Lots of Van Halen probably played through them Jensen's...

Best line..."who ever cared...the Dasher, the Prelude and the Quaylude"....too funny Steve....dead pan comic at best!

My high school buddy’s brother had a Z28 Camaro clone with that 267 V8. It was a dog, got beat by Grand Prixs and escort GT’s. When he went to a HP parts store to ask what could be done to make it faster the grey haired guy behind the counter told him 2 things. 1, swap in a 350. 2. Sell it. Couple of weeks later he blew the motor racing a Fiero. The Fiero won.

Back in the mid-late 80’s, my brother had a black ‘78 Z28 with gold decals, black interior, Hurricane II wheels, black headers with side pipes! The car was gorgeous, and I REALLY miss that era!

1980,s was a golden time to be into motorcycles! Disc brakes, water cooling, 4 valve heads and 5 valve heads, monoshock suspension, alloy frames, radial tyres. Every new model was a leap on last years. Good times!

"The Prelude and the Quaalude"...ya needed one to enjoy the other...ahhh the mid 80's.

A lot of real 80's metal played through those Jensen's I'd wager.

How many of you watching this got goosebumps when Steve said the "Hemi power... NEW redesigned Challengers..." Namaste Steve 🙏🏼

That Camaro reeks of late 70's early 80's modifications and those 6x9' s were in everything back then. I had a 71 Duster that had Craig FM cassette player and 6x9 speakers but at least who ever installed them didn't cut holes in the rear package tray.

I'm like you Steve, born in '67 & remember those dreary '80s but my daily driver to high school 1983-84 was a 1978 Ttop Z28 that I got for $2000 & I kept it until 1998, wish I still had it ✌💖☮

My first car was a 81 z28. It wasn't the fastest but it looked amazing and when the cowl induction hood opened up it made you feel like you were driving something special. You could get a 350 with a 4 speed in 81 but you had to go to Canada to get one. Mine was automatic

I am lucky to watch these videos and gain more knowledge from the automotive "field." Keep up the great work Steve.

Hey Steve ! You just kill it with these videos man ! This one hit home for me because i own an ‘80 camaro base with a 305. After seeing how rough this one was i felt a greater appreciation for mine due to the fact that it’s completely cancer free, i ended up going and firing it up , loved it, definitely have to spend more time with it, thanks for lighting that fire under my ass Steve ! Lol , - Steven

prelude, qualude...funny stuff right there Steve! Yes the 80's were very dark times for auto makers for sure!!!

I test drove a brand new 81 Z28 with a 4 speed back in the day and I remember being very turned off by the anemic V8 and passed on it. Didn't realize it was a 305 but that would surely explain why it was so gutless.

I truly enjoy your videos. You have a way of packing in relative information without all the damn fluff. You are either highly educated on your topics or just plain know what you are doing. Keep up the good work.

@ 6:40 “ the Vokswagon what is this, the Scirocco…WHO KNOWS WHO CARES”…HAHAHAHA LOVE IT

Even better the second time, get well soon Steve!!!

I had a sweet 81 RS Camaro in High School. 305, silver with red interior. Oh I miss that car.

Tell me about it, Steve. I never thought that in 2022 there would even be fast cars. In the 80s, it looked like V8's and rear wheel drive was going to be long gone. I never would have believed we'd have 700+ horsepower street cars with AC and a warranty none the less!

The missing fender vents were a giveaway for me

Steve, I happened to notice the Chevrolet Brockwood Station Wagon in the background . How about doing a presentation on this one? I thoroughly enjoy your series...keep it going! Best wishes.....

I miss my 78 rustbucket. Only a 250 inline 6, but man it was fun

I used to have a 1981 Camaro Berlinetta, it was black too (originally red but I painted it black).

Windows down and mullets dancing in the breeze while cruising down main street.

I had a '79 Z28 Camaro back in the mid to late '80s. It had a 350 four barrel, but was still slow. It had the triangular shaped scoop on the hood, and only had flares on the front fenders. I noticed that one not only doesn't have the cowl hood, but does not have the fake air vents on the front fenders either. It looks like the whole front clip was replaced, and a Z28 spoiler was added to it.

Scoped that car out the other day and knew something wasn't right by that trans tunnel 😄 Never knew about the 267 V8, I figured this was a 3.8 car! Too cool.

What I find amusing about Steve is his ability to add something Chrysler related to any conversation.....

Hey Steve! I really appreciate you taking your show to YT. I loved it when it was on TV and now I can watch at my leisure and not have to wait for the weekly. Thanks! Your knowledge on these cars is invaluable.

I am about the same vintage as you Steve, yeah those were the dark days. As proud owners of two late second gens since my wife and I were both teenagers, both originally 305 cars and both now with 357 and 385 CI small blocks, that was the thing to do back then, make them run like they were made a decade earlier! Amazing thing about second gens is they were very evolutionary and transforming, moving from high output v8’s to emissions strangled de-tuned cat equipped power plants. They also morphed into wrap around windows completing the colonnade theme and also grew body color bumpers the way Bill Mitchell always wanted. Pretty amazing run going from points ignition to ECM, 130mph to 85mph Speedo’s and the lackluster 267 v8, the doggiest of dogs, although our family towed a 23 foot mako with a 267 Malibu wagon and it lasted for 220,000 miles! Both Good and bad times.

That Turbo Trans Am ad is in my copy of December 1980 Hot Rod magazine!

Ugh! That 267 V-8 was a dog of an engine! My buddy had a 79 Chevy Malibu 2dr Silver exterior/Black interior that had the 267 along with the metric 200 auto trans around 1982. Great looking car but SLOOOWWWW! He drove it like that for a year or two and did a few mods to it.. Intake/small 4V carb, Headers/exhaust, Ignition, ETC... After much ribbing from us he finally got serious...It got a built 383 stroker with a equally built TH-350 trans. The tall non posi 2:29:1 salt flat ratio gave way to an 85 Monte Carlo SS rear to get the limited slip and deeper gearing... I surprised a lot of people back in the day! I totally forgot about that old 267! Great content Steve!

I had the Gabriel hijackers & Jensen speakers on my Foxbody.

That may have been a Berlinetta. My brother had a 1980 with the rear spoiler factor and chin spoiler that was a dealer add on. It too had the 4.4liter dog. It was a sharp looking car, Burgundy with the turbine style wheels.

Great stuff Steve ! Im right there with you in age and thought the 80s cars were a joke... so happy when the new muscle car era started and think you are right about Mopar. I thought why discontinue the challenger when its so successful? I hppe the future is bright !! Thanks for sharing

The memories stirred up for me with the Gabriel High Jackers ! In 1969 , 1970 , we jacked up the rear of our vehicles as high as we could get them , even using leaf spring extensions . It was the style back then but very dangerous . My friend Bob rolled his Falcon over on a curve and I rolled my 63 Chevy ll Nova over on the same curve . I'm also not used to rust on vehicles like y'all have in the north . If I came across a car for sale from the north , I wouldn't touch it . Keep bringing back those memories , Steve , I love it !

Man I miss your junkyard digs show on motor trend was one of my favorite shows I learned so much then I found you on KZfaq and my hopes were restored

that poison oak breaks me out just looking at it .

I wish I was as immune to poison ivy like Steve apparently is.

Nothing has changed over the years. I just picked up my 2023 camaro Saturday, after waiting four months. The trunk can just about hold a pizza and a calzone. Oh, and people with legs don't fit in the back seat. But, overall it's still a cool car.

Steve do a story on the Chevy wagon behind you

Remember Bass 48 Speakers. Thanks for the video sir.

Pretty sad what happened to our favorite cars during this time. The Mustang got a 4 cylinder, and the Dodge Challenger became something made by Mitsubishi. The Camaro also got a 4 cyl, if I remember correctly. Later in the decade, the Mustang got a 5.0 V8 which was an improvement. Still under the 55 MPH limit until 1987.

I bought a 1980 Trans Am Turbo car with the 301 a couple years ago. Opened the hood and there was a 454 chevy in there!!

I was a young Buck back then starting in the oilfield and lamented the good old days I missed with muscle cars , I bought a 79 L82 Vette ( another turd ) with the optional 220 Hp engine , my Honda van has more than that now , anyway I put a Martin turbo pack on it which was a poorly designed kit and baked the engine good . The previous commenter hit the nail on the head about bikes as I bought a Suzuki GS 1100E in 82 which was considered the quickest bike of the day , all you Kawasaki GPZ 1100 fan boys fight me :) and bikes were considered the way to relive the performance days as it was mentioned in several road test how different bikes were faster than muscle cars ever were .

Hi Steve. Dead giveaway is the front fenders don't have any vents. The stripe package is wrong also, it was made up of 3 stripes and not 2. Even your magazine shows that. I had a 1980 Z28 I bought new with a 4 speed and 350 engine. It had a new for 1980 a rear axle ratio of 3.08 coupled with the wide ratio borg warner super T10. The car was fairly quick up to 50 mph due to lower 1st and 2nd gears. Then you stayed in 3rd gear up to 85 mph then 4th gear could take the car into the redline at about 5250 rpm and 130 mph. It would take a while to reach top speed but it was faster than the automatic cars with a rear axle ratio of 3.42, and a top speed of 110 or so. Higher top speed than the 1979 Z28 with the close ratio 4 speed and a 3.73 rear axle ratio, and as quick off the line. The change to the 3.08 ratio was for better fuel economy. I don't know the production numbers but more 1981s were automatic with a T-top compared to the 1980 models. Thanks for the memories.

i miss my 74 jim rockford brown firebird 400 posi rear.. . these cars fish tailed at the sight of rain.. its how i wrecked mine

Had one of these identical. They run good after changing the rear gears and finding a older small block for it. My opinion

Had a friend in high school had a 81 z 28, met wifey she had 83 z 28 ! BOTH good strong cars ! 👍

The factory manual 3 and 4 speed still has the lock out. When you put the car in reverse it spins the column to lock key cylinder. It still works in my 78 Camaro.

My Regal had those air shocks. Worked good when you loaded it down.

Great video Steve. Yeah, I'm with you on the downturn of the 80s, I was born in 1965 so right there with you on being in my 20s during the 80s and major concern for where the automotive manufacturers were heading. Keep up the good work, love these junkyard crawl videos!

Born in 64 as well,yes in high school new cars were the worst.love the bicycle comment. Thanks again for your time doing these videos!

2:33 Oh Lord tell me it had cragars all around with n-50s out back,and red differential lights. And the permanently stuck on reverse lights.

In 1985, it was a violation of Federal law for the operator of this car to not have a mullet. Also, many states required Dokken to be looped constantly on the cassette deck.

I remember my days of hunting parts for a swap of my 1980 caprice to Manual,, I used all the linkages parts from Camaro,, and they fit right

Your videos are addictive! Love them!

It also doesn't have the vent in the fender, z28 issue

The 2nd generation Camaro and Firebird were built from 1970-81 my favorite body style of them all

Great info Steve...I'm diggin' the 58 wagon behind you

I was born in 64 as well..im still amazed at where the car world has come since the early 80s..im still having nightmares about my girlfriends Honda CVCC!

I love your optimism for a continuation of the hemi cars. I'm with you on that. I don't think we need anymore soulless electric cars

Prelude and quelude lol! Where's the deer mascot?!

Oh but that Brookwood wagon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@8:50 Thanks for the insight and hope Steve!

I spent several afternoons at 'Willow' setting up an IMSA '80 Camaro. All the cheats applied. Such a sweet car. Ten tons of work to get balanced but in the end it was a sweet drive...

My moms first car was a 1963 fury, quickly traded for a 1964 yellow convertible mustang when they came out, she then got a 1970 gsx, her next car was a caprice I saw the z28 new on the showroom and hoped so much that was the new car we would get. I’ve always loved them.

Had a V-6 car back in the day, What a dog!! Had to change the motor as the original one died. It would have been easier to put in a V-8! The 6 was shoehorned in the back of the engine bay.

…Prelude and Quaalude …lol I was laughing so hard !

I noticed the 1958 Chevy wagon behind you.

I’m hoping you are right about mopar V8s of the future. I need that sound in my life!

Ahhh, to hear that edit right at the last.........😁

I could listen to you for hours

6:00 am Bowl of Reese’s Puffs Getting ready to head out to work Junkyard Crawy Best way to start the week. 😂👍🇨🇦

Get well & get back soon Steve.😊

2:01 We had to settle for Sparkomatic speakers . lol

Thank you Steve your knowledge base is so impressive.

In mid '80s I was handed down a late '70s Monza 262 V8 And SuperT10 which would eat these Camaro for lunch. Well, mine was equipped with an old stock non ballbearimg cartridge TO4, a modded for forced induction 800cfm carb, stock cam, stock everything else. At ~5psi it ran low 13s and had a 126 mph top speed. Mind you, NO INTERCOOLER and on its stock 13" wheels and 185/70-13 tires from a TA29 Celica. Ah, those were the days!!!

Looks like an awesome Mercedes Ponton behind it 54-62

Steve I love your videos and car knowledge, however you did slip up on this one. That Camaro had 79 Z28 stripes on the door, not 81. The black grill was a 78-79 Z28 as were the black headlight and turn signal bezels. Also the fender was missing the engine vent which are only on Z28 fenders.

The lack of fender vents and the grill are two things that are not Z28

Wow, you're old! One whole year older than I am!

This is like my first car in 1994, but mine was metallic blue and had matching blue rally wheels. The first thing I did was put in hookers and dual exhaust. Everyone is shitting all over the 267 but matched with the turbo 350 Trans it was all I needed to have a good time on country roads, winter storms or freeway cruises.

Very educational video! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

I LOVE the 2nd gen Camaro!! 1st styling '70 1/2 - 73, excellent!!! 2nd styling('74-'77) now had to have the impact absorbing bumpers, not the prettiest but still looked cool(IMHO)! Added to the mix was the wrap around rear glass, love it. Bought a used '76 trade in when I was a lot attendant at a Toyota dealership in 1990 for $1700, base model or next level up in orange with black interior, a 305 cube V8 auto, and radio delete. Drove it for 6 years as is and LOVED it!! There was no Z28 in '76, which might have been the final year because Chevy was going to discontinue the car but brought back the Z28 package in '77, the 305 only made 140 hp in my car, the 350 made 165 hp, yet now the car had decent handling. The 3rd styling was actually considered a new model because the car was longer with the front and rear restyling treatment. The 3rd gen is very popular for many people with improved power and handling, me included and the 4th gen has it's loyal following too. Hopefully the 5th gen is not the last we see of the CAMARO!!!

I'm the same age as you Steve and also remember those dark times for horsepower, or lack thereof. Shudder!

I was coming through the automotive program at a tech college around 88-90. No one wanted a fuel injected, computer controlled engine yet, even though they were obviously more efficient. There was no aftermarket for them. But you could still take a 350 from a few years earlier with a carb and boost performance on the cheap. I had a friend who owned 3 5.0 Fox bodies in a row. Yeah, he wrecked two and was very spoiled. On his third brand new Mustang, he did a cam swap, ported the heads, gutted the cats, swapped to 4.10 gears, put in a race ready C4 with a stall converter. When he was finished he had a car that was worth half what his daddy paid for it and couldn't run faster than 50 on the highway for any length of time. And he was still not the fastest car around.

Thanks for that Challenger/Charger info, it does make sense.

I believe I read an article once that in Canada they did offer the 350 with a manual transmission for '81 Camaros.

No fender vents and the stripes are 1979 Z28.

I wouldn't trust much the Chrysler says these days. The original run of Durango Hellcats were supposed to be a very limited number which drove the price up. Now they've announced they're going to build tens of thousands of them driving the price down.

Z28 had fender lowers openings and fake plastic hood scoop. My brother had a souped up green 79 4 speed Z28 with all options. He used it for 1/4 mile races.

Thanks Steve

I love the looks of the 81 z28. I'm a Mopar guy.

My best friend in the late eightys had a 81 Z28 with a 350 4 brl 4spd with posi 373 rear end. That car was a good runner. In 2000 I sold my 73 Z28 big mistake because i could not touch it now.

I had a 1980 with 229 V6, I remember it having 115 horsepower too.

Yeah, the 80s seemed to be all about stripe and appearance packages, selling a fast look, not a fast car, dark days indeed. I grew up in the 80s, in fact Steve you are only a year older than me. Man you really know your stuff that's for sure and I do hope that the rumble of a big V8 doesn't disappear and become a thing of the past and have us all asking, "remember when?" I guess it all remains to be seen.

My first car was a 1981 Impala with a 267 on it. You're right, they were dogs with a tiny Rochester dualjet carb and choaked out with tiny exhaust and a smog pump.

My dad was all about jensen 6x9s and equalizers.

My friend had a powder blue one of these in the 80s. It had a 267 small block that made like 115hp, I think.