The Best Car Ever: The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro

Fast cars! In the late 60s, girls weren't supposed to care about cars, but instead were expected to act like femme fatales, on the prowl for guys, appearing giddy if a male even glanced their way. But as a high school senior, I said to heck with the restrictive male/female roles. I loved fast cars, especially my '67 Chevy Camaro. And I knew most guys were green with envy that I drove one.

I could list all the facts and figures on my '67 Camaro and for those who are interested, the original invoice from 2/17/07 can be viewed here, but an invoice doesn't tell the story. What tells the story is something that comes from the heart-the sound of her engine, the feel of the steering wheel, centrifugal force as she handled the curves. I loved the roar of the engine as she'd kick into passing gear, leaving other cars behind in the dust. I took pride in her marina blue body, dark grille, and white sidewall tires.

To my mind, the '67 Chevy Camaro was the perfect car. In an age when gas at the pump cost 33¢ a gallon, very few people-including myself-cared about gas mileage. And all that power in the Camaro's V-8, 327 cubic inch engine made me feel like I was someone important, instead of just a shy teenager trying to grow up in a mad world.

My high school sweetheart (eventual husband) loved the Camaro, too, although I seldom let him drive it while we were in high school, partially because my parents owned it and it wasn't legally mine until they gave it to me as a graduation gift, and partially because I didn't want my baby wrecked. My boyfriend did things like throw his squat little Corvair into reverse at sixty miles an hour, and there was no way I was letting him try that with my car!

My fondest memory of the Camaro involves speed. I sat at a stoplight on Pennsylvania Avenue, listening to WPGC (Washington D.C.'s rock station) playing the latest top 40 hits on the radio and waiting for the light to turn. Gradually, my attention wandered to the car in the lane next to me. Since I was only seventeen, I thought the driver was really old. Almost ancient. Like thirty or something. But, for an old guy he had great taste, because he was driving a Corvette Stingray. Yup, the mother of all fast cars, with a 0-60 acceleration that could quickly outdistance my Camaro.

The driver stared straight ahead, although I sensed that he knew I was looking at his car. I wondered ... if I punched it when the light turned green, would he respond in kind? How could he not take up the gauntlet? I was sure my Camaro could beat him out of the gate, and yet he was probably just as sure nothing could beat his 'Vette.

The light turned, my adrenaline surged and I couldn't resist. I hit the gas, accelerated hard, and the driver of the 'Vette did the same. There were no other cars in either of our lanes, and we flew down the long stretch to the next stop light, the Camaro taking the lead and holding it. As we braked, I looked over at him and saw an almost imperceptible nod and a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

And then we went our separate ways.

Later in life, I named quite a few of my cars. Fun names like, Alphie (the green Chevette, that looked like a little, square alfalfa cube), Jenny the Jeep, and even my latest vehicle ... an SUV dubbed, "The Nighthawk."

But the '67 Camaro? She never needed a name, because Camaro covered it all. It wasn't until much later that I discovered the word camaro meant "friend" in French.

Was the '67 Camaro really a friend? Or just a hunk of metal, tires, and a way to get from here to there? Well, all I can say is that I was seventeen, she was fast, she was beautiful, and she was mine.

A Few Specs on the Camaro:
1967 Camaro 2 Door Sports Coupe
Model: 12437
V-8
327 CID
275hp
15mpg (approximately)
Selling price (1967): $3356.80

Click here to see the original invoice for the Camaro.
Click here to see a model similar to my '67 Camaro, only in a convertible top.

Sources:
Cindy Lynn's Blog, (Original Invoice for 1967 Camaro) http://cindylynnsblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/1967-chevy-camaro-by-cindy-lynn.html
MuscleCarDrive.com http://www.musclecardrive.com/specs/chevrolet/1967-chevrolet-camaro.php
Personal Experience