the Silver concept roll up for the announcement -- surrounded by many historic Camaros.
There were some that said "The Camaro will never look like that -- it will look completely different........"
Others - like you -- kept the faith.
And then the rumors started........
.....and then the pictures leaked.........
.........and the first picture to leak was of a white IVER in a garage .....a very unflattering picture.........
There were some that said "SEE!!!....a horrible looking car! It's fat....it does not look like the concept car in the least!....."
Others - like you -- kept the faith and said "I'll wait to see it in person...."
And then more information leaked out........and then a few saw the new Camaro in person -- and the media are saying great things about the V6....
And still a few have negative things to say about the pictures they're seeing -- or jumping to conclusions after hearing rumors.
Others - like you -- continue to keep the faith.
Yes -- it's been a tough, emotional 6 years..........
........but I can hardly wait to see the faces and expressions of those of you making your way to Indy in September --
To those of you who have kept the faith - I thank you from the bottom of my bow-tie shaped heart.
YOU are the ones to whom we dedicate this new Camaro!
__________________