CAMAROFACTS Field guide · 1967–2024

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Model year · Second Generation

1978 Camaro

T-tops arrive; Type LT bows out on top

T-tops offered on a Camaro for the first time, and the plush Type LT outsells the Z28 in its final year.

Representative second-generation Camaro editorial line illustration
Second-generation Camaro, representative illustration — not a specific model year or chassis Representative editorial illustration · AI-generated by OpenAI for CamaroFacts, 2026

Chevrolet replaced the exposed aluminum bumpers with integrated body-color front and rear fascias and offered removable roof panels. The model list includes Sport Coupe, Type LT, and Z28.

Type LT appears in the 1978 factory range but not the 1979 model hierarchy, making this its final Camaro model year; the source comparison supports the transition to Berlinetta for 1979.

The powertrain and identification notes below preserve configuration and model-year boundaries rather than treating every 1978 Camaro alike. Ratings use the measurement convention of their period, and visual cues are only a starting point: the VIN, factory labels, drivetrain identifiers, and surviving documentation should agree.

Why it matters

Type LT appears in the 1978 factory range but not the 1979 model hierarchy, making this its final Camaro model year; the source comparison supports the transition to Berlinetta for 1979.

Engines

  • The factory power-team pages document the 250 six and 305/350 V8 range, with the Z28 receiving its own chassis and appearance specification. Exact output varies by emissions market and power-team combination.

Identification

  • Integrated urethane fascias, the broad rear lamp panel, and the 1978 Z28 graphics/body details distinguish the restyle from 1974–77. Roof panels are an option cue, not proof of Z28 trim.

Open questions

Still unresolved:
  • Locate primary package and roof-option totals; verify whether Pontiac offered comparable roof panels earlier using Pontiac first-party literature.

Research basis

Sources are linked at the page level so the model-year claims can be checked against their research foundation.

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