New member here with a nearly untouched Camaro that has been in my family for its entire life. I am posting here to share its story with an appreciative community and help if I can by documenting anything during the time I am working on it. I am just starting on a resto-mod type project with it. While it will not be 100% preserving or restoring this car, I respect those that do and would love to be a help. There will also be some parts for sale I will not be using and do not plan on keeping.
This 1969 Camaro was purchased new by my great-grandfather in December 1968 during his retirement. The story goes that the husband of one of his nieces had bought a 69 Camaro RS after coming home from Vietnam and great-grandpa loved its look so much that he bought one to be his “fishing” car. He traded in a 61 Biscayne for the Camaro. Being an old retired farmer he did not want a lot of options so he ordered a base model with the few options being a two barrel 327 and a floor shift three speed. He drove it for a few years and after his passing my grandmother (his daughter) bought it from the estate for $1500. That was over the objections of my grandfather, he did not want to have to keep “just another old car” around the farm.
I first knew the car as a young kid in the 80s when grandma would drive to the grocery store with me and on her own fishing trips. As I got older and my interest in cars and all things mechanical grew, Grandma and I talked a lot about the car. I started my first project on a 1968 C10 (that I still have) in the garage next to the Camaro in the late 90s. I drove it occasionally (whenever Grandma allowed) after high school, mainly to keep it in working order. Shortly before Grandma passed, the car became mine and I recently trailered it to my home in IL. I drove it occasionally for the past year or so and am now ready to start work on it to keep the family enjoying it for another 49 years.
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmeFqB6B Flickr album
Picture of the car with me and Grandma, this ended up being the last time she rode in the car.
Some details on the car. It has 81,687 miles on it and has been in no accidents or had any major components replaced. There was some minor body work done on a dent in the rear quarter in the 90s and the camshaft was replaced in the 80s. Living its entire life in rural North Dakota, it is rust free but has many rock chips from life on gravel roads. The missing piece in the grille and the scrape on the front passenger side fender both carry a story. Originally it had no radio but a Custom Autosound unit was added in the 90s.
Pictures, VIN plate, order forms. Some of these pictures are nearly 10 years old but the car has not changed in that time.
My plan for the car is to keep the body completely stock and unrestored except for wheels and tires. The interior will be cleaned up and will replace only a few items as needed. The headliner and door panels are perfect but the dash pad and steering wheel have some cracks. Air conditioning and a vintage looking modern radio will be added. Powertrain is a LS6 with Holley EFI, cam, ported heads and a T56 transmission. The LS engine will be dressed to look like a SBC from 1969. Suspension will be a complete Ridetech coilover system and brakes are from a Gen5 Camaro. The goal is to keep the survivor look of the car but update it to be reliable modern performing car that can be driven anywhere.
As I start the work on the car I would be more than happy to take any notes or share pictures of anything with the people on this board. As parts come off, there will be some available for sale. Please contact me by PM for that.
Likely items for sale: Engine accessories, AIR system, carb, brackets, fasteners, distributor, etc.
Seat belts, seat covers, carpet, nearly all electrical items, maybe dash pad and steering wheel
Wheels, spare tire, brakes, control arms, steering box, other suspension pieces
Not for sale: Engine and transmission
Possible for sale: Jack, rear axle, gauge cluster
Hope you all enjoy reading about this car that carries with it so many family memories. Let me know if there are any specific pictures I could grab or if you have any other interests or questions.
