To do a proper restore on any car from the first muscle car era you are talking 5 figures. To do a back yard hillbilly restore, you might get off cheaper. Regarless you rarely if ever get back what you put into a classic car.

 

My father-in-law restores Corvette's professionally.

Believe me... if you find the right car, it can very VERY profitable to restore classics to Top Flight or Bloomington Gold winning status. (Talking Corvettes here, but it applies across the board, though Corvette's tend to have the biggest market)

But, yes, taking an average condition car, you will be into 5 figures of parts and labor.

 

What are the chances that Chevy gets bashed a great deal for a retro Camaro that is basically copying the formula of the Mustang? The HHR has already had some bad press about copying the PT cruiser so do you think this will happen to the Camaro? The idea of a retro Camaro might not have been ttoo bad if Ford hadn't had the idea first. Perhapse the automotive press will just be happy to see the Camaro back and not dwell on that aspect.

By the way falchulk, I never said that the Mustang would not sell because of the reto design and I don't remember anyone else saying that either. I think history has proven that no matter what is done to the Mustang, it will always sell well.

 

I don't care if the magazines "bash" or not - be it retro or not. If its stylish, powerful, ergonomically friendly, and reasonably priced, people will buy it and it will be successful.

C&D or M/T or whomever can say what they want.

 

My point exactly Bob. who cares about the history of the styling as long as it looks good today.

 

So long as it doesn't look like something that came out of the factory in 1969. I want new...not the same old thing. With that dash and that nose, Mustang just looks too old!!!! I'm interested to see how sales are in year 3...we all know how trendy the coupe market is. I have no problem with "heritage" styling. I have a big beef with blatant rip offs. That Mustang dashboard screams it, as does the nose. Someone above said that the main detractors to retro are teens and early 20 somethings. Maybe...I'm 25. However, in 3 years when I go to buy one (I'd buy one now if they were available) I don't want something that looks like the same old thing!!! I want new! I want different! And if the youth does not like retro, I got news for you...

Youth is what Chevy needs as badly as more sales...if not more so. Name one Chevy besides the Cobalt SS that appeals to youth. When I go cruising at night, there ARE NO CHEVYS aside from 4th gens and dilapidated 3rd gens. And 4th gens are scarce. Chevy needs a homerun in the youth market...

 

You may or may not have. Months ago many here did. In fact, many here said it would not appeal to women at all. They're eating crow now. I think they'll be eating crow next year when sales for the Mustang are just as strong. I have to agree with falchulk quite a bit on this topic. Regardless, retro or not, you'll buy the new Camaro because you can't help it.

 

You are wrong. I will NOT purchase the car if it is retro and I will instead buy a used Corvette or GTO.................or maybe some other car that might come up.

 

I'm with you Jason. I don't want to see an old car either. I mean, when I look at a C6, I see elements from C2 and C3....but I also see a new car. That's what I want to see in a new Camaro. I want a new car. I want a modern car. I'll take some heritage cues, as long as that's not the main or only theme.

There are lots of things that I like about the new Mustang. But it would disappoint me greatly if that were the EXACT formula Camaro followed.

By the time I buy a 5th gen, it will be 20 years since I've bought a new Camaro. And that's been by choice. I've had a very long time to think about what I want. I hope Chevy knocks my socks off.

 

After reading all this.. i really dont know if *we* as enthusiasts can guage what the majority of the public will want / not want with a new camaro. *We* know what *we* want, and not so amazingly *we* all have different things that *we* require.

That being said, I feel that *I* will be purchasing a new camaro in 07-08-09 whenever it comes out, if and only if it as someone above stated "stirs my soul" To put it mildly, it has to simply be a "have to have" camaro.

In regards to retro styled or not, personally if done well *I* will most likely like it. There are key things that make a Camaro a Camaro.. as long as GM keeps those key things there, I doubt *I* will have a problem with it. . . And knowing that Scott is in there somewhere, even if he isnt working on it, makes me rest assured that if *WE* do get another car that *we* are lucky enough to call Camaro, it will live up to its heretige, its present and its future.. no matter what the styling is.

-Steve

 

Wow...on the simple basis of it being or not being retro?

I guess i'm the minority then. As long as it looks great, i'll be in line. I don't care if they go the retro route or the all-new route...in the end, Ugly is ugly and good looking is good looking.

Retro or not, it has to be stylish and great looking for it to be a success.

 

I think Chevrolet has to come up with a really great car and at least match the Mustang's price. The Camaro was not popular with women (1/2+ of Mustang sales) and the Camaro started to get a trailer park reputation. You have to figure out how to sell 50-75% of them as V-6 models. THere goes that female demographic. It should not have a 400hp LS2. It should not have the same HP as a base Vette and other expensive GM sports models. The GTO got lucky, they needed to sell some GTO's so they didn't look totally stupid for bringing it here in the first place. Lower HP #'s mean lower insurance costs.

 

True dat! I personally am not a fan of retro, nor do I believe that the Camaro is gong to be all-out retro like Mustang is.

Ford hit a homerun with the Mustang, no doubt about it.

But Chevy needs to hit the ball onto the rooftops of the condos on Waveland Avenue.

(Any fellow Cub fans here? Know what I'm sayin? )

 

Higher horsepower does NOT equal higher insurance. An insurance quote for a 2002 T/A and a 2005 Pontiac GTO was exactly the same.

 

Get a quote for an 06 Mustang GT and an 06 GTO and get them from multiple insurance co's. 100HP difference? Even so, The Camaro should not have as much HP as a base Vette. If the mustang can sell them at 300hp and lower, the Camaro should be able to do the same. And what is the HP difference there? 325 compared to 350?