The license plate on our featured Camaro may say 1974, but to me, this car is pure 1985. In that year, I would have been a junior at Rutherford B. Hayes High School in Delaware, Ohio, and cars just like this one would have been prowling the streets of Delaware (and the student parking lot of Hayes). Not coincidentally, 1985 was also the year that the Dead Milkmen released the college radio sleeper hit Bitchin’ Camaro, a song that has become so cliche that I promised myself I wouldn’t mention it in this piece. Oh well, maybe next time.
in 1985, these mid-second generation F-body Camaros and Firebirds were plentiful and cheap. They would have been at peak depreciation and therefore at peak affordability for my high school classmates. In comparison, the first-generation Camaros were already becoming collectible (and therefore expensive) in 1985, while used third-generation models would have still been too new and expensive.
These mid-70s Camaros were never particularly collectible due to their poor performance compared to the models that preceded and followed them. As a result, many ended up getting used up and tossed out. Whatever the reason, these peak-malaise F-bodies seem to be rarer than hen’s teeth now. Perhaps not coincidentally, the 1974 Camaro has never gotten full Curbside Classic treatment and appears in but a single post here: A partially obstructed Cohort Pic(k) of the day photo. There is still some whitespace at CC if you know where to look.
Imagine my surprise then when I saw this bright yellow 1974 Chevrolet Camaro at a car show recently, perfectly preserved in amber as it would have appeared in roughly 1985. This is far more interesting (to me, at least) than seeing one overrestored to showroom condition because this is how I remember seeing these cars.
1974 was a bit of a tweener year for the Camaro and is therefore easy to identify. It was the first year for the “slant nose” front end with 5 mph bumpers (which might be tucked in a bit on the feature car – one of many modifications, as we shall see). It was also the last year without the iconic “wrap-around” rear window, which wouldn’t appear until 1975.
There are no engine callouts on the fender, but the single exhaust tells us this example is likely packing either the 250 six or (more likely) the 2-bbl 350 V8. But really, no matter which emission-strangled engine you chose, you were in for a relatively leisurely ride. Long gone was the 396 big block, and by 1974 the Z-28 was little more than a trim package.
The modifications on this Camaro seem to be fairly typical of the 1980s. The chrome headlight bezels have been swapped out for blackout ones from a 1976 or 77 model. The chrome trim around the grille and the badge inside it both appear to have been removed. The uneven fit and finish of the front end could be the result of some high school shop class bodywork, although in fairness it could also have been factory issue.
The Camaro was available in no fewer than two shades of yellow in 1974. I’m not sure if this car is either of those colors or if it was originally yellow at all for that matter. No matter – A cheap Maaco respray was a quick and dirty way to cover up your quick and dirty bondo rust repair job.
What is clearly original is the interior, whose green plaid cloth and vinyl Strato-bucket seats identify this model as the entry-level Sport Coupe model. That the interior is still original is not surprising: An Earl Scheib paint job may be cheap, but a proper set of Recaro seats costs real money, more than most high schoolers can swing.
Speaking of the interior, check out that radio. The original (probably AM-only) radio is long gone, along with the knobs with the playful musical note icons that Chevrolet use for a few years in the mid-70s. In its place is a 1980s vintage Radio Shack Realistic cassette deck and graphic equalizer along with matching Realistic speakers.
I forget now the exact pecking order of 1980s bargain basement aftermarket car stereo gear, but I seem to recall that Sparkomatic was at the bottom, followed by Craig. (True confession: I hacksawed a Sparkomatic cassette deck and 100W amp into the dashboard of my Mom’s Plymouth Reliant while I was in college). Radio Shack’s Realistic brand was maybe a slight notch higher in the pecking order, but I’m sure our readers will set me straight.
At least the 6×9 rear speakers (three-way, no less) are properly installed in the rear parcel shelf, rather than just sitting naked in the rear window.
While the rear speaker placement may or may not be historically accurate, the wheels and tires certainly are. It doesn’t get much more ’80s than a set of Cragar S/S Super Sports mounted with raised white letter BF Goodrich T/A radial tires. Although no Camaro ever left the factory so equipped, you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise, as the look has become almost iconic.
Lastly, the owner completed the presentation by placing a period-correct Michael Stanley Band Heartland cassette tape (released in 1980) on the trunk of the car. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to pop that tape into the cassette deck and cruise back to the glory of the ’80s.
The front bumper got bonked in pretty hard on the left side; I remember Mom’s 1979 Firebird’s nose taking on similar droops, heaves, and bends after it took a hit in the front. Everything popped back into place like Rubbermaid… almost.
I was only in 1st grade in 1985, but do remember quite a few 1974-77 Camaros around a few years later. It seemed like most of them in my area were 1975-77, and quite a few of those were yellow as well. For some reason, I’m remembering a lighter, sort of whizz yellow. Lots of 1978-81’s as well, though today, it seems like most 2nd gen F bodies that have survived are later Firebirds.
You are right – I thought the owner “tucked in” the 5 mph bumpers, but upon closer examination, someone just smashed the left side.
I was a high school Junior in 1978, and there were already quite a few of these in the high school parking lot. Most pretty much configured just like your example. Over the course of my high school career, I also remember several accidents involving students and these (one, sadly, fatal).
Thanks too for the (happier) Radio Shack memories. I think you have the early 1980s car audio food chain correct. “Sparkomatic”…it sure was cheap, but not exactly a confidence-inspiring name. Realistic was definitely a step up. Browsing those stereos was definitely something that happened regularly when I was at the store to get my battery of the month card punched.
I remember back in those days that your car having a Realistic stereo meant that you had enough money to get some decent equipment, but were poor enough that you did the installation yourself. Went thru more than a couple Radio Shack bits in my cars, anything from a proper in-dash cassette to a really funky under-dash mount combination 8 track and cassette player.
If your car sported one of the seriously prestige car audio brands (Pioneer, etc.) that mean you were well off enough to have a professional audio shop do the entire job for you.
Graduated “HS”, June “79”. Soo many of these roamed the roads in those days.
I was partial to the “Firebird” cousin car.
Remember a blue “Firebird Esprit”, in the community college lot, I used to admire.
Kraco was bottom of the ladder, at least in my area. In a display at any Schuck’s Auto Parts in my early 80’s high school days. (Now O’Reilly’s)
Excellent find and flashback! Chevrolet and Pontiac designers did a masterful job with the swept back Camaro and Firebird noses for 1974. A logical, more aerodynamic-appearing modernizing of the iconic 1970 grille and nose. I thought, a very nice update at the time. Would have worked well on the Vega, instead of their louvre grille, if Chevrolet chose that route.
Yellow plaid was also a choice highlight of the original Scirocco’s interior. Plaid could still appeal to the demographics of owner’s of two very divergent cars. Plaid’s popularity coinciding with the Bay City Rollers ’74 breakout song ‘Saturday Night’. It all came together for plaid, mid ’70s.
There was a meteoric rise of mainstream Middle America blue collar/protest rock, that peaked strongly from 1983 through 1985. Coinciding with the Footloose soundtrack, and the first ‘Farm Aid’ in September 1985. John Cougar Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Tony Carey, John Cafferty, were others that had big hits with blue collar rock anthems. Icons of that era.
My father traded in a screaming chicken Firebird for one of these in white with a bordello red interior. His might have been a little later, perhaps a ’77? I don’t remember much about it, as I was quite young when he had it.
I’m 15 years older than the author, so these were mostly gone from the high school parking lot in my day, replaced by 3rd and 4th generation Camaros. 2nd gens are quite scarce now, and these, kind of like a Mustang II, will never be desirable classics, but they can certainly be pretty cool time capsules.
I think you mean 15 years younger, but yeah, I know what you mean. These second-gen F-bodies used to be everywhere and seemingly disappeared overnight.
Whoops – yes I meant 15 years younger (I’m 41). Must have not had enough coffee this morning 🙂
Mine was a 78 in white with bordello red – 50 different shades of it depending on the surface.
I always tell people I could see from beneath there actually were springs and shocks, but I think their only job was ballast to further slow the car and nothing to do with ride, handling or suspension.
My memories of my father’s ’77 are quite faint, but it was hard to forget that interior!
I bought a ’74 Z-28 from neighbor who had adult-driven it for four years. As I recall, the Z-28 engine could still manage 245 hp. The only modification he made was replacing the stock exhaust manifolds with Corvette ram heads. I’m not sure it added any horsepower, but they were very good at cooking the cork valve cover gaskets.
My first couple car stereos were Sherwood and Audiovox – the VOXBOX lol.
And the prevalent cars in my HS parking lot were late 70s/early 80s Trans Ams – a disturbing number of which were brown metallic.
I might actually buy a GM product again if they brought back the crotch vents.
I’m the same-ish age as the author and on the West Coast these weren’t nearly as plentiful in my somewhat upper crust high school parking lot. Maybe more in the CA central valley or the flatland areas of “THE Valley”, even though they were built just a few miles away from me in Van Nuys.
If I were to ever buy a Camaro, this generation (or the facelifted later years one with the wider tail lights) would probably be the one – still pretty cheap if not “cheap” anymore, it looks good, is now rare enough to be “classic” instead of “beater” and it can make all the right sounds.
That interior screams survivor and may be the best one I can recall ever seeing, at least in a “driver” quality car. It would probably make the sale for me, although the yellow is a little loud for me. I recall Kraco and Jensen as other car stereo brands that might be half a notch above the others.
Spicoli’s dad could have fixed that bumper no problem, btw.
A very good find, Mr. Halter, and it seems you might associate these Camaros more with the ’80s than the ’70s as that’s when you (like I) mostly knew them.
Nice find! My high school years was from 81-84, and these were everywhere. I once saw a 81, last year of these in a wrecking yard with the 229 V6 and a 4 speed! How low can you go?
Another ‘Mullet Mobile’ from the past .
I like the plaid interiors .
I had a KRAKO cassette deck in my ‘Ghia and even with decent speakers it sounded tinny .
-Nate
I spec’s out a 76 similar to this back in the day in black, 350 4 bble and 4 speed. The reason I didn’t factory order it? My girl friend was about to become my wife and a house became more important. She is still with me so it looks like I made the right choice.
Awesome find! These should be thought of as platforms for building out the car you want. The combo of Small Block Chevy, rear wheel drive, and commonality of many parts with other GM cars of the era, gives one the opportunity to Lego-set the Chevy you want. This was a replay of the late 20s through 30s Fords, where the same thing had been done. The relevant years in this case are 1955 through late 70s.
Someone “in the know” or armed with parts books, could substitute engine and suspension parts to make a real world-beater of a 70s Chevy. Back when all of those parts were plentiful in the scrapyards was the golden age of doing such a thing, but it still can be done with effort and some money. Keep in mind that the chassis in this one is essentially the same as a Trans-Am, which offered outstanding handling and chassis dynamics, in the idiom of big, heavy, and sheer ugly “git ‘er done”, tire squeal, chassis squeaks, and all. So forget the Malaise Era factory capabilities, and go for the specs you prefer.
All of that said, you still have a mullet-job of a car, with all that it implies. To go there would scream either “you are playing outside of your own generation’s cars” or you are going through a mid-life crisis. If I went that route, I might start with a more sedate looking Berlinetta or something; do the low-key Jim Rockford thing. These are getting a bit hard to find, but have not quite gone ridiculous in their price to buy, like so many others have done. If you want one, you had better get on with it.
I think 1973 or 1974 was the first year that shoulder belts were integrated with seat belts and all GM cars had those shoulder belt guide loops on the seats that rotted off.
Yes, 1974 was the first year for the integrated lap and shoulder belts on domestic cars, as required by federal regulation. (Many European cars such as Volvo and Mercedes-Benz had them earlier.) Agree that those guide loops on GM cars did not last very long.
The “pristine” nature of the interior is amazing! Those fabric seats just did not hold up well over time..
Remember seeing a “77-8 Nova” on a used car lot in about 1983 ish.
Car was in good shape overall, milage in line with age. Burgundy color paint was good, plaid seats were “awful”!! lol (carpet and trunk quite good)
That was my first Car 74 ,Camaro
These were never on my own radar, but I remember the fall of my senior year in high school (1977) a kid whose parents bought him a 74 Camaro. Most kids drove around in either old family cars or ones they bought, all of them maybe 8-12 years old. This kid was an only child of relatively affluent parents, so this was nearly a new car to most of us. It was a red one with a six – which I thought was completely ridiculous at the time.
I am not sure what American car I might want from 1974 (oh, never mind – make it an Avanti) but while I have gained an appreciation for these, they are not yet on my short list.
I love that original interior, though!
These predated my high school parking lot by about two decades, but I do remember seeing 77-81 vintage Camaros as regular drivers in the mid 90s before they vanished. The 74-76s are a curious novelty for me, they’re not half as good looking as the 70-73 and not as clean and coherent looking as the 77-81, but being the second generation Camaro that I have seen the least in my life I’m drawn to them more.
A lady down the street from me had one of these in original condition. She daily drove that car for the last twenty years. Lately, a pack of teen age boys that either are friends of her son, or maybe foster kids, persuaded her to let them restore the car. They pulled the front clip and engine and transmission, and the poor car has sat like that for almost a year. Prior to this, there was a lot of car wrenching going on in the front yard. Kinda messy, but I realize that my own car wrenching projects are probably seen in the same way by my next door neighbors. I agree that these ’70’s F bodies are good time memories time machines. But give me a Trans Am!
Jose ;
The beauty of these like so many GM products is : incredible parts interchange across differing brands and models allows one to essentially build yours to suit .
They’re all gone now and I’m not really into building but a 1970’s vintage with a 250CID i6 would be a nice cruiser for me .
-Nate
Way cooler than the Mustang IIs of the era.
“…hey, uh, were ya gonna check out the sand bar while you’re down there?”
“Uh, what’s the Sand Bar?”
“Ah, it’s a place that lets sixteen year-old kids drink”
“Ah, cool”
Uh huh.
The Dead Milkmen…who name check Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper on Bitchin’ Camaro. Which brings up my favorite Mojo Nixon tune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXLuSHx1fR0&ab_channel=MojoNixon
Winona Ryder’s best (and reportedly favorite) role ever.
College radio in the 80s. Even better in person, with They Might Be Giants opening for Mojo (and the Pogues on the same bill) 🙂
Here’s my 74 that I had in the early 90s.
The coolest guy in my high school had an ’81 Trans Am Turbo which was probably the most extra edition of one this Gen F-body – but all the cheerleaders loved the net head rests (or being seen with Billy, with the T-tops out…)
About five years after that I briefly owned a sad, brown ’74 Camaro Berlinetta with a 305/auto. It had sat under a tree behind the house of one of my Dad’s co-workers for a good ten years before I pried it out of the weeds and dragged it home. Gave it my best budget JC Whitney make-over to get it back on the road and then hurriedly sold it while it still ran and bought a Mk1 GTI. And somehow I feel nostalgic for that POS anymore – getting old is weird.
I was in my last year in college when these 74s came out. I thought the 5 mph bumpers were tastefully integrated and liked the sloped nose. I love the yellow plaid interior on this example.
Tom, I can assure you that 10 years later, these had vanished from the Hayes High parking lot. When I graduated in 95, the parking lot was dominated by imports and pickup trucks. There was a white 4th Gen Firebird though.
If you had Alpine gear and tune-ups mounted on the front dash, you were top of the heap.
I absolutely love the ’74. So unique in all of Camaro-dom, with the restyled front-and-rear, and the original flat, non-wrapped backlight. I also love the script “Camaro” badges and the placement of the emblem in the center of the grille (which this one is lacking).
This car does smack of mid-’80s-ness, in all the right ways for me. This was the working man’s Corvette in the factory, car-building city I grew up in.
How could you forget Kraco car stereos? IMHO, Kraco was the absolute bottom of the barrel, with Sparkomatic just above it. RS had some reasonably decent stuff, but some of it was relabled Kraco, I think. A friend of mine had an awful sounding Realistic stereo in his Chevy Corsica, it had like zero power and the display backlight pulsated when the volume was run any higher than minimum. He got screwed over by a local car stereo place that somehow convinced him, temporarily, that it sounded “Pretty good”. A short time later, the Realistic was replaced with an Alpine. If only the car could have been replaced so easily. It would meet it’s end a couple of years later, about 1990, when he spun it out on a super icy I-75, and I never saw it again. It was replaced by a gutted, but decent running ’69 Z28 “tribute” car. No back seat, no headliner, no carpet, just seats and a 4 speed. Some guy bought it to restore for a crazy high price a few months after he got it. It was replaced by a silver 2000 WS6 Trans Am, a car that survived many years, somehow.
OMG, I can’t believe I forgot Kraco! They were definitely fellow bottom feeders along with Sparkomatic. I recall my family owning a few Kraco CB radios back in the day as well.
I was a freshman in high school when the ’74 Camaro’s were hitting the streets. I went to high school in Irvine, CA, and the kids with family money were driving the Datsun Z cars. I remember a few of this generation of Camaro gliding by in the school parking lot. I didn’t get a car for school until my senior year of 1978, and it was 1965 Chevrolet Biscayne with a 283 and Powerglide. But I had a Sanyo auto-reversing cassette deck and Jensen Tri-Ax speakers in the rear deck!