This 1997 Camaro SS Anniversary Edition is a rare breed

1997 Camaro SS Anniversary Edition

Early fourth-generation Chevrolet Camaros are just reaching the magic 25-year-old mark. Introduced in 1993 (and continuing through 2002), they offered a lot of improvements from the previous generation, which dated back to the depths of the malaise era.

The interiors were greatly modernized. The Z/28 option brought an LT1 350-cubic-inch engine with 275 horsepower, while an optional six-speed manual transmission lowered engine revs on the freeway, making real-world fuel economy (mid-20s mpg) attainable. The new body used a combination of a steel unibody with light, rust-free, and dent-resistant composite body panels. The rear fenders were structural steel, and the doors and front fenders were plastic.

The SS trim option became available in 1996 and included the functional hood scoop and a horsepower bump to 305, along with upgraded suspension. The aggressive styling and upgraded performance of the Z/28 SS likely make these cars the most desirable from a collectability standpoint.

This week’s eBay find is an even-rarer 1997 30th Anniversary SS coupe, of which only 979 were made for U.S. and Canadian markets. Anniversary models were white with orange stripes and could be had with either white leather or this cool houndstooth cloth combination reminiscent of some first-generation Camaros. Its six-speed manual/T-top delete option and a handful of SLP engineering factory-authorized modifications are icing on the cake for Camaro performance enthusiasts.

With a claimed 44,000 miles from new and “sporadic summer driving” by the Canadian seller of this Camaro, we suspect the $13,998 Buy-it-Now price—reasonably close to Hagerty’s average #3 (Good) condition value—could make this one worth checking out.