Leonard Stevenson’s 1992 Chevrolet Camaro is not just one in a million. It’s one in six million.
More specifically, it’s the last of 6.3 million. That’s the total number of vehicles that were produced in General Motors’ Van Nuys, California, assembly plant between 1947 and 1992 – the year Leonard’s Bright Red Z28 “heritage” rolled off the line in August. Some 32 years later, Leonard still has that car, and it has accrued only 125 total miles on the odometer.
It was because of this story about a 1992 Camaro for sale that Leonard reached out to me via email. He and I subsequently got together for lunch, and I was able to pick his brain about his story. And a remarkably unique story it is. Eleven Camaros owned, seven of which he purchased new, six of which he still owns and three of which he personally saw being built on the assembly line. Needless to say, he’s big on the car-buying experience.
“Performance of a Corvette for a fraction of the price,” Leonard has said in the past when asked what attracted him to the Camaro from the beginning. His first new car was in fact a 1979 Nova with a 305ci V8 and a four-speed manual transmission. But only two years later, he treated himself to a 1981 Camaro Z28, and that marked the beginning of what has now amounted to over 40 years of Camaro collecting.
Last But Not Least
The crown jewel of Leonard’s collection is undoubtedly his “last ThirdGen” Z28. In a feat of networking and logistics, Leonard worked his way up the corporate ladder within General Motors in the months of 1992 leading up to the conclusion of the third-generation Camaro’s production. His persistence paid off. A series of phone calls (each of which were documented with notes) led him to a senior leader at the Van Nuys plant, and the wheels were put into motion on his quest to own the final car off the line.
On August 26 and 27, 1992, Leonard’s wildest dream came true and he followed his new car along the assembly line. An estimated 2,000 GM associates signed the car’s internals – some on the floor pans, others inside the engine bay, and others behind the dash – but none on the car’s visible interior or exterior. A handwritten sign hanging from the car’s back bumper read “Hasta La Vista, Baby” – a perfect phrase to capture the occasion (and a quote appropriately pulled from the movie “Terminator 2,” which was released just a year prior).
That special 1992 Camaro has since been joined by several others in Leonard’s ownership, including his two most recent acquisitions (both of which are blue), a 2023 ZL1 1LE and a 2024 SS 1LE. I was able to get up close and personal with the 2024 version, and it has accrued over 600 miles. That’s a high-miler by Leonard’s standards. Each Camaro has its own tote of documentation and memorabilia tucked away in safekeeping. Some of Leonard’s story is chronicled on this website, but I wanted to dig a little deeper.
Q&A Session
- What first interested you in owning a Camaro from a young age?
I had several friends who had various years of Camaros, and they were always a favorite of mine. I ordered my first car when I was in college (1978). I priced a Nova and a Camaro. Being on a college budget, I couldn’t swing the Camaro, so I ordered a 1979 Nova, 305 ci, four-speed, Positraction, bucket seats, console, tilt wheel and A/C. I believe I paid $6,507.00. In 1981, I was out of college and working, so I purchased a 1981 Z28.
- How many Camaros have you owned?
Eleven. 1969 Z28, 1981 Z28, 1982 Z28 Pace Car, 1984 Z28, 1991 Z28, 1992 Z28, 1994 Z28, 1999 SS, 2002 SS, 2023 ZL1 1LE, 2024 SS 1LE.
- What other collector cars have you owned/do you own?
The total opposite end of the spectrum. 1928 Ford Model A pickup and a 1929 Ford Model A Business Coupe. I still own those two. I also had a ‘29 Ford Cabriolet, ‘30 Ford Town Sedan and a ‘31 Ford Vicky. These were project cars that I sold before we moved back to North Dakota.
- One of the articles that came out shortly after you bought the ‘92 said that you planned to put “no more than 500 miles on it per year.” Clearly, you’ve fallen short of that prediction! Since you didn’t end up driving the car much at all, did you buy a different daily?
I never purchased the Camaro for a daily driver as I had a company car for a daily driver. I think the significance of the car kicked in and I realized that there was only one “Last ThirdGen,” last Van Nuys car, etc. I didn’t want to damage the car or have it damaged by someone in a parking lot or at a car show, so I kept it in my garage under a car cover. Over the last 32 years, I have had contact from someone, or a question asked or a discussion about the car on a monthly basis since purchasing it.
- Have you ever been back to “The Plant” shopping center where the Van Nuys assembly plant once stood?
I have not been back to the Van Nuys area since watching the car being built. The local UAW still has monthly meetings, and I have had contact with them. I would like to attend one of their meetings sometime in the near future.
- What is your maintenance/start-up/service/routine for the car?
I was very diligent about the start-up routine for the first 10 years or so. Then other hobbies and life happened and I didn’t keep up with it. The Multec injectors failed, like all of them do after time, so I changed them in the early 2000s. I will need to remove the gas tank and change the fuel pump at some point, because it has failed from sitting. I’m not in a big hurry to do that because I have no intention of driving the car. The engine turns over fine and the car is more of a display/museum piece at this point.
- Do you ever still wish GM had allowed you to record videos during your two visits to the plant?
Yes! Videos would have been great due to the historical documentation that would be available. Third-generation Camaros have recently gained a lot of collector interest with guys restoring them. Those videos would have been a great asset to them. I was only at the Van Nuys Plant once to watch my ‘92 being built. Then I was at the Ste. Therese, Quebec, plant to watch my ‘94 being built, and most recently I was at the Lansing, Michigan, plant to watch my ‘23 ZL1 1LE being built.
- Have you received a lot of offers to buy the Camaro? I’m sure you’re not selling!
I have been asked many times if I have had lots of offers to purchase, but really only had one person who I felt was truly interested. I have been frequently asked what I think the car is worth, but that’s a difficult question to answer. I think the value has continued to increase along with the interest in third-generation Camaros. I did consider selling the car at one time and listed it on eBay with a very high reserve.
- What are your future plans for the car, as far as presentation/shows/events, if any?
No plans at this time. I am not a car show guy, but am happy to talk to people who are interested in the car and show it to them.
- Does the car retain any “dealer plastic,” the window sticker, pre-delivery items or the like?
It does not have any of the factory plastic or stickers on the car, but I have kept every piece of plastic, window sticker, tags, etc. that came on the car. I feel it is one of the best-documented cars that has ever been built.
- You may not know this, but what happened with the final 2024 Camaro? Did you attempt to buy it?
The final 2024 Camaro was a white ZL1 1LE. It was kept by GM. I did email my contact at GM and told him that I would be interested in owning the car. I assume GM has decided to keep that one … at least for a while.
- Along that same line, would you have any interest in a future Camaro with an EV powertrain?
No, I don’t think so. Maybe I am too old-fashioned, but I have very little interest in electric cars, especially when they try to convince us that they are good for the environment. I might be interested in a hybrid Camaro.
- Do you allow visitors to your specialty car collection in North Dakota?
Yes. I welcome anyone who shows interest in my cars. I have gotten pretty good at determining the amount of interest that a person shows. If they are true car people, they get the long story, but if they are not true car people, then I give them the short version. You can quickly tell if you have lost the audience.
At the conclusion of our visit, I had Leonard sign the Camaro page on my 1986 Chevrolet full-line brochure. After all, if he asked 2,000 UAW employees for their signatures, I can justify asking for his.
Thanks, Leonard for the hospitality and dialogue!
Source: www.classiccars.com