| It may seem surprising to many the simple origins of | | | | including various Mercedes-Benz models and the larger |
| the venerable "muscle car" line of the 60's the | | | | G.M. Europe Opals. However the Camaro was the |
| "Chevrolet Camaro". The Camaro started its life as | | | | first application of the engineering for a low-price |
| little more than cobbled together fairly standard | | | | American car. |
| Chevy II automobiles. | | | | Why was this development of importance to the |
| It was the lesson of the Ford Mustang - to make a | | | | vehicle? First it can be said that the compromise was |
| simple to build , relatively inexpensive car , using " off | | | | highly effective. Unit construction techniques allowed |
| the shelf" products already in Chevrolet's and General | | | | more passengers and luggage space than as opposed |
| Motors production series - that of a "volume" family | | | | to a car body designed for a separate full chassis. |
| car. Product planning and production considerations led | | | | The relatively exotic rubber mounts, for its time |
| to one available target - the Chevrolet "Mustang | | | | period, gave a much smoother, quieter ride than |
| fighter" was to be related closely to the Chevy II | | | | those cars and models that had sub-frames mounted |
| automobile product line. Interestingly enough the | | | | directly to the main body shells. An example of this |
| Chevy II was originally not a sales hit, versus the | | | | type of engineering and car production practice were |
| Ford Mustang sister product - the Ford Falcon. | | | | the early 60's Chrysler products. |
| However after a major restyling and re-engineering in | | | | Another interesting engineering "trick" that was used |
| 1968 this was not the case. | | | | in the Camaro project was the use of what G.M. |
| The Camaro product development and launch was | | | | called "cocktail shakers" - that is harmonic shock |
| not the work of one single individual but as a | | | | absorbers located at each end in Camaro |
| forerunner of what was to become - the chain of | | | | convertibles. Their purpose was to control torsional |
| command was spread across a number of echelons | | | | vibration, which G.M. product testers encountered and |
| and departments. On the other side the initial product | | | | detected in early prototypes of running prototypes. |
| released as the Camaro shared the problems of | | | | While most of the product development of the |
| committee design - too many people involved and as | | | | Camaro was well chosen there were some difficulties |
| well and a major limitation in styling in that the basis | | | | and problems - which were bound to occur when the |
| of the car was the essential first nature of the | | | | basic demand was for the use of off- the -shelf |
| product - that to share auto components with other | | | | parts and products - developed and meant for other |
| Chevrolet and General Motors products. What the | | | | G.M. automotive products. Chief among these was |
| Camaro designers produced in the end - as a first | | | | the choice of the single leaf - rear suspension - being |
| generation - was designated the "F" car. In the | | | | taken from the Chevy II and Old Toronado products. |
| mid-60's GMs emphasis on styling was what came to | | | | What resulted was that with large V-8 engines was |
| be known as "fluidity" - that was of smooth, round | | | | considerable "axle tramp" in hard acceleration. |
| lines that simply "flowed" | | | | Along with these issues was the sales department |
| Yet there were a number of advanced and design | | | | insistence for smaller 14 inch wheels to "lower the |
| engineering decisions that set the Camaro apart even | | | | car". You could expect that the result in the real |
| then. First a critical engineering decision was made | | | | world of automotive driving and Camaro owner's |
| right from the start was to use a front sub-frame in | | | | vacations was what came to be known as "rear-end |
| combination with the "unit" construction of the | | | | bottoming under heavy loads". |
| Camaro car product. Eventually as well, this was | | | | Still for a product that started its life as little more |
| regarded with such merits that the practice was | | | | than a series of cobbled together "volume family car" |
| introduced as well on the 1969 Chevy Nova. Having | | | | - the Chevy II the platform had potential. The |
| this setup was a fairly unique approach in that the | | | | Camaro provided a solid well thought out and |
| sub-frame was isolated from the car body by rubber | | | | designed platform upon which "The Camaro" evolved |
| inserts or what came to be known as "biscuits" by | | | | and developed from. The classic "Muscle Car" of the |
| the Chevy engineers. This technique had been refined | | | | 1960' lives on in the hearts and memories of many, |
| on costlier European unit-body cars previously, | | | | many "car guys" and aficionados. |