1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS

Engine

327cid, overhead-valve V-8, 210 horsepower

Transmission

2-speed Power-Glide automatic transmission

The internal “working” name for the car was “Panther.”

As pony cars go, the Camaro was late to the party. First came the Barracuda on April 1, 1964, followed closely by the Mustang later that month, with the Camaro arriving fashionably late on September 29, 1966. Just as the Barracuda shared the Valiant platform and the Mustang relied on Falcon underpinnings, the Camaro was similarly beholden to the 1968 Chevy II/Nova.

Like the other Pony Cars of the day, anything from a tame straight-six to a fire-breathing V-8 was available, mated to a variety of transmissions, with a three-speed manual the standard gearbox, with optional four-speed manual, two-speed automatic. The three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic was available with the 396cid engine.

First year sales were strong, with 195,765 coupes leaving showrooms, along with 25,141 convertibles. With a host of packages and options available, a reasonable base price could climb rather quickly. This red 1967 Camaro RS left the factory with the base 327cid V-8, Powerglide transmission, disc brakes, rally wheels and power windows. Original cost was roughly $3,100 plus tax, title and registration fees.

Little is known about the car before Hagerty acquired it in the fall of 2016. Once at the Hagerty garage, the engine and transmission were comprehensively rebuilt, and the brakes were overhauled. While the engine was out, perishables such as hoses, belts and motor mounts were replaced.

The big test for the open top Camaro came during the summer of 2019 when Olivia Hagerty and two art school friends embarked on a classic 21-day summer road trip that started in Brooklyn, NY, and finished in San Francisco, CA. Their route took them south through Lexington, VA, before turning west and aiming for Nashville, Little Rock, then through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and into California, and up the California coast to San Francisco.

Luck held for most of the trip, and other than an inefficient defroster, the only trouble was brake failure in Lost Angeles. Being a straight-forward American car, they were able to get it repaired and only lose half a day.

None the worse for the 3,000+ journey, the old ’67 proved to be well up to the task of taking three young ladies on a road trip they’ll never forget.