Whenever someone mentions “American cars”, the first thing that comes to mind is a muscle car or truck. If they were to dig deeper and ask you for brand names, there are a couple that should come easy. It would be a shame if Chevrolet was not on your top three mentions.
The Chevrolet Camaro is Chevy's flagship muscle car or, if you like, pony car. The Camaro is currently in its sixth generation. The first Camaro rolled off the production line back in 1966. Since then, this pure American muscle has gone on to be one of the most popular Chevrolet brands in the world.
Let's take a closer look at the Camaro.
The Rise Of The Camaro
From 1966 to 2002 Chevrolet focused on building a unique car. This car not only represented what a pure breed American pony car was, it was also one that was relatively affordable. The Camaro has always gone head to head with the Ford Mustang. This competition has seen both companies build some of the most intriguing cars in history.
In 2002, Chevrolet put a halt in the production of the Camaro – it was in its fourth-generation at this time. Seven years later in 2009, the production of the resumed. This marked the beginning of this ride’s fifth-generation lineup. This generation has gone on to, evolved into what we now know as the sixth generation.
The split bumper Camaro is one of the most popular second-generation Camaro. It made its debut in 1970. This car was a major improvement of the first-generation Camaro. It was said to be more driver-friendly and prettier. This car got its name from its uniquely designed front bumper. This feature made it stand out from all the other Camaros.
On that note, here is a detailed look back at the split bumper Camaro.
Split Bumper Camaro
The split bumper Camaro made its debut in 1970. However, it was not until 1971 that it made its way into the showrooms and yards for sale. The term split bumper was used to refer to the design of some of the most iconic second-generation Camaros.
These cars had an interesting front bumper. This bumper was designed to look split with the midsection pointing out. These cars marked the beginning of the second-generation Camaro. These rides were said to be improvements for the first-generation.
These cars were wider, bigger, and featured a lower ride height compares to their predecessors. Split bumper Camaros were in production for three years (1970 to 1973).
Design Of The Split Bumper Camaro
The design of the split bumper Camaro was one that allowed it to stand out. Apart from the unifying design of the bumper, there were subtle differences in all the cars that were produced from 1970 to 1973.
The first key difference was the truck emblem. The 1970 Camaro was the only Camaro with a 12-bolt emblem that read Camaro by Chevrolet. On the 1971 Camaro, the emblem only read Camaro, which was the same for the 1972 and 1973 models.
The second difference was marker lights. The 1970 Camaro was the only one whose side marker lights did not flash when the turn signals were switched on.
The third difference was the seats and dash knobs. The 1970 Camaro was the only split bumper Camaro that was fitted with buckets seats. Images on the dash knobs to indicate what each knob did.
Another key difference was in the design of the grille. The 1972 and 1973, Camaro had larger and fewer rectangles on the grill compared to the 1970 and 1971 Camaros. The 1973 Camaro’s grille was fitted with larger bumper support.
The Split Bumper Camaro's Engine
Just all muscle cars the split bumper Camaro engine was and still is at the center of most discussions. This Camaro was manufactured for four years. For each year the car was in production it came with a different engine.
The 1970 Camaro packed an L22 4.1-liter inline-six engine. This engine had a max power output rating of 155 horsepower. As for 1971, the Camaro came with a 4.1-liter straight-six engine that pushed 110 horsepower.
The 1972 Camaro packed a 4.1-liter L22 six-cylinder engine that pushed 110 horsepower. Lastly, the 1973 split bumper Camaro was powered by a six-cylinder L22 engine. This engine had a 4.1-liter capacity and a 100 horsepower power output.
These engines were paired with either a three-speed or a four-speed manual transmission.
Pricing Of The Split Bumper Camaro
Just like most outstanding old-school vintage cars is not easy. Getting your hands on a split bumper Camaro in perfect mint condition is hard. Getting one with all its original parts might be difficult, but not impossible. The price of a split bumper Camaro in mint condition can run you a $110,000 bill.