1974 Camaro
In 1974 the Camaro went through some significant changes to its styling and overall look. The first thing consumers noticed that was different about this car was the fact that the chrome bumpers featured from 1970 to 1973 were replaced with aluminum faced bumpers on both the front and the rear fenders of the car. This was not so much an aesthetic development as it was one that was needed to comply with federal safety standards that were just introduced to the car companies. Enthusiasts looked at the new bumpers as a hindrance, it added not only seven inches in additional length to the car, but also significant weight.
In addition, there were other developments that made the 1974 Camaro different from other model years and it didn’t necessarily endear this car to customers. One in particular was the new seat belt interlock system. This system was implemented and forced the driver to buckle up before the car would be able to be started. Needless to say, speed demons and drag racers didn’t see the point and the system was panned even though the car company did it specifically for their safety.
Finally, the last new introduction that was made on this car was the radial tires and break pad sensors which was new technology. Both of these points were somewhat moot as the driving public was still focused on the changes that they viewed as drawbacks to a classic muscle car.