The factory truck bumpers were replaced with 1967 Camaro front and rear bumpers, which were widened 14.5 inches. The exterior still looks like a stock truck with a couple subtle additions that only a true gear head would notice at first glance. An optional 1969 Camaro N34 steering wheel completes the factory performance vibe. Chip used the factory C-10 A/C air controller and dash vents, so it all integrates seamlessly. A deviation from the factory 1967 Z/28 theme was the addition of air conditioning, but the warm Southern California summers mandated it. A Hurst shifter handle protrudes from the floor with the iconic white shifter knob. 1969 Camaro houndstooth upholstery material was used on the seat cover and door panels. Bright red finishes cover nearly every surface, and are highlighted with black accents. The interior has the look of a late ’60s factory GM musclecar. Nothing says “hot rod” like three pedals on the floor! THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR No first-generation Z/28 ever came with an automatic transmission, so a Tremec 5-speed transmission was called into service.
In a further quest for accuracy, Chip even duplicated the factory grease pencil marks on the firewall, and even added a subtle CF mark right behind the driver side hood hinge. He could have gone with a small late model A/C compressor, but he decided that the original A6-style compressor was the only one that would look correct. In typical Foose style, Chip used factory underhood decals in every place that he could. For a bit of flash, original valve covers and a chrome twin snorkel Z/28 air cleaner were used. Cast iron exhaust manifolds handle the spent exhaust gases. Chip used the factory Z/28 intake manifold, all the way down to the oil filler neck and PCV fitting. The 302 engine was freshened up with new internal parts and reassembled. Once the bare metal parts and pieces were either painted or powdercoated, the assembly began. Even the tiny ripples on top of the bed rails and the saw marks in the bed wood were left as-is to retain the factory appearance.
All of the body parts were sprayed in solid white using BASF materials. Care was taken to make everything look “factory” and to not go for the “show car perfect” look. Everything was stripped down to bare metal. Now that Chip had collected all the critical pieces of the truck, it was time to get busy. Both engine blocks were cast on the same day, January 23rd, 1967! There was no turning back, this truck had to be built.
That engine shared the EXACT same date code as the build date of the original engine in the pickup. After locating a decent ’67 pickup, Chip did a little homework and discovered that his recently purchased 302 engine had a secret. In 1967, Chevrolet built only 602 Z/28 Camaros, making them the rarest of the first-generation Z/28s. How about the idea of combining the body of a C-10 with the drivetrain of a Z/28, and then sprinkle some first-generation Camaro bits into the mix? And when you’re done, call it a C/28. He thought it would be really cool to find a 1967 Chevy short bed pickup and then do something that the factory designers should have done back in 1967. Have you ever wondered why the factory didn’t build something back in the day that could been a huge sales success? If Chevrolet would have just pushed the envelope a little further, could they have created the first muscle truck? While collecting parts for a prior Z/28 Camaro project, Chip Foose stumbled across a rare 302ci engine out of a 1967 Z/28.