Photo: Jeff Makovich | Facebook – Low Miles No Miles
This 1990 Chevy Camaro was stashed away in a basement 34 years ago with only six miles on the odometer. The car has never been registered or driven. What's the story behind the blue paint job on this motorized time capsule?
There are cars out there that have a story. It remains a secret until someone has the time and desire to reveal it. This 1990 Chevrolet Camaro is a rare gem. It is an IROC Z28 1LE with only 6.3 miles on the odometer.
This car was intentionally hidden in a basement. It is a third-generation Camaro that hasn't seen the light of day since the mid-90s. The car was purchased new right out of the showroom and transported to its destination, which turned out to be a bit of a trap. It has never been seen again until now.
The model was simply forgotten there for three whole decades, which makes it the lowest mileage Camaro 1LE IROC Z28 in the world. In fact, no one keeps track of a mileage ranking. But if they did, this would easily be a record-breaker.
It all started when Camaro enthusiast Donald Toalston read the Camaro 1LE story “Ordered to Go” in Car Craft magazine in March 1989, as reported by MotorTrend. That same year, he read “The Secret Camaro” in Super Chevy magazine. When he finished reading, he knew he had to have that kind of car.
Photo: Jeff Makovich | Facebook – Low Miles No Miles
He contacted Lavery Chevrolet in Alliance, Ohio. The Camaro, with the specifications requested by Toalston, arrived at the dealership on January 4, 1990 via Cassens Transport Company. And in addition to the special equipment, it had the radio and the stripe delete. The Chevy underwent the normal pre-delivery inspection (PDI) at the dealership.
The window sticker was removed at the customer's request. The car's build sheet shows the option code 1LE, as well as the radio-delete option and the stripes, delete. The Camaro sat in the showroom for two weeks before being delivered to the Toalston Advocate building. The model was maneuvered into a corner of the building's basement.
At the time it had only 6.3 miles on the odometer and remained so for the next 34 years. It was raised on jack stands, which would protect the tires and suspension, and hidden under a car cover, lost and missing for over three decades.
That's how Camaro enthusiast and collector Jeff Makovich found it. One day he got a call from a friend in the racing world. It was he who told him about the low-mileage Camaro 1LE IROC Z28 that was for sale after its owner passed away.
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Jeff contacted Toalston's next of kin, his niece, Merrily, and purchased the car. He was joined by his father and best friend, Matt, in an attempt to rescue the Camaro from its trap.
When they took the cover off the car, they were amazed. The paint was in impeccable condition and the interior looked as if the car had just rolled off the assembly line. It still had the protective floor mats from the dealership. The dealership employees had left all the paperwork in the center console.
The perfectly preserved time capsule was all original. Not a mile beyond the delivery miles, nothing was touched, let alone replaced or upgraded. In fact, the only thing that has ever touched this car is the dust it has accumulated over all these years.
The team pumped up the tires, removed the jack stands, and used dolly wheels to get the car up and out of the basement. They also had to move all the bookcases to make room for the vehicle. They pushed the Camaro down the long valley to freedom.
Photo: Jeff Makovich | Facebook – Low Miles No Miles
Luckily, a ramp had been built at the entrance and no stunts were needed to get the Chevy out in broad daylight for the first time since January 1990.
The 1990 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE IROC was shipped to Jeff Makovich's house. He called Shawn from Next Level Auto Detailing to do whatever it took to revive the car's paint color and make it look brand new.
Jeff will change the oil, clean the radiator, and do whatever it takes to get the car running and driving like it never has before. Once his mission is complete, he will transport the Camaro across the country, displaying it, and bragging about it at car shows. He has a right to do that, doesn't he? He took to Facebook to show off his blue Chevy.
Now he owns one of the rarest Camaros around. In 1990, only 62 third-generation Camaros were built in the 1LE specification, all powered by a 5.7 TPI engine with a slight power increase for the 1990 model year: it made 245 horsepower.