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Typo Confirmation for 1969 Indy 500 Festival Car #9 (VIN 124679N608827)
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share an important update regarding the documentation for my 1969 Camaro Pace Car, as there is a known, verified typo in the old 1992 USCC (United States Camaro Club) Festival Car registry list that was posted earlier.
The old printed list attributes VIN 608667 to Festival Car #9 (350 Auto Celebrity Car). However, official GM microfilms and shipping records prove that this was a clerical error made when the list was compiled over 30 years ago.
Here is the definitive proof from my official NCRS Shipping Data Report (issued directly from the GM heritage archives):
• VIN: 124679N608827 (Sequence 608827)
• Production Date: March 4, 1969
• Delivery Dealer: Dealer Code 0, Zone 25
• Receiving Location: Chevrolet Zone Office, Indianapolis, IN
Why this proves the car is an authentic Festival Car:
Standard Z11 Pace Car replicas built for the public were shipped directly to regular commercial dealerships across the United States. A delivery destination pointing straight to Zone 25 / Chevrolet Zone Office in Indianapolis in early March 1969 was exclusively reserved for the official factory fleet deployed to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the month of May.
Modern research by the Camaro Research Group (CRG) has since verified these archive corrections. While the 1992 print list mistakenly swapped a couple of digits for car #9, the factory invoices and GM shipping logs definitively confirm that 608827 is the true, historically documented Festival Car #9.
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Hello everyone,
I wanted to share an incredible find and get your thoughts on a highly documented 1969 Camaro RS/SS Indy Pace Car (Z11) that we are currently researching.
We have a solid paper trail and have spent time documenting the stampings in the tight engine bay. The car comes with an official NCRS Shipping Data Report that shows some very exciting history, backed up by factory stampings that point to a fascinating assembly line story.
Here are the details of the car:
• VIN/Sequence: 124679N608827
• Trim Tag: Z11 (Norwood build)
• NCRS Report: Built on March 4, 1969. Delivered to Zone 25, Dealer 0 (Chevrolet Zone Office, Indianapolis, IN).
Given the early March build date and the Zone 25 delivery, this looks to be an authentic Indianapolis festival/track vehicle.
What makes this car even more spectacular is the drivetrain. We have verified that it is a factory-born L78 396ci / 375hp car, and the stampings tell a great story from the Norwood transition period in early 1969:
1. Front Engine Pad: Located on the passenger side front pad, it is stamped T02xxJH (Tonawanda, February build, L78 375hp manual) alongside the partial VIN derivative 19N608827.
2. Oil Filter Pad: Down by the oil filter, we located a second factory stamping reading A8827 (where the "A" acts as the Norwood internal shorthand for the 600,000 sequence).
It appears this car was built right during the transition period where Norwood workers were adjusting to the federal guidelines for VIN derivative locations, resulting in this fascinating dual-stamping anomaly (both on the front pad and down by the oil filter) to ensure compliance.
Everything aligns perfectly between the NCRS report, the Trim Tag, and the matching numbers on the block. We are absolutely thrilled to document this rare L78 Track/Festival Pace Car.
I would love to hear if any CRG members have documented similar dual-stamped Norwood big-blocks from this exact early-March 1969 window, or if anyone has insights into the Zone 25 fleet for the '69 race!
Thank you, and looking forward to your insights!