1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS

The Story

When the 1967 Chevrolet Camaro arrived, it was Chevy's long-awaited answer to the runaway success of the Ford Mustang. Bowtie buyers had spent three years watching the pony-car market explode without them, and Chevrolet was determined to make a strong first impression. The SS package gave the new coupe real teeth, and the SS 396 turned it into a genuine big-block bruiser. With a domed hood, bold striping, and SS badging on the grille and fenders, it looked every bit as fast as it actually was.

The heart of the SS 396 was Chevy's 396-cubic-inch big-block. Most buyers got the 325-horsepower L35, but a small number of insiders ordered the fearsome 375-horsepower L78 — a solid-lifter screamer that made the relatively light Camaro a stoplight terror. A four-speed manual was standard equipment, and the combination could hustle to 60 mph in well under seven seconds. Heavy-duty suspension and front disc brakes were available to help drivers manage all that newfound thrust.

Chevrolet built 34,411 Camaro SS models for 1967, but the L78 version was a true rarity, fitted to just 1,138 cars that first year. At a base price near $2,572 for the sport coupe, the SS package added only a couple hundred dollars, putting genuine big-block performance within reach of younger buyers who could never have afforded a Corvette. Options like the Rally Sport appearance group let owners personalize their cars further.

Today the first-year Camaro SS is a cornerstone of any serious muscle-car collection. Clean 396 cars trade in the high five figures, while documented L78 examples climb far higher as collectors chase originality and numbers-matching drivetrains. For enthusiasts who came of age in the late 1960s, the 1967 SS represents the exact moment Chevrolet stopped playing catch-up and got truly serious about winning the pony-car fight. Its clean first-year styling, unmistakable proportions, and direct link to the cars that would soon battle the Mustang on drag strips and road courses alike keep demand strong, and a well-restored example remains one of the most satisfying classic Chevrolets a collector can own.