Sometimes, it’s the pedigree that’s the strongest factor in making a car project promising, and that seems to be the case with this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. This one’s going to need a comprehensive restoration, both cosmetically and mechanically, and it’s not going to be cheap to get this F-Body back on the road. However, the seller says this Camaro is a factory SS example and was originally equipped with a big block and a 4-speed. Keep in mind the verb here is “was”, not “is”, so take into consideration that this one’s a roller. It’s in Leitchfield, Kentucky, resting in what appears to be a salvage-yard setting, and can be seen here on eBay. There’s been quite a bit of interest so far, with 19 bids already pushing the price to $5,100, which is still short of the reserve.
The owner lists the original color of his Camaro as Hagar Orange, though I believe he means Hugger. Perhaps the seller was listening to some non-David Lee Roth era Van Halen while typing his listing, and that influence triggered the typo. That’s a great shade here, but it’s going to take some sheet-metal repairs before the exterior is ready for a fresh coat of paint. Fortunately, many of the parts are still present outside, and it’s great news that the area around the rear window looks pretty solid. However, there is some rust in other areas that will need to be addressed, and the hood and front bumper will be among the items the buyer will be responsible for sourcing.
There’s no word on why the engine and transmission were removed, but at least the buyer won’t have to lose sleep worrying about keeping the mechanicals numbers-matching here. The engine compartment actually appears to be in good condition, so hopefully it’s not too far from ready to drop in whatever powerplant the next owner desires. I’m thinking this Camaro would be an excellent match for someone who already has a muscular Chevy engine and transmission sitting in their garage, just waiting for an opportunity to put them to good use.
The interior will also require a thorough going-through, and if the dash pad is any indication, this one’s likely been exposed to the elements for quite some time. Nothing is mentioned about the underside, but the trunk pan shows some corrosion, so there’s the possibility that work will also be required down below. Perhaps the rails are still sturdy, but I’d check them out thoroughly early on in the restoration and do whatever is needed before getting too deep into the bodywork. It’s also important to note that the seller is keeping the wheels and tires shown in the photos, and that the car will be wearing a set of different rollers upon delivery. From your perspective, is this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS worth the effort?
I like how the seller tossed a fresh set of rally rims and tires in for the photo shoot. This area floods often, and just recently experienced it again. I would inspect this vehicle inside and out before making a move to purchase.
“non-David Lee Roth era Van Halen”….
That’s Van Hagar to you, Mr. Stephens…
He wants $13,000 for a rusted out shell with the only thing worth anything are the rims but they do not come with the car. He claims the car is a four speed but looks to be an automatic. The $5,100 bid is already to much money curious to see how high the bidding gets.
X66 on the cowl tag means it’s an SS396 without style trim. These cars were often stripped of non-essentials, meaning lightweight. Given the manual trans, this would have probably been a pretty serious hotrod.
That said, the firewall and the cowl tag don’t seem to have been exposed to the same environment given the lack of corrosion on the tag which may or may not mean anything.