The Camaro Club (UK)

During my 12 days in the USA the one thing I did notice, as I was purposely looking out for them, was the distinct lack of old musclecars particlarly Camaros and Firebirds. I saw a handful of old Mustangs, Monte Carlo's, Caddies etc..
Bearing in mind I drove 2000 miles across Highways, through towns and cities I assume I had a fairly good cross section of California and Nevada.

I actually tried to make a mental note:
4th gens - around 15 in total, about 5 of these Camaros and 10 Firebirds/TransAms
3rd gens - I think I saw 4 in total, 2 parked up, obviously for a while, only 1 of these a Camaro.
2nd gens - Just 2, one 78-81 Camaro in SF, and an immaculate TransAm on a tow truck with some other Hot Rods.
1st gens - Only 1 ! A lone shabby Camaro in Hollywood area parked up.

By comparison, new 5th Camaros were everywhere, as it's also a popular hire car for tourists, so lots of convertibles too, guessing many will be the V6 though.
5th gen Camaros were outnumbered by new Mustangs though with so many on the roads.
The new Challenger was also very popular, and almost always in orange.

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“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

Saw a couple of tatty 2nd gens in LA when we were there last year. Did about 3000 miles and saw a handful of old muscle cars on the road.

To be honest there weren't even that many in the junk yards, Pick Your Part didn't have any and Ecology had 2. I don't think the west coast is the best place to look though, seems the concentration of them is in the mid west.

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My '80 progress thread - hugger orange! Now with LQ9 power - forged pistons, LS2 rods, 236/242, .621/.612, flowed and milled 317 heads. MS3X

4L80e, 12 bolt, 4.11, Moroso brute strength posi, steel shafts.

Subframe connectors, g-braces, solid body bushes, carbon hood and front bumper, custom door cards, Autometer gauges.

weird really because there is tons of muscle cars,trucks and rods in cheshunt and nearby towns
http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/topic/ ... 7004/page2

We were in California, Oregon and Washington at the same time as you (yes we caught in that rain storm in Frisco too)!!

We noticed the distinct lack of American cars there too. They are all Honda, Toyota, Kia. One thing that made us laugh is that the Chevrolet Lacetti that we have for our daily driver is known as a Suzuki Forenza.

Just what has happened to the American motor industry. If they're not careful it will go the way the uk car industry has gone!

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1988 Pontiac Fiero (my toy)
2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 (hubby's toy!)
2012 Kia Cee'd (daily driver)

http://www.solent-renegades.co.uk

I've been to L.A a few times, once for a 3 month stint. Didn't see a Camaro the whole time, of any gen. Saw a Dodge Challenger - an orange one . Was at the L.A autoshow when they were revealing the new Challenger and sat in one, was good times. Most cars were Jap or American - really, really mediocre, bland, oversized characterless early 2000 sedans is how i can best describe them. I saw a couple of lowriders, a few early 90's pontiacs and loadssss of Mustangs -later gens (nothing before the early '80's). I saw a handful of muscle / classics but ones that i had definitely never seen or heard of before. I was expecting to see a lot more so it was kind of disappointing. Oh, lots of SUV's too. They love SUV's out there.

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Interesting (and surprising) oberservation Stu.

I would have thought 4th gen Camaros would have been 10 a penny. I saw two in Switzerland last week and admittedly a good few 5th gens. But S197 Mustangs? Jesus! Every 20 minutes.

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"Main Force Patrol we,re out of the game "

Sadly America is no longer the muscle car heaven it used to be in the '60s and early '70s
The economy is not what it was out there, imports up, domestic manufacturing down and disposable income for the average citizen way down on what it was...
Many Camaros still around but many are weekend warriors, tucked away most of the time. Also check the value of nice models on American ebay and you will see why they are no longer daily drivers for the most part.

I think all the 60's and 70's cars just aren't daily drivers now owners. Same as in the UK I guess, how many Healeys', TR4's, and Capris do you see out every day.

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“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”