A first-gen Camaro is always going to attract attention, but a car that’s been tucked away indoors for nearly 30 years is the sort of thing Barn Finds readers love hearing about. Listed here on craigslist, this 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, currently offered in Tacoma, Washington, is a Z/28 tribute running a big-block 454 paired with an automatic transmission. The seller lists the odometer at 34,454 miles and holds a clean Washington title in their name.
Finished, mostly, in Hugger Orange with black stripes and wearing a black interior, this Camaro clearly aims for that late-’60s factory muscle look. The seller notes that it’s been stored inside for close to three decades and only driven occasionally during that time—something that usually points to a long-term owner who tried to preserve the car rather than wear it out. They also mention some minor surface rust, which is understandable for a car of this age, especially one that hasn’t lived its life as a daily driver.
Under the hood sits a 454 big-block V8, a far more aggressive setup than the small-block combinations these cars originally carried. The seller doesn’t provide extra mechanical details beyond confirming that it runs and drives like it should, which is the sort of reassurance most buyers want to hear when looking at a decades-old muscle car. For someone wanting a cruiser, it already fits the bill; for someone wanting to personalize or take it further, it’s a strong starting point with a lot of potential.
One interesting detail: the front driver’s fender on the car is a GM OEM replacement, and the seller still has the original fender, though it was damaged by a forklift at some point. The car will likely appeal to buyers who want a clean, solid platform with a great color combination and strong drivetrain rather than a strict numbers-matching restoration candidate.
This Camaro is offered at $39,999, and the seller asks that potential buyers come prepared with funds and meet them near the storage facility in Tacoma. With original Hugger Orange cars commanding strong prices and first-gen Camaros becoming harder to find in long-stored condition, this tribute might be a chance to get the look and feel without the Z/28 price tag.
Would you enjoy this one as a weekend cruiser, or would you start planning updates right away?
The seller is dreaming, $39,999 for a 1969 Camaro with 4 Z28 emblems and some stripes doesn’t make for a remotely convincing “tribute”, or clone for a better name. The hood and rear spoiler don’t really count since they were optional on Z28’s and nearly every modified Camaro gets them anyways. If you want to pretend it’s a Z28 at least put a 4spd in it, rear bumper guards, disc brakes and don’t install a big block, it probably still has a 10 bolt. The work visible in the ad isn’t particularly good even for 1980’s standards. Hopefully whoever eventually builds it will de-emblem the car.
Steve R
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
I’m not too familiar with what GM used then. A 454 with an automatic seems a waste. What sort of automatics did GM use with them.?
Not typically a fan of “tributes”, this reminds me of a Revell model I’d recycle with different parts from different cars (or sometimes airplanes), and paint the stripes by masking it off with scotch tape.
Can an uglier shifter be built?
Get rid of the Z/28 emblems and put SS396 emblems on it. Might be a better “clone, tribute”. Z/28 was a 302/4speed.
“Tribute” ? More like a slap in the face to anyone who has owned a real 1969 Z-28 Camaro.