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Generations. My thoughts on all of them. Gen 1

4K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  IROCNROL1 
#1 ·
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.
 
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#2 ·
#3 · (Edited)
Thanks for the link, BlackGTP. I wasn't aware of it. It popped into my head while reading the endless debate on the Gen 6 here. Having been around since before the beginning put me in a position to give a first hand perspective on the earlier models in particular. Absense makes the heart grow fonder but there was never such a thing as a perfect Camaro and the original one was rather crude compared to the Mustang. I did have the hidden headlights and that was my favorite styling feature on the car. it went vey well with the overall look.

Hey, at least I wasn't a Ford fan. Then I would have had to defend the Mustang II. :eek:

The early Gen 2 was a much better car than the first one IMHO.
 
#4 ·
Funny thing is the Gen 6 Camaro is my favorite, looks fantastic, making gen 5 look bloated next to it. And then to throw in its athletic capabilities...

Ha, you'd have to defend the Pintostang! I don't think there is much of a defense for that, just like I can't defend the styling of the Pontiac Aztec!
 
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