Not to date myself, but I was around and semi-sentient before there was even an inkling of a vehicle named Camaro. Or even Panther for that matter. I was there when the Mustang (sorta like the Beatles) took the country by storm and left GM flatfooted and scrambling for a response.
Why did I even care? Well, at the tender age of ten I had already chosen Chevrolet in the never ending Chevy/Ford argument. I preferred GM styling and my older brother was a Ford fan. Simple as that.
When the 1967 Camaro finally debuted I was underwhelmed and dissappointed. I felt it was too plain. Especially on the inside. To me at least, it looked like it was hurriedly thrown together to counter the Mustang. Which as a matter of fact, it was. IMHO the 1969 model was a vast (1.5 year) improvement in styling and refinement. There's a reason it was the most popular Gen 1 model.
Still, years later I bought a 1967 RS. I wanted to like it. I really did. But I didn't. In addition to my reinforced dislike of the plain interior, the braking and handling left a lot to be desired. I do realize these negative attributes were the norm for American cars during that time period, but I wanted more. I should have at least bought a 1969 model.
I suppose I should throw in a disclaimer here. I don't profess to be an expert by any means. These are simply my thoughts and experiences on the three Camaros I have owned plus a bit on the other generations that I drove and looked at closely but never bought. My opinions are no more or less valid than anyone else's.
Why did I even care? Well, at the tender age of ten I had already chosen Chevrolet in the never ending Chevy/Ford argument. I preferred GM styling and my older brother was a Ford fan. Simple as that.
When the 1967 Camaro finally debuted I was underwhelmed and dissappointed. I felt it was too plain. Especially on the inside. To me at least, it looked like it was hurriedly thrown together to counter the Mustang. Which as a matter of fact, it was. IMHO the 1969 model was a vast (1.5 year) improvement in styling and refinement. There's a reason it was the most popular Gen 1 model.
Still, years later I bought a 1967 RS. I wanted to like it. I really did. But I didn't. In addition to my reinforced dislike of the plain interior, the braking and handling left a lot to be desired. I do realize these negative attributes were the norm for American cars during that time period, but I wanted more. I should have at least bought a 1969 model.
I suppose I should throw in a disclaimer here. I don't profess to be an expert by any means. These are simply my thoughts and experiences on the three Camaros I have owned plus a bit on the other generations that I drove and looked at closely but never bought. My opinions are no more or less valid than anyone else's.