Its model name is just one letter and a two-digit number, but volumes have been spoken and written about it. It was listed in factory literature as the generic, ho-hum-sounding “Special Performance Package,” available on Camaro Sport Coupes, but the alphanumeric option code resonates more with enthusiasts: RPO Z28.
Ticking that box got you a homologation special powered by an exclusive 302-cu.in. engine with a mechanical cam, 11:1 compression, and a Holley four-barrel conservatively rated at 290 horsepower. The little V-8 was a high-winding love child of key small-block specifications: a 4-inch bore (à la the 327 and later the 350) crossed with a 3-inch stroke (like the legendary 283’s throw). This combination allowed the engine to squeak in under the 305-cu.in. limit for SCCA Trans Am racing.
In keeping with the package’s road racing intentions, there was stiffer front and rear suspension, quicker steering, front disc brakes, a mandatory four-speed transmission, a standard 3.73:1 gear ratio packed in a 12-bolt axle, dual exhaust, and more. The Z/28 made its debut in 1967 and a scant 602 were built. For ’68, Z/28 production rose to 7,199 and nearly tripled for ’69 to more than
