Our test car was a brand-new Z28 with the familiar port-fuel-injected 5.0-liter V-8 mated to a five-speed manual gear­box.

The very first Chevrolet Camaro ever built is not a car you likely would notice. It’s a plain-Jane base-model 1967 hardtop with a six-banger, stock hubcaps and a Grenada Gold paint job, the color of ...