6 Rare Early F-bodies We Wish We Owned
The Chevy Camaro beat the Pontiac Firebird to market by a few months, but Pontiac made up for it with better styling. Here's 6 models from those early years we wish we could park in our garage, without selling a kidney or becoming a jewel thief.
1. 1967 Firebird #1 and #2
These were the original Firebirds -- and we do mean these were the originals, serial numbers 100001 and 100002! These were the hand-crafted show cars from which all 1967 Firebirds followed. Camaros were already on the road and in dealers when Pontiac built the "Magnificent Five" Firebirds to show off at auto shows around the country, which is why the trim tag on these reads "Show1" and "Show4". These first of the Firebirds have since been given a full restoration, and last we heard of them, they're now on display at a Pontiac museum in North Dakota. There is nothing super special about them (the grey one is an HO model with a 4 speed though) but its always nice to be the first.
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2. 1968 Z/28 Camaro Convertible
This is an extremely rare vehicle -- only one was ever made, for Chevrolet's general manager Peter Estes in July 1968. Estes went crazy for all things convertible, so a special Z/28 Camaro was made with the convertible top, a combination of options no normal dealer could have ordered. Also unheard of in a Z/28 of this era, it included virtually every luxury and convenience option you can imagine, from folding rear seats, to power windows. Estes used the car religiously all summer and fall,and sold it off to a lucky buyer in December of that same year.
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3. 1968 Pontiac Firebird Ram Air II
There was no radio or comfort amenities in these cars, but under the hood there's a Ram Air II 400 engine, which ought to be all the entertainment you need. Also included was a heavy duty Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission, stiffer suspension, and a full set of gauges. Only 12 of these monsters were made, and it was clear from the get-go that these race-oriented cars were designed to maximize speed, by simultaneously minimizing weight and installing the biggest motor. The Firebird Ram Air II cars were all special-ordered for Pontiac acolytes who wanted the fastest car from GMs excitement division in 1968. The dedication to performance paid off; the 1968 Firebird Ram Air II is now regarded as one of the fastest muscle cars of its generation.
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4. 1969 Camaro RS/SS Convertible L78
Early Camaros with both the SS and RS options aren't super rare, though the convertibles are rarer that hard tops, but this model is interesting specifically for the fact that it had the most powerful engine, the L78 375hp 396ci V8, under the hood. Although Camaro wasn't the only car to use an L78 big block, it was the lightest and fastest, especially when combined with the optional close ratio 4-speed manual.
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5. 1969 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Convertible
Only 8 of these '69 Pontiac Trans Am Convertibles were ever produced, and only 4 had a 4 speed manual transmission, and this is the only one with the Parchment interior. The Trans Am option package wasn't promoted well in 1969, but this particular car was ordered and built for a Pontiac engineer, who knew exactly which option boxes to check. After most of a year (and nearly 10,000) as a company car and demonstrator it was sold off into he general marketplace. All these years later it survives and the 335hp 400ci motor is just as strong as ever.
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6. Any ZL-1 COPO Camaro
The acronym COPO stands for Central Office Production Order, and meant a specially built car that could not normally be ordered off the assembly line. This was notably used by dealers who were looking for special high-performance cars for racing and promotions. Only 69 of the COPO Camaros with the ZL-1 aluminum big block were produced in 1969, all rated at 430hp, making them incredibly rare and valuable to fans of the brand now. In a pinch, sure we'd take the more common iron block 427 COPO, but that extra weight in the nose means its more of a drag racer than a road car.
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