Topics

16

6-cylinder Camaros / Barn-Find '69 Trunk opened after 30 years

« on: October 07, 2016, 11:16:28 PM »

I opened the trunk of my rusty-as-hell '69 barn-find coupe today and it was just as nasty as the rest of the car.  Luckily, nothing can be salvaged on or in the car  (except the engine and rear-end).  Yes, I'm smelling a deep-dollar money pit...my favorite kind of car!  The jack is dated "9J", which is correct for an 09C body (late in the model year).  Oddly, the jack parts appear to have been painted black originally instead of gray.  Some of the seatbelts are from a Ford (), but I did find one dated "40A69" (1st week of Sept).

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6-cylinder Camaros / 69 Six Banger Coupe on Ebay

« on: October 07, 2016, 04:39:46 PM »

This '69 Coupe has a six cylinder VIN (full number is not listed in the ad) and was built as a 3-on-the-tree.  It is coded an X11 on the cowl tag, code 61 Burnished Brown, and had a white standard interior (I bet it was a real eye-catcher in full sunlight).  It's got quite a bit of rust and is listed for $6,500...I guess that's now the going rate for rusty heaps.  The original drivetrain is long-gone, and I seriously doubt anyone will return it to a six banger with 3-on-the-tree.  An interesting note is that "D BROWN" was written in chalk on the firewall at Fisher Body in Norwood, and is still very visible.  There are no "250" emblems on the fenders, so this was probably built with a 230.  Like my '69 Plain Jane six it was built as an X11 to spiff it up a little bit, although I see no signs of wheelwell trim, side quarter trim, or roofrail chrome.  In one of the photos you can see white pin stripes on the left rear quarter, which I believe were part of the Style Trim group option.

A rhetorical question...did dealers order six banger, 3-on-the-tree Camaros (which obviously were the least-desirable Camaros available), or were they special-order cars for really thrifty customers?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-Camaro-X11/282208769313?_trksid=p2050601.c100085.m2372&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D37338%26meid%3De023d981ea67457f8cb3e41415a3a285%26pid%3D100085%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D282208769313%26clkid%3D8790734737365187665&_qi=RTM2247625

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6-cylinder Camaros / Snakes in a '69 Six Banger Coupe

« on: October 05, 2016, 03:36:34 PM »

A few weeks ago I responded to a CL ad for a set of original '57 Chevy wheels located 100 miles SE of Columbus in a small town along the Ohio River.  The wheels were nice and I ended up buying them, but the best part of the trip was discovering that the neighbor of the guy selling the wheels had a '69 Camaro sitting under a metal carport behind his mobile home.  I knocked on the guy's door and asked if I could look at it.  It turned out to be a really odd and rare 6 cylinder with a 3-on-the-tree shifter.  I worked out a price with the guy and made arrangements to come back and get it in a few days (I first had to find a place to stash it so that the head-of-the-war-dept wouldn't find out about it...at least for the next few months...we all know that game).

The seller, Don is 64 and the original owner.  His dad, Don Sr. decided in the spring of '70 that it would be nice to get a new Nova for his son who was about to graduate from high school.  They found a dealer with a few Novas for sale, and a left-over red '69 Camaro (as soon as Don Jr. saw the Camaro, the Nova idea was quickly forgotten).  The Camaro had the misfortune of being built with a 6 cylinder engine with a 3-on-the-tree shifter.  They bought it for the dealer's invoice cost on Mar 25th, 1970 (Good Friday)...6 months after it was built (apparently, the 3-on-the-tree shifter was not well received by potential buyers).  Don drove it until 1974, then sold it to his cousin Charlie in the same town.  Charlie drove it for several years, then replaced the manual tranny with an automatic so his wife could drive it (I guess a stick-shift was just too daunting for her to master).  It was parked behind Charlie's garage with a blown tranny in 1986 and sat there rotting until Don got tired of seeing it deteriorate and bought it back in 2001.  Don lives on small Soc Sec checks and doesn't have the means to restore it, hence its sale.

Some weird things about this car...it was first titled as a '70, and the title still says "1970".  Don says the dealer sent the application for title to the Ohio DMV and someone there screwed up, probably thinking it was a '70 since it was so far into that model year.  Another odd thing about it is that it came with an air cleaner with a Therm-Vac valve and heat stove for carburetor (I assumed all 1st Gen Camaros with sixes came without heat stoves).  Don says the air cleaner is original to the car.  The date code on the cowl tag says "09C" for the month built, so maybe the engines from Flint were then being built with 1970 air cleaners.  The last odd thing about it is that its cowl tag says "X11", but it doesn't appear to have had wheelwell trim, or quarter panel chrome trim pieces.  I would ask Don, but he's not happy that he sold the car right now...I'll ask him at some point in the future.

The car had very few options...250 engine upgrade, floor mats, whitewall tires, Style Trim Group (maybe...still not certain about that), and mag hubcaps.  Don said that the Camaro had "really ugly" full hubcaps that he didn't like while it sat at the dealership...the salesman said they had a set of mag hubcaps that they would throw into the deal to make Don Jr. happy.  It was a radio delete car, but the delete plate is broken and the right fender has been replaced with one from a '69 with an antenna.  Along with the original air cleaner Don gave me the original column shift steering column, z-bar, and a few other original bits and pieces.  It is also an original code 52 Garnet Red car with a code 711 black standard interior.  The original engine is coded "F0905BE", and it still has 3 of its original "FC" coded wheels (originally painted black).

The best part of all is that the car served for quite awhile as the home for a very long rat snake.  I pulled a snakeskin from one of the headliner bows and it measured over 6' long.  I found 3 more long skins in the car.  After quite a bit of cleaning the car still smells like snake sh*t...it may be awhile before the stench goes away. 

I think I'll convert this extremely rare 6 cylinder 3-on-the-tree car to yet another Z28 tribute car...whatdya think?

19

6-cylinder Camaros / 1969 Conv with a 230 and 3 on the tree

« on: October 05, 2016, 02:16:22 PM »

Hey Guys...I've been MIA from here for about 2 years.  I sold my rusty '68 RS project from hell...never could convince the head-of-the war-dept (aka: wife) of its worthiness, got tired of the complaining and sold it.  I then bought an extremely rare '77 Nova COPO 9C1...and sold it.  Then bought a '57 Chevy 210 wagon survivor...and sold it.  The new project (and keeper) is a '69 Camaro coupe with a six...I'll post that later today.

Just wanted to highlight a nice '69 convertible (VIN: 123679N628256) that's on Ebay for a starting bid of $15k.  It appears to only have one option...an AM radio!  It has its numbers-matching 230 with a smog pump which looks original, so this appears to be a California car.  This car is insanely original, which probably means it will get a 350 and a TH350 trans 

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1968 - Orphans / MO Code 302 Block for 8N422169 on CL in OH

« on: August 09, 2015, 12:32:46 PM »

Found this and thought it should be posted on here.The VIN stamp on the block looks like it was double stamped, but it appears to be legit.

http://dayton.craigslist.org/pts/5154633372.html

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Decoding/Numbers / '68 L30 RS Conv. with 2 Broadcast Sheets and POP

« on: October 22, 2014, 05:15:39 PM »

Hey Guys...hope this is the right spot for this topic. I may be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that NOR didn't put Broadcast Sheets in their cars, so naturally I have to debunk this.  I found this very nice '68 RS convertible (VIN: 124678N342134) on CL Toledo and am sending on its pertinent info with a couple of photos.  It is being advertised for $28k by its original owner (not many of those left!) and has a claimed 79k original miles.  The red on red color scheme is beautiful, but the owner switched from the original white top to a less exciting black one.  As far as 1st Gens go this one's loaded: 327/275 engine (code on POP is "EE"...is this an L30?), PG, console, tach/gauges, deluxe interior, tilt, PB, tinted glass and an AM radio.  I noticed it has a clutch fan without A/C, so is this part of the L30 option?  It also has Rally wheels, but the '67 center caps lead me to believe they may not have come with the car.  I don't know if it has disc brakes, or not (I'm not skilled at reading BC sheets).  One BC sheet appears to have masking tape in the top center, so I'm guessing this was how they were held to the cars as they went down the assembly line.  The drivetrain carries Oct. build dates.  Anyway, the rarity of the car plus the Broadcast Sheets and POP mean that someone on here should buy it and bring it to shows to debunk the stories about non-existant Norwood Broadcast sheets  .  I would buy it in a heartbeat if I could.  The link is posted below...happy hunting!

http://toledo.craigslist.org/cto/4706915217.html

22

Originality / Radio Delete Block-off Plug

« on: October 22, 2014, 02:55:20 AM »

"L6Ragtop" noticed my '68 was a radio delete car and asked about the antenna block-off plug. Here's a photo of it to add to the info about originality on this site. Best regards to all.

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6-cylinder Camaros / '68 Coupe with its original 6 and 3-on-the-tree on Ebay

« on: October 20, 2014, 09:15:45 PM »

It's very odd that there are two 1st Gens with their original 6 cyl/manual drivetrains on Ebay at the same time, but I figured I would post one more since this section of CRG rarely gets anything new. This coupe is needing much more work than the '69 conv. that I posted earlier today, but it's complete and untouched. It appears the only options are AM radio, full wheelcovers, and spiffy front and rear bumper guards (also, dig that drink holder between the buckets). I don't think the steering wheel trim is correct, and the "RS" cap has infiltrated from another '68. I'm a sucker for these stripper six cyl. Camaros!

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6-cylinder Camaros / 69 Camaro Conv. with original 6 on Ebay

« on: October 20, 2014, 06:30:35 PM »

Saw this '69 Camaro convertible on Ebay and thought how refreshing to see an original, unmolested example for sale. It had very few options (AM radio and power steering), and dog dish hubcaps. This would be a nice one to restore as-is and take to shows. It was originally equipped with a 3-on-the-tree and has been converted to a floor shift. Enjoy.

25

6-cylinder Camaros / '68 Camaro 6 on Ebay bid over $20k

« on: June 11, 2014, 07:33:38 PM »

Maybe there's hope for lowly 6 cylinder Camaros yet.  Here's one with a claimed 44k miles, 230 base engine and 3-on-the-tree that's been bid to over $20k.  There are a couple of nice Youtube links that show what a well-tuned 6 sounds like (a little-old-lady car immediately comes to mind   ).  I keep thinking that one of these days these cars will actually be appreciated and sought after.  This is the level of restoration I hope to achieve with my RS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9vXQphrL28

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6-cylinder Camaros / Survivor 6 cyl El Camino with 3-on-the-tree on Ebay

« on: May 13, 2014, 07:25:01 PM »

I'm posting this with the hopes that someone on here can pick this up (no pun intended) and save it for posterity. It is a marina blue base El Camino with black bench seat, 230 cubic-inch 6, 3-on-the-tree, radio delete, dog dish hubcaps, and no apparent options. It has 60k original miles (claimed by seller), and was sold new at Groth Chevrolet in Huntington Beach. It even has its original 7.35 x 14 Laredo blackwall spare tire! The seller says he has a 327 engine, Turbo 350, and Ford 9" rear for it...sounds like a great idea to take a completely original and beautiful low-mile survivor and turn it into yet another boring V8 car that won't get a second look at a car show.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-El-Camino-original-1967-chevrolet-elcamino-el-camino-1967-chevelle-ss-ss-396-camaro-chevy-/321404569267?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4ad53486b3&item=321404569267&pt=US_Cars_Trucks#ht_209wt_1240

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6-cylinder Camaros / '67 Camaro Survivor with a 250 on Youtube

« on: May 11, 2014, 05:36:50 PM »

They don't come any more original than this one. How rare is the 250 with a 4 speed?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fRaHGFNZXE

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6-cylinder Camaros / Another '68 Camaro with a 6 bites the dust

« on: May 11, 2014, 04:49:46 PM »

This 250 engine and PG trans pulled from a '68 Camaro with 87k miles is currently on Ebay with a bid of $100. Sadness...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251526928327?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_114wt_1240

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6-cylinder Camaros / 6 Cylinder Vs. V8 from 1967 Car Life Magazine Test

« on: May 08, 2014, 08:09:26 PM »

Hello All...thought some of you might find this information interesting. Car Life magazine has been defunct for probably 40 years, so I don't believe this runs afoul of any copyright laws. Anyway, Car Life ran an interesting article in their March 1967 issue where they compared an SS-RS 350 with a 4 speed and 3.55 rear-end to a plain coupe with a 250-6 with a 3 speed manual trans. (column shifter) and a 3.31 rear-end. Both cars had manual steering, and drum brakes all around. As tested weight (with driver and fuel) on the V8 was listed as 3,620 lbs. vs. 3,408 lbs for the 6. Weight distribution for the V8 was 58/42 front-to-rear, and 55/45 for the 6. Spring rates in lb./in. for the V8 were 125/131 front-to-rear, and 124/121 for the 6. Acceleration in seconds 0-30 mph (V8 listed first) was 2.9 vs. 4.8, 0-60 was 7.8 vs. 11.4, 0-80 was 12.8 vs. 21.7, and the 1/4 mile times/speeds were 15.8 @ 89 mph vs. 18.5 @ 75 mph. The author noted that acceleration times for the 6 would have improved with a floor shift instead of the balky column shift. Fuel economy was 16-19 mpg for the V8, and 19-22 mpg for the 6. Braking for both cars was virtually identical from 80-0 mph at 21 ft. per second, although the V8 exhibited slight fading on the first stop and noticeable fading on the 2nd stop (the 6 showed no fading on either stop). The author said, "The more equal weight distribution of the six cylinder car manifested itself in good cornering and handling characteristics, less rear wheelspin under acceleration, and better braking action. Camaro's inherent understeer was notably less less in the big six than in the SS 350 version". The author preferred the basic interior to the "chrome splotched" environment of the SS, and concluded that the Camaro with a 6 constituted "quite a bargain in on-the-road performance, paritcularly at $839.00 less than the SS".

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6-cylinder Camaros / Slowly starting the 6 cylinder RS build from Hell

« on: May 07, 2014, 01:18:20 PM »

Hey Guys...been off here for about 6 months and almost sold my rusty '68 RS after buying a V8 Vega. I have now come to my senses and will get rid of the Vega to concentrate on the RS. Back in Nov, I posted that I was upgrading my 230 to a 250. The engine casting number is 3921968 and it was cast on 022 8...the P-O-P engine number is F0223BA (230 six). The project so far has been acquiring parts...I now have orig GM quarters for it ($1,800 on CL in OH), a complete floor and rockers from a '68 Firebird from AZ ($1,000 on CL plus $500 shipping to OH), rust-free RS fenders from NM ($350 on CL...shipping to OH was almost $300), a complete and nearly perfect original black standard interior (found on CL here in OH for $500...door panels, buckets, and rear seat), nice FC coded wheels ($200 on CL), decent '68 drum brake subframe ($200 on CL in OH), an NOS 7.35 x 14 Firestone Deluxe Champion spare from a rusty '68 Chevelle being parted out in MI ($150), and a spare 250 from a '68 Nova ($250 on CL in TN...it will cough up its crank, rods, and pistons for the 230...the nice little-old-lady 4-door Nova was being parted out to provide parts for a pro street '69). I have been buying NOS 6 cylinder parts on Ebay for next to nothing...AC fuel pump ($25), GM muffler ($40), AC dist caps ($5 to $10), front drums for $10 apiece, and a drum brake master cylinder for $45 (it's great when no one else wants the stuff you want . My RS will go back to its original Tripoli Turquoise, column shift, radio delete (there is no hole for an antenna punched in the right front fender, and there is no code for a radio on the P-O-P...the codes line on the P-O-P is completely blank), with dog dish hubcaps...probably the strangest (and cheapest) '68 RS ever built. I will post photos on here if I can figure out an easy way to reduce the size of my photos.