First gen F-bod vs. 2nd-4th

[the_yellow_dart]

Why was the first gen only 3 model years and the other 3 generations were 10 or more years? I've always been curious about this...

[Drew Dowdell]

First Generation was a quick response to the Mustang and was also at a time when platforms had much shorter runs. Starting in the mid-late 60s is when a platform would run 7 years or so.

[NOS2006]

Well the '70.5-73 was like a generation itself.

[Sixty8panther]

Chevy was scrambling to respond to the Mustang. By the time the 1967 Cars were rolling inot showrooms the concept sketches were being finalised for the 1969 Camaro. Not the 1969 Camaro we all know and most of us love over ALL others. The car you now know as the 1970.5 Camaro. Even longer nose, fast back rear quarters and no rear quarter window. Overall shape inspired by 60s FE Ferraris. Thank god the delay in the desing on the 2ng Gen. F-body forced Chevrolet and Pontiac to reskin the first gen car for 1969 and then extend the production due to even more delays. The 1969 Camaro is the longest running single MY production design ever from Chevy. And rightfully so. If I had my way it would have been around for at least 3 modl years.

[bobo]

The fourth generation F-body was supposed to be FWD by the end of the '80's, but that was killed due to spiraling costs, so the third generation lingered a few years longer than it should have.

[Sixty8panther]

Let's not make a mistake here... it was killed because it was deemed a very BAD idea to make a FWD Musclecar. Just like Ford's Probe that was supposed to be called the Mustang the public outcry would have been tremendous. A FWD Camaro is like Kosher Bacon or a fish wiht no gills... wrong and impossible.

[hyperv6]

Both of you are right! Also the engineers did not want a FWD anyway. This is also the car that helped kill the Fiero. They had planned the GM 80 to be built in Pontiac Michigan along side the Fiero plastic body and all. But when it was killed off the plant was far below capacity and gave GM the excuse to kill the Fiero. I know the Fiero had a lot of other contributing problems but a unprofitable plant building only 30,000 cars that could build 300,000 was officially the final nail in the coffin. 1993 was too late for Pontiac to delay getting a new car into the same plant. They looked at moving a Saturn there but did not need anymore production. Pontiac already had the 1990 Fiero ready to go into production and had several prototypes ready to go. This was all at a time GM's top non car Rodger Smith wanted all car but the Corvette and Fiero to be FWD.