Vehicle Description
In the late 1990s, you had a lot of choices from General Motors, but the biggest bang for the buck might have been the Camaro SS. With LT1 power from the Corvette, a host of upgrades from aftermarket tuner SLP, and a wicked look, they were formidable. This 1997 Chevrolet Camaro SS SLP has a freshly built LT1, a 6-speed, and the same fantastic look that has aged a lot better than many of its contemporaries.
A black Camaro is always going to get noticed, but when you add a gaping ram air SS hood, it demands respect, too. Somewhere along the line, someone added a taller rear wing that works in conjunction with the factory spoiler to give it a much more aggressive look that's probably functional, too. The factory black paint still looks decent despite being 20 years old. The nose and hood have signs of use and you know how tough it is to keep black in top condition, so it's not perfect, but you won't mind being seen in this one. The composite body panels are in excellent shape, and the quarters (which are the only steel body parts) aren't dinged or banged up, so someone always treated this Camaro as something special. The SS emblems are subtle, if such a car can be subtle, and there are small 'LT1' badges on the hood scoop, as if the car needed more advertising.
The leather-lined interior is remarkably well-preserved and far more luxurious than you'd expect in a $10,000 Camaro. The seats, carpets, door panels, and other soft parts show far less wear and age than you'd expect and it appears that everything is working properly, a tribute to the Camaro's durability. The seats are bolstered well enough to hold you in place during spirited driving and the low-slung driving position still offers great ergonomics. The gauges are big, bright, and easy to read and the shifter for the 6-speed manual is right there at your fingertips. Power seats, windows, locks, and mirrors, A/C, cruise control, and a powerful AM/FM/CD stereo make this a car you can still drive every day and special SS badges and floor mats remind you this isn't an average F-body. T-Tops make it a lot more fun in the summer and the hatch area offers a surprising amount of storage space for your gear.
The 350 cubic inch LT1 V8 under the hood was recently rebuilt by Xtreme Horsepower in Richland Hills Texas, and isn't anything radical but remains quite potent. There's no trace of fussiness, thanks to OEM electronics, and while that convoluted air intake was required to get the hood scoop to be functional, it does feed the engine nice, cool outside air. There's still plenty of horsepower on tap, enough to make some of today's performance cars look over their shoulders, and the engine bay is tidy and mostly OEM, with the benefits of an MSD ignition system, long-tube headers, and a custom Borla exhaust system that sounds great. The 6-speed shifts beautifully and the factory suspension is still plenty competent, especially with big disc brakes at all four corners. Handsome 17-inch wheels are direct descendants of the Corvette's famous "A-mold" wheels, and carry 275/40/17 performance radials.
Nicely preserved and ready to enjoy, this is a car that could be anything from a daily driver to the foundation of an awesome build. Call today!
