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As some of the most iconic Camaros ever made, it's only a matter of time before these underpriced models skyrocket in value.
The Chevrolet Camaro debuted in 1967 with the sole purpose of challenging the equally legendary Ford Mustang. And throughout the years, it has managed to beat various different occasions, while in the meantime making a name for itself. This angry-looking bold muscle car screams performance from every angle and since its launch, it has nested itself in the hearts of enthusiasts,
Currently in its sixth generation, the Camaro has amassed huge popularity, and some of its original models have even skyrocketed in value. However, as with any car that has been in production for decades, some models from some select years might not have gotten the recognition that they deserve and remain criminally underappreciated and undervalued.
We have created this list to bring to light the most underrated and inexpensive Chevrolet Camaros on the used market today, all of which are guaranteed to rocket in value in the years to come.
The genesis of this legendary nameplate began with the launch of the 1967 Camaro. Chevrolet introduced the Camaro to compete with Ford’s iconic Mustang, and although it joined the muscle car party a little late, it definitely made its entry with a bang.
Chevy offered the first-generation Camaro in a 2-door, 2+2 seat, format with the choice between a coupe and a convertible body style. The Camaro came standard with a straight-six engine, but it was offered with a plethora of V8 engine options as upgrades. Today, a clean 1967 Chevrolet Camaro is worth anywhere between $40,000 and $50,000, but nobody can guarantee for how long that will hold true in this current absurd car market.
Related: Wrecked 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS Is Getting The Rebuild It Deserves
Next up on this list is the same first-generation Camaro but from the 1968 model year. Not much was changed for the '68 Camaro, and it retained most everything from the '67 car. Minor changes like the new Astro Ventilation system, side marker lights and the deletion of the vent windows debuted in the 1968 Camaro.
In order to address the wheel hop issues of the '67 model, Chevy also installed a staggered rear shock absorber mounting, and higher performance models received multi-leaf rear springs rather than single-leaf ones. The available engines were also the same, with an inline-six as the standard and a wide range of V8s optional. Currently, the price of these 1968 Camaro Z28s is slowly creeping up, but you can still get your hands on a decent one for under $70,000.
Related: This Numbers-Matching 1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS Could End Up In A Bidding War
The second generation of the Camaro became so popular that the enthusiasts gave it the name of "Super Hugger." For the 1970 model year, Chevrolet redesigned the Camaro from scratch and made an entirely new pony car that featured an A-arm coil spring front suspension, a rear leaf spring suspension, and unibody construction.
The Detroit-based manufacturer produced a magnificent work of art that was incredibly polished in terms of comfort and performance. Chevy also made major improvements to the Camaro's road-holding, ride isolation, and soundproofing. A more modern 4.1L six-cylinder engine with 155 horsepower replaced the older 3.8 L six-cylinder base engine of the previous generation and V8 options were plentiful. Right now, you can put your hands on a pristine example like this 1971 Camaro for under $50,000.
Related: Silverado-Powered 1971 Camaro Is A Blacked-Out Backyard Build
The 1977 Camaro Z28 is remembered for being the first-ever Camaro to beat its main rival, the Ford Mustang in sales. Chevy brought back the Z28 for the 1977 model year, and this time it was released as a model rather than an RPO. And by producing 218,853 coupes, it also established a record for the second-generation Camaro.
A 350 cu in (5.7L) V8 with a four-barrel carburetor that produced 185 horsepower propelled the revived Z28. Additionally, Chevrolet offered the Z28 with improved intake and exhaust tuning and a Borg-Warner Super T-10 4-speed manual gearbox. A fairly clean example of the 1977 Chevy Camaro Z28 today should cost you around $30,000.
Related: These Are The Best Features Of The 1977 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Chevrolet debuted the IROC-Z variant for the third generation of the Camaro in 1985, taking its name from the International Race of Champions. The Camaro IROC-Z was equipped with 16-inch wheels/tires, bigger diameter sway bars, specially valved shocks, lowered ride height, updated suspension, and a steering mount/frame brace.
The 1985 IROC-Z also looked better on the outside thanks to a redesigned snout, deeper valances, and a front spoiler. A 5.0-liter TPI LB9 V8 with 215 horsepower, a 5.0-liter 4-bbl LG4 V8 with 155 hp, and a 5.0-liter 4-bbl High Output L69 V8 with 190 horses were the available engines for Chevy's iconic IROC-Z. Right now, you can scoop a great IROC-Z for under $20,000, and for the price, you will get an amazing piece of American muscle car history.
Related: Here's What The 1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z Costs Today
The fourth-gen Camaro might not have been the best-looking generation of the iconic muscle car, but it definitely was and still is an amazing car for the price. Chevrolet stuffed the engine bay of the Camaro Z28 with a 5.7-liter V8 engine that produced 305 horsepower. It made an even more potent 320 hp in the SS version, which was capable of reaching 160 mph.
Despite its shape resembling a jellybean, the fourth generation Camaro still had a ton of fans. Today, you can easily scoop up a 1998 Camaro Z28 for under $25,000, and we assure you that you won't regret it.
Related: These Modified Fourth-Gen Camaros Look Much Better Than Expected
After ceasing the production of the fourth gen Camaro in 2002, Chevy spent several years on hiatus before making a return to the pony car market for 2010. However, when the concept for the fifth-generation Camaro debuted in 2006, it left everyone in awe. The car became an instant hit after getting featured in the 2007 super hit movie franchise Transformers, and the sales skyrocketed.
Chevy also made sure that it was not just all show on the outside, and gave the fifth-generation Camaro loads of power under the hood, especially in its ZL1 variant. Chevy gave the 2012 ZL1 a 6.2L LSA V8 engine with a 1.9L supercharger that made 580 hp and 556 lb-ft of torque. Today, a decently used 2012 can easily be picked up for under $45,000, just like this one.
Every auto enthusiast is aware that most muscle cars are not built to go around corners, but this statement was mended after Chevy dropped the 2019 Camaro ZL1 1LE. This track-focused Camaro was so purpose-built that it engraved its name on record lists of some of the most renowned tracks such as Laguna Seca, Nurburgring, and Virginia International Raceway.
Chevy slapped a 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 V8 on the 2019 ZL1 1LE, which was the same engine used in the Corvette Z06 and pushed out a total of 650 hp along with 650 lb-ft of torque. Today, although this muscle car is a little pricey, it's worth every penny because of its incredible capabilities. And it’ll soon become a collector's piece, so if you can grab one do not wait.
Utkarsh is an avid automotive enthusiast who geeks about the modern supercars and hypercars. He is also a passionate F1 fan, and in his free time he loves scrolling through social media and watch youtube videos.