Click on the Z28 for a high-res gallery of first generation CamarosIf you're a fan of the General Motors F-body cars, particularly the ones with a bow-tie, Ypsilanti was the place to be this weekend. 2007 marks the 40th anniversary of Chevrolet's response to the Mustang with the introduction of the Camaro. Actually, the original 1967 Camaro debuted in September of 1966, but let's not quibble over details. On another sunny summer weekend, the annual Camaro Super Fest returned to Ypsilanti, MI with plenty of reason to celebrate, especially knowing that a new model is finally coming in two years. All manner of each of the four Camaro generations turned up at Riverside Park, with first generation models being particularly well represented.
The attendees ranged from original unrestored examples to first gen F-bodies that look better than they did when new. One example of the former category was a rather sad looking brown 1977 base model complete with generic Chevy hubcaps and sheepskin seat covers. Modified units ranged from drag racers to wild flame paint jobs and many other variations. Relegated to a distant corner were a handful of Firebirds including a 1980 Turbo Trans-Am with a hood slathered with the ultimate screaming chicken and even one lonely Pontiac G5. There was even a portable hoist set up with a 2005 GTO up in the air. The announcer was advertising this as a preview of the '09 Camaro chassis, but I didn't have the heart to tell them that the new Zeta platform is all new and doesn't have the old GTO suspension.
