Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so they say. Given the tremendous success of the Ford Mustang in the mid-1960s, it was natural that competitors would soon emerge. The Mustang’s most prominent challenger was the Chevy Camaro which sold more than 842,000 copies in its initial three years (first generation; 1967-69). To me, the third model year was the best looking, which includes this one schoolteacher-owned Rally Sport that has been in storage for 36 years. The car runs and has a mere 38,000 miles, though some attention may be needed before hitting the interstate. Located in Yorktown, Virginia, this tidy survivor is available here on eBay where the bidding stands at $29,103. Thanks for another great Bow-Tie tip, Larry D!
The Camaro would get a nice facelift for 1969 while retaining the same good looks of the 1967-68 editions. The car would enjoy a 15-month production run because there were some delays at Fisher Body in getting the “all-new for 1970” Camaro ready to go into production. The second-generation ponies wouldn’t make it to Chevrolet dealer showrooms until February 1970. Of the 243,000 Camaro’s built in that extended 1969 season, nearly 38,000 would be equipped with RPO Z22, the Rally Sport Package. That included a special black painted grille with concealed headlights and headlight washer, fender striping, simulated rear fender louvers, front and rear wheel opening moldings, and RS badging. It appears the seller’s car has RPO Z22.
As the story goes, this Camaro was purchased new by the seller’s in-laws in Virginia and it was driven to and from work until 1986 by the owner, a public grade schoolteacher. After that, the car apparently stayed in the garage for the next 36 years for reasons unknown. We suspect the seller has the unfortunate task of liquating an estate, which includes a seemingly well-preserved Chevy finished in Butternut Yellow paint with a black vinyl interior.
The car is in unrestored condition, and we’re told the basic 307 cubic-inch V8 runs. Except for a photo of the Chevy in its heyday, all the pics show the car from inside the dark garage, so its ability to do much more than idle would have to come into question. But it’s quite a find whose original paperwork has been kept all these years. The body and paint seem to be okay from what we can tell, but the interior will need a bit of attention. The trunk-mounted luggage rack looks to have taken flight. The upholstery on the driver’s seat is cracked and the front carpeting is pretty well worn out. But if you can get away with doing nothing more than replacing fluids and rubber parts, this could be a great discovery!
So much to take in. Options I see are power steering and brakes, A/C, f & r bumper guards, tinted glass, console, and an AM/FM radio in the back seat.
I also see a Langley AFB sticker on the front bumper, an aftermarket eletronic ignition, overspray on the under hood insulation and hinges ,parts of the ignition switch in the console, steering wheel shroud and under column trim piece the back seat. The left back interior trim panel is off. One last thing –
it’s also missing the wheel opening moulding – right rear.
What else did I miss?
You almost captured it all, except that it also has the custom interior. (The std interior was more plain, and horizontal ribs on the seats).
Luggage rack missing, radio antenna missing. Too much screams repaint to say unrestored.
You’d remove that luggage rack type deal off the trunk before driving it home wouldn’t you.
So the teacher drove the car until 1986 and put a little over 2,000 miles per year, then stored it? Seems like the mileage claim is “optimistic”
I’d question the 38K original miles. They’d have to come up with a lot of paperwork to convince me, and if they have it the original owner was really hard on the interior. The heat in east central Virginia summers may have done some of it, but I got a 32K original mile 69Z/28 out of that area in 1982 and the interior wasn’t anything like that. There was some wear on the driver’s side carpet from the drag racers getting in and out every 1/2 mile, but nothing like I see here.
The condition of the interior, especially the driver’s seat and carpet says 138K to me. If it was on the road until 1986 and driven around 8000 miles/year, that’s 138K miles.
It appears to be a nice solid car though, not many original unrestored cars left in this condition. But it’s at $33K for a 307/PG car that needs a complete interior and LOTS of other stuff, that’s a bit much for me.
Tbone, I have seen a really low mile school teacher’s car that sat for years. It was a lot better than this one. It was a 17K mile 57 Pontiac Bonneville that came from Washington PA. I guy from Pittsburgh bought it in the mid 1990’s and he used to drive it to a car show at a local resort called Conneaut Lake Park, PA.
The story was the school teacher lived with her two sisters and she didn’t drive it much and died in the early 1960’s. Her sisters pushed it out of the garage and washed it once a year.
I used to park my restored 57 Bel Air next to the Pontiac at the show, my car was bought by my cousin from the original owner in Palm Springs CA in 1963, but parking a 150K mile restored car next to that Pontiac gave me a whole new appreciation for original.
This is one time I would fully agree with the GM Luggage Rack Police.
I grew up with Chevy 307cu. In
You don’t hear of them anymore ! How’d they down grade to a 305 ?
The 307 was a modestly powered 2 barrel (only) engine. It was used in the full size line for 1968 only, but you could get one in trucks, Chevelles, Novas, and Camaros until 1973. This must be a later 69, because the earlier ones still had the 327 as the base v8.
My dad was a mechanic and he had a C-10 with a 307. He hated that engine
As anemic as the 305 was/is, I’m not sure I’d say it was a downgrade from a 307. There were injected 305s in irocs and TransAms with 5 speeds that were pretty lively. I don’t think a single 307 ever left the factory in any sort of performance configuration.
I sold a 57K mile 69 to a guy in Norway in 2016 and you could still see the date stamp in green paint INSIDE the air cleaner base next to carb throat.
I doubt that is the case here. Odo rolled once I am sure.
All these low mileage claims are driving me nuts.
Take the Vette a few cars up with 22K miles. Yeah maybe,
but somebody sure sat in those seats for 25 years or so, just in the driveway I guess.
The Chevy 307s would need a new camshaft after about 50,000 miles,seemed to be a common problem with that engine
My ’72 Camaro had a 307 which trashed it’s camshaft by 37,xxx miles despite regular oil & filter changes every 3,000 miles. The dealership kept pushing the repair beyond the New Car Warranty by adding GM Engine Oil Supplement (EOS). We made a real stink with the Chevrolet Zone Office and they ended up absorbing the cost of the repair. I sold that POS the following year. This was my first and last Three-Oh. NEVER had any problems with my 283s, 327s and 350s.
Same problem with the early 305s, real boat anchors. They did work out the bugs by the early to mid 80s.
Yup, they were notorious for that, just like the early 305’s. To make matters worse the dealers would fight with you over replacement.
My 69 camaro came with a 307 oh how I wish it was an earlier build with the 327. My motor ran well and got good mileage but smoked badly so I just couldn’t get excited about rebuilding a 307 of it was sold and I built a 4 bolt mains 350 which was cheaper even with having to buy a block yea it no longer numbers maching but it’s what I wanted.
Yes Desert Rat, whole different car with the 327. The car I spoke of above would not have been sold if it had any other V8 than that no legs 307.
I sold another that was titled originally a few blocks from where I type this.
California is good for SOME things :)
Yes the 307 is a basically POS motor. But …… Open her up. Bore it 60. Cam, heads. And a few small things. You would have a nice rockin motor.
That teacher must have had high heel shoes on when driving to wear it out in only 38k .
Do all Camaro write ups require the Ford reference? Just asking as it always seems the case here.