Chevrolet Camaro 1976
I bought this Camaro in 1976 at Paramount Chevrolet in Downey, California. Chevrolet named this color "Firethorn Mist." It had a 350 c.i. V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor and a 4-speed transmission in a year in which the sales brochure stated that 4-speeds were not available in California.
Despite the engine displacement (350 cubic inches/5.7L) the stated power output was only 165 SAE Net horsepower. California emissions rules made it nearly impossible to retrofit engine performance parts in order to increase the output.
I added a rear anti-roll bar from the RPO F41 suspension package. In the front the stock front bar was replaced with a 1.25" dia. item and other hardware available for the Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am. The changes made it corner very flatly.
This front view shows the 5 mph bumpers that debuted I believe in the 1974 model year. It was aluminum but was it heavy! I took it off once for the purposes of painting. The car's handling was noticeably better without it. To reinstall the bumper I had to resort to having it supported by a combination of crates and seat cushions at just the right height and had to use the biggest screwdriver in the toolbox to use as an ad hoc alignment awl.
Before they were painted, the bumpers had a bright and shiny aluminum finish. I painted them to tone down the visual 'heaviness' of them. Ditto for the headlight doors.
Chevrolet Camaro 1976
I bought this Camaro in 1976 at Paramount Chevrolet in Downey, California. Chevrolet named this color "Firethorn Mist." It had a 350 c.i. V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor and a 4-speed transmission in a year in which the sales brochure stated that 4-speeds were not available in California.
Despite the engine displacement (350 cubic inches/5.7L) the stated power output was only 165 SAE Net horsepower. California emissions rules made it nearly impossible to retrofit engine performance parts in order to increase the output.
I added a rear anti-roll bar from the RPO F41 suspension package. In the front the stock front bar was replaced with a 1.25" dia. item and other hardware available for the Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am. The changes made it corner very flatly.
This front view shows the 5 mph bumpers that debuted I believe in the 1974 model year. It was aluminum but was it heavy! I took it off once for the purposes of painting. The car's handling was noticeably better without it. To reinstall the bumper I had to resort to having it supported by a combination of crates and seat cushions at just the right height and had to use the biggest screwdriver in the toolbox to use as an ad hoc alignment awl.
Before they were painted, the bumpers had a bright and shiny aluminum finish. I painted them to tone down the visual 'heaviness' of them. Ditto for the headlight doors.