Plenty of rare first-generation Chevrolet Camaros have crossed auction blocks over the years, but this one takes rarity to its logical extreme. There isn’t another example like it because Chevrolet only built one.
This 1968 Camaro combines two things that ordinarily weren’t available together: the Z28 performance package and a convertible body. Its existence wasn’t the result of an obscure dealer order or a customer finding a loophole in Chevrolet’s catalog.
Instead, the car was created specifically for one of the most powerful people inside Chevrolet. Its unusual history would eventually involve a legendary racing driver, several disappearing acts, and seven-figure valuations.
Now, Mecum is bringing the one-off Camaro back into public view. The auction house has confirmed that it will cross the block at its Kissimmee 2027 sale on January 15.
Chevrolet Built It For Its Own Boss
According to Mecum, the Camaro was commissioned specifically for then-Chevrolet general manager Pete Estes as a gift from Chevrolet Product Promotions Manager Vince Piggins. Piggins ordered the unusual convertible through GM’s Fleet Special Order Department.
Mecum says Chevrolet temporarily stopped the Norwood assembly line to build the car, with the Camaro being ordered, produced, and delivered on the same day. It was then sent through Chevrolet’s Central Office to the GM Tech Center before reaching Estes.
The car was fitted with a hand-laid fiberglass cowl hood that served as a prototype for Chevrolet’s later ZL2 Special Ducted Hood. Estes drove the Camaro for more than 2,000 miles before the end of that summer.
This Z28 Wasn’t Just For Show
Under the hood sits the Z28’s famous 302-cubic-inch V8, officially rated at 290 hp and paired with a four-speed manual transmission. The car is finished in Fathom Green with a white interior.
Period performance modifications included dual four-barrel carburetors on a cross-ram intake, tubular headers, Koni shocks, and a 4.88:1 rear axle. Those components were later removed after Estes had spent several months with the car.
Its story became even more interesting on September 1, 1968. Mecum says the Camaro served as the pace car for the Road America Can-Am event, with none other than Sir Stirling Moss behind the wheel.
It Has Already Made Auction History
The Camaro eventually left Estes’ ownership and disappeared from public view before being rediscovered decades later. It has subsequently changed hands several times while developing a reputation as one of the most historically significant first-generation Camaros.
Its auction history is nearly as remarkable as the car itself. It reportedly became the first muscle car to sell for more than $100,000 in 1991, while a later auction attracted a bid exceeding $1 million without resulting in a sale.
Dana Mecum later acquired the Camaro privately for a seven-figure amount, and it’s now being offered as part of the F-Body Collection from Dana and Patti Mecum, accompanied by extensive documentation.
One Camaro, One Opportunity
Mecum describes it as the only first-generation Camaro Z28 convertible ever produced and the only one-of-one model of its kind assembled on a GM production line. That makes estimating its value considerably harder than simply comparing it with another rare Z28.
No auction estimate has been published, so its eventual selling price remains anyone’s guess. Given its one-off specification, Pete Estes connection, Stirling Moss history, and previous seven-figure attention, however, this should easily become one of the headline Camaros of 2027.