Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

V8 Stick Shift Project: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro

Barn Finds come in many different varieties from untouched finds, to cars that were hot rod’d or restored sometime in their past much like this ’69 Camaro. Stored for 20 years, this V8 stick shift car has been revived and is currently a runner. Despite its previous paint work and minor rust issues, this Camaro is a nice project as it is equipped with power steering and air conditioning. A little rough around the edges, but with a lot of good to be found this Camaro is offered for $21,000. Check it out here on craigslist out of Huntington Beach, California. Thanks to reader Michael for sharing this nicely optioned muscle project!

Packing a 327 V8 mated to a manual 3 speed transmission, this Camaro is a sweet project. The engine and the compartment are filthy but 5 minutes with a power washer would have this engine bay singing a different tune. After its 20 year slumber the engine has been revived and is currently a runner, but there are no specifics on part replacement, or whether the car can be driven. In the photos you can see a jump box present to give it enough juice to start.

Inside you will find the interior to be rather complete, although lacking a shift knob. Appearing un-restored and in fair shape, the interior does show some signs of aging but overall presents nicely. The front bucket seats do not match the back seat, and an aftermarket steering wheel has been installed. Also there is a modern CD player in the dash with some not so very well installed speakers in the doors. Speaker cut outs in door panels are a pet peeve for me, but for someone wanting to enjoy this car as is the door panels aren’t too shabby.

Although described as original, this Camaro has certainly been repainted at least once in its lifetime. The clear coat is worn and chipping, and if I had to guess, perhaps this car had a vinyl roof in its past? There is some rust and body filler jammed in around the rear window. The rockers and quarter panels are obscured in the pictures so we can only speculate their condition. From what can be seen the exterior does appear to be fairly straight with no major damage other than the previously mentioned rear window rust. All in all a great start to a muscle project that offers nice features for modern day driving. Although previously repainted and worked on, would you pay the $21,000 asking price for this Camaro?

Comments

  1. Avatar photo Fred

    It must be a fake, all 1969 Camaro’s were SS or Z-28’s!

    Like 65
    • Avatar photo wildb

      Wrong! Over 150,000 were sold as ‘base’ Camaro’s. Look it up.

      Like 8
      • Avatar photo Miguel

        Sarcasm doesn’t come across very well in print but I am sure his comment was sarcasm.

        Like 40
    • Avatar photo Brian Crowe

      I got the sarcasm right away from his post.

      Like 7
      • Avatar photo SlickB

        lets hope it goes to the right buyer or it will be a ss or z-28

        Like 4
    • Avatar photo Tim A Householder

      Go back to bed Fred……
      I had a 67 Camaro back around 1970, 327, 3sp. column shifted. My dad originally sold this car new to a guy in our town.

      Like 1
      • Avatar photo Fred

        Back in the 80’s, there were plenty of base model cars available too bad people scrapped them or made them into something they weren’t.

        Chevy has plenty of fakes, while Pontiacs can still have their originality verified

        Like 1
    • Avatar photo George

      Yep, there are more SS and Z28s than came from the factory.

      Like 0
  2. Avatar photo gbvette62

    It’s an interesting little Camaro. It’s an early production car, because the 327 was replaced by the 307 in January 69. The interior is hardly all original, as the trim tag indicates that it originally had an ivory interior (trim code 727, is ivory door panels and seats with black carpet and dash), and the bucket seats and steering wheel, are not 69 Camaro parts.

    Rallye Green with an ivory interior and white DX1 stripes, Endura bumper (if it’s original), a 327 2bbl and a 3 speed floor shift, it was probably a neat car when new, Whether it’s worth the asking price is another story.

    Though a nice package, unfortunately a base V8 3 speed car isn’t really worth the time or money to restore, meaning this car will likely end up being the basis for someone’s resto-mod project, or a SS396 clone.

    Like 24
  3. Avatar photo Classic St eel

    It’s about six to eight over priced but a good starting point.

    This is the iconic camaro Year’s of 67-69 with to me the 69 favorably wmore options of disc
    and high back buckets etc. These look great in black, deep blue and gun metal Grey paint !
    Some like orange but not a fan 😳

    I can see it resored with new steering wheel and vinyl top .

    Probably would find aftermarket hidden headlights and interior to make it look better along with a tach and console etc.

    The engine would get rebuilt and pumped up some for ponies and AC refurbed and cruise it on weekends.

    I would not put fake Yenko, SS or Z28 badging though 🙃😜

    Like 9
  4. Avatar photo Scott

    21k is too high for a not all original car, that being said, I’d destroyed the engine to a 302, put some AFR heads, solid lifters and make a dz302 clone. Add a 6 speed overdrive, 3:55 gears and repaint of course, also looking closer at engine, I believe it’s a 350, I think 283s and 327s all had oil fill tube in front of thermostat, through intake manifold, not in valve cover

    Like 3
    • Avatar photo NMCarNut

      No, 1968 was the last year for the oil fill tube on small blocks. From what can be seen in the pictures the engine could be correct.

      Like 10
  5. Avatar photo al8apex

    Absolutely NO air conditioning on this car

    Like 6
  6. Avatar photo Oingo

    I think the rust is worse that the author thinks. As far as power/handling relationship goes in the Camaro I really like the 327 (friend had one in a 67 RS vert 4 spd). but this version is not one of them. I don’t like most green cars especially the ones with green interior but I really like this color combo especially with the DX1 option in 69. It might be a good candidate for a non factory restoration at a much lower price. I would want the 327 with better heads and internals either aftermarket of original depending on cost and a 6 speed, PDB at least in the front and a RS package all which can cost some major coin so it might be more cost effective just to get an original that will keep its value.

    Like 6
  7. Avatar photo Hide Behind

    Too much $ for many reasons to make into daily driver, that rear window rust is probably more extensive than just obvious visual.
    Is there anything, any thing at all, one cannot find , little to panels any year motor , original look radio to door nlocks, all things that give imaginative wrenches a chance to payday to payday rebuild and enjoy.
    If I owned one like this and knew could get 25k, I’d sell and watch some dreamers dream disapear.

    Like 4
  8. Avatar photo Paul Grumsha

    The cars back then for some reason didnt use regular steel like the rest of the body but alot of cars had galvinized steel for the rear filler panels.

    Like 1
  9. Avatar photo Pacekid

    I’m pretty sure for $21,000. You can find better. Other than it being a 69, this is a base unit with no obvious rarity.

    Like 7
  10. Avatar photo james Member

    Definitely not an AC car unless it’s got the Fred and Barney floor pans for the old fashioned flow through style!

    Like 5
  11. Avatar photo Waldo

    The 307 didnt replace the 327 the 350 replaced it

    Like 2
    • Avatar photo Heath

      The 350 was available since 67, I have a numbers matching 67 SS350 4spd car.

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo Sam Lackey

      No, GBVETTE62 is right. The **base** v8 engine starting in Jan of 69 was the 307.

      A 350 was available, but optional.

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo gbvette62

      The 327 absolutely was replaced by the 307 in 69.

      At the start of 69 production, the base V8 for the regular Camaro was the 327/210 2bbl, and the optional V8 was the LM1 350/255 4bbl.

      In January 69, the 327 was discontinued and the 307/200 2bbl was introduced, becoming the base V8 available. At the same time, the LM1 350 4bbl was replaced by the L65 350/250 2bbl, as the optional engine available in regular Camaros.

      The standard angine for the 69 SS was the L48 350/300 4bbl, with the L35 396/325, the L34 396/350, the L78 396/375 and the L89 aluminum head 396/375, all available optionally in the SS.

      The 302/290 was only available as part of the Z/28 package. The ZL1 aluminum 427 and L72 427/425, were only available as part of the COPO Sports Car Conversion packages.

      Like 5
  12. Avatar photo ACZ

    For sale by P. T. Barnum

    Like 2
  13. Avatar photo Dave

    Agree with an earlier comment about the rust being more extensive than appears in these photos. I’ve worked on rusty Camaros in the past. $21k is way over priced for a rusty, non-original, non-collector model. Buyer beware!

    Like 4
  14. Avatar photo Larry

    Didn’t know 69’s had SMOG on them ?? I’m in Pa.and they didn’t have it here. Maybe since it’s from Cali.

    Like 0
    • Avatar photo George

      I don’t know what smog controls were put on early camaros, but 1967 was the first year for federal smog requirements for all cars.

      Like 0
    • Avatar photo Roy Blankenship

      I was in Ohio, we started getting the air pumps in 1968, California started the air pumps in 1966. Some cars that would meet emissions via tuning changes did not have pumps.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar photo Pacekid

    Yes, They absolutely came that way.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar photo Oliver Felix Rojas

    Yes, worth $21,000 as for the most part it looks unmolested and in pretty good condition.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar photo Randy

    Well 21,000 crazy money on this car seats, steering wheel, rust hole on back deck bet the trunk is gone along with shock towers. You can still fine a driver for this price have to look but there out there, this car worth about 5 to 6000 because it needs a lot of work and it is just a base model nothing special

    Like 0
  18. Avatar photo MB

    This is $6,000 car tops, not even a valuable VIN. The owner is dreaming, but eventually some guy with more money than brains will buy it, thus contributing to the demise of the hobby for the average person.

    Like 4
  19. Avatar photo victor sanchez

    I had to laugh at the comment about one of the many FAKE Z/28 and SS Camaros but, I have a real 1969 Z/28 and at car shows I’M ALWAYS asked 2 questions 1st is it a real Z/28 and why did I put a Mustang engine it ( 302 ) I take it with a grain of salt and just laugh it off but, it’s true there are more Z/28 and SS cars now then ever built. The car gods must have sent a few down that we didn’t know about //// LOL

    Like 0

Leave A Comment

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.