IZ28

Good post, but "best" is very relative. It will certainly be the most "up to date" Camaro though.

SupplySgt.

I definitely can relate to the Pride of Ownership concept. My first Camaro was my first car. 95 with the 3.4 and a manual and it, to be honest, was a piece of crap. the engine wasn't in the best shape, the T-tops leaked through the drivers side a bit if it rained too hard, the paint was chipping off the front, the windows took forever to roll up, but it was MY car and i still loved it. when i had to get rid of it i hated it. It was only 5 more months before i got my hands on another one. Still just a 6 (3.8L this time, 96) but i love it. and i'll spend however much money i have to spend to keep it on the road. It's white and I'm not big on that (i'll have to change it sometime) it has power nothing but i still love it. I gave up a 2004 Chevy Monte Carlo Dale Jr. Edition to get it but it was well worth it. And I saw a new one next to a 4th gen and it actually was not much bigger. Haven't seen one next to a Mustang so i'll have to take y'all's word for it. But seems to me that the newer mustangs (When they started making the Fox body in 94 i believe) have always looked bulkier. My best friend has an 03 and my 96 definitely looks alot more sleek than it does.

FS3800

best is hardly reletive.. best acceleration, best handling, best braking.. stuff like that.. i expect this new camaro to best all previous ones

Shellhead

Scott, this is exactly how I felt about my '99 TA WS6 - every minute owning that car was an experience, and I wouldn't trade any of it. I've actually been out of that car for almost three months now, and I can see how someone could talk themselves out of a car like the Camaro pretty easily when they aren't driving one.

All it takes a taste (like me driving my wife's 350z) to remember what you're missing - it's heartbreaking, and it's depressing. I'm lucky my wife gets it and makes my passion for the new Camaro a priority (she's insistent that I get one).

But most people don't get it - most people don't understand that these cars are more than the sum of their parts. I think even some enthusiasts have forgotten the "Camaro Experience" and how it feels. I'm actually glad to not be driving a performance car every day right now - it will make Camaro's arrival that much sweeter.

And if Team Camaro shares the same view as you with the experience of owning the car, then I thank them all and look forward to enjoying their creation.

Fenster

+1 for can't wait to see a finished product in person! I'm already planning to make a trip to wherever the can will be debuted! Just let me know the show, and I'll make my travel arrangements!

Until then... I anxiously wait to be able to make a decision on what I think!

jg95z28

To elaborate more on the "pride of ownership"...

I have always been a "Chevy Man", ever since I can remember. Growing up my folks had Chevy station wagons, and although my father's pickups shifted from Chevy to GMC to Ford, I have remained a Chevy Man my entire life.

I first knew I wanted a Camaro after getting a ride in my flag football coach's '68 SS/RS 396 at the tender age of 13. After that, I constantly drew pictures of Camaros on my notebooks, binders, whatever I could get my hands on. It was about that time that I started subscribing to Car Craft and Hot Rod. (And 30 years later I'm still a subscriber.) I wasn't allowed to get a car until I could buy it and pay for my own insurance. Although I longed for a Camaro, the only ones I could afford were hacked up rust buckets, so when a co-worker at my part time job at the lumberyard told me of the 67 Chevelle Malibu his folks were selling for $600, I had to take a look. I was 18 at the time.

That was my first car. Since then I have had ten Chevys (four Camaros) and currently own four (five if you count my stepson's '05 Trailblazer). My purchase decision starts and ends with Chevrolet. Since I bought my first Camaro at 19, I have always had at least one Camaro in my possession. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

BigDarknFast

That's cool! You and I are a lot alike then. My older brother got me started on Chevys, with his 57 Chevy (sedan) and the 64 Impala SS 327 he had. My first car in high school - I was allowed to choose between a 67 Mustang fastback (6 cyl) or a somewhat rusty 1970 Chevelle sport coupe. I chose the latter and I loved that car for eight years, after my brother and I dropped in a 350 4BBL and I did all the body work for a repaint. I still miss that car sometimes!

I've also had a lot of Pontiacs... but I will be coming back to Chevy for my next purchase. It feels a lot like coming home again.

Bob Cosby

LOL. Not a 67....but my first car was similar - and I also paid $600 for it...and I also bought it off a co-worker...though that was in 1980.

BigDarknFast

Very cool Chevelle Bob

jg95z28

lol, very similar indeed... mine was also red and I bought it in 1983.

HooliganZ

There is a reason why I have owned 6 Camaros. I can't get enough of them! The longest I have gone without a Camaro is 2 years. I just don't feel right without one or two in the garage! Bring on the 5th gen!

2KZ28

Where to start? (This is gonna be a long one......) Seeing the first post of this thread really "brings it all home" for me.

"Pride of ownership..." Well, that statement carries a deep resonance with me. My first passion/love over any vehicle was with the 1969 Camaro. In the 80's, my father and I re-built a 1969 standard coupe into a Z28 clone over a full 1-1.5 yrs. I financed the entire project by saving nearly every penny I'd made working the night shift at a convenience store over three years.

Luckily, my father co-owned a car shop at the time, so labor was "cheap."

To get on with the story - she was garnet red (custom blended deeper with more metallic) with white stripes. I had adorned her with a GM N.O.S. cowl-induction hood - rallye wheels, a correct rear spoiler, repro door panels, a correct steering wheel and console with guages from a donor car, full badges, etc. She had a cammed NA 350 with a TH400 auto.

I knew every nut and bolt on that car. I smiled with pure joy every time I turned the key and heard the throaty exhaust note. The first time I layed into the throttle heavily, my heart raced. I will never forget that rush!!! I guardedly parked her away from every vehicle and gazed back at her at least twice before leaving her. I would sometimes get up in the middle of the night, go into the garage, and just stare at that vehicle, every time pinching myself to make sure it was REALLY there. It was!!!

The curves - the body lines - the hood and rear spoiler - the gleam of those rallye wheels (I have no idea why - but I just LOVED those rallye wheels) - the deep metallic paint --it was an assault on my senses and emotions.

OK, before I lose everyone -- THATS how I understand the "Pride of Ownership."

Unfortunately, that love-affair was a short one. Less than two years after she was "re-born," she was effectively totalled by a driver that ran a yellow light into my path going through an intersection.

That loss took a VERY long time to get over. Fast-forward twelve years. I was in the market for another car. I always wanted a 2000 era SS Camaro. Unfortunately, they were still out of my price range - even used. But - I went to a good dealer here, on the used lot, and saw a Blue 2000 Z28 with a little over 12,000 miles. I took a test-drive. That's all she wrote. I said "let's put me into this thing."

I still own it. This was in 2002. She still has less than 60K miles, and other than a few dings, looks just like I bought her. I fell in love again. This one doesn't stir quite the passion in me as the '69 did....but STILL!!!

You can't imagine how thrilled I was when I saw the concept!! 1969 styling cues on a brand-new platform -- with over 400HP to boot!!!!!

Now - I've been shopping the last two years for a C6 Z06 Vette, but that doesn't amount to much more than a pipe-dream at this point. I "settled" for thinking about a C5 Z06 also -- but recent events have forced me to put that off for at least another year.

GOOD TIMING!!! Guess what my next car WILL be?!?!?!?

The only problem is -- I HAVE TO WAIT TWO STINKIN YEARS FOR THE Z28/SS version of the new Camaro!!!!

But --- don't worry guys -- I WILL WAIT.

I just KNOW in my heart of hearts -- that once I walk into the dealership -- find the model in the right color and options level -- that my trusty Blue 2K Z28 WILL be traded in for the "New-Old" Camaro.

Those 1969 body styling cues are already getting me juiced.

So, to the OP (finally, lofl) -- I hear you! I appreciate all your (and your co-worker's) efforts! And, one last thing -- GET THAT THING RIGHT -- AND GET IT ON THE SHOWROOM FLOORS, ALREADY!!!!

Thanks,
-Jim
(A "GM Guy" all the way. I have owned: two 197X Olds Cutlasses, a 198x GMC pickup, a 199X Chevy pickup, a 1976 Trans Am, and my Pride and Joy - the 1969 resto-mod Camaro - may she RIP).

krazzycowgirl

Pride of OWNERSHIP,mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Lets see I am a proud owner of 8 GM Cars, Plus a CHIT load of Model cars as well.

Now I call that either a Proud owner or totally insane you Pick.

Josh452

Pride of ownership was established by this GM owner when Bob Lutz drove the Solstice out on the auto show floor.

The Camaro is a very nice car and, while not my cup of tea, I sincerely hope that the feeling I get while cruising around metro-Detroit in my Sol is realized by new Camaro owners.

Big Als Z

Pride of Ownership...I have a long history of ownership of my Camaros.

My first encounter with Camaro was when I was at the young ripe age of 3. In late 1986, my father had just gotten a major bounus, and decided with my mother that they would take half and go on long vacation, and the other my father would get a new Camaro. My father went around to several Chevy dealers in North Jersey. He found a dealer with the one he wanted, a 1987 Camaro Z28. With the IROC's selling fast, he knew that there was a better chance of getting a deal on a loaded Z28 then an IROC. he watched this red Z28 sit on lot for over a month, not moving. He went into the dealer several times to talk about the car. It was a fully loaded Z28, just a shade away from an IROC. From auto-dimming rear view mirros, upgraded casette radio, overhead console, ttops, 305 TPI engine with 4 speed auto. Red with grey ground effects, this car was his dream. So he talked to the dealer that he would return the following Satuday.
Early Saturday morning, my father got me preped for a long day at the dealer in July. As he is getting me ready, he says to me "Alex...when the daddy asks you what daddy is gunna pay the man, you say sixteen eight ok?". I look up at him, smile and nod. On the way there, my father kept asking me "what are you gunna say?" and I would look up and respond "SIXTEEN EIGHT!!"
So as we sit in the dealer, my father is talking with the salesperson. The salesperson said he cannot go lower then 17.2k. The sticker was 17.9k or so. My father said "Im not gunna pay a dime over 16.8k" Dealer said "no no no...17k, thats it, thats as far as I will go!!"
My father looks over his shoulder where I was playing with some toys. He says "Alex...tell the nice man what Daddy is gunna pay him"
I look up from my toys, and like I said over and over in the car, I open my mouth and say "sixteen eight."
Well, that about did it for the salesman. He goes "OHHHH jesus...alright, fine...fine. If you want it that bad? 16.8!!"
My dad took delivery about 2 days later.

Both my 87 and my 72 are family owned. My Grandfather bought a 1972 Camaro RS new in early 72 and had it shipped to Antwerep. He got it with the base V8, but had orderd it in Gulf Green. With this, he would drive all over Europe. My grandfather was an actor in Europe, mostly Italy. He loved American cars and has always preferd the Americans over the small, weak Euro cars. This green American muscle car roamed around the streets of Europe. It was his calling card and when producers or directors saw his car, they knew that he was around and would want him to play a part in a commercial or a movie, what have you.

Both cars I have inherited, and I plan to make it a trifecta with my very own Camaro, purchased new, to park along side them and enjoy my family legacy of Camaro and how they intertwined they with my family's history.