1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396

Buzz

GM gave Ford a two-year and 1.3 million Mustang head start before responding to the pony car challenge. When it finally did, the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396 immediately earned its muscle car reputation.

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From day one, the Camaro came with a Super Sport version as a powerful response to the Mustang GT. It added $211 to the base price of the $2,572 Camaro Sport Coupe or the $2,809 convertible. Features included upgraded springs and shocks, wide-oval tires, a special hood with die-cast simulated louvers, and a distinctive bumblebee stripe across the front. Many buyers opted to pair it with the $105 Rally Sport package, which offered hidden headlamps.

The SS engine was powered by a new 295-horsepower, four-barrel 350-cid V-8. With a four-speed transmission and 3.31:1 gears, Motor Trend's SS 350 accelerated from 0 to 60 in 8 seconds and completed the quarter-mile in 15.4 seconds at 90 mph. This performance was comparable to the 335-horsepower, 390-cid Mustang GT.

A few months into the model year, Chevy introduced the SS 396, initially offering a 325-horsepower version, which added $263 to the SS package. Later in the year, the 375-horsepower L78 version became available for $500. The L78 violated GM's restriction on any car, except the Corvette, exceeding 10 pounds per horsepower, so it was technically listed as a dealer-installed option. Some high-performance dealers even offered a 400-hp-plus 427-cid V-8. The SS 396 Camaro came standard with a four-speed manual transmission, with a three-speed automatic available for an additional $226.

The V-8 Camaros, with their inadequate single-leaf rear springs and nearly vertical rear shock absorber mounts, were plagued by severe rear-wheel hop during hard acceleration. The additional weight over the front end and extra torque in the 396 versions made the problem even worse. Despite this, no competitor was faster.

While first-year Camaro sales lagged far behind Mustang, out of the 220,917 units sold, over 34,000 were Super Sports. Chevrolet's pony car was officially on the map.

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The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396

Specifications

Wheelbase, inches: 108.1

Weight, lbs: 3,720

Units produced: NA

Base price: $3,046

Top Available Engine

Type: OHV V-8

Displacement, cid: 396

Fuel system: 1 x 4bbl.

Compression ratio: 11.0:1

Horsepower @ rpm: 375 @ 5600