Tom McLaughlin, a 55-year-old CPA who lives in Monee, Ill., on the custom “Rockstar” 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 he owns with his wife, Meri McLaughlin, a legal assistant, as told to A.J. Baime. I ...

The 1979 Camaro Z28 showed up when American muscle was gasping for air. Emissions rules and fuel prices had choked most V8s into submission, but Chevy’s Z28 refused to back down. With a 5.7-liter ...