Facts on the 1979 Chevy Camaro
The 1979 Chevrolet Camaros offered one of the best selections of models and engine choices of the second-generation series. Prompted by the strong mid-1970s sales of Camaro’s sibling, the Pontiac Firebird, Chevrolet, by the 1979 model year, had made slight changes to the Camaro’s performance and appearance packages, gave it a minor facelift and reworked several elements of the interior. The results were nearly 10,000 more Camaros sold than in the previous year.
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Background
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By the time the 1979 Camaro arrived, it was pretty much a shadow of its former self. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Camaro Super Sports powered by the 396-cubic-inch V-8 reigned supreme on American roadways. The Super Sport disappeared after 1972, and the decade’s oil embargoes wreaked havoc on engine performance, due to stricter federal emissions and fuel-efficiency standards. The 1979 Camaro’s most powerful V-8 only generated 175 horsepower, compared to the old 396s that provided 350. But the 1979 Camaro was sleek, comfortable and looked like a muscle car. It just didn’t perform like one.
Types
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The 1979 Camaro was offered only as a two-door coupe. Versions included the base model, the performance Z28 and the luxury Berlinetta, which replaced the LT high-end package offered in 1978. The Berlinetta was described by Chevrolet’s marketing team as a “boulevard ride.” This emphasized the car as a cruiser in attempt to draw attention away from the fact that the Camaro had no serious power under the hood. The Rallye Sport (RS), which had been an appearance option, was promoted to its own model, according to Conceptcarz.com.
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Features
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The Camaro was given a new instrument panel that foreshadowed 1980s interior styling and was easier to read. It also featured a new grille design. Extra sound-deadening insulation was added to reduce road noise. The Berlinetta received redesigned bucket seats, dual pinstriping on the exterior, and aluminum wheels. The Z28 was equipped with a front spoiler and flared fenders that mimicked the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. The Z28, RS and Berlinetta each got special exterior badging.
Size
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The second-generation Camaros had the illusion of looking long, but actually featured a relatively short wheelbase of 108 inches and a length of 197.6 inches. It was 74.5 inches wide and stood only 49.2 inches tall. Curbside weight was hefty for a coupe at 3,612 lbs.
Under the Hood
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The standard Sport Coupe and RS versions received the base 250-cubic-inch in-line six-cylinder engines, rated at 90 or 115 horsepower. The 350 V-8 had three different horsepower ratings: 130, 170 and 175. California, however, had stricter emission standards and each of the three versions of the 350 lost five horsepower.
Production
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The 1979 Camaro’s sales exceeded the 1978 models with 282,571 1979 models sold, compared to 272,631 1978 vehicles. Six-cylinder 1979 Camaros accounted for 21,913 units. V-8 versions numbered 260,658, including 84,877 Z28s.
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