1978 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 DKM Macho Prototype

Description

I'm going to tell you up front that we don't have enough space here to tell you the complete (and completely amazing) story of this 1978 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 DKM Macho prototype. What you'll need to do is look up the back story online, where you'll find several "Hot Rod" magazine articles about this amazing machine and its history. The only one of its kind, it was the 1978 prototype for the 1979 Macho Z, and it's one heck of a car with a fantastic story behind it.

The quickie version is that performance mostly sucked in the '70s, so brothers Dennis and Kyle Mecham turned out a limited batch of "Macho T/As" that turned up performance on Pontiac's F-body. In '78, they decided that the Camaro needed the same treatment, so they built this prototype. Today, it's in virtually all-original condition, still sporting all the trick upgrades that make the DKM cars so respected on the street. The paint is mostly factory-issue and in very good condition, and the few decal upgrades added by the DKM guys are effective in making it distinctive without erasing its OEM look. The car spent two decades in obscurity, but was recently unearthed and freshened, but not restored, making it an incredible piece of Camaro history that will draw crowds wherever old-school performance guys hang out.

The red interior is equally well-preserved and totally a product of the vibrant 1970s. The Mecham boys pretty much left the factory stuff alone, adding only go-fast parts, but you will note a chrome roll bar behind the seats just in case. DKM also upgraded the stereo to a 100-amp Fosgate Punch stereo, but the rest is factory-issue and in remarkable condition. The seats are still firm, the door panels look great, and the carpets show only minimal fading that's probably impossible to avoid with red. A full array of gauges was standard equipment and if you were searching for performance, the only way it came was with a Hurst shifter sticking out of the transmission tunnel. In the trunk you'll note that there's a remote battery box, which was placed there by the DKM crew in 1978, and it appears that the mat and space-saver spare are original. Wow!

The engine is, of course, the original, numbers-matching 350 cubic inch V8. Horsepower was on the decline and GM wouldn't back the DKM mods, so their trick was to buy a new car, add the performance, then sell it back to the dealership, who could then sell it as a used car and get around those pesky emissions requirements. The modifications were not earth-shattering, but in an era where 180 horsepower was a big number, every little bit helped. The Quadrajet was re-jetted, the distributor was re-curved, a set of Hooker headers came in the trunk to be installed by the new owner (the originals are still on this car), and the hood scoop was made functional with some creative cutting and drilling. The car is shockingly original, right down to most of the fittings and hardware under the hood, and even the special dual catalytic converter exhaust system is still in place. The Macho Z also got upgraded sway bars and expensive Koni shocks to go with the horsepower improvements. Special aluminum wheels finished the package, and it's worth noting that the Goodyear GT radials are not original but are correctly date-coded, having been taken from a wrecked '78 Corvette with just 100 miles on it. Don't drive on them, but wow, what a find!

Like I said, there's a ton of exciting information on this car out there and numerous magazine articles are available. We can't cover it all here, but rest assured, if you're a Camaro fan, this one offers a massive pedigree with an insanely low price. Call today!