1982 CHP #0327

[mac88chp]

Originally Posted by Steve

I did see on the local (Sacramento) news station yesterday a story about a 1979 CHP Camaro somebody had restored. I remember that trial; CHP tested 12 Camaros, mostly in Southern California and the desert areas, but the engines couldn't stand up to rigors of patrol use and CHP went on looking for a suitable candidate. They found it in the SSP Mustang. The Camaros do look cool, and with only 12 they must be very rare.

The Camaro on the news is the clone that was owned by the CHP Museum and has many deviations from the originals. It's believed that the high rate of engine failures in the test Camaros was due to employee sabotage during their build at the GM Van Nuys plant. The poor ergonomics and long heavy doors plus higher price of the Camaros worked in favor of the decision to purchase Mustangs.