Hello all,
I stumbled across this X77 Z about a month ago that’s been literally garaged and barn kept since 1979-80. I just got it home yesterday after a longggggg day and late nite. I wanted to share the story and pics with those interested. I thought the story was interesting enough to share.
The original owner (Jack) bought it new from Liberty Chevy in New York. Jack & wife moved from NY to Denver to Texas then settle in Tampa in 1977. It was driven as a family car until 1978. Jack traded it off for a $700 trade-in value toward a 4 door family car as they now had a 3 year old son. (see pic of wife holding son and in stroller, Jack under the hood). The Z was bought by a lady (2nd owner, who's still a mystery) who only owned it for a year then listed it in the local Tampa News paper to sell (see original paper clipping). A guy name Tom (3rd owner) bought it from the ad where it was being advertised for $1700 "69 Camaro Z28 good condition, stock from factory". Can I still sign up ? I'll take a dozen at the price..crazy huh..lol Tom drove it for 1 year during his senior year in high school 1979. The Tampa dealer or the mystery 2nd owner repainted it to white with blue stripes, a reverse of the factory colors. I'm guessing the Tampa dealer repainted, figuring the car being 10-12 yrs old needed a new paint job to get a better sell price (group pics below). Shortly after graduating Tom started tearing the Z apart because he wanted to freash'n up the motor and repaint it back to it's original colors. (reason you see car apart in the group pic). Then again shortly after that Tom passed away from a motorcycle accident and the car sat in his/wife’s garage for the next 20 years untouched until 2000. In 2000, Phil (4th owner, Toms High School best friend) bought it from Tom’s wife. Phil stated he bought because he knew it was untouched (except for what his frd Tom had done) and all original. Phil towed it home with the parts boxed up. There Phil parked it in his climate controlled garage/barn with the intention of rebuilding it someday. That day never came as Phil said he was also more of a hot rodder than a numbers guy and since this Z retained every original part from the radiator tag to the tire jack and lug nuts he knew it deserved to be restored back to its original condition rather than cut up and hot hodded around. This guy Phil, coolest dude around. Had a garage/barn separate from his house. A/C'd with a dozen other cars inside including his own 68 Camaro and a 70 Chevelle from his high school days.
The Z is complete with the born DZ block/engine, M20 transmission and BU 373 rear. Has every engine components from the carb to oil pan. Carb, intake, Alt, balancer, pulleys, heads, smog, chrome breather, crank, cam, "0" rockers, every nut and bolt...Everything ! Original YH rims, brake calipers, suspension, all body panels and Interior. Interior seats and console are in excellent condition (all wrapped in blankets since 1979). Z has only 59K original miles
Car needs complete restoration but has 99% of all the born with parts for the car. Very little metal work needed as it is overall solid from front to back.
Born with color is Dusk Blue code 51 and standard blue Interior code 715 with a white vinyl top.
I have all the original paper work, the original owners name and number who now lives in Arizona. The POP and even the newspaper clipping when it was for sale for $1700
The original owner, Jack now lives in Arizona. I was able to get his email address also. Jack ordered this with power steering, no rear spoiler, flat hood and console w/gauges. Jack stated the reason he ordered w/o a rear spoiler was because his wife didn’t like the way it looked.
