Those with a nose for automotive history will tell you plenty of devastatingly powerful models and options in the ‘60s and ‘70s indirectly (and sometimes very directly) spawned from the desire of gearheads deep in the bowels of Detroit automakers to go racing. The Z/28 is one of them.
Get an insurance quote from Hagerty - a company that provides insurance for people who love cars. In addition, if you are looking to invest in a classic car or sell one of your own, the Hagerty marketplace is for you!
![10 things you should know about the chevy camaro z 28]( "10 things you should know about the chevy camaro z 28")
So-called “gentlemen’s agreements” once abounded in the industry - and were actually adhered to in some instances, with the 155 mph top speed limit on some German cars being an oft-cited example. There was allegedly one about competing in certain race series in America, only for Chevy to be caught flatfooted when Ford and Chrysler went anyway.
1 - Villain’s Origin
This is apparently the Z28 production option package origin story, showing up in 1967 a year after the brand sat out the inaugural season of the Trans-American Sedan Championship. You’ll hear it called an RPO by GM nerds, which stands for Regular Production Option. Despite being just a code for a group of performance parts, those in the know reverently discussed the name.
2 - Officially Official
After the first year of availability, marketers and the like at General Motors realized the power of those three characters and offered the contents of that Z28 as a separate trim level for the 1968 model year. Along with other year-over-year changes for the Camaro, such as side marker lights that were federally mandated, an official Z/28 trim was launched and aggressively advertised. Note the new ‘slash’ following the consonant, a punctuation that was often butchered by dealers and reviewers alike - and even GM was inconsistent in its usage over the years.
![10 things you should know about the chevy camaro z 28]( "10 things you should know about the chevy camaro z 28")
3 - Tearing Up the Track
Also helping matters in 1968 was the fact that Z/28 drivers were dominating the Trans-Am series, winning some 10 races in a stretch of 13 events. They were so good that Chevrolet won the championship with the maximum total number of points on offer that year. Ford was on the ropes and Mopar wasn’t even on the same page.
4 - Popularity Reigns
The 1969 model year ushered in aggressive and popular new styling, making it one of the best-looking Z/28s to these jaundiced eyes. Production of the trim is said to have tripled to over 20,000 units. Back on the track, Ford was catching up with its own effort in the Boss 302 but Chevy still edged it for the championship.
5 - Exhausted, Loudly
A fun fact for your next automotive-themed pub quiz centers around the Z/28 chambered exhaust system in the 1969 model year. Called the NC8 on a Camaro options sheet and essentially just free-flowing pipes, it was initially standard equipment on the Z/28 but Chevy reverted to a more sedate configuration after NIMBYs complained it broke local noise laws. Dweebs.
6 - Second-Gen Surprise
Styling changed dramatically for the 1970 model year, though Chevrolet has no intention of letting its RPO hero fade away. An automatic transmission showed up on the order sheet and even air conditioning was on the books by the 1973 model year. An industry change from gross to net horsepower ratings appeared to defang the car, though performance hadn’t completely vanished.
![10 things you should know about the chevy camaro z 28]( "10 things you should know about the chevy camaro z 28")
7 - Pulling into the 1980s
Depending on your age, the third-generation Camaro, which ran from 1982 to 1992, might be the body style that pops to mind when someone says the model name. There was a Z28 (notice the slash is gone) at launch, though it took nearly 10 seconds to reach 60 mph in a straight line. It ditched the ox cart suspension for coil springs, and performance improved by the mid-’80s.
8 - Pointed Return to Indy
With the advent of a new body style, one with needle-like sheet metal and a pointy beak, the still-slashless Z28 gained a six-speed manual transmission, upped its horsepower count to 275, and shed a bunch of weight. That same year, it paced the Indy 500, the fourth time a Camaro would be tasked for the job.
![10 things you should know about the chevy camaro z 28]( "10 things you should know about the chevy camaro z 28")
9 - Back With a Vengeance
After a hiatus in which the entire Camaro line itself disappeared for a spell, the Z/28 (now complete with old school slash) roared back into the lexicon for the 2014 model year. A mighty 7.0L V8 engine whipped out over 500 horsepower - and it was only available with a manual transmission. Air conditioning was optional and it had what Chevy claimed were the widest front tires (305/30R19) of any production car at the time.
10 - Breathe Deeply
In fact, that 2014 Z/28 was so extreme that engineers took a Dremel to the ‘bowtie’ logo on the Camaro grille, hollowing it out for more airflow to the gargantuan V8. They called it the ‘flowtie’, which was tremendous. Designers also binned most sound deadening and all stereo speakers except for one. They then installed cheap base model head- and taillights, plus some dandy Recaro seats.
Let’s Talk Value
We wanted to see what the current market looks like for the Camaro Z28, so we asked our friends at Hagerty to provide us with some numbers. They put together a chart showcasing what different Z28 models were worth in 2020 as well as 2025.
Get an insurance quote from Hagerty - a company that provides insurance for people who love cars. In addition, if you are looking to invest in a classic car or sell one of your own, the Hagerty marketplace is for you!
So-called “gentlemen’s agreements” once abounded in the industry - and were actually adhered to in some instances, with the 155 mph top speed limit on some German cars being an oft-cited example. There was allegedly one about competing in certain race series in America, only for Chevy to be caught flatfooted when Ford and Chrysler went anyway.
1 - Villain’s Origin
This is apparently the Z28 production option package origin story, showing up in 1967 a year after the brand sat out the inaugural season of the Trans-American Sedan Championship. You’ll hear it called an RPO by GM nerds, which stands for Regular Production Option. Despite being just a code for a group of performance parts, those in the know reverently discussed the name.
2 - Officially Official
After the first year of availability, marketers and the like at General Motors realized the power of those three characters and offered the contents of that Z28 as a separate trim level for the 1968 model year. Along with other year-over-year changes for the Camaro, such as side marker lights that were federally mandated, an official Z/28 trim was launched and aggressively advertised. Note the new ‘slash’ following the consonant, a punctuation that was often butchered by dealers and reviewers alike - and even GM was inconsistent in its usage over the years.
3 - Tearing Up the Track
Also helping matters in 1968 was the fact that Z/28 drivers were dominating the Trans-Am series, winning some 10 races in a stretch of 13 events. They were so good that Chevrolet won the championship with the maximum total number of points on offer that year. Ford was on the ropes and Mopar wasn’t even on the same page.
4 - Popularity Reigns
The 1969 model year ushered in aggressive and popular new styling, making it one of the best-looking Z/28s to these jaundiced eyes. Production of the trim is said to have tripled to over 20,000 units. Back on the track, Ford was catching up with its own effort in the Boss 302 but Chevy still edged it for the championship.
5 - Exhausted, Loudly
A fun fact for your next automotive-themed pub quiz centers around the Z/28 chambered exhaust system in the 1969 model year. Called the NC8 on a Camaro options sheet and essentially just free-flowing pipes, it was initially standard equipment on the Z/28 but Chevy reverted to a more sedate configuration after NIMBYs complained it broke local noise laws. Dweebs.
6 - Second-Gen Surprise
Styling changed dramatically for the 1970 model year, though Chevrolet has no intention of letting its RPO hero fade away. An automatic transmission showed up on the order sheet and even air conditioning was on the books by the 1973 model year. An industry change from gross to net horsepower ratings appeared to defang the car, though performance hadn’t completely vanished.
7 - Pulling into the 1980s
Depending on your age, the third-generation Camaro, which ran from 1982 to 1992, might be the body style that pops to mind when someone says the model name. There was a Z28 (notice the slash is gone) at launch, though it took nearly 10 seconds to reach 60 mph in a straight line. It ditched the ox cart suspension for coil springs, and performance improved by the mid-’80s.
8 - Pointed Return to Indy
With the advent of a new body style, one with needle-like sheet metal and a pointy beak, the still-slashless Z28 gained a six-speed manual transmission, upped its horsepower count to 275, and shed a bunch of weight. That same year, it paced the Indy 500, the fourth time a Camaro would be tasked for the job.
9 - Back With a Vengeance
After a hiatus in which the entire Camaro line itself disappeared for a spell, the Z/28 (now complete with old school slash) roared back into the lexicon for the 2014 model year. A mighty 7.0L V8 engine whipped out over 500 horsepower - and it was only available with a manual transmission. Air conditioning was optional and it had what Chevy claimed were the widest front tires (305/30R19) of any production car at the time.
10 - Breathe Deeply
In fact, that 2014 Z/28 was so extreme that engineers took a Dremel to the ‘bowtie’ logo on the Camaro grille, hollowing it out for more airflow to the gargantuan V8. They called it the ‘flowtie’, which was tremendous. Designers also binned most sound deadening and all stereo speakers except for one. They then installed cheap base model head- and taillights, plus some dandy Recaro seats.
Let’s Talk Value
We wanted to see what the current market looks like for the Camaro Z28, so we asked our friends at Hagerty to provide us with some numbers. They put together a chart showcasing what different Z28 models were worth in 2020 as well as 2025.
| Summary | 9/1/2020 | 7/1/2025 | Change |
| 1967-1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 | $53,400 | $78,550 | 47.10% |
| 1970-1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 | $22,636 | $26,579 | 17.40% |
| 1982-1992 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 | $11,113 | $12,850 | 15.60% |
| 1993-2002 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 | $11,364 | $12,495 | 10.00% |
| 2010-2015 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 | $39,900 | $56,300 | 41.10% |
