Adam Kappell’s 1973 Camaro pairs the track-bred Z/28 package with the plush Type LT trim, a combination Chevrolet allowed but almost nobody actually ordered. With only 11,574 Z/28s built that year out of 96,751 total Camaros, here’s what makes this radiant green survivor genuinely rare.
The Camaro of the Month for April 2016 is this radiant green 1973 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Type LT RS – owned by Adam Kappell.
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Kappell’s radiant green 1973 Camaro doesn’t just carry a Z/28 badge – it carries a build sheet combination that plenty of Camaro people don’t even realize was possible to order that year. Pairing the track-focused Z/28 package with the plush Type LT trim sounds like mixing oil and water: one built for the autocross, the other built to coddle. Chevrolet let you have both in 1973, but not very many buyers actually did. Once you see how few Z/28s left the factory that year at all, Kappell’s car starts looking a lot rarer than the average LT Camaro parked next to it at a show.
Why the Z/28 and LT Combo Was Such an Odd Pairing
The Type LT came standard with a mild 165-horsepower, 2-barrel 350 cubic-inch V8 and a genuinely plush interior – deluxe seat trim, extra body and hood insulation, bright beaded woodgrain trim on the dash and doors, sport mirrors, and full instrumentation. The Z/28 package, meanwhile, swapped in the serious hardware. Ordering the two together meant a buyer wanted real performance wrapped in a car that didn’t feel like a stripped-out track special – a combination Chevrolet allowed but that most Z/28 shoppers skipped in favor of the no-frills approach.
The Numbers That Make This One Rare
Total 1973 Camaro production came in at 96,751 units, with Type LT models making up more than half that run. The Z/28 option was a much smaller slice – just 11,574 units total, split between 6,107 four-speed manuals and 5,467 automatics. That means Z/28s accounted for roughly one in every eight Camaros built that year, and an LT-trimmed example narrows the pool even further.
What the Z/28 Actually Delivered
Under the Z/28 hood sat a 350 cubic-inch V8 rated at 245 horsepower, enough for a 6.7-second run to 60 mph and a quarter mile in 15.2 seconds – respectable numbers for a car built as emissions rules kept tightening in the early ’70s. 1973 also marked the first year air conditioning was available on the Z/28, a small detail that mattered to buyers who wanted the performance package without giving up every bit of daily comfort.
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Will Santa bring you a muscle car for Christmas?
Love it
Nice Z_28, LT, RS, camaro,love it!!!
Never understood why 2nd gens got a bad rap. I love em…especially split bumpers. Had a 70 RS split bumper.
I had Lt1 73 z28. M22 fine spline
Id put the rallys back on it.
Had 3 of them
Really Phil? Knew you were cool but super cool? Oohhh yeah!
2. Z28s 4 speeds n a straight 6 banger
Im jealous…now get the f off facebook…it’s Carols Birthday!
My favorite year.
Need to lift that rear way up
I luv it!!!