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Camaro Research Group Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: camaroboy68ss on September 12, 2021, 02:56:03 AM

Title: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: camaroboy68ss on September 12, 2021, 02:56:03 AM
So I went and looked a 69 that was claimed to be a Z/28 and after looking at it, I would say its a real one, but it had a few issues. The good was that it was a X33 car and the tag/rivets looked good. Main issue is of course the motor and trans. trans is long gone. Has a super T10, but the motor is a 69 302 motor that is in the window for correct casting date to cars build date. Problem is they have decked the block and the while the Z is legible, the D is almost gone and the rest of numbers are non existent. My main question is currently how big of hit is that in value on the cars currently? It does have the correct crank in it and pop up's. not sure on the rods. The 12 bolt and 4 leaf springs are still in the car and alot of the other stuff checks out as pointing to the real thing. Car is a odd color combo too. Is a factory Cortez Silver car, with dark blue vinyl top and dark blue std interior. Its a total project and in a million pieces, so trying to gauge what would be end value if restoring the car back close to how it came originally.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: william on September 12, 2021, 05:47:42 PM
With X33 on the tag, the car may have been built late enough for the 'con VIN' to be stamped on the side of the block. It would be on the rib alongside the oil filter. Often hard to read.

Unless you are handy with tools, most muscle car projects of this nature will cost more to restore than they are worth. The paint/trim on this one won't help. 
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: camaroboy68ss on September 12, 2021, 05:59:36 PM
With X33 on the tag, the car may have been built late enough for the 'con VIN' to be stamped on the side of the block. It would be on the rib alongside the oil filter. Often hard to read.

Unless you are handy with tools, most muscle car projects of this nature will cost more to restore than they are worth. The paint/trim on this one won't help. 


well the block is not the original motor to the car. The current owner bought the motor back in the 90's out of a Nova. Block is a Sept 68 casting date He bought this car minus the 302 back in the late 70's early 80's. As far the resto, it would be my grandfather and I doing the work on it. We did my both my 68 Chevy's so thats not really the big issue. Our issue getting this thing together and then be stuck with it. I know this car will never be a 6 figure car, but also dont want to jump into it when in the end its not worth more than a modified I6 car done to look like a Z/28
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: william on September 12, 2021, 07:31:17 PM
As far the resto, it would be my grandfather and I doing the work on it.

That may be priceless.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: 69Z28-RS on September 12, 2021, 07:49:53 PM
If you do, keep the Cortez Silver paint code but change to black vinyl top and RED interior color.. :)
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: camaroboy68ss on September 12, 2021, 08:10:26 PM
As far the resto, it would be my grandfather and I doing the work on it.

That may be priceless.


yes and no, yes I always enjoy doing the work with him and its always great, but this would be car number 6 or 7 we have done.

If you do, keep the Cortez Silver paint code but change to black vinyl top and RED interior color.. :)


If we get the car, would keep the blue interior. The top has already had all the nubs ground off, but all the trim is still with the car, so would be a toss up if we put the vinyl top back on.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: R68GTO on September 12, 2021, 08:30:13 PM
I would definitely keep the blue top and interior.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: firstgenaddict on September 12, 2021, 10:37:17 PM
That is a pretty cool color combo PERSONALLY I would want it with the top- however if I were planning to resell I would leave the top off. It being much easier to install to make a sale rather than to remove to make a sale. 

Doing the car correctly will cost at least 20k in parts and materials - THAT'S
IF the original interior is in good shape minus carpet - the wheels are correctly dated, correct distributor, alternator, correctly dated carb, smog pump etc and there is no metal replacement needed. 
If it includes all the correctly dated $$ components and the car is solid plus you have 600-800 hours - and 20k additional for parts materials to out lay I wouldn't want to be much deeper in the car than 20k.

Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: camaroboy68ss on September 12, 2021, 11:24:39 PM
That is a pretty cool color combo PERSONALLY I would want it with the top- however if I were planning to resell I would leave the top off. It being much easier to install to make a sale rather than to remove to make a sale. 

Doing the car correctly will cost at least 20k in parts and materials - THAT'S
IF the original interior is in good shape minus carpet - the wheels are correctly dated, correct distributor, alternator, correctly dated carb, smog pump etc and there is no metal replacement needed. 
If it includes all the correctly dated $$ components and the car is solid plus you have 600-800 hours - and 20k additional for parts materials to out lay I wouldn't want to be much deeper in the car than 20k.



yeah the motor is pretty much missing everything correct. I didnt see any pulleys or top end. I know its missing the intake. The heads were the over the counter replacements. The interior pars are in decent shape. front seats just need covers. Was a console with gauges car. Dash had center clock and correct tach for its build date. Console could be save able. Someone in the early 70s stuck a bunch of toggle switches on the driver side up near the gauge area. Body was pretty solid, only rust issue I saw was at the top of the A post on both sides, but nothing was rotten through. Wheels are not correct. Does have 15x7's up front but then has a pair of 8's on the rear. At best its going to be a car that will look stock and correct, but its never gonna be a high point car its just not complete enough, but its not gone enough to go sticking random stuff on it.

At best it can be a car that will look original
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: BULLITT65 on September 12, 2021, 11:34:26 PM
Please check for the partial vin on the 302, may help someone looking for their original block. It is hard to read in the rough casting but can be done.

I would also suggest going back with the blue vinyl top and interior. One thing I see is buyers looking for unique cars, and when done, it may create more of a buzz since it will present as a "1 of 1" type of exterior. Even though most cars are riding a high right now (including 1st gen Camaros), even with a future market correction I think if you and your gramps do the labor, and turn it out stock, finding some original dated parts along the way, you would not lose money if you wanted to sell. just my 2 cents
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: maroman on September 13, 2021, 12:09:39 AM
I would definitely keep the blue top and interior.
  Amen to that.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: firstgenaddict on September 13, 2021, 07:43:44 AM
Real style trim Z in Cortez with a blue roof and Dk Blue int would look really sharp. The wheel opening and roof drip along with the gill trim. Nice
I'd have to put an endura on it. They just look so good on 69's.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: usa1ti on September 13, 2021, 10:19:37 AM
Real style trim Z in Cortez with a blue roof and Dk Blue int would look really sharp. The wheel opening and roof drip along with the gill trim. Nice
I'd have to put an endura on it. They just look so good on 69's.

Totally agree on this. I love that color and the bumper. I built a 69 Z race car in the late 90s with that look. Had the most fun in that car than any other race car ive had.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: x55cam on September 13, 2021, 04:54:44 PM
My first '69 was a Cortez w/black vinyl top and blue interior.  At that time I thought the top was cool but realized as time and tastes  have changed, the top
just doesn't appeal to me anymore. And it is also a water trap. I would ditch it but leave the color combo intact.

Regardless of the non-matching motor, you have a car worth the hassle  because of the X33 tag. But it really is up to your gut feeling if putting your $$ , time and sweat into it. What boils down to is you have to really dig  the car and the hobby and not worry about money returned on investment.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: camaroboy68ss on September 14, 2021, 03:37:13 PM
well we are gonna make an offer and see what happens on this car. Would be a fun project to restore and drive for a bit. I have never been in a car with a 302, lots of hot 327s but no 302. In the long run though it would be a build and flip as we have thought about it last few days. So not really going to push to get it.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: Charley on September 20, 2021, 02:33:31 PM
I personally think the most collectable part about this car is the blue vinyl top and interior on a silver car. Never seen that combo. Cool.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: Daytona Z on September 27, 2021, 07:10:20 PM
Yup...silver with blue on blue sounds plenty cool to me.  8)

If you get it, why not just build an LT1 for it and enjoy it before you flip it. The 350 packs much better HP and torque than a 302. Truth be known, the 302's are weak out of the whole and don't pack much torque. It's the mystique that surrounds the 302 and the sounds that make them cool when they are buzzed north of 7K, but that's where they were vulnerable to spitting out rods or dropping a valve. In fact, a modern 355 with some good rods and some decent heads will destroy most 302's.

Build a nice 350 or a stroker for it maybe and make it look perfectly stock. That works real nice IMO.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: camaroboy68ss on September 28, 2021, 02:59:18 PM
Ended up passing on the car, we just dont have the space to store another car in a million pieces while working on another project thats in a million pieces.

Yup...silver with blue on blue sounds plenty cool to me.  8)

If you get it, why not just build an LT1 for it and enjoy it before you flip it. The 350 packs much better HP and torque than a 302. Truth be known, the 302's are weak out of the whole and don't pack much torque. It's the mystique that surrounds the 302 and the sounds that make them cool when they are buzzed north of 7K, but that's where they were vulnerable to spitting out rods or dropping a valve. In fact, a modern 355 with some good rods and some decent heads will destroy most 302's.

Build a nice 350 or a stroker for it maybe and make it look perfectly stock. That works real nice IMO.

I would have built the 302 or a stout little 327 if we had picked it up. I have a built 70 LT1 in my 33 pickup that has put a lot of big blocks to shame at the drag strip, but I still prefer a 283/302/327 over a 350 and I would never build a 383, to me they are only good for a boat anchor. I have never liked them, I would build a 400 if I wanted a torque small block.

But we didnt get it, but now have the fire to get the current project done and sold to find the next project we can shove a 348 we have on the stand in.
Title: Re: Questions about a 69 Z/28
Post by: firstgenaddict on September 28, 2021, 03:53:13 PM
To have 2 torn apart projects you need a 6 car garage with only those 2 projects in it!