Minneapolis Street Sighting: Chevrolet Camaro "Z/28" convertible

Out of all the cars featured here on The Automotive Way, I can't think of two more cliched cars than Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros; as a car enthusiasts, I love both cars, but so do millions of other car enthusiasts; they're popular at car shows, and I see them by the tens every day, usually with at least one tacky aftermarket add-on aside from a blinging set of wheels that generally don't work with the car.

Growing up in Kansas in the 1990s, classic Camaros were a relatively common occurence, and I thought nothing of seeing multiple on the same day. As the years went by, I began to see less and less first-generation Camaros, and even the much-bashed third-generation slowly got less and less common--and that was in Kansas.

Minnesota is a whole different ballgame; rust hits cars rather hard here, and even some of the early fourth-generation cars are starting to look fairly shabby. I don't see very many pre-third-generation Camaros at  all, thought at shows it seems like the cars are in droves--and usually look quite a bit alike. These early cars look good, and its hard not to make them look even better than stock. Sometimes, going the cookie-cutter route when it comes to modifying can make a car look worse than stock, instead of better.

First off, as a member from a car forum I'm on pointed out, this is not a real Z/28 as the badge would lead you to believe; instead, it's a very good phantom "clone"; the only things bringing it down are the modern (and tacky) footwell speakers and the rather obvious choice of Torq Thrust/Bullitt style wheels, except in chrome. While the wheels look great, they don't really suit this classic Camaro.

The paint on this thing is fantastic; the color's beautiful, and the white stripes really work here; I dig the stock badging and it's probably my favorite part of this car; insider, as I said, the modern touches ruin the feel of the interior and I'm not sure about the seats.

That little blurb being written, I don't hate this car; in-fact, I think I do like it, but as with most Camaros, I'm just not into it. There are other cars I like more, but for what it is, this tribute phantom Z/28 is very nice.

I am glad I shot this, because I have not seen it since; I hope it's still living, and I hope it's either been returned to as stock as possible, or at least had some new wheels put on it that are less blingy. 

Colin's Toybox: Hot Wheels Chevrolet Camaro Z-28

I have stood by my beliefs that a Camaro is probably the first car I recognized, and was able to recognize based on design cues; as I got older, my Camaro love switched from fourth-gen, to third-gen, and now, as a somewhat mature car enthusiast, I have grown to appreciate the late second-generation cars. As a young child, I really didn't know shit about cars compared to what I know now. I only learned of the differences between the early and late second generation cars probably in about seventh or eighth grade but that's one interest that stuck with me. I had a few of this casting from back in the day, but most have been crushed by now.
I've had this example for a few years, now, and I think it depicts this model very well. The color scheme is spot on, right down to the 1970s-era (Malaise-era) rocker stripes in ghastly orange. I do like it, though, because it reminds the collector (or enthusiast) what this generation Camaro looked like when new. My biggest grip (beside the wheel size, obviously) is the cluttered front-end detailing. Either detail it all, or not at all. I think this particular example, since it has the correct decal tampos, would benefit greatly from headlight and taillight detailing. Sadly I don't have the steady hand required to make such alterations, or else I would happily do so.
For what it is, it's a decent piece; Hot Wheels can, and has, done better, but this is a good starting point. If you're a seasoned Camaro collector, and need a late second-gen, this is probably your only choice. Would I buy another? Probably not; I'd get the 2012 rendition of this bodystyle. It looks better and more proportioned, and it looks realistic, too.