Here is some information on the Waikiki Concept Car that I posted in my thread on the 1966/1967 Auto Shows:
In the summer of 1967 Chevrolet started showing a wildly customized Camaro convertible at Auto Shows and custom and hot rod shows across the country. On page 49 of Camaro! From Challenger to Champion: The Complete History Gary L. Witzenburg writes, “in August, Chevy unveiled another interesting ‘idea’ car called ‘Waikiki.’ Based on an SS-350 convertible, it was ‘tailored’ for specific use by the sun and surf set.” Although he mentions August for the unveiling, newspapers started publishing articles on the Waikiki in July. The earliest newspaper article I have been able to find is ironically from the July 14, 1967 edition of the Honolulu Star Bulletin from Honolulu, Hawaii. The caption underneath a picture of the Camaro Waikiki on page 16 of the July 20, 1967 edition of the Chateaugay Record and Franklin County Democrat from Chateaugay, New York states, “NOW IT’S THE WAIKIKI ON THE BEACH—The unlashing of a surfboard mounted on the rear deck of the Chevrolet idea car, the Waikiki, waits as Bob Schuster and Nancy Ann Townsend are attracted by the graceful movements of Loki Nani, a native Hawaiian dancer. The ‘tailored’ Camaro Waikiki convertible is equipped with teakwood side panels; deep pile gold carpeting; actuated red, yellow, and green taillights; rear fender marker lights; chrome surfboard Y-mounting arms and a wood-grained console. This auto show display unit pulls a special trailer with a hydrokart painted in bright okra and teakwood to match the car.” The article underneath the picture and caption goes on to say, “DETROIT—Already riding high on a wave of popularity, Chevrolet’s sporty Camero (sic) is sure to make a big splash with a new auto show version. The ‘idea’ car is a remodeled version of a SS 350 convertible and was designed specially to demonstrate the car’s versatility as a sports-type vehicle. Called the Camaro Waikiki, it is ‘tailored’ to the sun and surf set. ‘The idea is that the Camaro is more than just transportation,’ said a spokesman for the Chevrolet section which designed the display car. Among the Waikiki’s many eye-catching features are a removable surfboard carrier which is attached to the body and extended real lamps that are green when the driver’s foot is on the gas pedal, amber when he takes it off and red when he applies the brake. Side marker lamps are on the front fenders and rear quarter panels. Sideview mirrors are attached to both sides. Special head lamps are fitted into the teak wood-bar grille. Teak wood panels running full length along the sides compliment the bright yellow finish above and okra-colored body panels below. Fifteen inch G-70 tires are mounted on its wire wheels. The rare two-tone decorative theme is continued into the interior of the car with deep-pile gold carpeting and yellow and okra vinyl seats. Wood grain panels cover the center floor console. A specially-made trailer hitch is attached to haul a small trailer and hydro-kart, a sort of motorized surfboard painted to match the car. The unit will be displayed at auto shows and other exhibits throughout the United States.”
The only event where I can confirm the participation of the 1967 Camaro Waikiki “Dream” car was the traveling custom and hot rod show called Autorama. This particular Autorama took place Friday, February 23rd through Sunday, February 25th, 1968 at War Memorial Auditorium in Boston, Massachusetts. A clipping from an unknown February edition of the Boston, Massachusetts newspaper called Record American shows the rear view of the car. Notice the unique extra wide tail lamps and the rear side marker light inside the edge of the wood paneling. This clipping does not provide a date for the event but a list of events scheduled to take place at War Memorial Auditorium in 1968 found on page 15 of a publication by the City of Boston Finance Commission, entitled “Comprehensive Review of the Administration of the War Memorial Auditorium”, confirmed the event name and date.
1st picture: B&W Clipping from a February edition of the Boston, Massachusetts newspaper called Record American (
https://deepfriedhoodsiecups.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/dfhc-11152011/)
2nd picture: List:
https://archive.org/details/comprehensiverev00bost
