Vehicle Description
If you're a fan of GM history and have wanted to own some mystical artifact that wasn't supposed to see the light of day, then this 1995 Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car is going to be very, very interesting. A prototype built to test 1996 emissions compliance, it was repurposed by the GM Heritage Center as the proposed pace car for the 1996 Brickyard 400. Until 2008, it was titled to General Motors Corporation, and was ultimately sold as part of the government bail-out, which explains why it's even available to the public. With just 9378 original miles, it's an incredible opportunity to own a GM "mule" that shouldn't exist, let alone be for sale to us regular guys.
The bright white paint with orange stripes should look familiar to any Camaro pace car fan, as it was the 1969 pace car's combination. This car was originally slated to be silver, as it says on the tag, but since it was intended to be an emissions and options test vehicle, and ultimately used on a race track, GM went ahead and gave it the full race treatment instead. It does have a few special features, including the rooftop-mounted reverse scoop that houses a set of on-track strobe lights, plus additional strobe lights in the factory housings and tucked under the rear wing to improve visibility. The Brickyard 400 graphics are vinyl decals that remain in excellent condition, along with the blacked-out tail panel, giving this F-body a distinctive look that's a bit different from the versions you've seen elsewhere. It remains in excellent condition with only a few signs of age that are completely inevitable, but if you want a bargain-priced cornerstone to your F-body collection, this might be it.
The interior uses black and white houndstooth to both recall the past and give the pace car a unique look. As you'd expect, it's in almost new condition aside from a scuff mark on the driver's seat from folks climbing in and out over the years. It's loaded with just about every option, and as we said, it was used for some R&D regarding the 1996 models, so there are a few deviations from stock (not that you'll spot them). It's also loaded with the options you'd expect, including cold A/C, power windows, mirrors, and locks, cruise control, and an automatic transmission, which has pretty much been standard pace car fare for many years since you never know who's driving. The gauges should look familiar and it'll use every bit of the 150 MPH speedometer on the track. There's also a decent AM/FM/CD stereo system that may have never been used, given how this car has lived most of its life. T-tops are a welcome addition to the roster, especially on a pace car, and the rear hatch area remains in like-new condition.
The 350 cubic inch LT1 V8 is still stock, although it sports a 1996 calibration and some different hardware for certification purposes. It looks pretty stock and nobody will notice, but it's a bit stronger than your garden-variety 1995 Camaro, making 285 horsepower and 325 pounds of torque. 1996 was the first year for OBD-II diagnostics, so this car is equipped with them, making it easy to service but sure to generate a lot of puzzled looks at your local GM dealer's service department. There are also dual catalytic converters underneath and a lower restriction exhaust system, which helped with the 1996 power boost. It runs great and has no issues, as you'd expect, and the 4-speed 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission never misses a beat. The suspension is stock Z/28, as are the brakes, and it sits on special white-painted 16-inch alloy wheels with 245/50/16 Goodyear radials.
An incredible opportunity for the guy who loves to get a glimpse behind the curtain at GM. It's also fun to drive and looks great, making it a fantastic machine that still works well as a performance car. Call today!
