Where have all the RS SS's gone ?

[69 Zee]

Ragtop you are correct on the Black 69.  It was only a RS my error, but never the less it was pretty impressive to see.   

The story .. not sure what sounds embellished to you    I think your trying to look way to hard at a simple story and pics ..lol   One really needed to be there in person to fully understand what I was seeing and listening to.  Remember.. I went looking for him on a lead by accident, not him looking for me.  He didn't need to tell his story, I kinda dragged it out of him    and he's not a collector by no means also...I'd say more in the line of a hoarder  of Camaros.  I found him to be very humble, a Camaro guy (no doubt) as he also had several 8x10 b&w, more brownish looking framed pics of him road racing Camaro's in the early 70's which was something I didn't want to bore you guys with..lol

For the '67 having "every available option" .. Yea we car guys know that's impossible like you said.. Overlapping and multiple options.  It was meant as a figure of speech somewhat like saying "Has all the horns and whistles",  just simply meant loaded !

Now as for the wheels getting on the cars.  He never stated that he immediately parked those cars on the racks in the early 70's.  He had just bought them during that time.  Look closer at the '69 blue Convert.  It has rear quarter rust holes (both sides).  That's not from sitting on that rack the day after he bought it.  And at some point he obviously changed out the factory rims for what he liked much like most of us did when we pitched our rims for the 5 spoke chrome cragers or the aluminum centerline look.  It wasn't cool to have the factory rims on your ride in high school and college.

Selling them    who knows.  We obviously wish he would sell them and wish he'd sell them for next to nothing to us .. I mean, why would he want them ?  They been sitting there all this time.. right?..lol   Yea sadly and unfortunately they'll most likely end up in some probate court and someone who has no real connection to these Camaros other than to flip them will end up with them.. That's what upsetting to us more than anything.. we've seen it and read about it so many times.   

[BULLITT65]

Well put.

[69Z28-RS]

69Zee wrote:   " ... I'd say more in the line of a hoarder  Shocked of Camaros.  I found him to be very humble, a Camaro guy (no doubt) as he also had several 8x10 b&w, more brownish looking framed pics of him road racing Camaro's in the early 70's which was something I didn't want to bore you guys with..lol  "

I'd be very curious to find out his name... how many venues enabled one to road race Camaros?  SCCA, TA, or IMSA....?  Maybe his is a name someone here would recognize?? 

[68 Ragtop]

The story .. not sure what sounds embellished to you  

This:

He bought all of them during the early 70's (71-73).  All supposedly matching numbers front to back and all original and untouched except for the (1) 68 that had front end damage (reason for the orange nose).  Six first gen true RS SS's stored away for the future

Looking at the pictures of the cars, I don't see original untouched cars that look like they where put away when they where 4-6 years old.

Maybe I misinterpreted your statement. Perhaps they where that way when he bought them in 1971-73 and then he proceeded to enjoy using them for many years before they got old and tired and then he stored them for the future.

To me, they look like the first gen Camaro's I used to find in the middle 80's, before the big restoration phase and run up in prices. Still, nice find and thanks for sharing.

[69 Zee]

Hey Ragtop, 

Yeah unfortunately you must have misinterpreted what I was trying to explain.  I should have said "original untouched except for the wheels"..lol   He stated "I bought all of them during the early 70's (71-73)", his exact words to me.  How he bought them, what he did with them after, and how long he drove them around town before he racked them is up in the air,  but I'm pretty sure he didn't toss them to the side within 4-6 years after buying them and thinking they'd be worth something one day either.

As you can see I wasn't about to climb around checking all the numbers...I had just met the guy,  I was lucky enough that he took me into the back where they sat as I was already invading his privacy.  I took his word for what it's worth.  He wasn't trying to sell me one.

[169INDY]

This situation is more prevalent than we collectively think. There are still folks from the 70’s that were into f bodies and purchased quantities of vehicles when they we just used cars. They were likely older portions of our interest group and NOT all took to the electronic innovations and social connections that bring their existence to our awareness. They are good folks who had / have the passion yet manifest it in a “Hoarder” definition. I personally know of two groups of cars exactly like this (In Washington) and both sets are stored similarly yet out of the hobbies sight.
Set #1 is a result of a long term (PNW region) Camaro supply business and their attempts to obtain a Stock of cars to maintain a robust inventory of carcass parts during the lean years of NO reproductions. By purchasing any and all that were reasonably this ‘Gill Net’ purchasing allowed the business owner to grab some Rare fish with the common junk he bought and in the end the internet killed the Business resulting in a Hoard locked away as he pursued Common skill set jobs to maintain a family.
Set #2 is a result of a independent body and fender man who just happened to pick Chevrolet and Pontiac F bodies to focus on as a means of making side funds to make a family wage as supplemental income to make up for the deficit when working  for the MAN at Body shops. Naturally culling the available stock via the exposure that Body shops (1970’s) [Yes He parted a Royal Plumb 1967 Z28] afford allowed for a nice collection of frustrated projects and opportunity purchases. Being older and unwilling to engage the electronic world his cash of iron has forever remained hidden to this day. His BEST purchase $1,500 in 1979 one (1) 1969 RAIV 4 speed Firebird Tran Am (broken car) from a Fella who wanted “Weed” money. Ironic Washington “The Evergreen State!” . That project is GONE & funded a FULL Ride for his daughters College Fund as a Basket case project Car- Uh Raw!

They ALL become available just a matter of time,,,,
PS Anyone want a 1947 Packard Super Eight Clipper project,,,,,Not my cup of tea What I inherited. My Father wondered out loud WHY in the world would anyone want to buy a White & Orange Chev Convert,,,,,,,when I proudly drove my Pace car home in 1984 for chump change,,,,,
They ALL become available just a matter of time,,,,
Hopefully someone will want that ugly Pacer of mine,,,,avail soon est. 2045

Jim

[BULLITT65]

I think more often than not collections such as the ones you mentioned, and the original post will find there way to an estate sale when the owner passes. Time creeps up on everyone, and usually guys wait 5 years to long to carry out the plans that fueled there passion to begin with.

I think there is a show on TV where a crew will come through and sell off a guys collection to finance the full resto on his favorite car in his collection. I think this may be the only way to really get these guys to sell, is when they know they could enjoy 1 running, instead of 8 sitting.

[6667ss138]

Cool pictures and story Darrell.
I agree there are many more of these types of "collections" out there. I have traveled an area over in Northwest Arkansas near Table Rock Lake several times over the past few years. I can't think of the little two lane highway number at this time. There is a car hoarder along that highway with first gen Camaro's, 55,6 and 7 Chevys and who knows what else just sitting all over his property. Lots of trees so its hard to see exactly what all is there. I have friends that live in the area and they say the cars have been sitting on his property for many years and that many people have stopped by only to be run off. I heard the old gentleman recently passed away but his wife still won't let anything go. I can only imagine what all is there but of course by now most are probably pretty rusty.

[169INDY]

I think more often than not collections such as the ones you mentioned, and the original post will find there way to an estate sale when the owner passes. Time creeps up on everyone, and usually guys wait 5 years to long to carry out the plans that fueled there passion to begin with.

I think there is a show on TV where a crew will come through and sell off a guys collection to finance the full resto on his favorite car in his collection. I think this may be the only way to really get these guys to sell, is when they know they could enjoy 1 running, instead of 8 sitting.

You Nailed it on both accounts. Time gets away from ALL of us in many forms, I keep Begging the second fella to JUST fix one of the darn cars and make some memories for his family and himself. I always say these "cars ARE the vehicle for many friendships and event making memories."

JIM

[69 Zee]

Len, good to see your Z finally made it as your avatar..lol     I believe this guy is exactly like the for mentioned.  A good guy who had/has a passion for the very same thing that we do and time is "Creeping up".  We have all heard someone say "one day" and before you know it that day came and went.  Many of these so-called "Hoarders" lived and was raised thru the depression era.  They simply never threw thing away, they worked to hard to get it.  They'd rather let something deteriorate/rust away before they let some snot nose have it because he can.  I myself was kinda raised like that from parents who went thru that era. 

Case in point:  I just recently sold my '79 Brown w/doeskin interior Corvette this past August (2014) .  I had saved every penny (literally) from the age of 16 and purchased it when I was 19 (1984).  To me the vette was still a virgin with only 31K miles and just barely 5 yrs old.  By age 20 I purchased a beater (yeahhh... a '78 Pinto)     just so I didn't have to drive it as my only driver.  Fast forward 30 yrs, the vette sat stored away almost as bad as the Camaro pics at the beginning.   I swore up and down that "one day" I'll bring it back to it's glory days.   That day never came and I sold it, hesitantly to 2 snot nose kids who said they wanted to buy, fix, paint and flip.  Well I received a call back in Feb from Progressive insurance.  The car was found at the bottom of a Florida canal and was now the newest topic of an insurance fraud case.  I was asked by Progressive if I would mind looking at the car to verify stuff about it.  It drew a tear as I walked up on it.     In short.. I busted my a$$ for that baby and it didn't deserve that !

Sometimes I can't blame these guys for not ever selling,  I get it.  We all have something that money can't buy !  and theirs is their cars.

[68camaroz28]

Great story and more of that around then one can imagine. In fact, if someone poked around in most of our garages many people would say we are hoarders, just the extent varies.
Boy would any of us love to go thru that stuff to find some jewels in parts, etc. Wow!

[69Z28-RS]

Len, good to see your Z finally made it as your avatar..lol     I believe this guy is exactly like the for mentioned.  A good guy who had/has a passion for the very same thing that we do and time is "Creeping up".  We have all heard someone say "one day" and before you know it that day came and went.  Many of these so-called "Hoarders" lived and was raised thru the depression era.  They simply never threw thing away, they worked to hard to get it.  They'd rather let something deteriorate/rust away before they let some snot nose have it because he can.  I myself was kinda raised like that from parents who went thru that era. 

Case in point:  I just recently sold my '79 Brown w/doeskin interior Corvette this past August (2014) .  I had saved every penny (literally) from the age of 16 and purchased it when I was 19 (1984).  To me the vette was still a virgin with only 31K miles and just barely 5 yrs old.  By age 20 I purchased a beater (yeahhh... a '78 Pinto)     just so I didn't have to drive it as my only driver.  Fast forward 30 yrs, the vette sat stored away almost as bad as the Camaro pics at the beginning.   I swore up and down that "one day" I'll bring it back to it's glory days.   That day never came and I sold it, hesitantly to 2 snot nose kids who said they wanted to buy, fix, paint and flip.  Well I received a call back in Feb from Progressive insurance.  The car was found at the bottom of a Florida canal and was now the newest topic of an insurance fraud case.  I was asked by Progressive if I would mind looking at the car to verify stuff about it.  It drew a tear as I walked up on it.     In short.. I busted my a$$ for that baby and it didn't deserve that !

Sometimes I can't blame these guys for not ever selling,  I get it.  We all have something that money can't buy !  and theirs is their cars.

Great post Darrell, which I think captures WHY a lot of us prefer to keep an old car, even if we don't have time or money to give it it's due...  we prefer that to, after selling it, seeing it jacked up, hacked up, painted purple, ..  etc..  or at the bottom of a canal due to $insurance$...

PS.  I'll be 67 this year, and I've begun a long process of 'selling off' excess parts & cars that I've had for up to 35 yrs in some cases.  I was feeling good about my progress in 'curing my disease'...  I only hope I don't suffer a relapse after hearing of your Corvette!   

[janobyte]

The farm my Dad went to when he bought the Z in 76 is now a subdivision(was in a barn, but not a barn find) World has changed a bunch since I was 9 ,and the Z really is a link to my past, memories. So one could understand why no price tag. But...and my wife did intervene, they really should be more than a shelf in the garage. ( as did my Dad ,LOL: " do something with the @#$g thing or sell it!" Last it was on the road was probably late 90's-2000. Trip to Drags in 02 (maybe),  302 dropped back in it , back of the shop to be a shelf. Time flys.

We built a drag Anglia, a Rat Rod , picked up a 68 SS  El Camino needing some love. Browsing Racingjunk in the meantime. Multi times the missis was on me to sell the "junk" ( El Camino was not junk!, needed some love!) and get to the Z. Honestly...I to loved going back to the shop ,having a beer, and looking at all the cool "stuff".

Soo.. 3 summers ago I'm in traffic heading to the Cleveland Clinic to sign papers for yet another "side" job I did not want ,but could not pass up. ( El Camino gone to a local guy who really loves them , car now looks great!) Called my buddy Bob and told him after 30+ years, you can finally shoot the car(his stipulations were original color, or would not do...no problem)

I am still dragging my heels , and really enjoy going upstairs in the shop , grabbing a freshly restored part of the shelf ,looking at it and repacking. Cars on the lift in fresh paint ,gawk at that a while then come in.

And to keep prolonging it ,plan on taking the complete rear-end to Moser ,have them outfit it with 4:30's (per Jerry Stahls'60's article) , Ford style bearings ,ends,retainers and hardened axles....because when it's done in the near future ,collecting dust it will be no more!

[BULLITT65]

Well not to hijack the thread but, I look forward to seeing your car, bentleys car, and Ohio Bills car back on the road her in the near future. 
(hopefully I didn't leave anyone out)

[janobyte]

Bill I may run into, only a few hours south of me. Opinions vary but glad to see he's having the car shot. My "near future' is about a year or so. Slower you go ,the more you tend to do "better" College costs and trying to hit a few Gasser meets this summer with Dad will slow progress a tad.

Back to the thread: some joy may be found in selling off those Camaros. The guy who bought the EL Camino is a true car guy, did a great job in getting it back on the road (his kids are out of college LOL)  I'm also a PTA and had him in for rehab for some knee issues (small world) any way, he showed me pics of the car and extended the offer if my wife and I wanted to take  it out to Quaker State some time while I'm "rehabbing" the Z. The old SS goes from being poorly repaired to a guy's garage who was clueless how to fix it (20+ years)..full of rat turds, to my shop. Then to a guy who loves them, restores them and has it back in circulation. win-win. I always feel good about that story.