Story
The 1970 Camaro Z/28 was not just the first second-generation Z/28; it was the point where Chevrolet changed the personality of the package. The earlier Z/28 had been built around the racing-rule 302. For 1970, checked sources describe a new 350-cubic-inch high-performance small-block tied to the Z/28 Special Performance Package, rated at 360 hp in Camaro form and backed by a broader torque curve.
That engine change matters because it changed the buying experience. First-generation Z/28s were four-speed-only cars, but the 1970 Z/28 could be ordered with either a close-ratio four-speed manual path or the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 automatic. Car and Driver's May 1970 archive tested an automatic Z/28 and used a 4.10 axle on the test car, while factory-style data keeps 3.73 as the standard Z/28 rear gear with 4.10 optional. This page keeps those as factory/package records rather than claiming every survivor has the same transmission or axle.
The rest of the package was a chassis-and-appearance statement: special performance suspension, heavy-duty front and rear springs, 15x7 wheels, F60-15 white-letter tires, rear deck spoiler, hood/deck stripes, Z28 emblems, dual exhaust, heavy-duty radiator, and bright engine dress. The second-generation body was lower, wider, and coupe-only. For collectors, the clone risk is straightforward: stripes and spoilers are easy to add, so a real car needs documentation, trim-tag/body evidence, LT-1 engine identity, transmission and axle dates, and car-specific paperwork before photos or badges should be treated as proof.