California Camaro: Unrestored 1967 RS/SS-350
The trouble with writing for Barnfinds is I find myself falling in love far too often. I have a thing for performance cars that escaped the hot rodders hand and survived in good unrestored condition. Located in Roseville, CA, this 1967 Camaro is listed for sale here on Craigslist. The asking price is $33,000 or best offer. It is evident the previous owner meticulously maintained this car. It comes with the original owners manual, protecto-plate, literature, receipts, and wire-bound notebooks documenting the maintenance performed.
I find the first generation Camaros with the combined RS and SS options most attractive. The RS option was an appearance package. It got you the hideaway headlights, the parking/turn signal lights in the front valence, distinctive taillights and backup lights in the rear valence. This car also has the attractive and functional front and rear accessory bumper guards. The SS-350 option was about performance. It came with chassis upgrades for better handling and a 295 h.p. rated 350 c.i. engine that was exclusive to the SS Camaro.
The car has obviously suffered some quarter panel damage. It’s not severe enough to require replacement. A skilled body man could repair it using very little filler. I would be tempted to simply repair and paint this quarter and leave the rest alone. First generation Camaros are notorious for rusting out at the bottom of the fenders and around the rear wheel openings. I don’t see any indication of that here. Spoilers are prevalent on first generation Camaros today. The fact is, most of them, including the SS, RS, and Z-28 models, didn’t come with spoilers. I find it refreshing to see one that hasn’t had spoilers and rally wheels added.
The car looks excellent on the inside. The ad doesn’t mention how many miles are showing on the odometer. Either the miles are fairly low or there may have been some work done here. The deluxe interior option is a big plus. I find the seat design much more attractive. The deluxe interior also includes the more stylish molded door panels as opposed to the standard flat door panels with screwed-on armrests.
Looks unmolested under the hood except for the addition of a radiator overflow tank and hose. Even the smog pump is still there. They were usually taken off and discarded right away. The drivetrain is said to be numbers matching and according to the owner, the car “drives like new”. The only negative thing I have to say is, it has no air conditioning. As well equipped as this car is, that’s a little surprising. What do you think readers? Anyone else lusting over this fine first-gen?
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Comments
Nice one. The 33 is probably what the market will bear 🐻. I remember them under 2000 grand all day…
My 1969 z28 rally sold in early 82 for 1800.
Those were the days when project cars meant needs paint or an engine rebuild .
Now a project car is suggested to bring a chainsaw to cut the tree out of the body and get a rollback 😕😮 No thanks !
This is a nice one to buy and leave as is other than touching up the quarter panel as an unrestored original . Some purists might leave the dents.
Agreed, on every point. It’s always nice when a car turns up in the kind of condition they were in when I was young and entering the hobby. I remain optimistic that there are many left, by all marques, in this condition, that are waiting to be found. At least they seem to be trickling into the market.
I agree leave it and drive it and maybe touch up the quarter panel! Nice car with the original radio!
Air conditioning wasn’t a must have option on a pony car back in ‘67. I’m not too surprised that this car doesn’t have it.
Power and wallet drain. A/C cost big money back in the day.
I prefer the simpler lines of the 67 over the more popular 69.
That this example didn’t get “improved” with engine, body, wheel or suspension modifications after all these years is a minor miracle.
No way it wouldn’t have had at least glasspacks, air shocks, traction bars, Cragats & 60s on the back around here.
Of course it also would’ve been rusted out through the fenders & underneath.
Crazy that this is may be a $30k plus car but hey, it’s over 50 years old now & an original rust free, highly desirable model from a fairly low production year.
My seventh grade English teacher had one just like this one. Same SS stripe, 350 engine and, same colors including the vinyl top. All the boys in the school thought it was hot!!! She was pretty hot too. Discovering cars and girls at the same time kept me pretty busy.
jw454, I’ll bet if she drove a Rambler, she would have been several notches lower on the hottie list. Amazing what a hot car can do for the image. Too bad it didn’t work for me.
I had a high school art teacher who drove an AMC Pacer. The car was butt-ugly, but she certainly wasn’t. None of us guys cared what she drove. :)
I had a high school gym teacher that drove a pastel green Ford Pinto. But she was way up on the hottie list, Pinto notwithstanding.
My brother and I owned a burgundy 67, him first then me.Funny ‘Poseur’ mentioned glass packs, airshocks,etc….I watched things about the car i didn’t like when my bro had it ,so I changed a few. No airshocks but shackles, glasspacks and the most important, Mr. Gasket traction bars. This thing would wheel hop like crazy…no more. It was a special order car for a guy in our town.Big 327, and 3 speed,column,373 gears. This thing ran very good and people seeing the 327 on the front fenders uxuslly only saw the rear bumber! Still have a few pics!
This if my exact car besides my interior color is black. and a 4 speed
This is so cool!
nice car which I would love to own and worth the price as well. I am guessing it was wrecked though early in it’s life since the front fenders don’t match and the 350 callouts ae missing from the front fenders? or did RSs not include this?
I sold my ’67 RS/Z28 in 1978 for $1600, nobody but the guy that actually purchased it really knew what is was all about. It even had the firewall cut out for the ‘cold air duct’, but the correct air filter and duct were long gone as was the link from the floor pan to the rear axle on the passenger side. It was just another used up car back then.
This is a much nicer in the pics than it is in person. For $33K there is much nicer out there. Lots of bruises on the outside of this car. It really needs an complete exterior redo. It is a nice car but far from a $33K car. And it really is not the best of color combinations. It has been for sale for several months on CL.
This does look like a nice relatively unmolested original car and anything is possible from the factory, but I wonder about the black painted tail light panel. I was under the impression that this was only done on big block cars which weren’t sold until later in the model year. According to the documentation photos this car was sold in November, 1966 so it is pretty early. The photos also show it was originally purchased by a woman which may explain the Powerglide automatic choice.
Comments, sorry I try not to be too negative and pick cars apart but the write up on this one is way off the mark to me.
I had a 67 RS SS 350 in approximately 1989. Very original car and I don’t believe it was repainted. To Bob M above, my car’s tail light panel was not blacked out, it was red like the rest of the car.
“As well equipped as this car is” from the write up, a bunch of comments here.
First off, don’t get me wrong, this is a great car, not sure of its value, but a great car.
This car is well equipped from the standpoint that it is an RS/SS. Option wise, it is NOT well equipped. Does not appear to have Power Steering or Power brakes. Has a powerglide. Does not look to have the rear fold down seat unless I missed it. No AC. No power windows. Not sure it has any gauge upgrades? Tilt? No remote door mirror. No vanity interior options like visor mirrors or dash grab handle. Yes deluxe interior. I am sure there are more options I am missing.
This color combination is far down the list of desirable color combinations….in my opinion. Love the gold but gold with a black top and interior would have been nicer in my opinion and I know would be better for resale.
1st gen Camaro’s DID have spoilers BUT not until 1968. Parking lights in the front valance were standard. 67 RS had the full rear taillight, and not split so the back up light were in the rear pan standard on the RS.
Rally Wheels were an option on this car with the 7″, not 8″, with the lower more flush center cap, not the cone style like on a Corvette but same idea. Trim ring with 5 oval openings between the trim ring and the center cap…..so it is not only liked by you that no one put them on later in the cars life but the original owner did not pony up for the rally wheels as an option when new.
GM 1967 cannot be “numbers matching”, VIN stamping on GM blocks matched to the car did not start until 1968 along with mandatory side marker lamps. So a “date code correct motor” would apply as being the “original” engine.
68custom, good eye on the mismatched paint and no emblems. The Front Fenders should say “Rally Sport” in an emblem between the wheel and the door with the GM crossed checkered flags with 350 above the center of the 2 flags. SS badge should be in the middle of the bumble bee stripe at the front of the fender (not sure if it is or not on this one as I type).
I could be wrong on some of these points but I don’t think I am. This car is original and a survivor if not repainted, not saying it is. Front fender(s) for sure. Yes car is in GOOD shape for 51 years old but at the same time with the repainted front fenders and? The LR quarter extensive damage, dings etc….not sure where the 33K comes in? Being born in CA and staying there was key to its survival.
If you were going to order a 67 Camaro and check the RS box and the SS box….this car’s original owner went out of their way to not include any more options outside of the deluxe interior which MIGHT have been part of the RS package?? Not sure if someone can confirm that as true or not??
Unfortunately to me that is unfortunate because it is not like a COPO where the car was a letter car, ordered stripped down BUT had every high performance factory features built in and then some while not selecting the trim/luxury items right down to steel wheels and radio delete! Not the same here.
Sorry, Dougie Downer, all done. If I am wrong and you know more than I do about these cars….which is totally possible, please correct me. The write up missed the mark for me on accuracy.
6” rally wheels in 67
Deluxe or properly called “Custom interior” was NOT standard on the RS
Thanks for the corrections. 6″, did not know that and I owned one! Many years ago…..back when no one knew what they would become or be worth one day.
Am I right about the GM rally wheel for the Corvette’s being an 8″?
Tom, not sure about 1967 but My 1972 Stingray came with 8 inch rally wheels.
Bobby Miller, you dropped the “F” bomb . Filler ?
Camaro rally wheels were 6 inch 1967 and 1968 they were 14 on ss 15 on z only. Corvettes got 7 inch rally wheel in 68 . 1969 z got 7 inch and Corvette got 8.
Appears to still be for sale. Not sure why this car is showing the CA blue plates from year 1986, I know for sure as one of my old girlfriends had a brand new ’86 Toyota mr2 and her blue plate started with 1PSE. This car if no back issues with DMV should have the black with yellow lettering. Price seems a bit high for the condition but is a definite local to Sacramento car being from the ever popular John Geer Chevy.
The SS 350 did have vin stamped on block as well as the transmission on all case parts if 4 speed was ordered for LA assembled cars I have an original car… the 327 did not have vin stamp..AC cars were heavy and the AC was bulky and somewhat primitive as far as weight and size…AC can be added with bolt on modern system if wanted that doesn’t take up a large part of engine bay