Stripped of excess weight and sound-deadening and tweaked for every possible performance advantage, racing cars represent the ultimate connection between human and machine. The racer that this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro in Bergenfield New Jersey salutes won six of twelve races in the 1969 TransAm season. The well-conceived, well-engineered, and well-driven Camaro secured the championship and a place in racing history. This car comes close to being a (presumably) street-legal copy of that car, with far more than cosmetic similarities to the original. Offered here on Craigslist, the blue beast can be yours for $54,379, one dollar for every hair on Roger Penske’s head in 1969. That’s just a guess, but if someone knows the historical significance of this number, please let us know in the comments below. Running condition is not mentioned in the listing. Thanks to reader Pat L. for spotting this rolling tribute.
While no horsepower numbers grace the description, the 302 cid (5.0L) small block should make stout power with its aluminum heads, 11.0:1 compression, and dual-quad carburetors on an authentic-looking cross-ram manifold. The vintage racing motors made about 440 HP at 7200 RPM, according to the excellent historical write-up at DeansGarage, but that was on 103 octane gas. With reasonable compromises for street driving, this motor could still make north of 330 HP.
While driver Mark Donohue favored the red interior, at least one original 1969 racing Camaro featured a black interior like this. A proper four-speed M22 close-ratio manual transmission sends power rearward to a 12-bolt Positraction differential with screaming 4.10:1 gears.
Showing far more than a retro paint-job, this Camaro carries many features of the original, including the five gallon-per-second fuel filler. New tires look sticky enough to lay that power down in the corners without becoming treacherous in a rain shower. Penske Camaro bodies were acid-dipped for lightening, and were built with clever engineering tricks like reservoirs to let the driver add oil and coolant during a race, and holes passing fresh air through the doors to the rear brakes. Donohue recounts these innovations and others in his book, the The Unfair Advantage, though one might argue his unfair advantage included a red interior. That said, only nitpickers would find fault with this road-going version of a classic historical racer. I’d certainly enjoy taking it for a ride. Where would you drive this carefully recreated road racer?
Saw the actual car run in the ’69 series at Sonoma, CA track. That and the Mustangs, etc. of the other racers was quite a sight… and sound. Nice car here.
Very cool tribute!
The original car was back at the track in Sonoma last summer. A bunch of vintage racers run them as a support class against a whole fleet of other TransAm cars from the 67-70 seasons (Cudas, Challengers, Mustangs and Javelins). It was the most amazing thing to see and hear them run in anger around the Sears Point track! I was 9 years old during the 1970 season when my Dad took me to see them run at Laguna Seca. Very cool to relive that childhood memory!
Watching these Trans-Am cars hammer around Mid-Ohio in the early 1970’s was an ultimate spectating thrill !
Best racing series of all time. I love the clip of Parnelli Jones passing in the dirt.
“If you’re in control, you’re not going fast enough.” – Parnelli Jones
This is a Camaro that I would gladly pay the asking price for. Just beautiful.
Saw Donahue at MIS at Penske’s track in Southern Michigan on the road course there in 69. Mustangs, Javelins and even a GTO along with the Camaros. #6 Penske camaro won the race.
Met Mark’s son David at New Jersey Motorsports Park when he was running the Brumos Porsche in IMSA. In the brief time I was able to talk with him he was the gentleman that I heard Mark was.
I loved TransAm cars, but for earth moving thunder just plant your feet firmly to the ground and feel the CanAm cars.
Oh yeah. Trans Am and Can Am races at Donnybrooke, now BIR, in the early 70s was as good as it gets. Nice car.
I say it a number of times racing at my home track, Bridgehampton, NY
Yes very cool, with plates on it is this street legal?
Hello all. I am the owner of the Camaro. I would like to thank Todd Fitch for the awesome write up. I can be contacted at Eddieb411@msn.com for anyone who is interested. Thank you.
Hello Eddie! It’s always great to hear from the owners of our feature cars. Check back with any updates, and best wishes!
The 302 engines were very strong. I know for a fact my 67 MO 302 Z28 was rebuilt blueprinted to factory specs, single 4bbl put out over 360 hp on a Clayton dyno way back in 1969
for a second there i thought you wernt going to say anything about the unfair advantage, love the story of one of the officials setting his clip board on the roof and leaning on the roof to get his clip board and his arm going through it (acid dip car), and the rolle cage in the acid dipped car was on another level, had to be so the car wouldnt break like a tooth pick the the tun, when someone asked they would just say they wanted Mark to be safe, i love stuff like that, the extra break booster on the javelin’s was great, and the porsch 917 breaks, penske and mark,
Really nice tribute car that checks all the boxes. It should go for good money!
1st race car i ever seen with optional factory pedal chrome dressup.