Still no Z28, while Pontiac cleans up
Strong sales, no Z28, and no answer to Pontiac's Trans Am.
A 305-cubic-inch V8 joined the range between the 250 six and the 350 for 1976, and sales climbed to 182,959. What the Camaro still lacked was a Z28, or any answer to Pontiac's Firebird Trans Am, which was selling in huge numbers on the same body shell.
The Sport Coupe, the Type LT and the Rally Sport appearance package all carried over. Those strong sales, and the Trans Am's, set the stage for the Z28's return in spring 1977.
One production figure is listed for 1976: Total production, 182,959.
| Record | Count |
|---|---|
| Total production | 182,959 |
The 1976 table lists three engines: the 250 cu in inline-6, the 305 cu in V8 and the 350 cu in V8. The highest power rating shown is 165 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 manual transmission in California. |
| Q | 305 cu in V8 | 140 hp (net) at 3,800 rpm | 245 lb-ft (net) at 2,000 rpm | LG3 two-barrel; all states. The MVMA sheet excludes the manual transmission in California. |
| L | 350 cu in V8 | 165 hp (net) at 3,800 rpm | 260 lb-ft (net) at 2,400 rpm | LM1 four-barrel; all states. The MVMA sheet excludes the manual transmission in California. |
The 1976 list has 23 options, packages and special editions. Every entry shows a price.
| Code | Description | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1FQ87 | Sport Coupe, 6-cylinder | $3,762.35 | Base price, April 1976 |
| 1FQ87 | Sport Coupe, V8 (305) | $3,927.35 | Base price |
| 1FS87 | Type LT Coupe, V8 | $4,320.35 | Base price |
| Z85 | Rally Sport equipment — black hood, header, roof and rear panel with tri-color stripes | $260.00 | $173.00 on Type LT |
| Z54 | Interior Decor / Quiet Sound Group | $53.00 | Standard on Type LT |
| Z21 | Style trim | $58.00 | |
| LG3 | Engine, 305-2 V8 | No charge | |
| LM1 | Engine, 350-4 V8 | $85.00 | |
| M40 | Turbo Hydra-Matic | $260.00 | |
| M20 | 4-speed wide-range | $242.00 | |
| G80 | Positraction rear axle | $51.00 | |
| C60 | Four-Season air conditioning | $452.00 V8 / $479.00 six | |
| J50 | Power brakes | $58.00 | Standard on V8 Sport Coupe and Type LT |
| AU3 | Power door locks | $62.00 | |
| A31 | Power windows | $99.00 | |
| K30 | Cruise-Master speed control | $73.00 | |
| D55 | Console | $71.00 | |
| U14 | Special instrumentation | $92.00 | Standard on Type LT |
| — | Vinyl roof cover | $96.00 | |
| D80 | Front and rear spoilers | $81.00 | |
| PE1 | Custom styled wheels 14 x 7 | $116.00 | $79.00 with Rally Sport or Type LT |
| UM2 | Stereo tape with AM/FM stereo radio | $324.00 | |
| F41 | Sport suspension | $32.00 |
This table has 14 exterior colors for 1976, each with its paint code. They include White, Silver and Black.
| Code | Color | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | White | Carry-over |
| 13 | Silver | Carry-over |
| 19 | Black | |
| 28 | Light Blue Metallic | |
| 35 | Dark Blue Metallic | |
| 36 | Firethorn Metallic | |
| 37 | Mahogany Metallic | |
| 40 | Lime Metallic | |
| 49 | Dark Green Metallic | Carry-over |
| 50 | Cream | |
| 51 | Bright Yellow | |
| 65 | Buckskin | |
| 67 | Saddle Brown Metallic | |
| 78 | Red-Orange |
This table has eight interior trims for 1976, each with its trim code.
The September 1975 factory matrix for 1976, printed Body p. 4 (GM kit PDF p. 22), independently retains all eight code/material rows. Standard coupe uses Black or Dark Firethorn Sport Cloth/vinyl; Type LT has Black knit cloth/knit vinyl, Dark Blue knit cloth or Dark Firethorn knit cloth. The Black interior-color group is marked with every exterior in the chart; Dark Blue and Dark Firethorn retain narrower paint lists, shown in the row notes. Model/material assignment remains separate from the paint/interior-color dots, so a shared color does not make every seat material available on both models. The printed ZP2 override applies to non-recommended solid exterior/interior combinations except vinyl tops; the same note says two-tones are not available on Camaro. No date, model, material, physical-tag/VIN crosswalk or individual originality is inferred beyond this own-year literature.
| Code | Trim | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 19B | Black sport cloth, standard coupe | The September 1975 matrix lists the Black interior-color group with every exterior shown, while Sport Cloth/vinyl remain standard-coupe rows and knit cloth/knit vinyl remain Type LT rows. |
| 19M | Black vinyl, standard coupe | The September 1975 matrix lists the Black interior-color group with every exterior shown, while Sport Cloth/vinyl remain standard-coupe rows and knit cloth/knit vinyl remain Type LT rows. |
| 19C | Black knit cloth, Type LT | The September 1975 matrix lists the Black interior-color group with every exterior shown, while Sport Cloth/vinyl remain standard-coupe rows and knit cloth/knit vinyl remain Type LT rows. |
| 19N | Black knit vinyl, Type LT | The September 1975 matrix lists the Black interior-color group with every exterior shown, while Sport Cloth/vinyl remain standard-coupe rows and knit cloth/knit vinyl remain Type LT rows. |
| 26C | Dark Blue knit cloth, Type LT | The September 1975 matrix lists this Dark Blue knit cloth only for Type LT and marks White (11), Silver (13), Black (19), Light Blue (28) or Dark Blue (35) exterior. |
| 71B | Dark Firethorn sport cloth, standard coupe | The September 1975 matrix keeps Dark Firethorn material/model assignments separate and marks White (11), Silver (13), Black (19), Firethorn (36), Mahogany (37), Cream (50) or Buckskin (65) exterior for this interior-color group. |
| 71M | Dark Firethorn vinyl, standard coupe | The September 1975 matrix keeps Dark Firethorn material/model assignments separate and marks White (11), Silver (13), Black (19), Firethorn (36), Mahogany (37), Cream (50) or Buckskin (65) exterior for this interior-color group. |
| 71C | Dark Firethorn knit cloth, Type LT | The September 1975 matrix keeps Dark Firethorn material/model assignments separate and marks White (11), Silver (13), Black (19), Firethorn (36), Mahogany (37), Cream (50) or Buckskin (65) exterior for this interior-color group. |
This table gives five specifications for 1976, 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 |
What to check on a 1976 Camaro: VIN and year cues.
| Item | What to look for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| VIN | 1 Q/S 87 [engine] 6 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 | 1975-style body; 305 V8 new to the range | Check the VIN engine character and emissions label |
Decode a specific car with the VIN decoder, the cowl tag decoder and the engine and drivetrain stamp decoder.
The Camaro proved it could sell without a Z28. The Trans Am proved buyers still wanted one.
The big mechanical change for 1976 was a new standard V8. The 140-hp two-barrel 305 (RPO LG3) replaced the two-barrel 350 at no extra charge. The 105-hp 250 six stayed as the base engine, and the 165-hp four-barrel 350 (RPO LM1) was an $85 option. Power brakes became standard on the Type LT and on every V8 Sport Coupe.
Chevrolet's own performance figures show what the buyer got. With an automatic and four 150-lb passengers aboard, a six-cylinder coupe carried 39.6 lb per net horsepower, a 305 carried 30.3, and a 350 Type LT 26.2.
Sport Coupes gained a bright spear-shaped rocker molding. The Type LT got a new rear end panel, a brushed aluminum applique framed by bright moldings, which became its most obvious identifier from behind. Wraparound taillamps now combined the stop, turn, marker and backup lamps in one unit with a bright bezel.
Buyers could now order Cruise-Master speed control for $73. Air conditioning cost $452 with a V8, and power door locks $62.
The Z85 Rally Sport package carried over from its mid-1975 debut and was now priced at $260 on a Sport Coupe or $173 on a Type LT. It painted the hood, header panel, grille, headlamp bezels, fender tops, upper doors and rear panel in low-gloss black. The black also covered the front of the roof, leaving the rear in body color for what Chevrolet called a landau effect. Tri-color striping separated the two, Rally Sport decals sat on the fenders and deck lid, and argent 14 x 7 Rally wheels came with it. Only five body colors were offered with the package. Chevrolet suggested the front and rear spoilers, the Style Trim group and white-letter tires to go with it.
A six-cylinder Sport Coupe had a list price of $3,749, a V8 coupe $3,914 and a Type LT $4,307, before destination. The options table shows suggested retail prices, which add a $13.35 factory charge for the tire weight tax: $3,762.35, $3,927.35 and $4,320.35. Production was up more than 37,000 on 1975, proof that there was a market for an affordable sporty coupe even without a Z28.
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