Author Topic: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!  (Read 6286 times)

hgger69

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 449
  • Hugger orange rules!
    • View Profile
    • Håkans Motorsida
The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« on: October 07, 2015, 11:37:10 AM »
I just thought I should share my story why I am a proud owner of a 69 Camaro!
It all started here in Sweden when I was just 4, or 5, years old and my aunt were together with this cool dude that were a famous, in Sweden at lest, lead singer in a pop group during the late 60, 70 and 80:ies. This is how the band " Max Fenders" looked like during that period:


The really cool with this guy, the big one in the middle above, is that he was an American car addict! He bought the first Camaro when it came 1967 and then had a new one every year until 1972:ish. Before that he had a couple of Chevelles.

This is his 69 Camaro during a vacation trip to Norway 1971 just before he sold the car:
Notice the 4 exhaust pipes, talk about king of the roads!  8)


The spoilers were added by himself and he also made a smooth mounting of the rear spoiler to the trunk lid and repainted when the car arrived to Sweden.


This a picture taken in my hometown and its my aunt sitting in the Camaro in 1969/70:


The 69 Camaro was a real SS/RS 350, Hugger orange with black top and had power steering, power windows, and double powered rear antennas!
The double antennas were used fore the original radio and a BLACK & WHITE TV!! Yes, it´s correct, it had a small TV in it!!  Have you guys ever heard or even seen that before?? The TV was installed by a local TV-shop and placed in the space between the center console and dashboard.

The Camaro also had a kind of machine that produced a rolled and lit cigarette!

I remember this because me, my mam and my aunt drove the car in the summer of 1969 or 1970 to my grandparents ranch 63 miles from our hometown and I still remember the TV, the power windows and the antennas that want up when the roaring V8 started!
I also remember how people just stopped doing whatever they were doing ad just stared at us and the monster we were driving in!
I think a Hugger orange 1969 Camaro in Sweden in this time really did draw some attention do it!  ::)

The car were also during 1970 equipped with a 454 race engine and that didn't make the car less unusual!

This Camaro still exist but has another owner and the TV is long gone and its repainted in a non Chevy color I guess... ::)




So all this together made such an impression on me as a 4 or 5 year old kid, that I said that one day I should be the proud owner of my own 69 Camaro! It took me like 35 years when I turned 40 and gave myself a real birthday present ......and now we celebrate 10 years together!  ;D






See you out there, guys!  :)
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

ko-lek-tor

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1858
  • someday I'll get one finished
    • View Profile
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2015, 12:30:05 PM »
Hakan, Real cool story and cool pics to boot. They help visualize how you were influenced!
I guess many of us have our own fond early memory that we relate our infatuation with the Camaro, especially, 1st gens. I was around 9 and my family attended an event in the city, I vividly recall. Crossing the street, I spied a Blue (like LeMans, I believe& 2nd gen.) SS 1970 with Cragars sitting at the light where we were crossing. I immediately was drawn to the car's beauty. To that point, I had never seen a car that invoked that feeling. I said to myself then, I am going to get one of those one day (not even sure what it was at the time). As a Cub Scout, our Den went on a tour of the Norwood plant. Little did I know then what a love affair I would have with these cars. Many,many cars I would love to have, but I am always amazed when I learn of so many long time owners of these fabulous cars.
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

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3981
    • View Profile
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2015, 12:38:37 PM »
Great story.  Love the old pics.

hgger69

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 449
  • Hugger orange rules!
    • View Profile
    • Håkans Motorsida
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2015, 12:59:45 PM »
Hakan, Real cool story and cool pics to boot. They help visualize how you were influenced!
I guess many of us have our own fond early memory that we relate our infatuation with the Camaro, especially, 1st gens. I was around 9 and my family attended an event in the city, I vividly recall. Crossing the street, I spied a Blue (like LeMans, I believe& 2nd gen.) SS 1970 with Cragars sitting at the light where we were crossing. I immediately was drawn to the car's beauty. To that point, I had never seen a car that invoked that feeling. I said to myself then, I am going to get one of those one day (not even sure what it was at the time). As a Cub Scout, our Den went on a tour of the Norwood plant. Little did I know then what a love affair I would have with these cars. Many,many cars I would love to have, but I am always amazed when I learn of so many long time owners of these fabulous cars.
Fun to hear!
I guess you're right there about how it all started and what kind of first impressions we have with the Camaros and that's why I started this thread! :)
Keep your memories coming.....!
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

hgger69

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 449
  • Hugger orange rules!
    • View Profile
    • Håkans Motorsida
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2015, 01:00:24 PM »
Great story.  Love the old pics.
Thanx, man! :D
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

abiddle

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 416
  • 1969 Camaro SS 350 - trim 719 52 52
    • View Profile
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2015, 01:23:05 PM »
Awesome pics and awesome story. Those were the days when people made the cars their own. I would love to see the cig rolling machine!

Kelley W King

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1410
    • View Profile
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2015, 01:53:10 PM »
You guys are too young. In 69 I was driving my friends Carolina Blue 69Z. It had already had a L72 transplant. It hooked me forever.
69 Z28 RS Scuncio Hi Performance
69 SS L78
67 SS Chevelle
64 Corvette
66 GTO Tiger Gold
77 Trans Am Special Edition

BULLITT65

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4476
    • View Profile
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2015, 03:02:11 PM »
I just like them because everybody else does.....haha.....kidding

My friends and I all had muscle cars in high school and soon after, I was rolling my 66 Chevelle SS, , another friend had a 64 Chevelle SS , and another had a 72 Nova, and then our other friends dad owned a pizza place had a few extra dollars to spend, and got him a 69 Z. I knew what a SS was but, the Z initially I thought was just a marketing ploy. (with the stripes it kinda made me think  "T/A" or "Formula" of the 70's). We took his car to Hot August nights that year and fit 7 or 8 people in it crusin around that year. (We had to pick up a girl for each guy in the car) Which was an awesome memory in itself.
The car needed some freshening up, it was soon after that when I was helping him wrench on it I realized it was a solid lifter motor, and did some research and realized it was also a 4 speed only model. Well that did it for me. Once we got the car running right, that baby zipped down the road.

Now this was back in the 90's and I couldn't have afforded one, they were going for around 10-12K for a nice one. But i told myself that  would save for one.



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

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 449
  • Hugger orange rules!
    • View Profile
    • Håkans Motorsida
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2015, 05:12:20 PM »
Awesome pics and awesome story. Those were the days when people made the cars their own. I would love to see the cig rolling machine!
Thanx, I appreciate it!
...haven't you in the US seen this type of option in any car before? I spoke with the singer above last week and he said that the cigarette machine was from the US....


I just like them because everybody else does.....haha.....kidding

My friends and I all had muscle cars in high school and soon after, I was rolling my 66 Chevelle SS, , another friend had a 64 Chevelle SS , and another had a 72 Nova, and then our other friends dad owned a pizza place had a few extra dollars to spend, and got him a 69 Z. I knew what a SS was but, the Z initially I thought was just a marketing ploy. (with the stripes it kinda made me think  "T/A" or "Formula" of the 70's). We took his car to Hot August nights that year and fit 7 or 8 people in it crusin around that year. (We had to pick up a girl for each guy in the car) Which was an awesome memory in itself.
The car needed some freshening up, it was soon after that when I was helping him wrench on it I realized it was a solid lifter motor, and did some research and realized it was also a 4 speed only model. Well that did it for me. Once we got the car running right, that baby zipped down the road.

Now this was back in the 90's and I couldn't have afforded one, they were going for around 10-12K for a nice one. But i told myself that  would save for one.

Great story, thanx for sharing!




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

ds1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 144
    • View Profile
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2015, 08:47:08 PM »
I too was young when I got my first impression of  what a cool car looked like in the early 80s.  A 68 Z28,  British racing green, white stripes,  black vinyl top.    It was jacked up with an L88 pin on hood and Crager SS wheels.    I have always  wanted  thar car.  It is still  around but I  just can't  buy it.   But I don't  forget the first time I saw this rolling  beast.  That was a COOL CAR

jacmac

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 277
    • View Profile
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #10 on: October 11, 2015, 10:44:59 PM »
Great story & pics,I remember getting inside a new 63 corvette coupe when I was about 7yrs old I was hooked!
69 Z10,69 ss396Chevelle, 71 Corvette

hgger69

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 449
  • Hugger orange rules!
    • View Profile
    • Håkans Motorsida
Re: The reason why I drive a 69 Camaro today!
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2015, 06:53:53 AM »
Great story & pics,I remember getting inside a new 63 corvette coupe when I was about 7yrs old I was hooked!
Thanx!
Wow, I've never seated a Split window!! :)
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

 

anything