If you're shopping for a brand new car, it's easy to find reviews from any number of magazines, websites, and YouTube channels. But what if you're shopping for a classic car? With its new video series "Tested: Muscle," Hemmings set out to create new-car-style reviews of timeless classics. Their goal is "to showcase a bit of history and then dive into what it’s like to own, drive, and experience some of the most coveted stock muscle cars ever produced." We like this concept, and host Mike Musto's review of a pristine 1969 Camaro Z/28 is a great example of how it works.
1969 Z/28 Featured on Hemmings "Tested: Muscle"
"What I'm driving right now is an icon. It's a legend among legends when it comes to American iron," remarked Musto as he hit the road in the yellow Z/28. The car belongs to a man named Monte Kizzier, who has owned it since spring of 1970, when he traded his '65 Chevelle to the Camaro's original owner.
At that time, the Z/28 had only 7,000 miles on the odometer. Today, it has just under 60,000 miles, and has clearly been lovingly cared for. "It has become part of the family. I had the Camaro before I met my wife. We have a private joke between the two of us, that if times get rough and something's got to go, she's got to go, because I had the Camaro first," Kizzier said with a smile.
While driving the car, Musto discussed some of the styling updates to the last year of the first-gen Camaro, including the sharper body lines along its front fenders and its iconic quarter panel louvers. The yellow paint and black stripes really suit the aggressive, performance-oriented nature of the Z/28 as well.
Speaking of the Z/28 package, Musto remarked just how nimble and responsive this car feels in comparison to many of the other cars of its era. Braking and cornering were high priorities on the Z/28, and even today, that intention is clear. The 302ci engine also suits this theme, delivering responsive power and high-revving thrills, especially when it's paired with the Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission this car has. It may not have the sheer power of a big block, but it was well-suited to road racing and twisty roads.
We really enjoyed this retrospective look at the 1969 Z/28, and we'd recommend watching the full video from Hemmings below:
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