4-Speed Pace Car: 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
The trouble with Pace Cars is to call them “limited production” isn’t really accurate – the only cars associated with an event like the Indy 500 and produced in limited numbers are the typically two or three cars that actually paced the field. Everything else is a replica, and typically features zero mechanical enhancements over stock. This 1982 Chevy Camaro Pace Car edition is listed here on craigslist for $7,200 and is one of about 6,000 cars made. Is it truly limited? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Miguel for the find, and go here if the ad disappears.
This particular Pace Car edition received the decals you see on the doors, one on the dash, a unique interior and a few other cosmetic add-ons. The Camaro thankfully has a 4-speed manual transmission, which makes it a touch more interesting. Two engine options were available, one with fuel injection and the other without. No matter which you chose, power figures of the day were so anemic that neither option set the performance world on fire.
The hatch area looks fantastic despite having 70,000 miles on the clock. On that note, my personal feeling is the seller’s pricing is ambitious for a non-time capsule example despite the clean cosmetics. $5,000 or less seems like the right price point for one of these with higher mileage, and while the seller may feel this is “very rare” and of “limited production,” the numbers say otherwise. While the seat cloth looks good, you can see the vinyl trim is getting a bit wrinkled in this photo of the headrests.
The old-school California blue plates give some indication as to how long the Camaro Pace Car has resided in CA, and the West Coast location has surely played a role in its preservation. The Pace Car Camaros make sense to me as part of a collection of Camaro generations, as we don’t see this trim pop up as often – but with over 6,000 made, you can bet another one will come along before too long. Is this priced right or too ambitious?
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Comments
In order to get $5k staring at $7.2k seems prudent to me. If he starts at $5k he will likely only get $4k in the end. As for the motor some internal work could make it more lively. Differant cam, shave the heads, lighter advance springs in the distributor.five speed overdrive transmission, lower gear ratio in the back. I never used to like this generation of camero but over time they have grown on me. This another one those cars where the value is in the mileage and this car is to high to qualify.
It’s not worth buying if someone plans on doing those modifications, the money would be better spent on an 86 or newer 5spd IROC.
This is a nice car, I’m surprised to see manual windows.
Because of the smog laws in California, Camaros from mid-70’s and newer didn’t survive in great numbers. Up until the early to mid-90’s quality muscle cars were readily available at very reasonable prices, the newer “pony cars” were just expendable transportation. One of my friends would use the term “rubber bumper” cars in a derogatory manner when walking past row after row of 10 year old rust free Camaros and Firebirds at the local self service junkyards.
Steve R
So, where would one come in at with only 6,800 miles from new, even the tires have factory air? 1 owner, always garaged, Washington state where we don’t deteriorate from age, T-tops have NEVER been off the car.
Hagerty is showing $17,900 for a Concours condition. That is like hermetically sealed in a bag the day it left the factory. True Pebble Beach show-only car. Average selling price is $9,200, based on current historical sales. We’ll see where this one goes. I’ve always liked them. When they were new, the silver leather was so nice it looked like aluminum foil.
In my neck of the woods, theres no way you can one buy one of these in this shape/mileage for $5k.
Top five in the all-time list of GM wheels on this car. They really add to the look of anything they are mounted on. I’ve seen some mounted on Corvairs, a transformative installation!
Yup. You could put those wheels on a loaf of white bread and they would enhance its looks. One of GM’s better designs I think. And being GM’s corporate 5 bolt pattern, they fit a lot of stuff and they probably would fit on a loaf of bread . . .
Very unique design when new, especially after years of the 2nd generation Camaros and ‘birds. Only way the rather boring looking mustang could compete with this was under the hood and with less weight, never in appearance. Never. That coming from a Ford guy too.
A heck of a deal for a V8 and a 4 speed.
Country Classic Cars has one for sale at $5950. It has T-tops. I thought all of them did, but apparently not
nonono
Rare to find one with no T-tops….have only seen 2 in my life….not a bad buy I think, the 3rd gens are going up…..I have a 3rd gen IROC I bought new with the 350 and no T-tops (I hate them, no offense) and with 52,000 miles and red, I have been offered $17,000 from some guy from New Jersey…..told him nope….original owner and will go in the estate sale……
not even a replica… because the real one had T-tops and a replica would replicate that…. this has been a “rebuilt” from some stock car.