4-Speed Fun: 46k-Mile 1980 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 4-Speed

The Z28 Camaro was fighting a losing battle against the Pontiac Trans Am in this period. The Pontiac’s 400ci WS6 V8 might have been gone, but the turbocharged 301ci V8 still produced 210hp and 345 lb-ft of torque. Even so, a total of 45,137 buyers lined up to buy the Z28, which now had a cool rear-facing air-scoop with electronic actuation, functional front fender ports, and front and rear fender flares. The 190hp Z28 V8 engine was optional on other models, but not in California, whose residents had to settle for a 155hp 305ci V8. Again, manual gearboxes were not available in California.

This clean Charcoal 1980 Z28 is equipped with the most desirable option these cars can have: a 350ci V8 mated to a Borg-Warner T-10 manual transmission, although the other popular factory option, T-tops, is not on this car. While T-tops may score some style points, they’re notoriously leaky, heavy, and make the car hot in warm weather. The current owner has owned it since 1985, and they must really like this car, having spent $34k recently on a restoration, with receipts. These second-generation Camaros first appeared in 1970 and this one represents the last link to GM’s heyday before being replaced by a new modern-looking design in 1982. They may not be the tire-smoking, asphalt-scorching muscle cars made just a decade earlier, but they look great, handle well, and are reliable and comfortable to drive.