Author Topic: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum  (Read 45807 times)

silverton_ford

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Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« on: March 10, 2015, 07:24:13 PM »
Hello, I am new to this forum. First off, sorry for my user name having that other four letter word in it. I am a Ford guy and I have this name on other Ford related forums, so it is easier to keep them all the same for me.

I have my Great Grandmother's 1969 Camaro. It is a 6 cylinder with a Turbo 350. My Great Grandmother bought it new in 1969. She traded in her 1963 Nova and cash for the car. She drove it as a daily driver until she passed away in the late 70's she gave it to my Grandmother. She then drove it as a daily driver until she passed in 1996. She then gave it to my mother. Until last year the car had sat since 1996. I have given it a tune up, new master cylinder, new belts, new plugs, new rotor, new cap, new wires, new starter, new battery and installed the ralley wheels.

I am a Ford guy at heart, but this car has too much sentimental value to let go. I took it out for a little exercise last week. It drives great and is a lot of fun. The engine has never been apart. The odometer just turned over 50,000, but I think it is probably 150 or 250? (not sure). It is well used and worn, but actually not too bad of a car. It has many parking lot war wounds and is not a perfect car by any means. The paint and stripes are original but faded. The interior is original...my grandmother would pay me $5 a week to ride my bike to her house and detail it for her back in 1994 and 1995.

I hope you enjoy these pictures. Hopefully in the future I will have a chance to work on it more. Right now it is a good driver. I would like to put disc brakes on the front at some point, but the rest of the car will stay original. I am excited to get involved in this forum and learn many new facts about Camaros. Thank you, Brian

This picture is from March 1, 2015 after taking it for a cruise.


This was taken in 2012?, when I brought it home to get it running. Still has the original wheels and hubcaps.


This is right after installing the rally wheels. 2013?

 
1969 Camaro - 6 cylinder - Original car, never restored.  Needs some TLC.  My Great Grandmother bought it new and has been in the family ever since.

I am a Ford guy, but this Camaro will never leave the family.  Sorry for the uneducated questions.

Thank you, Brian

1968RSZ28

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2015, 08:09:57 PM »
Welcome Brian!  Don't drive your grandma's Camaro too much; you'll sell the Fords!  :)

Paul

silverton_ford

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2015, 08:27:13 PM »
Thank you Paul!  I have acutally been driving it a lot lately.  Our winter has been very mild and full of sunshine, so I have had plenty of opportunities to get it out.  It is fun because of how I remember riding around with my Grandma when I was a little kid.  It takes me back in time.

I have been reading other posts on this forum and this looks to be a great place to be.  So much good information to read and learn.   :)
1969 Camaro - 6 cylinder - Original car, never restored.  Needs some TLC.  My Great Grandmother bought it new and has been in the family ever since.

I am a Ford guy, but this Camaro will never leave the family.  Sorry for the uneducated questions.

Thank you, Brian

ko-lek-tor

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2015, 08:44:49 PM »
Hey there...um, four letter word guy,
Seriously, welcome to the site!  That is a great story and the car is definately a "keeper"! Do as you wish, but I would encourage you to leave it as-is and keep it maintained. Learn to live with the scars and dings. At a car show, it will probably get more looks than a restored one. There are a lot of detail pics you could take to document things for others restoring their car too. It is only original once, they say. Now, I have a similar story except my passion is the Camaro and I married into a Ford family. I inherited my inlaws survivor, always garaged, '66 Mustang convertible and my wife's Grandpa's 68 F100 short bed (restored). They are taking up valuable garage space that a Chevy could use, but that's the way it goes.
Bentley to friends :1969 SS/RS 396 owned 79
1969 SS 350 (sold)
1969 D.H.COPO replica 4spd. owned since 85
1967 302 4 spd 5.13

cook_dw

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2015, 11:31:38 PM »
DX1 stripe..  Nice, you dont see them very often.  I always said I should have put it back on my old 69.  I would stick the steelies and hubcaps back on with fresh white line tires..  Dare to be different!  Sweet car.

KevinW

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2015, 12:21:41 AM »
Welcome!, looks like Butternut yellow, 2nd rarest color in 69!

KurtS

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2015, 02:10:45 AM »
Nice that she got the TH350.
Butternut yellow and DX1 and full P01 hubcaps - I'd drive it all the time too. :)
Kurt S
CRG

silverton_ford

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2015, 04:01:19 AM »
Wow!  Thank you for the nice comments.  You guys know so much more about this car than I do!  I am very glad that I have found this forum.  These details are right up my alley.  I am about restoring this car rather than hot rodding it.  From what you guys have said and what I have read in other posts, I think this is the place for me.  I will post more about the car as time goes on, because I know I am going to have a ton of questions.

Thank you, Brian
1969 Camaro - 6 cylinder - Original car, never restored.  Needs some TLC.  My Great Grandmother bought it new and has been in the family ever since.

I am a Ford guy, but this Camaro will never leave the family.  Sorry for the uneducated questions.

Thank you, Brian

tom

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2015, 05:47:35 AM »
Looks like the hood portion of your stripes is missing. Search the site for "dx1" for other pictures of the stripe package. Nice car, welcome to the site!
69 X11 Z21 L14 glide
looking for a 69 export model (KPH) speed
o

1968RSZ28

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2015, 06:21:02 AM »
Here's the info on the DX1 stripe that Tom is talking about...  http://www.camaros.org/exterior.shtml#stripes

Paul

BULLITT65

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2015, 06:35:11 AM »
Wow!  Thank you for the nice comments.  You guys know so much more about this car than I do!  I am very glad that I have found this forum.  These details are right up my alley.  I am about restoring this car rather than hot rodding it.  From what you guys have said and what I have read in other posts, I think this is the place for me.  I will post more about the car as time goes on, because I know I am going to have a ton of questions.

Thank you, Brian

Instead of "restoring it" I think the thing to do with this car is to preserve it in its current condition. While I also like rally wheels, I would agree with Darrell to run the original steel rims with new white walls and the hub caps. At that point your car would probably be in the 1% range. I have never seen another driver with those hub caps, cool.

Just keep it clean and keep everything operational, and the car will take good car of you. They are only original once....
1969 garnet red Z/28 46k mile unrestored X77
-Looking for 3192477 (front) spiral shocks 3192851 (rear)
-Looking for an original LOF soft ray windshield
-Looking for original Delco side post negative battery cable part # 6297651AV

hgger69

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2015, 07:37:07 AM »
Hi Brian and welcome to this extremely useful site!  :)

I agree with a couple of guys above regarding the hub caps and condition, remember that a car is only original once!  ;)
A new set of ww tires and the original hub caps and you really have a head turner as it is!

I also notice that the hood stripe, decal, is missing but I have another quest regarding the DX-1....didn't the six bangers have the cui emblem on the front fender and therefore it should be a gap fore it on the stripe as it is on say a 350 car?

I really love the DX-1 and intend to put it on my X44 some day..... ::)
Regards,
Hakan from Sweden
1969 Camaro X44, hugger orange, 427 ZL-1 tribute, TH350, 4:10 12 bolt Posi, RPO Z87, black/white houndstooth, 14" steel wheels & dog dish, 02D built
www.hakansmotorsida.com

buenymayor

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2015, 08:47:55 AM »
Welcome, Brian! Nice looking car and story. I agree with the others..... preserve it, but don't restore it. They are only original once!

silverton_ford

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2015, 03:33:23 PM »
Instead of "restoring it" I think the thing to do with this car is to preserve it in its current condition. While I also like rally wheels, I would agree with Darrell to run the original steel rims with new white walls and the hub caps. At that point your car would probably be in the 1% range. I have never seen another driver with those hub caps, cool.

Just keep it clean and keep everything operational, and the car will take good car of you. They are only original once....

Thank you BULLITT65.  The original hubcaps for the car are badly dented.  I think my grandma used to park by brail.  They are very bad. I need to find some better ones or NOS ones.  I still have the original wheels and caps in the garage.  The rally wheels are a cheap easy bolt on and I can change them out at any time.

When I say I want to restore the car I guess I say that loosely.  I understand the importance of keeping it original and keeping the factory marks and conditions.  I agree, it is important to preserve the car and that is what I want to do.  At the same time, the car doesn't operate like a brand new low mileage car.  It is well used and worn.  I plan to clean all of the grime and grease first before tearing into it too far.  It is currently a good driver and it will stay together as a good driver for a long time.  Over the weekend I will try to take some more pictures and share them with everyone.

Looks like the hood portion of your stripes is missing. Search the site for "dx1" for other pictures of the stripe package. Nice car, welcome to the site!

Thank you Tom.  The stripe is still there on the hood, but is very faint.  Over the years it has "burned" off.  The angle of my pictures above don't show it, but it is there.


Thank you again for the nice comments.  This is a relief.  Almost everywhere I go with the car people ask if it has a V8 and I say no, then they always say you should do this or that to the car.  I am more partial to original cars than customs in most cases and in this case the car will stay original.  It is very nice to hear from you guys and your responses.  Thank you.  Yes, I do wish it was a 396 or 427 like everyone else, but I am not that lucky so it is going to stay the stock 230 6 and I am alright with that.

1969 Camaro - 6 cylinder - Original car, never restored.  Needs some TLC.  My Great Grandmother bought it new and has been in the family ever since.

I am a Ford guy, but this Camaro will never leave the family.  Sorry for the uneducated questions.

Thank you, Brian

Jonz68

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Re: Grandma's 69 Camaro - Hi, I am new to the Forum
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2015, 03:48:14 PM »
It is great, just as it sits,......engine and all. It is very nice that you still have it too. Best of luck with it.
1968 Camaro - #'s matching 327 block / Sportsman II 2.02 Heads / Crane Cam & R-Rockers / Edelbrock Performer intake / Edelbrock 650 DP / Hedman coated FL headers / 3" stainless exhaust / Flowmasters / 3.73 posi / 4-wheel disc / Modified TH350.