Discovering Family History and Restoring Grandma’s 1967 Camaro RS/SS
Zach Straits is a car guy through and through. Whether it’s behind the wheel or beneath a stripped-down restoration project, he’s been there. How he came to possess his ’67 Camaro RS/SS is a tale of double discovery.
Zach was adopted at birth. He lost both adoptive parents at an early age and after he married his wife Brenda, he decided to search for his birth family. During the extensive journey of discovery, Zach learned that he also had an older brother and a younger sister. Zach located his brother, Greg, and a phone call in 2006 revealed that Greg and Zach’s birth mother, Darlene, were living in Kingman, Arizona. During a visit Darlene told him the story of his grandmother Betty and how her Camaro was sitting in the backyard.
As the story goes, in 1967 Betty wanted a faster car so she ordered the ’67 Camaro from Courtesy Chevrolet in Los Angeles with the 295-horsepower 350c.i. V8, Powerglide transmission, and several accessories: AC, power steering, tinted windows, and the deluxe interior, including the rare bench front seat (a $26 option ordered in only three percent of ’67 Camaros). Betty named the Camaro Jenny and drove the car enthusiastically while maintaining detailed records.
After Betty’s passing, Darlene and Greg drove the car until it was parked in 1992. In 2008, Darlene passed and Greg inherited the Camaro. He sold it to Zach in 2011, and Jenny’s future changed dramatically. The Camaro still had its Arizona dust when Zach took possession, and it was often displayed in as-found condition until January 2021, when Zach decided to restore the car to its original condition.
Zach did most of the meticulous restoration work himself, including rebuilding the original Powerglide transmission, with help from friends as well as top-quality paint work by Autobody Pro Shop and interior work by George Folks Interiors. Zach sourced date-correct pieces wherever possible during the restoration. He was able to restore the California-mandated A.I.R. Smog system, which his grandmother kept on the car when many owners of that era ditched them.
The Granada Gold car was originally equipped with drum brakes and 3.08 rear gears. Because the bench seat was specified, the column-mounted gear shift was required. In ’67, Powerglide Camaros came with the column shifter unless bucket seats and a console were ordered.
“Being selected as a Goodguys Muscle Car of the Year finalist is an incredible honor,” Zach says, “but what makes it especially meaningful is knowing that Jenny represents generations of family history, my lifelong passion for cars, and a connection I did not know existed until 2006.”
Congratulations to Zach Straits for having his 1967 Camaro RS/SS named a Finalist for the Goodguys 2026 Snap-on Muscle Car of the Year!
Photos: John Jackson
