1973 Chevrolet Camaro RS

Description

The oil embargo of 1973 scared a lot of Americans into thinking the muscle car was dead. Fortunately, Chevrolet was still willing to cater to folks who weren't yet willing to believe the sky was falling. This 1973 Chevrolet Camaro RS is a great example of period muscle from an era when a lot of folks were afraid of eight cylinders.

Repainted in a spectacular dark purple metallic, this RS is fairly well recognized as one of the best looking second-generation Camaros. With the blacked-out Z/28 grille and small bumperettes on either side, a chin spoiler, and a subtle deck lid spoiler, it is aggressive but not overdone and yes, it's a real RS. When the car was repainted, it also received a cowl-induction hood that now proudly wears a set of black Z/28 style stripes that extend to the rear of the car, just as they did when it was new. There are a few of the usual signs of use and age, but we can pretty much guarantee that if you like the paint, you'll like the way this car measures up at the local cruise night. Since this one has always been a clean, undamaged car, everything fits together well with great gaps and tight shut lines. There's not a lot of chrome on these cars, but both the front and rear bumpers are nicely finished, the stainless window surrounds are bright, and it carries correct emblems on the front fenders.

The interior is very much like the factory intended, which speaks volumes about how right the original design really is. Those black bucket seats are firm and supportive, with no splits in the vinyl, and the back seat looks like it has never been used. Correct door panels help lend the RS a somewhat upscale image and a center console with a Hurst 4-speed shifter are a fantastic find for 1973. The carpets might be showing some wear, but certainly not forty years' worth, and the headliner remains taut. The gauges cover all the engine's vitals, including a tach, and they are nestled into a cool wrap-around instrument panel. Options include ice cold factory A/C, power windows, and a JVC AM/FM/CD head unit in the original radio's slot. The trunk could use a little finishing, but you can see that there are no metal issues, and that's what's really important.

A 350 cubic inch V8 was the biggest engine available in 1973, so that's what lives under the hood today. Earning the right to wear that Chevy Orange paint as much as any of its ancestors, the engine bay is sharply detailed and the engine itself runs superbly. Finned valve covers, a chrome air cleaner, and some other dress-up pieces make it look sharp under the hood, and the engine is augmented with an Edelbrock intake manifold and a 4-barrel carb that surely works better than the original setup. Power brakes and power steering are nice additions, and the radiator is cooled by a pair of big electric fans. Underneath, it's very original and very solid, with the aforementioned 4-speed manual transmission, original 10-bolt rear end, and a set of long-tube headers feeding Flowmasters with turn-downs. It rides on shiny Weld aluminum wheels and staggered 165/80/15 front and 275/60/15 rear Mickey Thompson tires.

Second generation Camaros don't get any better looking than this, and despite gas shortages of the period, this one can still run like a true muscle car. Call today!