Load ’em Up
Emporian sells three Camaros to GM for historical collection
By Bobbi Mlynar
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Mike Rhudy’s extensive collection of Camaros got a little smaller Friday, when a transport company picked up three of his classic cars and drove away.
Rhudy and his Camaros — at one time, he had 18 of them — were featured Aug. 19 in a Gazette article.
The decision to sell three cars came more of practical necessity than anything else. Rhudy was faced with selling a few cars or building a second building to house them.
“There was some seller’s remorse there,” he said as he talked about his fondness for the special models he has collected. “If I know they’re going to a good home, it should be all right.”
The new home should be more than all right. The cars were purchased by General Motors for its Heritage Collection and will be housed in GM’s climate-controlled warehouses. Each of the cars there is maintained meticulously and taken for a drive each week, and Rhudy’s will receive the same special treatment.
GM took three of his Camaros: a 1974 Z28 with 15,000 miles and golden brown — an unusual color for a Camaro; a 1977 Z28, white, with 6,800 miles; and a 1992 Z28 1LE with 4,000 miles.
“We were thrilled to be able to get them,” said Scott Settlemire, former Camaro brand manager who now is manager of GM shows and exhibits. “With all the cars we have in our collection, we didn’t have a second generation Camaro. We didn’t have a 25th anniversary edition. ... More importantly, they’re in perfect shape and they have very, very low miles on them.”
At least one of those Camaros will become part of a tour anticipated in 2008, when General Motors will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
The warehouses where GM stores its car collection, however, are not regularly open to the public, Settlemire said.
“We are now making it available in limited times for outside events,” he said. “We play it kind of low-key because we have some priceless cars in the collection.”
Four Camaros from Rhudy’s own valuable collection have been on display here at the Flinthills Mall, outside the Motor Vehicle Department’s driver’s license bureau. The display ends this weekend.