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History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Here is one that will blow your minds... "Hard Top Convertible" Now we often think of a car that has a hard top (not rag top) that folds down into the trunk area... This is true, and cars made after the late 50's that had a hard top that folded down into the trunk (or boot) that designation was given to them. There was several variations of the Hard top convertible before Ford made it popular in the 1950's. Peugeot in 1935 for example had a hard top that would fold down into the trunk there was several concept cars that never made it into production, but Ford (at least in the US) made it popular with their "Skyliner"
Oddly enough the "hard top convertible" term was given (loosely) to cars that did not have frames around the windows. For example in 1957, Chevrolet, basically 2 cars, the corvette, and their other car. But the other car had several variations, the 150, 210, and Bel Air. Within those trim packages there was a:
2 Door Coupe, (Has frames around the door windows)
2 Door Hard Top Coupe (No Frame around door windows and rear windows) AKA "Hard top Convertible"
2 Door Convertible (Same doors and rear windows as 2 Door hard top)
2 Door Station Wagon "Nomad"
4 door Sedan
4 Door Station Wagon
Oddly enough there was some people that called a 2 Door hard top coupe a "hard top convertible" Even though it did not convert, but it just looked like a convertible with the top up, it was based upon the window trim. Ultimately with the advent of making things "popular" in 1957 with the birth of Ford's "Skyliner" the term for the Hard top convertible was appropriately given to that car specifically by the masses.
Ultimately it does not make sense to us today, it was a slang that was used in the past, never officially AFAIK. It was an inaccuracy as far as the "function" but it was in reference to the esthetics of the roof line.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
When are we going to realize that like "Firebird" "Camaro" means.. Nothing. It is a nomenclature given to it by someone at Chevrolet or GM to designate the car. It is like asking what does Oramac mean? It means nothing even when you turn it backwards.
The fact it resembles other words seems to escape people into thinking that it does mean something.
Other car names that mean nothing
Toyota - Actually someones last name... originally going to be called Toyolet.
Sentra, Avaio
Cruze - technically Sounds like Cruise, and could be someones last name, but it means nothing.
Lucerne - happens to be a City, but really has no meaning.
Electra 225 - Means nothing again, but it happens to be the sister of Orestes who aids him in killing their mother Clytemnestra. But it has no meaning.
My Favorite - Altima, sounds like Ultima, but has no meaning in English.
I could go on an on.
I think we want it to mean something, it gives the owner identity somehow. If it was Javelin, Impala, or Mustang, Pinto, or some other name that already has meaning I suppose it might be more identifiable to some, others look at it as a nonsense word and you can give it whatever meaning you want.
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Camaro does having a meaning of friend/comrade though. This is documented. Firebird was named after the Firebird concept. Corvette was named after a battleship, etc.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Originally Posted by IROCZTWENTYGR8
Camaro does having a meaning of friend/comrade though. This is documented. Firebird was named after the Firebird concept. Corvette was named after a battleship, etc.
Firebird is still a made up name, although there are several books by the same name, and Stravinsky has a musical piece with the same name, but in the end the word "Firebird" is meaningless, although arguably it does refer to a phoenix which is a bird that rises out of the fire in a resurrection, the correct word is phoenix, not firebird, it is simply two words put together to make one word.
Camaro to my knowledge has no literal meaning in any language as it is spelled. It is a combination of Camarada (which means Companion) and amigo which means friend, you smash the two together and you end up with Camar - o. The word itself is like the word Cruze, or Altima it sounds familiar, but it really is not a word, it ends up meaning what you want it to mean. Although the word Cruze could mean to Cruise, it is not spelled the same, Altmia sounds a lot like Ultima (which there was a PC game back in the 1990's with that name) which comes from the word Ultimate.
One thing I am is not a good speller, and when you misspell words the meaning changes. For example in my opinion Lose should be spelled with two o's to be phonetically correct, so it should appear as loose, like the word choose but that changes the meaning from "you lost" to the opposite of tight.
There are actually words that have multiple meanings, for example, the word "Live" could mean different things by just how you put it in a sentence. For example, "I want to live to the fullest." vs "I want to see the band Fullest live in concert." Same spelling, but it depends on how the word is used.
Other fun English language words are things like the word "ghoti" To most people they would look at that and have no clue what the word is and probably think it is "Goatee". But if you sound it out correctly it is actually pronounced "fish." If you take the gh from the word enough the o from the word women, and the ti from nation you get the word "ghoti" But it does not mean fish, it is a silly example of how we use words and letters in order to create names or words. For cars, the Altima, and the Cruze are probably the best and easiest examples to see how that is applied.
In some ways I have to think that words that have been combined, much like "Fire" and Bird to create firebird is somehow related to other languages that do this very thing commonly. For example, remember "farfegnugen" from a few years ago when Volkswagen used it as a slogan. In english, it technically is meaningless until they used it, but in German, it is not uncommon to combine words to create a new one. it comes from the German words fahren, "to drive," and Vergnügen, "enjoyment". Which means roughly, the "Joy of driving", or the "driving enjoyment"
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
"Camaro" the word came from a 1935 French to English dictionary and I don't think it's used for the word comrade/companion/friend in that language anymore. Since the full form today is camarade, it could have been slang used years ago. It was definitely gonna be Panther before that though. There are Chevrolet "Camaro" prototypes going all the way back to 62, better known as the XP-836. Chaparral was on the list as was Wildcat and even Nova for early renders of the car. Also, there actually was a Panther Camaro made by a dealership in 67 and SLP just started making Panther Camaros again last year.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
1) So Camaro is a French word? or English Word. I have a dictionary from 1929, I will take a peak if it was English or not.
2) Wildcat was name used by Buick from 1963 - 1970, the first use was a Buick Concept car was a variation of the 1953 Corvette AFAIK... I believe it is about a 1/4 mile from where I sit.
3) The Panther was not used because it was too similar to the Cougar name that Ford used on its Mercury Cougar. Oddly enough A Panther and a Cougar are the same animal.
4) Chaparral, not sure why it was not used, other than it is a lousy name. Mooney Aircraft used it for a time on their Model M20F IIRC, always thought it was an odd name.
The earliest reference to Camaro I can find quickly is 1967...
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
1. French. Probably a slang word that fell out of use long ago. Like in Italian there are shortened version of words for different dialects and slangs.
2. I think the Wildcat name was something that was thrown around for the XP-836 prototypes in 62/63 (AKA what became the Camaro in 66), as we know Buick did use it. Seems Chevy had the idea for this whole ponycar thing before anyone else and didn't act on it fast enough.
3. Correct.
4. Agreed lol.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
I guess I am in a disagreable mood today.
The article http://www.holisticpage.com/camaro/story/history.htm states "It had been called various names by GM and the press, including Nova, Panther, Chaparral, and Wildcat (later used by Buick.) " The Wildcat name was used as early as 1962 by Buick on actual cars. It started as an option package on the Invicta.
The second article says there was a "Camaro Type" vehicle being considered as far back as 1958. IT does not say that the name was used.
The three articles reads almost like someone plagiarized something. They are very similar indeed.
The Buick Wildcat was first used on a 1953 Corvette retro to Buick trim... I am not sure why the wildcat name would have been used since Buick already staked a claim on a production car in 1962 or so. Unless it was the car is going to be a "Wild Cat" when the name Panther was thrown around.
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
I have no idea about the Wildcat name really, just what's there is there. First I ever heard of it too. I see no mention of it here. This is by Scott Settlemire:
How Camaro Got It's Name
According to some within General Motors, a 4-seat sports car was designed in the late 50s for a growing America......it would be the Turbo-charged Corvair Spyder of 1962......additionally, Chevrolet unveiled the "Super Nova" at the New York Autoshow in March of 1964.....a matter of weeks prior to Ford unveiling the Mustang......and while the Corvair was restyled in the fall of 1964....and the Turbocharged Spyder was renamed "Corsa," within 6 months, the sales figures for Mustang convinced GM that the "pony car" market was more than just a flash in the pan.
Work became more intense on a program called the "XP-836".....a four seat sporty-type coupe that would share an all-new platform with the 1968 Nova X-body. This new car was referred to as the "Panther" or "F-body." It would be the first GM car where computers were used extensively in the development process. The idea behind the car that would become "Camaro" was to offer a great-looking sporty car that attracted attention, no matter where it went. It would have the incredible performance attributes of the legendary Chevy small-block V8. ("the closest thing to a Vette, yet!") Additionally, the car must ride smoothly, but handle like a european sports car. It must allow the individual to tailor the car to his or her needs and wants -- both from a performance and appearance standpoint.....and it must do all of this at a Chevrolet price. (I think you will agree that these brand attributes have been kept for 35 years.)
According to documents dated June 10, 1966, and exhaustive search was conducted for appropriate names starting with the letter "C." -- it should also be noted that at that time in Chevy's history, all of the car lines started with the letter "C".......Chevrolet, Chevelle, Chevy II, Corvair and Corvette.....(BelAir, Impala, Malibu, etc were models within the car lines....) Furthermore, this stayed true until the fall of 1969 when the 1970 Monte Carlo was introduced.....but I digress!
A short list was developed from a list of over 2,200 words starting with "C" .....and then an even more massive search was done to ensure that the name picked would not have any negative connotation....... One word really stood out from the others....."Camaro."
In Heath's New French and English Dictionary dated 1932...the word "Camaro" is defined as "Comrade, Friend, Mate, Chum, or Pal." Thus, the name "Camaro" was chosen and blessed by then-General Manager Eliot M. "Pete" Estes (who would later become President of General Motors.) When announcing the Camaro to the press worldwide, Mr. Estes had this to say about the name: "Chevrolet has chosen a name which is lithe and graceful....in keeping with our other car names beginning with 'C.' It suggests comradeship of good friends, as a personal car should be to its owner."And so it was............and on September 29, 1966, the Camaro roared to life in thousands of Chevy dealerships nationwide. From a personal perspective, I often wonder if Mr. Estes had any inkling that the Camaro would go on to become an American Icon with a 35 year history......and that the car would forge untold numbers of friendships --pals or comrades, if you will.
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Ah! Here we go, one the original Panther XP-836 "Camaro" prototypes with the 67 style body and 69 grill, headlights, and taillights. Looks like that site mislabeled the concepts 62/63 instead of 64:
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Corvette and Corsair were early French terms for ships. They both carried over into WWII (Corvette = ship) and alternatively(Corsair= navy plane(seaplane/amphib), and Corsair class submarine(Ironically, Corsair had GM 16-278A engines)). Then Corvette into the GM flagship sports car, and Corsair into a company that re-brands awesome computer parts.
Ie. logo carries over ships sails.
IMO, Camaro by definition means a GM Chevy pony car. Why? Because that is how it is most widely used. GM invented it, and even if it was derived from another word, or words, it now has only one meaning.
Bottom line is that some newly invented words have it's own meaning and does not necessarily have a history or origin as most words do.
In contrast, words like Nova already had a meaning as a star, and then also google translator converting Nova into "not going" in Spanish (which is supposedly incorrect). In that respect, even if Camaro meant something in French or Spanish, without a definite history or lineage of the word to trace it with, it has no correlation to the present word. -IMO.
To myself I think Camaro is a derivative of the word cam, as in camshaft. Because it always has and will be a gear heads kind of car. If one wanted to add aero as part of the name then it would be a camshaft that floats on air.
The Vought O2U Corsair was a 1920s biplane scout and observation aircraft. Made by Vought Corporation, the O2U was ordered by the United States Navy (USN) in 1927. Powered by a 400 hp (298 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engine, it incorporated a steel-tube fuselage structure and a wood wing structure with fabric covering. Many were seaplanes or amphibians
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Originally Posted by Scorpner
Corvette and Corsair were early French terms for ships. They both carried over into WWII (Corvette = ship) and alternatively(Corsair= navy plane(seaplane/amphib), and Corsair class submarine(Ironically, Corsair had GM 16-278A engines)). Then Corvette into the GM flagship sports car, and Corsair into a company that re-brands awesome computer parts.
Ie. logo carries over ships sails.
IMO, Camaro by definition means a GM Chevy pony car. Why? Because that is how it is most widely used. GM invented it, and even if it was derived from another word, or words, it now has only one meaning.
Bottom line is that some newly invented words have it's own meaning and does not necessarily have a history or origin as most words do.
In contrast, words like Nova already had a meaning as a star, and then also google translator converting Nova into "not going" in Spanish (which is supposedly incorrect). In that respect, even if Camaro meant something in French or Spanish, without a definite history or lineage of the word to trace it with, it has no correlation to the present word. -IMO.
To myself I think Camaro is a derivative of the word cam, as in camshaft. Because it always has and will be a gear heads kind of car. If one wanted to add aero as part of the name then it would be a camshaft that floats on air.
A corsair is not a boat, it's a pirate that works for a governement. There was a famous corsair called Jean Bart coming from my hometown, he caught several dutch ships filled with grain during a starvation under the reign of Louis XIV. So it's some kind of "good" pirate.
There is a class of small dinghies called Corsair, but I doubt they'd name fighter planes as a tiny sail boat :P
And there's no such thing as "camaro" in french, and I don't think it exists in spanish either.
It's a made up name, like the Cadillac Allante name that was computer generated.
Last edited by SolarGoldRaptor; 08-26-2015 at 07:38 AM.
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Originally Posted by SolarGoldRaptor
A corsair is not a boat, it's a pirate that works for a governement. There was a famous corsair called Jean Bart coming from my hometown, he caught several dutch ships filled with grain during a starvation under the reign of Louis XIV. So it's some kind of "good" pirate.
There is a class of small dinghies called Corsair, but I doubt they'd name fighter planes as a tiny sail boat :P
And there's no such thing as "camaro" in french, and I don't think it exists in spanish either.
It's a made up name, like the Cadillac Allante name that was computer generated.
Ok, when I looked up the definition before it included ships, but I looked into it again and see how it originated as a pirate or privateer. I would have to agree on the origination of the word and it's use across platforms.
The other was an "even if" example, and I agree Camaro was probably made up.
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Camaro IS made up, it was not a word until 1966. At best it was a combination of words, probably someone accendently spoke the word at a meeting while reading the dictionary and someone said "That's IT!"
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Definition according to Potter's Literary Dictionary
CAMARO - Four footed beast known to chase down and devour Mustangs and Cougars. With top speeds recorded over 200 MPH, can easily out run Darts and Javelins sent to bring it down. When Challengers appear, and Chargers race to out run them, Camaro's generally leave them behind eating dust. This is better known as being Camaroed. The act of being blinded by dust and the cars distinctive tail lights reflected in your wind shield.
Camaro's can usually be tracked by following the line of roadkill leading to it's whereabouts. Camaro's should be approached cautiously and find a safe location if it begins to make its distinctive roar. Usually the safest place is behind the wheel teaching the beast to heal to your command!
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Originally Posted by bjpotter
Definition according to Potter's Literary Dictionary
CAMARO - Four footed beast known to chase down and devour Mustangs and Cougars. With top speeds recorded over 200 MPH, can easily out run Darts and Javelins sent to bring it down. When Challengers appear, and Chargers race to out run them, Camaro's generally leave them behind eating dust. This is better known as being Camaroed. The act of being blinded by dust and the cars distinctive tail lights reflected in your wind shield.
Camaro's can usually be tracked by following the line of roadkill leading to it's whereabouts. Camaro's should be approached cautiously and find a safe location if it begins to make its distinctive roar. Usually the safest place is behind the wheel teaching the beast to heal to your command!
Very nicely done... ftw!
Now if only we could get someone to find the true meaning of "CAMERO"
From: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Just Have to wonder, what would go through someone's mind to conceive of doing that...
"Hey George I just wrecked the front of my truck"
"no problem man, I got this doghouse from a camaro out back we can weld on there... it would look SWEET!"
Re: Definition of the word 'CAMARO'...do you know??
Camaro is English for a two door sports sedan manufactured by the Chevrolet division of General motors.
Sedan
A coupé (US coupe) (from the French past participle coupé, of the infinitive couper, to cut) is a closed two-door car body style with a permanently attached fixed roof,[1] that is shorter than a sedan or saloon (British and Irish English) of the same model,[2] and it often has seating for two persons or with a tight-spaced rear seat.[3] The precise definition of the term varies between manufacturers and over time.[4] The term was first applied to 19th-century carriages, where the rear-facing seats had been eliminated, or cut out.[4]
02-05-2013 | 09:13 PM
OMG!!!!!!! 
