National Award Winning Camaro Z/28 302 V8 4 Speed

You may recall the spectacular Grabber Blue Boss 302 Mustang we featured a few weeks ago, arguably the nicest one in the world. That car sold in 11 days for an astounding $125,000, further evidencing the intense demand for investment grade collector cars. In the interest of equal time, RK Motors Charlotte would also like to present what is very possibly the finest Camaro Z/28 in existence. With 100% matching numbers, complete documentation, and a top-flight restoration, it's no surprise that this one has already won national events at the very highest levels. To top it off, the car was certified last week by Jerry MacNeish as a 100% numbers matching Camaro Z/28.

The Trans-Am battles for which the Z/28 and Boss 302 were built need no introduction, but the cars themselves remain somewhat unique in the world of collectable automobiles. Not quite race cars, but equipped with some serious performance hardware, the Z/28 was a popular option in 1969. Perhaps because of that race-ready hardware, finding an intact, matching-numbers Z/28 that hasn't been abused and thrashed is an exceptionally difficult task. And until recently, restoring one to this level was financial suicide—it took the sale of more than a few $100,000 big block Camaros before people started noticing that the Z/28s are some exceptionally cool cars. This one is most certainly as nice as they come.

This is a factory code 72 Hugger Orange car according to the original window sticker that comes with it, along with the cowl tag. More than 5,000 hours were spent on the restoration of this Camaro. Restored to compete in the “Legends” class (to date, less than 40 Camaros have been qualified and accepted into the Legend class), it is beyond spectacular. Hundreds of hours were invested in the restoration of the body, and while one might think that the result would be perfection, the real answer is that this car is perfectly imperfect. See, Legends judging takes into account how the factory did things, not just how nice the car is, and over-restoration can mean a deduction in points. So while this car is exceptional in every way, it is the little items that will escape your notice that make it truly remarkable. In short, this car is as close to the way the factory made it as possible. Some of the materials are modern, such as the paint, but it matches the factory application exactly, yet will remain durable and brilliant for years, unlike the original enamel. The white stripes were applied as they were at the factory, and the end result is a stunning Z/28 that stands out from the crowd, even among the spectacular hardware in the RK Motors Charlotte showroom.

Of course, at this level, things like the chrome and stainless have been professionally refinished. Badges and emblems, including the Z/28 badges on the front fenders and the '302' badges on either side of the cowl induction hood, are either exact duplicates of the originals, or perfectly preserved NOS items. Glass is date code correct all around, as you would expect on a car of this caliber.

The engine is the original, matching-numbers DZ302 that was originally installed at the Norwood assembly plant. Expertly detailed, it is in the mechanical areas where great cars are separated from merely nice ones. This is a great car. The restorer exhaustively documented every single casting number and date on every major component—we have dozens of photos that detail the entire car from top to bottom, not just a list of part numbers that may or may not be on the car. The intake is correct, the carburetor is exact, things like the alternator and water pump have been correctly coded and even items like the distributor cap and ignition coil are correctly numbered and documented. The engine has been rebuilt to stock specifications and remains in show condition today. The paint on the block and heads is crisp and clean, the satin black air cleaner wears the correct decals, and the spark plug wires are accurate reproductions. Even the unique exhaust manifolds look like they've just popped out of the molds and show no signs of heat cycling or corrosion. It's extremely rare to find a functioning, intact smog control system on one of these cars, and not only is it present, but it is date-coded correctly and fully documented. In short, there isn't anything in this engine compartment that wasn't there during the third week of September when this car was assembled.

Underneath, the chassis tells the same story of exacting attention to detail and authenticity. Like the engine, the Muncie M21 4-speed transmission is the original piece with matching numbers to back up the claim. In back, the original 12-bolt with 3.73 gears and a PosiTraction carries correct date codes as well. The floors are finished in satin black, and both the suspension and the power disc brakes have been fully rebuilt. You'll find correctly marked leaf springs out back along with a set of spiral shocks, and an accurate reproduction exhaust system complete down to the transverse muffler and crimped bends. Wheels are, of course, the timeless 15-inch Chevy Rallyes with correct Goodyear Wide Tread GT bias-ply tires.

The interior is an amazing black bucket seat environment restored to factory standards. Seats have been recovered, the carpets are new, the headliner is taut, and the door panels fit beautifully. The dash is full of rebuilt gauges, including the clock and tach that came with the “special instrumentation” option, as well as the auxiliary gauges down low on the optional center console. That steering wheel is the standard equipment on the Z/28 and is so nice there's just no way it can be 42 years old, while the seat belts have been re-webbed and the sill plates are new. Of the few flaws found during Legends judging, one of the levers showed some pitting, while the chrome bezels on the vents on the instrument panel are a little aged. Otherwise, this is a virtually exact restoration of the original car. The trunk is also expertly restored with a new mat, correct spatter finish paint, and a matching full-sized spare and jack assembly.

As we mentioned, documentation on this amazing car is beyond comprehensive. There's the original window sticker, owner's manual, Protect-O-Plate, judging forms, as well as the dozens of photos of every major component on the car, both verifying that it is matching numbers and/or date-code correct, as well as identifying the part and the information on it. This car has won dozens of major awards at the highest levels, including:

2005 ACA Camaro Nationals “Certified Gold” Legends Qualified, 953 points
2005 CCI/WCC Camaro Internationals, 1st Place, “Platinum“ 988 points
2005 CCI/WCC Camaro Internationals, “Best of Show”
2006 ACA Camaro Nationals “Certified Gold” Legends Qualified, 988 points
2006 ACA Camaro Nationals “Level One” 91.4%, 4570 points, Legends Concours

It has also been featured in the January 2006 issue of Camaro World magazine, where it was the featured story and centerfold car.

Look through the photos again—we've provided the judging sheets so you can see just how thoroughly this car was restored and how accurate it truly is. Judging at this level requires more than four hours per car, so you know nothing gets overlooked. There are more than 5000 hours invested in the restoration of this Z/28, including the research done to ensure that it is without a doubt the finest in the country. Early Z/28 prices are on the move, and just like with other high-sought investment-grade cars, it's a smart move to only buy the best. Without a doubt, this is a blue-chip investment Camaro that will be the standard by which others are measured. Call now!