18,258 original miles. Beautifully preserved car, completely unmodified except the radio. Loaded with options, everything works, cold A/C, T-tops that don’t squeak. Runs and drives like it should. A cool throwback to the 1980s that hasn’t been abused!

If you grew up in the ‘80s, the Camaro was a staple of everyday life. They were never rare but seeing a Z28 prowling the streets in 1986 was still a bit exciting. The low-slung bodywork was simply gorgeous, the aggressive body kit added to the Z made it look downright nasty, and the 5.0-liter V8 under the hood made all the right noises. Surely you had one or knew a guy who did, and you have only pleasant memories of good times in a car just like this 1986 Camaro Z28. In fact, this one is so nice that it might just be even better than you remember—it certainly surprised me. It’s the rare specimen that hasn’t been abused, modified, or even really used as a daily driver, and today shows just 18,258 original miles. The very handsome code WA8748 Dark Red (you can add that one to the terrible color names hall of fame) paint looks fantastic and everything is original GM enamel. The ground effects, chin spoiler, and other low-hanging parts are in shockingly good condition, and if there’s one car from the 80s that has aged particularly well, it’s the third-gen Camaro. This thing looks awesome sitting in the sun!

Also be sure to check out this car’s drop-dead gorgeous red cloth interior. The Z/28 had modestly more aggressive seat bolstering than the other Camaros, and the upholstery is designed to accentuate that sporty look. It’s also beautifully preserved, showing no splits or tears, and even the driver’s seat is quite firm and comfortable. Likewise the matching carpets are not faded (often a problem in T-top cars with red upholstery) and the striped theme continues on the door panels. This is a low-slung car, so you do hunker down in there, but once you’re behind the wheel, you’re greeted by a group of big, easy-to-read gauges that cover all the important engine functions. This car is loaded up with options, too: cold A/C, tilt steering column, power driver’s seat, cruise control, rear defroster, and an upgraded Pioneer AM/FM/USB/Bluetooth stereo that sounds pretty good (the original radio is included with the car). The leather-wrapped wheel feels great in your hands, and I bet the moment you grab it, you’re 17 years old again—that’s how I felt! It’s remarkably well preserved inside, and you know the mileage is authentic and this car has led an easy life because there are almost no squeaks or rattles in this T-top F-body, a real surprise! The only thing that doesn’t work is the trip odometer, but that’s a pretty minor bug in a car like this. The back seat looks virtually unused and there’s decent storage in the hatch area, which also includes bags and tie-downs for the glass roof panels. Even the original privacy shade is still in place!

The standard engine in the Z28 was the LG4 305 cubic inch V8, now designated the 5.0. Its 165 horsepower wasn’t going to change the world overnight, but it was a big step forward and the torquey 5.0 doesn’t let you forget that this is a car designed for fun. No, it’s not like today’s 600 horsepower Camaros, but that’s not the point of a vintage car. Instead, it provides a window into the kind of fun we were having back when acid washed jeans and Duran Duran were cool. And believe me, it’s OK to wish for a time machine to go back to those days. One squeeze of the throttle and this Camaro will do it. The 4-barrel carburetor provides plenty of punch and there’s always a bunch of torque on tap to make it feel light on its feet. And if you need more power, upgrades are just a phone call away and you can do all of it yourself on a Saturday afternoon. Remember those days? Yeah, too cool. Of note, the A/C has been upgraded to R134a for easy service, all the maintenance has been conscientious so it runs superbly, and this car has obviously never spent time in winter weather—look how clean it is! The 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission is a great partner to the 5.0, offering quick downshifts and a towering overdrive gear that allows this car to cruise effortlessly at speeds that’ll still land you in jail. The exhaust is original except for a replacement Magnaflow catalytic converter, so it sounds right and there’s a fresh gas tank hanging out back. Attractive 5-spoke aluminum wheels are a timeless design and carry recent 215/65/15 performance radials with fewer than 2500 miles on them.

The original owner’s manual is included.

Cars like this are always a great reminder of how far we’ve come. But at the same time, numbers don’t tell the whole story and this Camaro delivers a kind of fun that will take you back to a simpler day, and isn’t that what collecting cars is all about? Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections on any car in our inventory prior to purchase.