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1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

The second-year of the Chevrolet Camaro helped establish GM's new F-body release as one of the premier offerings of the so-called pony-car market segment. A good deal of this success was due to RPO Z28, which legalized the equipment that individuals like Mark Donohue were driving in the SCCA's Trans-Am race program. The Z28 package was comprised of extreme components that helped ensure what became a winning season. Updates were made to the driveline and suspension, and the engine was a factory-installed 302/290 horsepower engine, which was designed for high-RPM use thanks to its 'over square' 4.0-inch bore by 3.0-inch stroke. The 302 included plenum-fed cold-air induction, a 4-barrel Holley carburetor, aluminum intake, forged crankshaft, and high-flow exhaust components. The stripes and exclusive 302 fender emblems were the only exterior trim denoting that this was a purpose-focused vehicle from Detroit. Inside were bucket seats, a deluxe gauge-equipped console, wood-grain-style sport steering wheel with Tic-Toch-Tach and an integral clock.

The Z28 was introduced to the motoring press on November 26, 1966, at California's Riverside Raceway. The late-1965 announcement of the new SCCA Trans American Sedan Championship racing series made even more urgent Chevrolet's need to field a capable competitor. In August of 1966, Chevrolet Product Promotions Manager Vince Piggins convinced Chevrolet President Pete Estes to approve a racing version of the Camaro. He had created a prototype using a 327 cubic-inch small-block engine and explained to Estes that it could be stroked out to 302 cubic inches, falling within the Trans-Am series' 305 CID limit. A 283 crank was used to produce a high-revving over-square engine of impressive power. Chevy engineers designed a specific suspension for the car, adding a rear radius rod and a thicker front sway bar to the optional F41 suspension, stiffer rear springs, a heftier rear axle, power front disc brakes, and quick-ratio steering. The engines were often backed by a Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission with a 12-bolt 4.10 Positraction rear end. Other options were available including the BU code 3.73 bolt Positraction rear end.

Among the list of options available included power steering, Soft Ray-tinted glass, and front and rear spoilers. The Rally Sport (RS) option could be added to the Z28 package, which added Hide-Away headlights and a sinister-looking black-out grille, Rally wheels, front bumper guards, dual outside rearview mirrors, D80 spoilers, and a stripe decal kit. Performance enhancers included a stainless-steel exhaust, front disc brakes, and F41 off-road suspension. The interior was given an in-dash clock-tachometer setup, AM radio, and the deluxe simulated wooden steering wheel.

Backed by Roger Penske, Mark Donohue campaigned the Z28 to multiple wins in 1967, taking home the SCCA championship in both 1968 and 1969.


by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2020

Related Reading : Chevrolet Camaro History

The Chevrolet Camaro was introduced in 1967 as a compact car specifically built to provide competition for the highly popular Ford Mustang. This pony car was built atop of the same F-Body platform as the Pontiac Firebird, which had a similar production lifespan of 1967 through 2002. During the preproduction stages of the Chevrolet Camaro, General Motors codenamed the vehicle Panther. The name....
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1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Vehicle Profiles

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

1968 Camaro Z28
$3,527-$166,900
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Base Price : $3,527

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

Other 1968 Chevrolet Models
$2,600 - $3,797
$2,630 - $3,240

Camaro Generation 1

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
220,906
108.10 in.
8 cyl., 263.00 CID., 195.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 210.00hp
8 cyl., 302.00 CID., 290.00hp
8 cyl., 350.00 CID., 295.00hp
8 cyl., 396.00 CID., 350.00hp
8 cyl., 396.00 CID., 375.00hp
$2,500 - $3,310
7,199
108.10 in.
8 cyl., 302.00 CID., 350.00hp
$3,527 - $3,527
235,147
106.00 in.
6 cyl., 230.00 CID., 140.00hp
6 cyl., 250.00 CID., 155.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 210.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 250.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 275.00hp
8 cyl., 302.00 CID., 290.00hp
8 cyl., 350.00 CID., 295.00hp
8 cyl., 396.00 CID., 325.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 350.00hp
8 cyl., 395.31 CID., 375.00hp
$2,600 - $3,797
243,085
108.00 in.
6 cyl., 230.00 CID., 140.00hp
6 cyl., 250.00 CID., 155.00hp
8 cyl., 307.00 CID., 200.00hp
8 cyl., 327.00 CID., 210.00hp
8 cyl., 350.00 CID., 255.00hp
8 cyl., 302.00 CID., 290.00hp
8 cyl., 350.00 CID., 300.00hp
8 cyl., 396.00 CID., 325.00hp
8 cyl., 396.00 CID., 350.00hp
8 cyl., 396.00 CID., 375.00hp
8 cyl., 427.00 CID., 430.00hp
$2,635 - $2,850
108.10 in.
8 cyl., 454.00 CID., 641.00hp
108.00 in.
8 cyl., 481.00 CID.
$2,850 - $2,850

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