I got up early Saturday morning. Very early. Alarm went off at 5 AM. I didn't even know there was a 5 AM. But the gang from www.camaro5.com were heading down to Cars and Coffee in Irvine (about 60 miles south of my house) and I had agreed to come along in our long-term SS.
"We'll be getting there at 5:30," they told me. "You know, so we can all park together before it gets crowded."
"Well, save me a spot," I replied.
And it's a good thing they did. I rolled in about 6:30 to find about 25 Camaros waiting for me, along with nearly 400 other cars, ranging from a street driven 1970 Porsche 917 to the most beautiful Datsun 1600 Roadster I've ever seen. I arrived just as the sun came up and what a sight it was, all those new Camaros in the same place at the same time.
Many of them with modifications as you can see in the photos below. And while I can live without the scissor doors, the blacked out treatement and creative use of badging I saw on more than one example does appeals to me. As does a big roots-type supercharger.
It reminded me that owning a car like a Camaro is more than about the vehicle. You basically become part of a family. And that's a big part of the fun. Saturday morning was a blast.
For more on the big Camaro gathering click here.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
hybris says:
09:45 PM, 10/26/09
When you get a big name car especially one that has a strong aftermarket support behind it after adding a few parts it stops being just a car to being your car and after few more parts (usually more extreme parts) it becomes its own thing, person, beast, etc with its own quirks hence the reason it feels like it a member of the family.
Does car need to have a few thousand grand put into it to reach such a status? No but what often takes years without parts can in most cases be accelerated to reach the same goal.
dubaizen says:
11:25 PM, 10/26/09
It was DatsUn ;-)
dougtheeng says:
05:52 AM, 10/27/09
I love the black out - even the chevy logo! it looks really sharp. Not quite Challenger mean/sharp, but still its getting there.
1487 says:
06:08 AM, 10/27/09
very nice. I guess an American car can sell in California afterall. Somehow I don't think the Honda CR-Z will have the same appeal. But that's just me.
compliance says:
10:02 AM, 10/27/09
Blacking out a car is the ugliest thing you can do to it. This goes for any car. I have no idea why it's so popular.
jeepsrt says:
10:55 AM, 10/27/09
Lambo doors on anything but a Lambo is the lamest thing you can possibly do to a car.
saranghae1314 says:
11:06 AM, 10/27/09
Love this car~
actualsize says:
01:11 PM, 10/27/09
Wow! It looks just like a new car dealership. All that's missing is an inflatable ape and some spinning pinwheels.
roadburner says:
05:24 PM, 10/27/09
"Lambo doors on anything but a Lambo is the lamest thing you can possibly do to a car."
Exactly!
stovt001 says:
06:33 PM, 10/27/09
Man, due to job business and other things, I haven't been on Camaro5 in almost a month. I was totally out of the loop on this one.
Anyway, agreed that Lambo doors need to die and die fast but some of those other cars were cool. Wish I coulda been there.
stovt001 says:
06:36 PM, 10/27/09
Also, you're exactly right on the whole community/family thing. That is one of the big things that drives my desire for the Camaro. It is so much more than just a car.
srlracing says:
08:33 PM, 10/27/09
I'm having huge problems with this new site!
srlracing says:
08:36 PM, 10/27/09
When I pulled up most of the Camaros were leaving and I just thought "Wow that's a lot of Camaros" Great meeting some old guy in a Grand Sport in that car enthusiast way of being at a stop light!
cr_driver says:
11:08 AM, 10/31/09
+100 Jeepsrt