To compete in the Sports Car Club of America’s Trans Am series, Chevrolet introduced the Z28 option in the Camaro in 1968. It came with an exclusive 302 cubic inch V8 that met Trans Am displacement limitations. The model year 1969 would be a banner one for the Z28 at more than 20,000 copies sold, of which the seller has three for sale. Located in Edinburg, Texas, the auction is a bit different than most in that the seller is bidding all three separately in the same listing here on eBay (not sure that’s a clever idea). The current bid is $20,600 with an unmet reserve, but which car would you get that for?
When you ordered RPO Z28 in ‘69 (and paid $458 extra), you got the following besides the 302 V8. That included a cowl-induction hood, the F41 suspension package with wider rims and tires, front disc brakes, and an assortment of decals and stripes. The engine was rated at 302 hp with a 4-speed manual transmission (no automatic was offered) and conservatively produced 290 horses (some say it was more like 400). While not necessarily the fastest muscle car ever, the Z28 might out-handle most of its peers.
Dusk Blue/White (left in trio photo)
We’re told this is a numbers-matching Mid-Western Z28 that got caught up in a garage fire. The paint got toasted but the car seems to have escaped in the nick of time. It’s also an early production model built in Norwood, Ohio. None of the body panels have been replaced, though the car has some of the “usual” rust typical of its Chicago climate, and the seller has some replacements available. You’ll have to work through a puzzle with the engine as it has been taken apart. The interior is intact but will need refurbishing.
Cortez Silver/Black (center in the trio photo)
Unlike the first car, the engine and transmission here have flown the coop, so it won’t be numbers-matching if you restore it. The front clip was replaced due to “damage” which we assume means it was in an accident. The body panels are generally okay though there is some corrosion in the rear quarter panels and so forth. It was built in the middle of the production year and has a tachometer while the earlier Z28s do not. The interior is also complete, though the headliner will need attention. So, overall, we’re guessing this Camaro may need more work than the first one.
Hugger Orange/White (right in the trio photo)
This Z not only has the desirable paint color it’s also a Rally Sport with hideaway headlights. There is rust, of course, with the worst of it said to be in the cowl. Parts of the car’s build sheet have managed to survive to help authenticate it. The original 302 is gone, but the seller has a rebuilt DZ302 and Muncie 4-speed you could buy to install. The vehicle has the same interior issues the other two cars share. As part of a separate arrangement, the seller has a group of parts that can be yours. Which one in this trip interests you most/least?
Its good that most are all there.
The Rally Z reminds me of mine that I let go in n 1982 for 1200. In running shape and no rust with hidden Headlights and neoprene bumper .
Good luck with sale(s)
Is it just me, or is there a major error in the story
Cowl hoods were optional, they didn’t come with the Z-28 package..
Slight correction…Chevy offered the Z28 option as early as 1967, not starting in 1968.
Just a point of interest. Chevy called the Camaro hood a Special Ducted Hood. Cowl hood was first used on the 1970 Chevelle with a similar setup.
Some of the errors in this article have already been pointed out, so I won’t belabor them, but I will say this, 20 grand for all three would be pushing it, even though it states that one of them has a motor that is in pieces. The cowl tag indicating the Z28 option doesn’t mean much when you’re trying source date correct parts. (Those parts are also spendy)
Darn crazy Texan’s…..oops that could be me…..hard to follow what this guy is trying to do but I’m sure he has been trying to sell these awhile with no takers for his price…..up a little past $20,000 with two bidders…
I wouldnt give you 20k for the trio of junk
Orange car is not a Z/28.
Likely not even a SS.
Spoiler on back is from a ’67 or ’68 car, is about three inches narrower than the correct one for a ’69.
Emblem shadow on front fender clearly shows 327, not 302.
Crabs
You’re right… nice catch with the emblem shadow being a 327. That would make it not even an SS. The only possibility is that the fender might be off a non SS, non Z28 car.
I have two of them, one with a cowl hood and one with a regular hood. A lot of people look at the regular hood car and tell me that it can’t be a Z/28 because of the non-cowl hood.
My information is the cowl hood was an over the counter item until somewhere in the middle of the 69 model year, so only a small percentage of 69 Z/28’s had it from new. I like the way it looks from the outside, but when you put the hood up the big black air cleaner assembly hides some of the good parts I want to see.
My cowl hood car came with that hood in 1982, but didn’t have the air cleaner to go with it. I wanted the air cleaner until I saw one, then decided that’s never going to happen. I might buy it a repo real air cleaner and get rid of the 11″ parts store air cleaner, but that’s as far as I’m going to go. My cars are drivers, may be restored some day but that will be my relatives, not me.