The Very First Camaro Z/28 Took 10 Years To Restore — Now It’s Going To AuctionGuessing HeadlightsAndre NalinWed, September 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleImage Credit: Mecum.Plenty of early Chevrolet Camaros have important histories, but this one holds a particularly special place in the family tree. Mecum identifies it as the very first Camaro ever produced with the Z/28 racing equipment.Built on December 29, 1966, the bronze coupe was created for competition rather than boulevard cruising. It subsequently spent its early life doing exactly what Chevrolet's new performance package was designed to do.Decades later, restoring it to that original racing configuration became an enormous undertaking. Former owner Jon Mello told Lou Costabile that the process stretched from roughly 2005 until 2015 as he searched for the correct period components.AdvertisementAdvertisementNow the car that effectively marks the beginning of the Z/28 story is changing hands again. It will cross the block at Mecum's Kissimmee 2027 auction on January 15 as part of Dana and Patti Mecum's F-Body Collection.The First Of A Legendary BreedImage Credit: Mecum.Chevrolet developed the Z/28 package largely around the requirements of SCCA Trans-Am racing, which imposed a five-liter engine displacement ceiling. The resulting 302-cubic-inch V8 combined performance hardware with upgraded suspension, front disc brakes, and other competition-oriented equipment.This particular car was delivered new to Aero Chevrolet in Alexandria, Virginia, before being purchased by racing team owner Hugh Heishman. According to Mecum, it was prepared for driver Johnny Moore and competed in six Trans-Am events along with multiple SCCA races during 1967.Moore returned behind the wheel for the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1968. Remarkably, Mecum says the checkered flag from his first victory remains with the car today.Its Racing Past Nearly DisappearedImage Credit: Mecum.The Camaro's competition career was relatively short, and its appearance changed substantially afterward. Mello explained to Costabile that the car was converted back into a street machine and repainted Rally Green for a subsequent owner before receiving additional color changes later in its life.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen Mello acquired it in 2000, its significance wasn't immediately obvious. Evidence such as old mounting holes, traces of previous paint, and remnants of racing modifications encouraged him to investigate the car's past.The breakthrough came when he tracked down Moore and eventually contacted Heishman. Mello said the original team owner still possessed the sales invoice, and the VIN on that paperwork matched the Camaro sitting in his possession.Restoring It Took A DecadeImage Credit: Mecum.Knowing exactly what the car was meant the owner wanted to put it back to its original state, which created another challenge. Mello began the restoration in earnest around 2005 and didn't finish until 2015, explaining that finding the proper early racing components could take years.His goal wasn't simply to make the Camaro resemble a vintage Trans-Am car. Period-correct hardware was sought wherever possible so the finished machine would accurately represent its original competition specification.AdvertisementAdvertisementUnder the hood sits a 302-cubic-inch V8 paired with a four-speed manual transmission. The restored car also carries the purposeful details expected of a period racer, including its stripped-down cabin and competition equipment.A Piece Of Z/28 History Goes Up For SaleMecum lists the professional restoration as completed in 2015 and includes the original Aero Chevrolet invoice among the car's documentation. The auction house doesn't currently publish an estimate for the Camaro.Its significance, however, is difficult to separate from what followed. The Z/28 badge eventually became one of Chevrolet's best-known performance nameplates, spanning generations of street cars and racers.Every one of them traces its lineage back to a beginning, and according to Mecum, that beginning is this car. On January 15, another collector will have the chance to become the caretaker of Camaro Z/28 number one.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.