The Camaro was in its third year of production, having settled into a solid second place behind the pony car leader, Ford’s Mustang. 1969’s Camaro would enjoy a 15-month run on the assembly line as the all-new 1970s were delayed in getting ready. If Chevy had built a 454 cubic inch V8 in 1969 and put it into a Camaro Super Sport, it might have looked like this one. But that motor wasn’t available for another year, so the 396 was still the top dog. This ’69 SS is a solid, great running car that lacks nothing but a new home. Located in Athens, Georgia, this blue beauty is available here on eBay where the bidding has topped $40,269, but the reserve is still elusive.
This Camaro is a real-deal SS, supported by a build sheet, window sticker, and other documentation. The 350 hp 396 V8 was replaced in 1971 with a first-year 454 which has since been rebuilt. It’s flanked by a Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission with 4.10 posi-traction. The car originally had a 3.73 gear set-up which the seller has retained should you want to go with a less aggressive ratio. A 4-barrel Holley carburetor is in place that comes with vacuum-actuated secondaries.
We’re told the Chevy originated in “Sin City” and then spent much of its time in Texas before settling into Georgia with the seller. The owner believes all the sheet metal is original to the car and there are no signs of any rust. The paint presents quite well, and we assume it’s a respray since no mention is made either way. The reported mileage is less than 3,000 which could mean a variety of things, including the odometer it has turned over at least once.
Inside the Chevy is the Camaro houndstooth upholstery and it – along with the rest of the passenger cabin – looks most inviting. Everything seems to be in good working order except for the fuel gauge which can’t seem to get the remaining fuel amount displayed correctly. Sticking with originality (except for the motor), even the annoying buzzer still works when you leave the key in an unattended ignition switch. If you were ever hoping to find a Camaro that was upgraded to a 454, perhaps your search has ended.
As soon as I saw this car it reminded me of the Car and Driver 1969 “Blue Maxi” Camaro that Penske and Mark Donohue built for them. The Blue Maxi had the 1970 LT-1 engine in it and they called it the “Z-29”. Ah, the good old days of Sunoco 260 gasoline.
Tested: 1969 Chevrolet “Blue Maxi” Camaro Z/29
From the Archive: We set out to prove that a mere automobile can transcend the obvious device of transportation and become an experience, and we have succeeded.
CAR AND DRIVER
JAN 1, 1970
Specifications
1969 Chevrolet ‘Blue Maxi’ Camaro Z/29
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE AS TESTED
$6221
ENGINE TYPE
pushrod V-8, water-cooled, cast iron block and heads
Displacement:
350 in3, 5740 cm3
Power:
370 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque:
380 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
4-speed, all-synchro
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 108.0 in
Length: 186.0 in
Width: 74.0 in
Height: 51.0 in
Curb weight: 3615 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
Zero to 30 mph: 2.1 sec
Zero to 60 mph: 5.4 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 12.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.7 sec @ 103.68 mph
Top speed (C/D observed): 129 mph
Braking, 80-0 mph: 220 ft
FUEL ECONOMY
C/D observed: 9-13 mpg
I’ve seen a number of references to that car over the years, and I completely agree with the idea that a well sorted small block/manual trans combo can deliver an outstanding driving experience from a first gen Camaro, especially when you throw in some well thought out tire/suspension and brake upgrades.
And GM accomplished every bit of that with the 1967-69 Z-28. I have few regrets in life, but selling my 1969 Z-28 is certainly in the Top Three.
At that time period a lot of people considered Donohue to be the best at setting cars up for racing. They were probably correct assuming the championships he won in different model cars.
What is the asking price for this beauty?
Yeeeeeah…put a .348 or .375 stroke in the 302 and you’d have a pretty good start.