10 Years Ago Today

[Doc]

It was exactly 10 years ago today, that I first saw and picked up my 2010 1SS Camaro. I had ordered it in May of 2009, and waited until August 17, 2009 before I got it. I ordered it sight unseen, having never seen the color, nor even a car. At the time there weren't any in the dealerships; I just knew I wanted it. I paid $34k for it, and put at least that much into it to make it a great track car. I documented that journey in my build thread https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45165 and my car was awarded Camaro of the Week for May 11, 2011. That was when they were featuring a car every week, there were so many being sold and modded by the owners.

I set it up for road course HPDE days, and it has performed flawlessly. It was a great car then, and still is. No problems or issues, even with all the mods. However, 10 years ago I was in my late 50's, and now I'm in my late 60's. I can tell you there's a big difference in how you feel and your energy levels in your late 60's compared to the 50's lol. In the course of those 10 years I had a job transfer and moved to another state which unfortunately doesn't have any road courses in it. It's also a state that has actual winters compared to southern California where I used to live, so driving a track setup in the winter on ultra high performance summer tires doesn't happen. Sadly this beautiful car basically sits in the garage on a battery tender most of the time. As of this morning, it only has 15,575 miles on it, but I'm going to take it out today for an anniversary drive. Probably go through a drive-thru burger joint, and enjoy the greatness of a car like this. It doesn't have all the fancy electronics the newest cars have now, but it goes and drives like the thoroughbred it is, and sounds fantastic. I know everything is going to paddle-shift automatics now, but there's nothing quite like 450 hp to the rear wheels through a custom exhaust, and shifting through 6 gears manually.

As I look at her sitting in the garage, I'm torn. I love this car, but it's a shame to have it just sit there, not being driven like it was set up to be. I'm now entertaining the idea of doing something I never thought I would; sell it. But I wouldn't consider selling it to just anyone; it would need to go to someone who would appreciate it for what it is, and take care of it. The interior still smells new like it did when I got it. Looks the same inside too; only difference is the custom Hurst short-throw shifter and shift knob.

It would have to go to someone who would take it to a road course and use it for what it was set up for; track days. I'm not even sure what to ask for it, considering I have almost $70k into it including the purchase price. I know it wouldn't sell for that much. I have two sets of wheels for it; the Enkei RPF1 track set with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires that are on it now, and a set of custom 3-piece forged aluminum rims I had made which cost $6k by themselves. They have the original tires still on them. If you look through the project build thread, I put a LOT into this car in many ways. It also has the signatures in the engine compartment of people no longer associated with the Camaro, including Scott Settlemire (the Fbodfather himself) who had to retire from GM, and Al Oppenheiser who was the chief engineer for Camaro at the time, and is no longer with the Camaro group. It's a very special Camaro. Whenever I take it out, it still draws attention, and people come up to me at gas stations when I'm gassing up and want to talk about it. It still gets people taking pictures of it.

I even still have the switchblade key fobs; I refused to let them butcher them because a couple of people were somehow able to hit their keys with their knee and accidentally shut the car off. I actually tried to do that; I sat in the car with the engine running, and did everything I could to try and hit the key fob with my knee, but couldn't even get close. I have no idea how that ever happened unless the people were really short and had the seat all the way up close to the steering wheel.

The original keys and key fobs; the small original factory placed GM logos on the sides just behind the front wheels (which a lot of owners removed) that GM stopped putting on the cars; the IBM (Imperial Blue Metallic) paint that was discontinued, due to the only factory in the world that made it having been ruined by an earthquake. It's those kinds of little things that add to the specialness of this car. I have the cutaway poster from the Oshawa factory in Canada that made it; (a factory that no longer makes Camaros) and the poster has the car's VIN on it and all the signatures of the people who worked on it as it made its way through the assembly line. It was sent to me by Super60, one of our forum members who worked at the factory at the time.

I have a lot of great memories attached to this car. It was such a great feeling to be a part of the debut of the 5th gen, with all the buzz and excitement. I got one of the early ones, and so few were on the streets that driving around in it was like being a rock star. The early community of owners were filled with such excitement and enthusiasm over this car, that I would spend hours every night on the forum reading and chatting about it, and I wasn't the only one.

A lot of memories come back to me whenever I look at it, and sit in it. First is the smell; it still smells inside like it did when I first got it. Amazing how even the smell brings back memories. It would be hard to let it go, but I know I'll never be back on the track again, and I'm getting too old now to drive it the way I used to. I have to decide if I really want to part with it, and then go through the angst of that actual process if I do.

10 years ago today...what a car.

[KMPrenger]

Hey Doc. Really glad you decided to share up your thoughts about 10 years ago today and the journey since. I enjoyed reading it.

I too was one of those guys who ordered a 2010 sight and color unseen. Crazy I tell ya...maybe not. I was of the first two or three in my area to have a 5th gen, and you are right...attention was everywhere. I had entire families giving me thumbs up, people taking pictures, people crowding me on the highway to get a look, and even some strangers flipping me off just for owning the car. It was great. My car was "just a V6" but I loved the car, and I modded it for performance and looks and to be honest I feel it was the best looking 5th gen around here. I wouldn't have tried it straight up for a stock V8...my car was more special than that. (now...a V8 in the Aqua Blue metallic might have changed my mind lol...a rare color that was only made for about half of 2010 which is also what my car was).

I had a baby girl in 2014 and although I knew the Camaro is not a family car, it is also not my daily driver (sunny day only, low mileage car). Fast forward to 2015 and I fell for the changes in the 6th gen and decided to go for my the beast...the SS in the new metallic blue. It was hard to let the 2010 go, but the 2016 softened the blow considerably. Fast forward to now and I have a 2nd little girl...the 2016 has two car seats in the back lol. I have been "entertaining" the idea of selling the Camaro for like a year, but I still haven't been able to bring myself to do it. Of course if it was my daily, it would have been gone long ago. I've considered selling it for a performance sedan, like a G8 or an SS sedan (although low mileage SS sedans are so expensive still they are out of the question) so my mind goes to maybe selling both the Camaro and my daily (2015 Colorado crew) for something newer that I can still mod and make my own...I have never had a car or truck that I left alone...I just can't. Giving up the feel of driving the Camaro and the sweet sound of the V8 is a very difficult thing indeed! Best of luck in whatever you do!