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

Worth The Effort? 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS

The trim tag confirms the fact that this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro is a genuine SS 350, but it is one that will represent a mountain of work to return it to its former glory. It is going to take equal quantities of dedication and dollars, but the end result could be one very desirable classic pony car. The Camaro is located in Granada Hills, California, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $11,000, but there is also the option available to make an offer.

One thing is for certain, and that is that the next owner of the Camaro is either going to become very well acquainted with their welder and grinder, or they will potentially finish up on first-name terms with their local panel-beater. That’s because this old classic has a lot of rust issues that will need to be addressed. This has developed in all of those places that we have grown to know and love in cars of this era. What we’re talking about are the floors, all of the lower sections of the rear quarter panels, doors, fenders, the rockers, and the channels around the windshield and rear window. With rust this extensive, it is also worth considering what sort of order areas such as the cowl might be in, because there is a very real possibility that there might be unseen problems in this location as well. It would seem that there may not be any previous history of rust or accident damage with the Camaro because the owner does state that the LeMans Blue paint that the vehicle wears is original. It appears that all of the trim, chrome, and badges are present, although once again, some items will require either restoration or replacement. The Rally wheels are a nice touch, and these do appear to be in good condition.

It isn’t clear whether the driver’s window is down, or whether it is missing. Regardless of which is the case, it appears that this section of the car has been exposed to the elements for an extended period of time. This has allowed a good collection of leaf litter to find its way into the car. That means that there is also a fair chance that any rain will have followed suit. All of this appears to have done its worst with the interior, and a full restoration will be on the cards. It also looks like a large number of dash components have been removed, but it isn’t clear whether these are hiding somewhere in the car, or whether they are missing completely. Of course, if these items have been exposed to the elements then there is a good chance that some will require replacement anyway.

There is no doubt that the Camaro was nicely equipped when new. What hides under the skin is a 350ci V8, 4-speed manual transmission, 12-bolt rear end, and power front disc brakes. The owner admits that the engine that is fitted to the car is not original, but it isn’t clear whether the other components have been replaced at some point. The owner is of the opinion that it wouldn’t take a lot of work to kick the 350 back into life, which suggests that it does at least turn freely. When it was new, the Camaro would have had 300hp at its disposal. This made 15-second ¼ mile passes a doddle for the car, which was pretty respectable. It will be a while before the car is capable of repeating those sorts of performances, but nothing is impossible.

There is no doubt that the Camaro SS is an iconic car, and iconic cars do deserve to be saved. The simple fact is that this one is going to require a huge amount of work to return it to its best, and huge amounts of work usually equate to huge amounts of money. All of this is merely considering the work that we can see that will need to be tackled. Of course, there is a very good chance that there are more horror stories lurking within the bowels of this car, and it is going to take a pretty brave person to take this one on. What do you think? Is this one worth the effort, or is it too far gone?

Comments

  1. Avatar Frank Sumatra

    “The trim tag confirms the fact that this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro is a genuine SS 350”

    “The owner admits that the engine that is fitted to the car is not original”

    See where I’m going with this? Make up your mind! Either it is or it ain’t.

    Like 2
  2. Avatar matthew B steele

    I love seeing these cars come up on this site.i would never ever pay anything near $11,000…not even 1/4 of that but someone with more money than sense might..seller is banking on it.

    Like 9
  3. Avatar Grandpa Torino

    Dumb.

    Like 2
  4. Avatar chillywind

    sold! 9500

    Like 4
  5. Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

    For a car that has serious rust issues, a non-original motor and an interior that needs everything, $11k is a lot to ask. To tackle this one, you will need a lot of money, even if you can do a lot of the work yourself. Plus, it will take a lot of time to complete if you have a job and can only work on it weekends. You’ll need a good-paying job to pay for the restoration, a paper route just won’t do.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Jay

    Almost 10k for rust

    It will take another 20 or more to have a

    car worth 30k +

    No profit but

    if you love the car – I understand.

    Like 7
    • Avatar Joe Defelice

      Consider it a learning experience, for someone who has to learn the hard way…..

      Like 7
      • Avatar Superdessucke

        Yes, correct.

        Like 1
  7. bobhess bobhess Member

    The red Mustang is in better condition. Doesn’t say much for it but Joe is right.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar John

    $9500 seems too high for what you’re getting and what’s needed. Doesn’t seem to be anything more than gravity holding the front and rear windows to the remains … I mean the car. Won’t be much original body left when (if?) this gets restored.

    Like 2
  9. Avatar benjy58

    Another dream for someone and a parts car for everyone else.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar stillrunners

    Sold to be resold – when the new owner see’s the issues…..just like the flipper did…….

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Rattlehead

    Dynacorn?

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Steve

    Trim tags do not confirm whether a Camaro is a true SS or not. There are a number of things to look for, but the only real way to confirm an SS is through original paperwork.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar Poncho

    Well, I’m a little late to comment since it already sold. I agree with most others that the BIN at $11k is way too high for a NOM car in this condition (Non running/driving). I would think maybe half of the selling price of $9500 may be close to what the car is worth. It will require a lot of sheet metal replacement beyond the bolt on items which cost a lot to have done correctly unless doing it yourself. A lot of effort would have to go into this car before you could drive it on the road again and not be afraid to get caught in the rain without getting wet. I sold a 1969 Camaro in the 90’s that was a solid car in primer, running and driving, cowl induction hood, lots of new parts, for $4k. wished I coulda held onto that one for a daily driver but needed to cut it loose to upgrade to a nicer car.

    Like 0

Leave a Reply to FordGuy1972 Cancel reply

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.