Vehicle Description
If you grew up in the '80s, the Camaro was the machine to own for
prowling the streets looking for a race. Today, finding one in
solid, original condition that hasn't been pounded into the ground
or questionably modified in someone's backyard is virtually
impossible. Fortunately, this 1988 Chevrolet Camaro is such a car.
Highly original and wearing a handsome black tuxedo, this car will
help you relive the days when gas was under $1.00 and horsepower
was cheap.
Yes, a lot of these cars got repaints and gaudy graphics, but the
finish on this Camaro appears to be the original shade high-gloss
black, and we must say that it's held up surprisingly we ll. Sure,
there are some minor chips on the nose and the paint is slightly
thinner in front of the T-tops, but that's very common, and the
rest of the finish still has a great shine and deep finish. That's
saying a lot if you're at all familiar with the quality of GM
paints from the '80s, and the fact that this one shows as a top
driver-quality car is a testament to how it's been babied since
new. As a result, it looks exactly right as a great survivor, with
that glossy paint shaving years off its age. In fact, having seen
what these cars looked like new, I'd have to say that this Camaro
always slept in a warm garage while under the care of its careful
owners. A lifetime in Texas helped the preservation along as well,
and despite the near 30+ year old design, it still looks
streamlined and slick with the aggressive front fascia, the
lower-body kit that wraps around the entire car, and the cool
optional wing out back. And quite frankly I'm glad it's devoid of
any decals or IROC graphics that pretend to be something that it's
not, because the result is a slicked-out Camaro that looks timeless
and fast while standing still.
Inside, the Camaro sports a beautiful original interior that's
further proof of a life lived easy, making it one of the cleanest
3rd generation Camaros we've seen in a long time. The gray cloth
fabric is comfortable and perfect for cruising, and the two types
of fabric used on the seats give them a very stylish look that
works well even today. Original door panels remain in good
condition and the trunk area wears the same gray carpets as the
rest of the interior, all of which are in very good shape. By the
late '80s most of these came loaded with accessories and options,
and this one includes power windows and locks, cold A/C, a tilt
steering column, T-tops, and a rear defogger. It also carries an
upgraded AM/FM/CD stereo system that sounds great, an aftermarket
alarm system, plus a full complement of gauges just ahead of the
driver. That steering wheel is definitely a child of '80s brutalist
design, and the dash looks so darn good we think it might be a
recent replacement - which would make sense because the GM OEM
units from that era started cracking and splitting practically the
moment they left the factory. The T-Tops are in great shape and
provide instant fun-in-the-sun cruising, and they stow away inside
bags that fit easily in the spacious cargo area out back.
1988 Camaros had a choice of engines, and according to the RPO
codes this one landed the L03 305 V8 with throttle-body injection
that pumped out a fairly impressive 170 horsepower. Fuel injection
was in its infancy, but it delivered impressive torque, and as
history has shown it's reliable and highly tunable should you want
to add a few ponies to the party. It starts with a modest rumble
from the stock exhaust system, and idles like it has a bit of an
attitude, letting everyone know that there's still some fight left
in this vintage coupe. It pulls hard, makes great V8 noises, and
the 4-speed automatic is a perfect companion, just stomp and steer.
Out back there's a 2.77 cog in the rear end, making this an
extremely capable high-speed cruiser that pulls down decent fuel
economy, especially for a modern muscle car. The Camaro's handling
is top-notch for the era with the assistance of power steering and
power front disc brakes, the chassis is incredibly solid, and it
wears fat 245/45/17 tires wrapped around chrome IROC wheels for a
little added flash.
Go ahead, try to find a nicer, unmolested, unabused 3rd generation
Camaro at this price-point. Or you can simply give us a call and
take this one home today!
