There are but a handful of cars that stand out as instantly identifiable models, even to those who know nothing about our automotive past. A perfect example is Chevrolet’s Camaro. It doesn’t take a degree in marketing to realize that the nameplate has been a hot commodity ever since it was unveiled as one of General Motors’ Mustang fighters in the fall of 1966. Its chiseled body and sports car nature struck a perfect balance with the public, appealing to the youth of the day as well as family types looking for a dependable, yet stylish daily driver. Camaro had it all.
Automotive historians agree that the engineering formula behind the badge meant the newcomer to the pony car market came out of the gate swinging. It proved its worth on the field of pavement since the day the first example rolled off the assembly line and into Chevy showrooms. Part of the attraction were several sub-models, bolstered by a copious number of available options, which played to a variety of customer needs. This was achieved so well, in fact, that during its initial year of 1967, over 220,000 Camaros were sold to the public— a healthy number considering Pontiac offered its multi-trimmed Firebird built on the same F-body foundation.
Scotty Lachenauer
Car hunter Rob Feasel was hot on the trail of a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle convertible when he found this six-cylinder ’67 Chevrolet Camaro occupying space next to it. The F-body is the perfect starting point for a factory-stock restoration or a big-power build.
Out of those 220,000 units sold, the majority were powered by one of a handful of Chevrolet’s V-8 engines; these were built to pacify—or entice—young buyers into purchasing the striking compact-sized Bowtie. That was all well and good, however, there were two available straight-six engines on the powertrain list that were a wise choice for the economy-minded individual, where speed and grunt were not as important factors as dependability and miles per gallon. In standard trim, the base 230-cu.in. engine answered the call, while the optional 250-cu.in. six-cylinder (RPO code L22) offered a little extra power, for only a few dollars more. Its impact at the pump was negligible.
It may seem hard to believe today, but more than 20,000 people purchased a new 1967 Camaro with the base 230-cu.in. six, while another 38,000 buyers opted for the 250-cu.in. powerplant. Between the two, six-cylinder engines accounted for a little over one-quarter of Camaro sales during the model year. Let that sink in for a moment.
Scotty Lachenauer
In the years since, power attitudes and attrition have taken away many of those six-cylinder Camaros in the form of corrosion, collision, salvage, and destruction, the latter by a litany of circle track and road course racers. Many were scrapped after their useful years, while others probably still live in obscurity— slowly aging, locked away in garages, or put out to pasture to withstand nature’s elements. Of course, some have been restored back to their original condition, fighting off someone’s need for speed.
Even if a well-used six-banger F-body survived the Seventies intact, such an economy Camaro would have had to run through a mechanical gauntlet of Day Two, pro street, pro touring, and restomod transformations at the hands of fabricators on a mission to build high-powered ponies. As a result, finding a six-cylinder equipped, first-generation F-body these days is nearly impossible— to the point that even standard-issue 327-cu.in. V-8 small-block Camaros are being scooped up today as project fodder, no matter what condition the Chevy is in.
When Rob Feasel of New Egypt, New Jersey, inquired about a 1970 Chevelle convertible for sale, he was pleasantly surprised to find this clean six-cylinder ’67 Chevy Camaro sitting right next to it. “Chevelles are my dream car, but when I laid eyes on this F-body sharing space with it, I knew I had to take a closer look. You just don’t see these six-cylinder cars intact that often,” Rob says.
Scotty Lachenauer
Without hesitating, Rob got up close and personal with the Camaro. In the darkened room, the Chevy looked to be in good shape, which was confirmed when it was moved into daylight. “The Camaro had a nice patina with its original Bolero Red paint. I saw the 250-cu.in. six-cylinder badges and figured it still had the engine in it due to the fact it had been off the road since the mid-Eighties.”
Once the hood was popped, the straight-six was there in all its glory, looking as though it had been barely touched since new. “At that point I was ready to make a play for both cars,” Rob recalls.
Luckily for this Camaro, its owner had kept it indoors and out of the weather, stating that he had held its title since the Seventies. The owner moved the car into his aunt’s garage in the mid-Eighties to start a restoration, at which point—you guessed it—he was going to install a healthy 350-cu.in. V-8. However, like many restoration projects, this one fizzled out before any real work began.
Scotty Lachenauer
This 1967 Camaro still has its “born with” drivetrain, including this L22 option, 250-cu.in. straight-six. Equipped with a one-barrel carburetor and standard 8.5:1 compression, the engine pumps out 155 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque. At first glance, it seems just the wearables have been replaced, as well as the radiator.
When Rob found the Camaro, its rear axle wore a set of aftermarket five-spoke mag wheels shod with bigger tires. As for the body, corrosion was minimal for a car that roamed the streets in this coastal region of the country, suffering just the typical amount of rust found over the wheelwells and lower front fenders. The aftermarket industry has been offering fender solutions for decades. The floors were solid, and the trunk was in restorable condition.
“The Camaro is a perfect blank canvas for anything you’d want to do: pro touring, Day Two, even an L78 or Z28 clone,” Rob says, referencing Chevrolet’s powerful 396-cu.in. big-block and high-strung small-block options, respectively.
Closer examination revealed that the pony car was a low-optioned example, the perfect cruiser to take on life’s daily chores back in the day. “It has four-wheel drum brakes, which is typical for most of the base model Camaros out there. It has a mono-leaf rear suspension, and has its original 10-bolt differential and Powerglide automatic transmission. There are no power options. It’s as simple a Camaro as one could come by. That’s why it’s a perfect builder for anything you can dream up. Or just restore it to stock. Your choice.”
Scotty Lachenauer
For a 56-year-old car, the interior is still in decent shape. The black vinyl bucket seats are replacements from a 1969 Camaro. A set of aftermarket gauges blend right in with the period-perfect look; the automatic transmission console and dash gauges remain in excellent condition.
Another major plus here is that the interior has remained in decent shape. A set of 1969 Camaro bucket seats now make a home in the cabin, each in usable condition after detailing. The console is still in excellent shape, and equally important to some is that the original shifter remains, too. Meanwhile, it was determined that the differential contains a cruising-friendly 2.73:1 gearset, which distributes the power from the six-cylinder without a problem.
Right now, the car is not running, and odds are the next owner will likely bring it to the next level of aftermarket performance, should Rob opt to sell. Conversely, a six-cylinder Camaro would without question be a unique sight at any car show.
Photo by Scotty Lachenauer
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