Automotive history is littered with examples of times when one manufacturer has managed to catch another by surprise with a new model, and one of the greatest was the introduction of the original Ford Mustang. This car came out of the blue, and caught its competitors from General Motors napping. However, when GM unveiled its answer, it proved to be a worthy competitor, and 1st Generation Camaros remain just as desirable today as the equivalent Mustangs. This 1969 Camaro Convertible is a very clean example of that generation and is in impressive condition. It has been owned by the same elderly gentleman for the last 30-years, and throughout its life, it has managed to accumulate 28,000 genuine miles on its odometer. The Camaro is located in Franklin, Massachusetts, but is now set to go to a new home. This classic is listed for sale here on eBay, and with bidding having hit $28,500, the reserve has been met.
The Camaro is finished in Olympic Gold with a Black power top. It is hard to find a lot to fault when you look around the vehicle’s exterior. The panels look very straight, while the paint appears to not only have a nice depth and shine, but also seems to be free of any obvious chips, scratches, or flaws. The trim and chrome appear to be very good, as does the glass. The Camaro wears a set of Rally wheels, and there are no signs of any damage to these either. If I am going to be critical of anything, it has to be the top. Judging by the amount of wrinkling, I am guessing that it has spent a significant proportion of its life in the down position. It may well be that if the vehicle is left in the sun with the top up a few times, the majority of those wrinkles will disappear. I also don’t like the fact that it would appear that the top has been treated to the application of a high-gloss detailing spray. To my way of thinking, it gives the top an unnatural look when compared to the rest of the car. I would be very inclined to clean that off and to apply something that provided a more natural appearance. That’s probably nit-picking, but with the rest of the Camaro looking so nice, it is those sorts of details that really can make the difference.
The interior of the Camaro presents nicely, but it isn’t perfect. The upholstery on the seats is free of rips and tears, although the cover on the driver’s seat does show some stretching. The carpet looks nice, while the dash, door trims, and other plastic, seem to be free of cracks or issues. One thing that isn’t free of cracks is the steering wheel, which sports a sizeable one in about the 9 o’clock position. There are also a set of speakers cut into the kick panels, along with a gauge cluster mounted under the dash. I would live with the gauges because it isn’t a bad idea to monitor matters under the hood, and if they need to be removed at some point in the future, that would be a simple matter. What I would do is to tidy-up the wiring for those gauges, because viewed from the passenger side of the vehicle, that does look a bit messy. However, with a view to maintaining as much originality as possible, I would probably remove the speakers.
The Camaro came equipped from the factory with a 350ci V8, an automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The owner doesn’t specify which version of transmission is fitted to the car, and I’ve had a good look at the photos and am none the wiser myself. It could be the 2-speed Powerglide, or possibly a 3-speed Turbo Hydramatic. The presentation of the engine bay is very tidy, and there are no indications of any of the sorts of staining that might indicate long-term problems with oil or coolant leaks. The owner claims that the vehicle has accrued a genuine 28,000 miles during its life, but doesn’t indicate whether he holds any evidence to verify this claim. One other thing that he doesn’t indicate is just how well the Camaro runs or drives. That is a strange omission. What he does say is that the vehicle comes complete with its original Owner’s Manual and Protect-O-Plate, along with the original dealer jacket.
This 1969 Camaro Convertible presents very nicely, and if you click on the photos in this article so that you can view them in full size, you will see what I mean. It isn’t perfect, but it doesn’t appear that it would take a lot of work to get it close to that point. The lack of information about how the vehicle runs and drives is a bit odd, but it isn’t odd enough to prevent people from bidding to the point where the reserve has been met. This is a classic that I am going to watch because I’ll be very interested to see what the final sale price on this one is.
Why are the rims painted gold?
Cuz it looks good?
I always find it comical that Barnfinds writers often comment that the seller doesn’t state how or if the car runs and drives,when the cars(such as this gorgeous 28k mile Camaro)are close to perfect looking.I would think with this condition,how it runs/drives is implied.Im going out on a limb here and guessing this car runs and drives as good as it looks,or the seller would comment (i.e.”the transmission slips”)
Ive looked at enough cars to know the condition of the body and interior doesnt mean the suspension is in good shape.
The front end seems to be the LAST thing people restore, if at all……remember “assuming” makes a ass out of u and me like my old boss used to say!
The internet police show up.
Through a bullhorn:
“You, hands in the air, step away from the Armor All bottle. ”
“Put down the Chevy Orange rattle can”
” Use lower case letters in your ads”
Leaving the slush box aside……..and just cause I’m that way I wonder what the “elderly gentleman” was paid for his Camaro?
And they used to be a dime a dozen….sigh…
maybe the funnest car i ever owned.(yes funnest) mine was a 307 w 4sp,installed by my local speed shop. med blue w blk top. late for school many times but made the 13 miles of winding road in 8 minutes several times
Please stop saying mileage claims are genuine unless the seller has documentation.
I’m Leary if the 28,000 original mile claim. It looks as if it’s been repainted the door to fender gaps look uneven top to bottom on both sides, the rubber bumpers between the tops of the fenders to the bottom of the hood are missing. The rear spoiler would have been an odd option when new, the rims would have been argent (silver). The engine has been recently repainted and the manifold looks to be a recent addition.
The dealer that is selling would also know to document the mileage if he had proof. He also should have included undercarriage pictures, like he has in some if his other recent listings.
Steve R
I looked at this ad and it looked eerily familiar in format then I saw he was listed on Ebay as being out of Franklin though he is actually in Bellingham, I will fill in the blanks on that discrepancy. I went to ebay and if you google the number you will see that this is a guy with a very checkered past. He used to tout himself as a Corvette expert and is very well known (not in a good way) in the Corvette community for peddling fluffed up, cracked frame, mechanically deficient cars. If you google his name, number and corvette, you will find a ten year history of people that have had a bad time with him.
His ads are short and he always does them in ALL CAPS which is what caught my eye. Do a quick search on his number or look at his YELP review.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/vett-pro-international-bellingham
Stolen car! This guy now is in business again under a new name Boston Classic Cars Inc. Selling stolen cars !!! FBI are involved and are seeking this individual : Eric Hollander. Phone number 508-244-8800 . He now mainly tries to sell on Ebay.
The unfortunate part is that when you buy something like this on Ebay and it ends up going out of state which most of them do, it is almost impossible to litigate as you have to involve a lawyer and courts in two states and he does not state really state anything that is overtly misleading (to the naked eye) and it would be up to the new owner to somehow prove fraud or deception.
This guy is a pro at what he does so if you want a headache and a half and want to continue your 2020 in utter disappointment, he is your guy!
DON’T make the assumption it runs regardless of how nice the condition appears, if not stated in the selling ad.
Example: I have a friend that is generally considered the leading expert with CI & C2 Corvette fuel injection systems. He had a customer several years ago that purchased an alleged numbers matching 1962 FI Corvette at the most famous car auction (won’t note name) for close to 6 figures. The car was delivered to his shop via flat bed after purchase because it didn’t RUN. The car in-person looked as nice or better then the Camaro listed above. His job was to get the car running and it’s was suppose to be NCRS judged next to make top flight (it was that nice in appearance).
It had two problems: 1. It never ran after purchase and the issue was the FI system. 2. The FI system was wrong, it was off a 1961 Corvette
Kickpanel speakers and grills are factory.
This reminds me, where did I put my Brill Cream?
Red heater hoses stopped me. 280,000 miles is more like it. Terrible panel fit even if 69 Camaros were built lousy when new. My brother lived in Mass for 25 years. Enough salt thrown down every winter to cover 5 billion Big Macs. Caveat Emptor.
Great looking car in my book great color….69 camaro convertibles always bring good money.