The first generation of the Chevy Camaro was a wrap in 1969. It was a good sales year, thanks in part to an extended production run before the all-new 1970s would be ready. Though many of the autos were sold that year as “muscle cars,” one out of seven Camaros built in ‘69 was equipped with an inline-6 engine, the proverbial “secretary’s car”. This weather-beaten example is one such vehicle and is in running condition, though only for short hops. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, this rather basic Camaro is available here on eBay where the current bid (no reserve) is $17,600.
You might be surprised to learn that more than 34,500 Camaro Sport Coupes would come with the 250 cubic inch inline-6 in 1969, plus a few more as convertibles. That meant that not everyone was looking to drag race from one stop light to the next. Though the engine wouldn’t bring a case of whiplash to the driver, the car was not a stripper. It has a TH-350 automatic transmission where you might expect to find a 2-speed Powerglide. It also has power steering and factory air conditioning (though the compressor is MIA). The seller has been driving it, but no more than 40 miles at a clip.
This Chevy once wore shiny LeMans Blue paint, but the Southwest desert sun has thoroughly baked it after what may be 55 years. It’s not rust-free, with some found below the windshield (which is broken), in the front fenders, on one of the rear quarter panels, and the floor pans in the back. The interior may be in better shape, but it’s going to need refreshing, too.
All the controls work properly except for the windshield wipers (they move slowly). All-in-all, this looks like a viable restoration project, but what is the likelihood that the buyer will opt to keep the six-cylinder motor under the hood? You may be looking at a future SS 350 or 396 clone, but that would be a shame as they’re only original once.
No, no, NO, no more fire breathing Camaros, and let’s get back to what REALLY happened. Like the 6 cylinder Javelin or Challenger, I know it may be hard to believe, but there was a substantial number of 6 cylinder cars sold. Even Camaros. It’s just, nobody kept one. Of the 255,000 ’69 Camaros sold, if 35,000 were 6 cylinders, most were V8s. Mostly small block, again, we never saw big block Camaros except at Union Grove. I read, a 396 and 4 speed, and related options, added a whopping almost $800-$1,000 bucks, and many simply weren’t buying a ’69 Camaro for that reason. Very few big blocks were actually sold. For example, only about 4,000 big blocks, compared to almost 30,000 small blocks. Like the Javelin, or the Challenger 6 cylinders, I’d dolly it up to the nines in SS 396 gee-gaws, and open the hood, HA! BURN,,,it’s a great find. For best future results, leave it stock, I suppose is the moral of this story. This site has a lot of cool facts.
https://www.nastyz28.com/camaro/camaro69.html
I had a 68 in Phoenix of course like in 1980. 250 six with 3 SPD on the floor. I liked it. You know I love the sizes. And you can stroke em . The 1969 was the lightest Camaro ever. Keep it stick but let’s get creative with that six banger. Headers, holly 2 bbl., ect. Sway bars fat tires, konis. The weight distribution is the thing sports fans. Don’t matter how fast it does the quarter when I smoke you in the twisters .
I love it. I have a 69 Firebird with the 6. this unit has factory ac, mine does not. I would leave this be.
I love the tail pipe extension and you probably have to shut off the ac when you get to a hill!
I had to do that with my ’63 Bel Air with the 6 3spd with AC.
The tail pipe extension gives you another 5 horsepower!
And how ’bout that Grant GT steering wheel! An icon of the ’70’s! 🤙
Every muscle thing received one. It was 10% of Western Auto and Pep Boys sales at the time…..There is a rough 72 Nova rally at the u-pull-it right now with one.
Since it’s a bowtie car, I’m imagining it restored to daily drive with a 5.3. Also loaded with safety features like modern lighting, 4 wheel disks, quality springs & shocks, Michelins, and iroc steering, then finished off with creature comforts; a/c, cruise, quality audio, siriusxm, bluetooth, backup camera, sound deadening, power windows/door locks, keyless entry, nav, comfy heated seats, and a cupholder.
Or you could just save all that time and money and go buy an ’83 camaro for $1500.
No cupholder on thirdgens.
This car isn’t being auctioned, it has a set asking price.
Whoever buys it determines its future. I wouldn’t keep it stock, I’d go with a mild small bock with mid-70’s performance parts a manual transmission, upgrade to disc brakes, then drive it. I also wouldn’t clone it, I’d never put a set of emblems on a car that didn’t leave the factory with them. I’d rather de-emblem it instead.
Steve R
Exactly what we would do. Leave it stock looking, give it a peppy 350, 4 speed, and a few bolt-on Day 2 touches for period interest, and drive it.
Just do something crazy and unheard of with a six cylinder Camaro and leave it stock.
Wife had one when I married her, least expensive car at the Chevy dealer her father made her buy from. Standard transmission, no power anything, but did have radio and posi-traction rear. So, it was OK in snow, would fishtail back and forth as wheels took turns spinning. Nova on the lot was about $75 more. Had plenty of guts and with given real axel ratio had long legs in 3rd, 70 mph all day was easy. Went 14 years and 140,000 miles, only real problems were single leaf rear springs which both broke, and were replaced by multileaf, timing chain and sproketts which wore so badly that it had to be timed 3 degrees off, and rust, rust, rust. Sold the car for $500, buyer wanted the interior, which was perfect, and the posi-tranction differential. Rear axel held on by drivetrain and one point of contact between one spring and unibody. Nothing left underneath to weld anything to. All 4 floor pans rusted out, kids used to watch the road go by underneath. Eventually that Camaro was unsafe at any speed. Could not be shifted with brakes on since body would bind up the linkage as it stretched or collapsed on itself. Car was very light, the 6 was plenty. Buyer installed interior in his ’69 that dog had chewed up, stripped other parts for the future, left it on his father’s front lawn on concrete blocks, building inspector cited him, and carcass got towed to junk yard.
The Chevy strait 6 of the later ’60s has no timing chain or belt. Did a mechanic charge you for a new timing chain & sprockets?!
That motor has only gears that mesh that should last forever. My friend’s orig ’68 nova still runs prefect with no internal engine repairs.
This car may have been in Arizona in all of its life, but the owner is California Dreaming if he thinks anyone is going to give him $17,000+ for it….
I am all for originality, but the only way to build this car is as a restomod with engine of choice. You would be in way too deep on an original 6 resto.
It’s all about money.
I’d fit a set of period correct Cragar wheels… refresh the interior… and drive it just like that.
Later truck versions of that same straight 6cyl had much more power.
it’d be a fairly simple swap but I’d go JZ2
Why do a lot of people knock the straight six 250. I had one in a ’68 Chevy C10, there was nothing I could do with a V8 that this six couldn’t do. Hauling, towing, yanking. It never missed a beat. I had that truck for ten years. whether this motor or the Ford 300 or either of the AMC sixes. Had them all, never let me down.
I like it because it’s a 6cyl so I would leave that alone. Besides you put a decent exhaust on it and it still sounds better than the import Honda cars. Then just drive it and enjoy it
Find it a little odd this is bid up to about half of what Pete wants for a rare 396 fresh inside driver…..funny….
As noted above, this is not an auction on Ebay; it’s a Classified listing. The seller is asking for $17,600; no one has offered that much.
I don’t know the market out west that well, but I think the seller could get close to that price if they first transported it across the country to NJ or some other cold, wet eastern state where 1969 Camaros were rusting in to the ground by 1979. I’ve seen cars in far worse condition punch past five digits in a hurry because there are always two or three people who just have to have one of these for the summertime run to the DQ at the shore. Such people also tend to have fantasies of dropping big blocks in them for the extra growl, until they do the math in dollars instead of HP.
Myself, I think I’d leave a six in it and focus on making it as nice a driver as I could. I’d save as much of the existing patina as possible, just because it would drive all of the Camaro loons nuts to see it in that state.
I had a Gremlin with a 232. I could fill the inside with tire smoke. Back in the day the police thought that was very impressive. Highly illegal ($48 worth of illegal lol) but impressive. I would leave the six in and do a monster rebuild. maybe shoot 6 carbs on and/or maybe even a big turbo or two. As is is not worth the asking price. Maybe and that’s a big maybe, cut the price in half.
Never thought I’d see a 6 cyl Camaro bring that kind of money. It needs to be stripped to a bare shell and all the rust removed. A nice new paint job, a console, shifter and new upholstery kit. I have a 350 in the shed that would put the muscle back into this muscle car. Nothing exotic, just a stock rebuild with a small cam and aluminum intake. I’d even run cast exhaust manifolds instead of headers. A nice set of aluminum wheels in 15” with some white lettered tires would finish it out. Too bad it’s on the west coast, too far away for me.
If only this ’69 was an RS with either the 230 or 250 6 cyl,.
I am convinced those are rarer than a ’69 camaro with a ZL1!
No way to prove it tho – no such combo records kept by Chevy.
I go by how many i EVER seen – NONE, tho Chevy could have made most of them like that if that’s what people wanted back then. Who would tho?