A few days ago we put a spotlight on a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396, painstakingly restored to (mostly) reflect its original splendor. For those inclined to shop in the custom-build aisle for something saucy that lights up the tires a quarter mile at a time, may we present another fine creation in the form of this 1970 Chevy Camaro RS, with 850 horsepower and 353 ticks on the odometer since its build, coming up for auction with Mecum.
The second-generation Camaro — and its cousin, the Pontiac Firebird — arrived for 1970 on an all-new platform with decidedly European duds, and improved handling to match. It's some of General Motors' finest design work. The clean lines and low cowl height cut a sleek silhouette that has aged exceptionally well, even with the plastic cladding of later Malaise Era 1970s and early '80s models, or, in this case, when adorned with a functional, massive hood bulge to accommodate cowl induction.
Decoding the VIN provided reveals this donor Camaro started life in Norwood, Ohio, and was shipped with one of the era's optional V8 engines. In its place now resides a 572-cubic-inch Chevrolet motor of the same configuration, bolted to a new automatic transmission. That power train lurks beneath the aforementioned hood, draped in a pearlescent Hugger Orange and black paint scheme, ensuring the car looks as good as it no doubt sounds.
A high-watt turnkey build for the bold
Speaking of sound, the listing notes a 6,000-watt stereo system to hold court against the 850 hp soundtrack pumping through a Hooker Blackheart exhaust — a power figure that, by the way, does not include the additional boost of the onboard Wilson Pro Flow nitrous system. Sparco seats with Simpson five-point harnesses hold you in place for the catapult ride, brought to you by a pair of rear tires that are nearly four feet wide combined. An assortment of Chris Allston's Chassisworks and Strange Engineering components underpins the bodywork, while a wheelie bar and parachute are fitted to help keep things under control.
It'll go fast, but any guesses what this thing will go for? Mecum auction results for 1970 Camaros run the gamut, from the low $30,000s to $275,000, depending of course on the spec and condition. We'll see what happens when it crosses the block in Las Vegas on November 14.
One thing we know for sure: The only way to snag a new Camaro is to buy an old one, since the sixth generation was axed for 2024. While modern turbo-4 muscle cars like the Ford Mustang EcoBoost can absolutely hold their own (and then some) when it comes to base-model bang for the buck, having a classic '70 Camaro in the garage to enjoy probably could check some bucket-list boxes.