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1975 Camaro

Catalytic converters arrive; the Z28 is gone

Catalytic converters and unleaded fuel arrive, and the Z28 sits out two years.

Edited by Bill Pierce. Reviewed October 2026.

Blue 1975 Camaro Rally Sport with blacked-out hood, roof and nose, front three-quarter
1975 Camaro Rally Sport Photo: Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Catalytic converters and unleaded fuel became mandatory for 1975, and the high-compression Z28 didn't survive them: no Z28 was offered to buyers in 1975 or 1976, though Chevrolet's records show one 1975 Z28 was built. The quickest way to tell a 1975 from a 1974 is at the back, where a large wraparound rear window replaced the flat glass and small quarter windows.

The range was Sport Coupe, Type LT and Rally Sport, powered by the 250 six or the 350 V8. Production held at 145,770.

Blue 1975 Camaro Rally Sport coupe with dark roof and hood
Blue 1975 Camaro Rally Sport coupe with dark roof and hood, rear window louvres and rear spoiler, side profile and rear three-quarter view on a rural road Photo: Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License

With the performance story gone quiet, Chevrolet leaned on comfort and appearance equipment. Pontiac's Firebird Trans Am, which kept its big engines, would soon force the Z28 back.

Did you know

  • Chevrolet planned a dash "fuel economy light," an indicator that tracked changes in engine vacuum, as an instrument option for 1975, then cancelled it.
  • With no Z28 in the showroom, the Firebird Trans Am took off: Pontiac built 10,255 in 1974, 27,274 in 1975 and 46,704 in 1976. The 1975 jump was more than two and a half times, in a year when total Firebird output rose only from 73,729 to 84,063.
  • Bobby Unser won the 1975 International Race of Champions title, the first decided in identical Camaros after the series dropped its Porsche RSRs. A.J. Foyt won in 1976 and 1977, Al Unser in 1978 and Mario Andretti in 1979.
  • Two May 1975 recalls are on NHTSA's Camaro record. One covered flexible fan blades on air-conditioned 350 V8s that could fail from resonance at about 630 rpm, a hazard to anyone tuning the engine; the other covered an under-torqued steering-shaft clamp bolt that could let the shaft separate.
Orange 1975 Camaro coupe with hood open
Orange 1975 Camaro coupe with hood open, front three-quarter and side view, at an outdoor car show Photo: Ryan Gsell, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License

Production

One production figure is listed for 1975: Total production, 145,770.

Record Count
Total production 145,770
White 1975 Camaro coupe
White 1975 Camaro coupe, front three-quarter view from the opposite side, in a car park Photo: sv1ambo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License
Blue 1975 Camaro coupe with white vinyl roof and side pipes
Blue 1975 Camaro coupe with white vinyl roof and side pipes, front three-quarter view, at an outdoor car meet Photo: Brücke-Osteuropa, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License

Engines

The 1975 table lists three engines: the 250 cu in inline-6 and two versions of the 350 cu in V8. The highest power rating shown is 155 hp (net), for the 350 cu in V8.

Code Engine Power Torque Note
D 250 cu in inline-6 105 hp (net) at 3,800 rpm 185 lb-ft (net) at 1,200 rpm L22 six; all states. The MVMA sheet excludes the 3-speed manual in California.
H 350 cu in V8 145 hp (net) at 3,800 rpm 250 lb-ft (net) at 2,200 rpm L65 two-barrel; not available in California.
L 350 cu in V8 155 hp (net) at 3,800 rpm 250 lb-ft (net) at 2,400 rpm LM1 four-barrel; all states.

Options, packages and special editions

The 1975 list has 23 options, packages and special editions. Every entry shows a price.

Code Description Price Note
1FQ87 Sport Coupe, 6-cylinder $3,540.05 Base price, April 1975
1FQ87 Sport Coupe, V8 $3,685.05 Base price
1FS87 Type LT Coupe, V8 $4,057.05 Base price
Z85 Rally Sport equipment — black hood, header, roof and rear panel with tri-color stripes $238.00 $165.00 on Type LT; returns as a paint package
Z86 Gymkhana suspension — 15 x 7 wheels, E60-15 white-letter tires $112.00 $66.00 with Rally Sport or Type LT
Z54 Interior Decor / Quiet Sound Group $35.00 Standard on Type LT
Z21 Style trim $55.00
LM1 Engine, 350-4 V8 $54.00
M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic $235.00
M20 / M21 4-speed wide- or close-ratio $219.00
G80 Positraction rear axle $49.00
C60 Four-Season air conditioning $435.00 six / $490.00 V8 V8 price includes power brakes
J50 Power brakes $55.00
AU3 Power door locks $56.00
A31 Power windows $91.00
D55 Console $68.00
U14 Special instrumentation $88.00 Standard on Type LT
— Leather interior trim $216.00
— Vinyl roof cover $87.00
D80 Front and rear spoilers $77.00
PE1 Turbine I wheels $110.50 $75.00 on Type LT
UM2 Stereo tape with AM/FM stereo radio $363.00
FE8 Radial-tuned suspension $35.00
White 1975 Camaro coupe
White 1975 Camaro coupe, front three-quarter view, in a car park Photo: sv1ambo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License

Exterior colors

This table has 16 exterior colors for 1975, each with its paint code. They include White, Silver Metallic and Light Graystone.

Code Color Note
11 White Carry-over
13 Silver Metallic
15 Light Graystone
24 Medium Blue
26 Bright Blue Metallic
29 Dark Blue Metallic
44 Medium Green Carry-over
49 Dark Green Metallic
50 Cream-Beige Carry-over
51 Bright Yellow Carry-over
55 Sandstone
58 Dark Sandstone Metallic
63 Light Saddle Metallic
64 Persimmon Metallic
74 Red Metallic Carry-over
75 Red Carry-over
Orange 1975 Camaro coupe with white nose stripes and hood open
Orange 1975 Camaro coupe with white nose stripes and hood open, front three-quarter view, at an outdoor car show in a park Public domain (Bull-Doser), via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph
Dark blue 1975 Camaro coupe with light hood stripe
Dark blue 1975 Camaro coupe with light hood stripe, side profile and front three-quarter view, parked on an industrial street Photo: GPS 56, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License

Interior trim

This table has four interior trims for 1975, each with its trim code.

The September 1974 factory matrix for 1975, printed Body p. 4 (GM kit PDF p. 22), retains three standard-coupe upholstery codes and the separate Type LT Medium Graystone knit-cloth code 15D. Codes 19V, 91V and 19C repeat under ordinary and Red accent-carpet columns; a repeated code is not another upholstery material. The 91V entry is Black vinyl with White seats, distinct from an all-White interior. Red accent carpet uses separate RPO 75F, and those Red-accent columns are marked only with White exterior 11 or Red exterior 75 in the chart. The note permits non-recommended solid exterior/interior combinations with ZP2 override, explicitly excluding vinyl tops, and says two-tone paint is not available on Camaro. These are dated ordering statements, not a physical-tag/VIN crosswalk, individual-car authenticity claim or rule for another year.

Code Trim Note
19V Black vinyl, standard coupe Also 19V with red accent carpet (75F). The September 1974 standard-coupe matrix repeats this trim code for the ordinary and Red accent-carpet columns. Red carpet is separate RPO 75F; the matrix marks the Red-accent combinations for White (11) or Red (75) exterior, not every paint.
91V Black vinyl with white seats, standard coupe Also with red accent carpet. The September 1974 standard-coupe matrix repeats this trim code for the ordinary and Red accent-carpet columns. Red carpet is separate RPO 75F; the matrix marks the Red-accent combinations for White (11) or Red (75) exterior, not every paint.
19C Black cloth, standard coupe Also with red accent carpet. The September 1974 standard-coupe matrix repeats this trim code for the ordinary and Red accent-carpet columns. Red carpet is separate RPO 75F; the matrix marks the Red-accent combinations for White (11) or Red (75) exterior, not every paint.
15D Medium Graystone knit cloth, Type LT Type LT Medium Graystone knit cloth is the sole Type LT trim column in the September 1974 matrix; it is not a standard-coupe material code.

Specifications

This table gives five specifications for 1975, among them wheelbase (108.0 in) and standard tire (FR78-14).

Item Value Note
Wheelbase 108.0 in
Standard tire FR78-14
Overall length 195.4 in 187.8 in less bumpers
Overall width 74.4 in
Track, front / rear 61.3 / 60.0 in Type LT 61.6 / 60.3 in
White 1975 Camaro coupe with rear spoiler
White 1975 Camaro coupe with rear spoiler, rear three-quarter view, in a car park Photo: sv1ambo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License
Orange 1975 Camaro coupe with hood open showing a chrome-dressed engine
Orange 1975 Camaro coupe with hood open showing a chrome-dressed engine, front three-quarter view, at an outdoor car show Photo: Ryan Gsell, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License

Identification

What to check on a 1975 Camaro: VIN and year cues.

Item What to look for Note
VIN 1 Q/S 87 [engine] 5 N/L 100001-up Series Q Camaro, S Type LT; body 87; engine code in position 5 (see engine table); year digit; plant
Year cues Large wraparound rear window New for 1975; no Z28 offered

Decode a specific car with the VIN decoder, the cowl tag decoder and the engine and drivetrain stamp decoder.

Why it matters

The Camaro's quietest year for performance, and the opening Pontiac's Trans Am drove straight through.

Copper 1975 Camaro coupe with white vinyl roof
Copper 1975 Camaro coupe with white vinyl roof, front three-quarter view, for sale on a used-car lot Photo: JOHN LLOYD, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License

The first Camaro on unleaded fuel

Unleaded fuel brought new hardware: a catalytic converter under the floor, "unleaded fuel only" decals, a restricted filler neck and a screw-on fuel cap. The engines were the 105-hp 250 six, a 145-hp two-barrel 350 and a 155-hp four-barrel 350 (RPO LM1) that cost $54. California buyers could not get the two-barrel V8 at all, so a California V8 meant the LM1.

Blue 1975 Camaro Rally Sport coupe with rear window louvres and rear spoiler
Blue 1975 Camaro Rally Sport coupe with rear window louvres and rear spoiler, rear three-quarter view on a rural road Photo: Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License

The four-speed manual was offered only behind the LM1. Nearly everyone bought an automatic: 126,518 of the 145,770 cars built had Turbo Hydra-Matic.

A new rear window and radial tires

The new wraparound rear window was the one styling change, and it eased the blind spot the 1970–1974 cars were known for. Steel-belted radial tires, optional in 1974, became standard. Bias-belted tires could still be ordered as a credit option.

Buyers who wanted to go faster through corners had two suspension choices. The radial-tuned suspension (RPO FE8, $35) added special stabilizers and shocks. The Gymkhana suspension (RPO Z86, $112) went further, with 15 x 7 wheels, E60 x 15 white-letter tires, special stabilizers and shocks, and its own steering gear. It required a V8, and 3,711 were sold.

No Z28, and a Rally Sport made of paint

The Z28 package was gone. It still appeared in early dealer ordering information, and Chevrolet's records show exactly one 1975 Z28 built. Whether that car reached a retail customer or was a prototype is not known.

Black 1975 Camaro coupe
Black 1975 Camaro coupe, front three-quarter view, parked on a brick-paved street Photo: Niels de Wit, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License

Rally Sport returned at midyear as RPO Z85 at $238, and it meant something new. There were no hidden headlamps and no split bumper. Instead the hood, header panel, grille, headlamp bezels, fender tops, front of the roof and rear panel were blacked out, with tri-color stripes separating the black from the body color and Rally Sport decals on the fenders and deck lid. About 7,000 were sold.

Prices and what buyers chose

At introduction a six-cylinder Sport Coupe cost $3,553 and a V8 coupe $3,698, according to the Camaro White Book. The Type LT cost $4,070 and came with Rally wheels, special instrumentation, hide-away wipers and the interior decor and quiet sound group. The April 1, 1975 price schedule, which the options table follows, cut those prices to $3,540.05, $3,685.05 and $4,057.05 suggested retail. Chevrolet built 29,749 six-cylinder coupes, 76,178 V8 coupes and 39,843 Type LTs. The Style Trim group, with bright moldings and accented parking lamps, was the most popular option at 66,541 cars.

Blue 1975 Camaro Rally Sport coupe with black hood and nose
Blue 1975 Camaro Rally Sport coupe with black hood and nose, front three-quarter view on a rural road Photo: Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License

Some options existed mainly on paper. Power door locks were new for 1975. Cruise control was listed for the first time since 1968, but Chevrolet's sales records show no installations. Leather seats for the Type LT, in saddle or dark red at $216, appeared in dealer guides for about four months, with no recorded retail sales.

Sources