I'm in the opposite camp-- If you have no header clearance issues, run a mechanical clutch with good quality heim joints everywhere. Just as smooth as a hydraulic clutch, cheaper, and with less chances of something leaking brake fluid and eating your paint.
Personally, after putting the heim joint clutch linkage in my car, I'd only run a hydraulic setup if there are header clearance issues. My linkage is extremely smooth! I also like how an all-mechanical setup transmits a bit more "pedal feedback" about the clutch take-up and what is going on. Although, the hydraulic setup allows for easy tailoring of clutch pedal throw/weight by altering the MC bore size. You can do the same by adjusting the pivot points on a mechanical setup, but you need to double check everything to make sure you don't go over-center at some point and "stick" the linkage down.
However, a good hydraulic setup will work just fine and knowing you have a BBC in that Camaro makes me think hydraulic will be the easiest way to go. It would probably be tough to snake a Z-bar and all the linkage around the headers in a BBC camaro. Also, AFAIK that 502 doesn't have the provision on the block for a clutch pivot ball.
As far as a scattershield, McLeod all the way with Moroso offset dowels if you need them.
I also recommend McLeod for the clutch and flywheel. Very happy with my Dual Performance and billet flywheel.