1969 Indy 500 Camaro RS/SS Conv Z11 Actual Pace Cars at IMS prior to Indy 500

[bergy]

the track cars do appear slightly nose heavy in some of those picture.  Lighter weight of aluminum heads would have yielded a lighter front spring calculation at assembly.  I did the spring calculation for my L78 Pace Car - hoping that the spring tag (still on the original front springs) would have indicated original L89, but, darn, it came out to correct spring for L78.

[crossboss]

Boys,
By using the iron heads whats the difference in weight over the aluminum versions all said and done? 50, 75, or 100 lbs?

[bergy]

Thanks to the dedication of the folks who contributed to this site, there's a 1969 spring table here.  Looks like 55 pounds difference, but would have been just enough to select a lighter spring if my car was an L89 instead of an L78.  So, the selection changed from the heavier end of the lighter spring (if it had been an L89) to the lighter end of the heavier spring (in the case of an L78).  Putting iron heads on the L89 car added 55 pounds of load to springs that were lighter to begin with.

Is that clear as mud?!

[pmacdonaldks]

Where are the two original 1969 Pace Cars kept?  Does GM have them or does Indy have them?  Does anyone have the original VIN's # of the actual pace cars?

[SMKZ28]

Where are the two original 1969 Pace Cars kept?  Does GM have them or does Indy have them?  Does anyone have the original VIN's # of the actual pace cars?

Neither GM or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway own the cars.  They are privately owned.  According to a 2016 Facebook post by those running the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, "Thanks go out to all of the participants, especially Wade and Aster Ogle and Vernon Smith, owners of those incredible 69's."  They went on to post that "one resides in Newfoundland while the other is in California."  This was the case back in 2016.  Not sure if they have changed hands since then.  See the post here: https://www.facebook.com/MCACN/photos/with-the-100th-running-of/1091716530872265/

[william]

As of May 2019, both were at the Indy Museum for a special Mario Andretti display.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I87fDVN0hTw