Camaros have always been well represented at all levels of the hobby. From high-dollar cars with immaculate pedigrees to street cruisers anyone can afford, the versatile Chevy Camaro does one thing extremely well: fun. Everyone has their favorites but it’s hard to argue against a second-generation Camaro if you’re looking for a car that’s good at pretty much everything. Good looks, strong motors, comfortable interiors, and lots of parts and upgrades to keep them moving. And the buy-in is extremely affordable. With cars like this 1978 Chevrolet Camaro, you don’t have to buy a project to get a cool F-Body for not a lot of cash.

Yes, this is a ’78 Camaro, although it’s easy to be fooled by the ’73 nose that was expertly grafted on. That’s the great thing about the second-gen cars: the interchangeability of parts so you can create something unique. We don’t know who did the work or when, but the transition is seamless and most onlookers don’t even notice that there are some tweaks to the car’s look. It’s wearing a coat of bright blue paint that’s pretty close to Marina Blue, one of the all-time favorite colors of Camaro enthusiasts, and we have to admit it works rather well on the second-gen cars. Add in a tall cowl induction hood, a chin spoiler, and a three-piece ducktail out back, and you get a Camaro that has all the aggressive details that work best. Finish quality is pretty good, with professional work throughout, including the black Z/28 stripes, which were painted on, not decals. A professional wet sand and buff would really make this car sparkle, but even as it sits, you’ll need no excuses at the next cruise night. We also like that most of the brightwork was blacked out, including the bumperettes, door handles, and window trim, giving it a purposeful look that’s contemporary and probably always will be. There’s no evidence that this was ever a rusty car and aside from the front clip—which was replaced by choice, not necessity—the sheetmetal appears original and in excellent condition. Doors fit well, the hood sits flush, and there’s attention to detail that you don’t expect in a car costing well under $20 grand.

The black interior is why the second-generation Camaros are great. Spacious, comfortable, and well-designed, GM engineers learned their lessons on the first cars and improved every single aspect of the driver’s compartment for the follow-up. Most of the interior is new, including the seats, door panels, carpets, and headliner, so you get a first-class place to spend some time. The high-back buckets are as comfortable as they look and the only notable wear is a scuff on the driver’s outer bolster, which is hard to prevent. Factory gauges include a tachometer, and a neatly installed trio of auxiliary gauges live in the center console. That’s the original AM/FM radio in the center of the dash, but we’re guessing that it doesn’t get a lot of use given the soundtrack of the small block V8 up front. The extra gauge and switch on the back of the console were for a compressor and storage tank for the rear air shocks, but the tank was removed (the compressor remains fully operational). There’s also a nicely preserved dash pad that hasn’t been cooked by the sun, an unmarked back seat with custom package tray, and a neatly finished trunk with a new mat.

There’s plenty of power on tap thanks to a stout 350 cubic inch V8 under the hood. Dressed in lots of chrome, it’s bolstered by an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor on a Weiand Stealth intake manifold, an HEI ignition system, and a set of long-tube headers. Corporate turquoise engine enamel on the block and heads seems to suggest that this might be the car’s original engine, although we can’t say for certain. It starts easily, idles well, and has a bit of a rumble to it that might come from a mild street cam inside. With power steering and power brakes, it’s easy to handle and a giant radiator with custom electric fan keeps it nice and cool no matter what the weather. And if it’s not powerful enough for you, more performance is just a phone call away, since this is the most popular engine of all time and horsepower is easy to find.

It’s backed by a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission and familiar 10-bolt rear end, so the powertrain is rugged and reliable, but with reasonable gears out back (we’re guessing they’re 3.55s) it’s easy to drive anywhere. It’s tidy underneath, although not detailed for show, but the floors don’t show any critical issues and there are quite a few new components under there, including recent suspension and brake work. Air shocks out back work with the factory leaf springs to keep the tires hooked up and the dual exhaust system has a great sound with turn-downs just ahead of the rear axle, race-style. Shiny chrome American Racing Torque Thrust wheels are a great choice on a vintage Camaro, with these wearing staggered 215/65/15 front and 255/60/15 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials.

This is not a pedigree car that you need to worry about, it’s a car that’s ready to rumble at a moment’s notice. It could also be the foundation for something awesome and with just a few inexpensive tweaks, it could easily go to the next level. With a Camaro, making it yours is easy and affordable, and good cars like this aren’t going to be this affordable for much longer. Call today!