The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro

October 25, 2017 Leave a commentBooks

The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro, 2nd Edition

by David Newhardt. Book review by Gary Smith

Motorbooks is releasing a number of automotive books this fall. The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro is the first of this group to be reviewed on Dean’s Garage.

It’s a nicely assembled concise chronology of the history of the marque. There is an overview of nearly every important Camaro model since 1967—a tall order for a 288 page book also jammed packed with photos. There just aren’t many development tidbits or any expose of previously unknown secrets that spice up histories and make them interesting. It’s a coffee table Christmas gift book for the new Camaro owner. You’ll have to find copies of Michael Lamm’s books on Camaros for an in-depth look at Camaro development into the third generation. Or Gary Witzenburg’s books on Camaro. Larry Edsall’s Camaro 2016 (reviewed on Dean’s Garage) is devoted solely on the development of the sixth generation Camaro.

Still, The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro offers detail shots of restored and original Camaros, specifications, and options. There is some brief development history including a few styling photos.

Available on Amazon

Double fold matte dust jacket. Inside front and back cover photo spreads. Hard cover has a nice fully wrapped photo spread. Running head with page numbers. Some historic photos. Some history. Model specs. Indexed.

No title on the spine. Inside design is a bit busy, distracting. Serif text font is a bit small. A few black pages with hard-to-read reversed text. Book tries to cover everything, which is a tall order. Nice photos, but many typical shots.

Description from the Publisher

For over fifty years, the Chevy Camaro has defined American performance.

The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro, 2nd Edition continues the story of America’s premier performance car. In 2016, the sixth-generation Camaro rolled off production lines and roared onto America’s highways, earning best-in-class accolades from all over the performance spectrum. Renowned automotive photographer and historian David Newhardt is here to tell the Camaro’s story.

This is a Camaro book like no other. The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro, 2nd Edition covers the entire production history of Chevrolet’s iconic muscle car, from the original concept car (codenamed Panther) to the latest and greatest sixth-generation vehicle. The Complete Book of Chevrolet Camaro showcases every model of Camaro since 1967 in stunning detail, using original and GM archival photography as well as insider interviews and technical specifications.

This lavishly illustrated book details all six generations of the Camaro’s production run. The original model was developed to fight the Mustang in the muscle car wars of the late 1960s; the second-gen cars became icons of American automotive styling in the 1970s; the third-gen cars helped lead a muscle car renaissance in the 1980s; the refined fourth-gen cars continued to demonstrate GM’s prowess and engineering know-how through 2002; the fifth-gen Camaro brought back the iconic nameplate in 2010; and now the latest generation has debuted to rave reviews in 2016. This book also features all the production vehicles, prototypes, show cars, anniversary editions, pace cars, and more from the vibrant Camaro culture.

About the Author

David Newhardt is one of the best automobile photographers working today and has provided photography for best-selling Motorbooks titles Muscle: America’s Legendary Performance Cars, Corvette: Fifty Years, Mustang: Forty Years, Mopar Muscle: Fifty Years, and Shelby Mustang: Racer for the Street.

Specifications

Published by Motorbooks
Format: Hardback, 288 Pages
ISBN: 9780760353363
Series: Complete Book Series
Illustrations: 350 color & 100 b-w photos
Size: 9.625 in x 11 in / 244.48 mm x 279.4 mm
Edition: Second Edition
Published: September 1, 2017
Cost: $50.00

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Book is excellent reading. I like all the practical jokes that you played on each other. Haven’t put it down yet.

Paul Alflen
Gary, Just received your book and read part of it, and can’t wait to finish it! EXCELLENT BOOK WOW! Thanks!

Carl Kofron
It’s a book whose pages you’ll return to again and again…sometimes just to look, other times to read and learn and to laugh!

Helen Hutchings
It brought back so many memories. The book captures some of the antics that took place. I recommend Gary’s book for anyone that has an interest to get a glimpse of an era long gone.

John Manoogian II
Very impressed with the emphasis on the “people stories.” Most people think of GM in terms of the cars, whereas you focused on the designers that created the cars. Congratulations on your excellent and personable narrative.

Roy Lonberger
Great book! It will provide many hours of interesting reading. Thank you for writing and publishing it!

Charles Pieier
All the wonderful anecdotes and photos bring laughter and smiles of recollection of the years at GM Design. The other content is equally entertaining, too! One can keep returning to its pages, finding a new topic of interest each time.

George Camp
Gary’s book focuses on the people who drove designs and events at GM Design. It is always informative, sometimes funny and sometimes sad. Picture are breathtaking. Extremely well done.

James Rice
Thank you Gary for this wonderful publication vicariously delivering the human condition nectar recalled from the good old days at GM Design.

Bill Boudreau
Closest thing to an actual time machine I have experienced! The photos, quotes and artwork really transported me back to what was a fabulous time at GM Design.

Len Casillo
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed The Future is Back. Great stories and wonderful comments! Excellent selection of illustrations and photos!

Peter Brock
The book is providing lots of interesting reading along with so many great photos, illustrations and renderings.

Sheldon Payne
It’s like going to a family reunion and meeting all your old friends, the studios and the models all over again. I can almost smell the fresh clay reading your book.

Ron Will
Reading the stories and anecdotes of designers who shared their experiences in this book allowed me to vicariously imagine what it would have actually been like to have worked in a studio. Thumbs Up Gary!!

Steve Sicklick
Great book Gary. It’s like taking a trip down memory lane!

Dennis Burke
I’ve enjoyed the Dean’s Garage book. I know a lot of the designers and places you mention; it’s like a reunion or old-home week.Thank you very much for putting everything together in such a beautifully organized, fun, illuminating way.

Michael Lamm