1973 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 LS1 / T56 6-Speed
Real Z28 with LS1/T56 already done; a buy if it stays under roughly $24k, rust repair aside.
1973 Chevrolet Camaro
Sold Why we picked it
A VIN-confirmed 1973 Z28 (1Q87T3N...) owned by the seller since 2005. It carries an LS1 from a 1998 Z28 with a cam, LS6 intake and long-tubes (swapped in 2007), a TREMEC T56 six-speed added in 2015, a rebuilt 3.42 Posi rear, Hotchkis springs, four-wheel discs, Vintage Air and Dakota Digital gauges.
The seller describes it as a solid, reliable driver with over 20 years of records, and is upfront about rust bubbles ahead of the passenger rear tire and on the driver front fender, plus paint chips and roof blemishes. Clean New Hampshire title. Bidding is at $5,000 with about 13 days left.
The value check
When we found it, the bid was $21,000. Comparable cars in the same condition have sold for $21,000–$38,500, so the middle of the market is about $29,750. That put this car 29% under.
Modified driver-grade 1973-74 Camaros sold for $21,000 to $38,500 between August and September 2026 (midpoint about $29,750); a numbers-matching 1973 Z28 4-speed brought $46,759. The $5,000 bid is early and will rise.
- 1974 Camaro Z28, BaT, $21,000
- 1973 Camaro Type LT, BaT, $28,000
- 1973 Camaro, Mecum, $38,500
- 1973 Z28 4-speed, Hagerty, $46,759
What to check
- Rust bubbles are disclosed at the passenger rear wheel opening and driver fender; on second-gens that often means quarter-panel and trunk-drop rot behind it, so get underneath.
- Check the rear window channel, cowl, floor pans and rear frame rails/leaf spring perches.
- Ask who did the LS wiring and fuel system, and whether it runs a return-style or returnless setup with the Tanks Inc. tank.
- A 1998 LS1 in a 2007 swap: check for oil consumption, a recent compression/leak-down test, and clutch/hydraulics condition on the T56.
- New England car: confirm it was stored dry and look at brake and fuel lines.
Making it drive like new
The drivetrain is the hard part and it is done. Next steps would be fixing the rust properly, a subframe connector kit, tubular front arms or a coilover front end, a better rear (leaf springs with a watts link or a 4-link conversion), and bigger brakes to match the LS power.
7 builders make a complete chassis for the 1970–81 Second-gen Camaro & Firebird. Compare them side by side, along with what it takes to stiffen the factory frame.
How it ended
It sold for $27,285 on Oct 22, 2026, against a market value of about $29,750 when we found it.
What 1970–81 Second-gen Camaro & Firebird cars sell for
| Condition | Sales | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 31 | $6,091 | $30,800 | $57,200 |
| Collector | 5 | $31,750 | $36,300 | $78,500 |
| Pro-build | 9 | $27,285 | $57,200 | $81,320 |
Recent sales
| Car | Condition | Result | Date | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 Chevrolet Camaro, Gumball 3000 rally car with EFI and A/C, no reserve | Driver | $25,145 | Oct 22, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1971 Chevrolet Camaro with 402 big-block, TH400 and new interior | Driver | $35,578 | Oct 13, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1973 Pontiac Firebird restomod: 455 EFI, Tremec TKX five-speed, C5 brakes, finished in 2024 | Pro-build | $52,500 | Oct 5, 2026 | Hemmings |
| 1981 Camaro Z28, auto | Collector | $31,750 | Oct 3, 2026 | Bring a Trailer |
| 1970 Camaro SS 396 L78 | Collector | $78,500 | Oct 1, 2026 | CLASSIC.com |
| 1979 Camaro Z28, original, 4-speed | Driver | $28,027 | Sep 30, 2026 | Bring a Trailer |
| 1973 Firebird Formula, built 455 | DriverPro-build | $56,500 | Sep 26, 2026 | Bring a Trailer |
| 1980 Trans Am LS swap | Pro-build | $57,200 | Sep 26, 2026 | Mecum |
