A 40th birthday is a biggie, which is why many often tend to splurge when it comes to gifts for their naughty-at-forty celebrations. Like actor Kevin Hart who went ahead and bought himself a Barracuda with the works for his 40th, only his car got totaled soon after.
When it comes to Matthew McConaughey, his choice for a 40th birthday gift was equally cool, although this was not something he bought himself, rather what his then-girlfriend gave him. A 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28.
Of course, this was not the fastest or most powerful Camaro, in fact, far from it, it was a tad underpowered but the cool graphics and those stock wheels were a definite win. Camaros have always been cool. They have been around for fifty years and counting, so clearly, the car deserves a rightful place in American automobile history.
Here’s what we know about Matthew McConaughey’s 1981 Camaro Z28 and why it delighted him so when he got it for his 40th.
Let’s Talk The Z28 Camaro
The Z28 comes from the RPO codes of Chevy, RPO Z28 stood for Special Performance Package and so it became an option code introduced in 1966 for the 1967 model year. At the time it was introduced by Vince Piggins, a biggie at GM, who decided to push for track-ready Camaros for sale at any Chevy dealership. The Z28 was not initially mentioned in any brochure so, in the late ‘60s, not many knew about it.
Soon its legend grew and so did the sales and the interest in the Z28 Camaro. For 1981, the Chevy Camaro Z28 Sports Coupe was a two-door coupe, with a naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V8. Output in 1980 was 190 horses and the torque stood at 280 ft-lb.
For 1981, while everything else was the same, the Computer Command Control (CCC) was new. Since the CCC’s goal was to control emissions, output dropped down to 175 horses but the car looked as capable as ever. Of course, the low output numbers was something every muscle car was struggling with at the time so this does not reflect badly on the Camaro, just on every muscle car of the time where emission control was a nightmare and the oil crisis was fresh history.
Mathew McConaughey’s Z28
This car has been McConaughey’s childhood dream because his older brother Pat drove it in high school. At the time, McConaughey was 12 and Pat was 18, so he’d come home on the weekend in the middle of the night. Matthew recalls that Pat would wake him up and he’d run out to the car in his PJs and listen to rock and roll in the car parked in the driveway.
Apparently, this was also the first car that he ever drove, and the image stayed with him since. His older brother Pat would let him drive it around Texas when their parents were not at home and those free-wheeling times left a lasting impact on McConaughey, who loved the car all his life.
At the time, Camilla Alves wasn’t McConaughey’s wife as she is today, considering they got married in 2012 when he turned 43. But when November 4, 2009, came knocking, Camilla, who was McConaughey’s girlfriend at the time, had a surprise parked in the driveway for him. She had tracked down and bought a 1981 Camaro Z28 as a birthday gift for him, blowing him over with the gesture and the thoughtfulness behind it.
And honestly, it's one cool ride in black, equipped with a rumbly V8 as well as power windows, power locks, and cruise control. Perfect for a Hollywood hunk who is on his way to the top.
The Perfect Ride For McConaughey
The Camaro, in essence as well as in sales, could never “eat the Mustang” as GM claimed at the launch, but it has held its own and had a niche fan following since the start. The Z28 encapsulates everything great about a Camaro and adds further awesomeness to it all. Is this the most vaunted Z28 classic Camaro? Nope, but it's still one very awesome car, period.
The Z28’s suspension is a beefed-up one for a sportier ride, and it also has foam-backed interiors for comfort as well as noise control. The interiors scream sporty with a fancier transmission console as well as an easy-to-read instrument panel.
Better hydraulics and fuel flow also made the Camaro Z28 the fastest of its time and we are sure the Texan in McConaughey yells Yeehaw while zooming down open roads with the top down.
As he rightly should and while we're happy for him, the car lover in us is also a teeny-tiny bit envious.
Sources: NewOldCars, CHRON