Commemorating the Camaro

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By Historic Vehicle Association, Special for USDR

Fifty years ago this week the first pilot prototype Camaro was built. To commemorate this golden anniversary the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) uncovered these little known gems.

9. Born in Cincinnati
The first pilot prototype Camaro (No. 100001) was assembled on May 21, 1966 at the General Motors Assembly Plant, located inNorwood, Ohio, a few miles from Cincinnati. Why Cincinnati? GM produced a large share of the subsequent production Camaros at the Norwood plant and used the construction of 49 pilot prototypes to develop the assembly line and equipment needed for high volume, serial production. The Norwood plant was not going to be the only assembly line for Camaros, however, so the company also built three pilot prototypes at their Van Nuys, Los Angeles plant. The Norwood plant was not going to be the only assembly line for Camaros, however, so the company also built three pilot prototypes eight weeks later at their Van Nuys, Los Angeles plant. (Photo courtesy of Philip Borris, Echoes of Norwood)

8. Top Secret—for Real
Ford spent years teasing the public with show cars and concepts that hinted at the anticipated Mustang. GM, by contrast, revealed nothing about the Camaro until the car’s name announcement in June 1966 and formal Detroit launch in August 1966. Dealers had cars within a month. Boom. (Photo courtesy of HVA/Phil Parrish May 2016)

7. How about Panther?
The Camaro almost wasn’t. GM brass considered dozens of names including “GeMini,” Commander,” and “Wildcat,” until finally settling on “Panther.” The company then invested over $100,000 in Panther badges only to dramatically change course just a few weeks before the debut. “Camaro” emerged as the dark horse winner. (Photo courtesy of HVA/Phil Parrish May 2016)

6. Camaro vs. Mustang
The Mustang proved that GM’s small and sporty Corvair wasn’t the right recipe. So GM rushed development of the Camaro, birthing the car in 36 months, and nearly photocopying Ford’s playbook. While the Camaro did not equal the Mustang’s incredible sales success—Ford sold over half a million Mustangs in 1965—GM moved more than 400,000 Camaros in the first two years. But perhaps more importantly, the Camaro kicked off Detroit’s greatest rivalry, pushing each to new heights. (Photo courtesy of HVA)

5. A Golden Tradition
General Motors used a gold exterior and interior color scheme for its first prototypes and kept that tradition for the Camaro. And amazingly, that gold prototype Camaro (No. 100001) still exists. (Photo courtesy of HVA/Phil Parrish May 2016)

4. Most Important New GM Model in 50 Years
The success of the Camaro not only represented a positive boost to General Motors’ sales and profits, but also played a key role in the subsequent boom of the so-called “muscle car” market. And GM was a powerhouse muscle car maker. (Photo courtesy of www.pilotcarregistry.com)

3. Camaro No. 100001 Will Enter the HVA’s National Historic Vehicle Register
The first Camaro (No. 100001) is currently being exhaustively measured and documented by the HVA using the guidelines set by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Heritage Documentation and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER). Once complete, the material will permanently reside in the Library of Congress, joining such iconic cars as the Shelby Cobra Daytona prototype, the first Meyers Manx dune buggy and one of the last surviving Futurliners. This is being done to preserve an important chapter in America’s automotive heritage. (Photo courtesy of HVA/Phil Parrish May 2016)

2. Third Most Popular Collector Car
With over one million collector car vehicles insured in the United States, Hagerty ranks the Camaro third in overall popularity. The most popular collector car is the Chevrolet Corvette followed by the Ford Mustang. (Photo courtesy of HVA/Phil Parrish May 2016)

1. Coming to Detroit in August
A special HVA exhibition of the first Camaro (No. 100001) will be on display in Detroit to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the launch in 1966. The exhibition will coincide with the annual Woodward Dream Cruise week (August 13-20). The first Camaro will be on public display in the HVA’s glass cube that recently featured President Reagan’s Willys Jeep on the National Mall inWashington, DC. (Photo courtesy of HVA/Phil Parrish May 2016)

Organization and Funding:

The documentation of the first Camaro (No. 100001) on the National Historic Vehicle Register and subsequent exhibition inDetroit is being organized by the Historic Vehicle Association and underwritten by Hagerty, Shell (including their Pennzoil and Quaker State brands).

About the Historic Vehicle Association

The HVA is dedicated to preserving and sharing America’s automotive heritage. In 2014, the HVA established the National Historic Vehicle Register. Working with the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Heritage Documentation Programs and Library of Congress, their aim is to document historically significant automobiles in America’s past. The HVA is supported by over 400,000 individual historic vehicle owners, key stakeholders and corporations such as Shell (including their Pennzoil and Quaker State brands), Hagerty, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, as well as individual benefactors. Please visit: historicvehicle.org

SOURCE Historic Vehicle Association

Chevrolet Camaro