1969
Chevrolet Camaro SS 350 L48/M20
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69 Pace
Philippines
The
Cars
1967 Yutivo RS
1969 Pace Car
Replica
1969 SS 350
L48/M20
2008 Pics (new)
2009 Pics (new)
Before (as
bought)
Road trip Camiguin
Engine & drive train
Interior
Matching
numbers
Buildsheet
Frame
Off
(new update)
Pictures
1969
SS 396 Triple Green
1979 Blazer K5
1967 - 1969
factory paint
Yutivo
Camaros |
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I have been
looking for a real SS Camaro ever since I bought my first Camaro -
the Kitchen
blue
racer - back in January 2001. In those days I didn't care much for the
69 model and thought the lines of the 67 and 68's were better looking and
certainly cleaner, however my opinion on the 69 has changed over the recent
years and now I think its the coolest of the 1st
generation Camaros. So the search was on for an original 69 SS - hard to find,
but then suddenly a friend knew one was for sale in Manila and I waited little time
jumping on a plane to go and see the car in person.
It was love
at first sight bought when I saw this beautiful car in Manila on July 8, 2004. The guy sold it to finance some
house construction project and he had to sell some of his cars,
he also had a 68 Camaro
SS with fold down rearseat and another green on green on green 69 Camaro
in his garage - that two years later also became mine. I had been told that the car was a real SS, but I have
heard that sooo many times and always been disappointed.
As this was my third
Camaro I knew what I had to look for to identify a real SS, thanks to research on
CRG and
Team Camaro
websites. Actually a friend of mine
had already been there to check out some other cars (69
Elcamino 454 and a late 70'ies Chevy 454 truck) the guy had for sale, but had no interest in the
Camaro. So I went to Manila and when I first saw the car it was obvious that it
was a real SS.
The seller then presented a book with all Chevrolet engine codes stating that
L48HA was a SS engine for manual transmission and since the car had the L48HA
engine with matching VIN number - there was no longer any doubt and the
Camaro & the 69 Elcamino 454
changed owners in a double deal.
Then I had to wait 2 looong days before the car could get hauled on
a truck to Angeles, I didn't want to negotiate Manila traffic by driving the car
to Angeles so it was much more convenient to get it transported.
Finally Saturday morning July 10 I took delivery of the car - just in time for
the afternoons race at OMNI Aviation in Clark Air base.
The car had 96555 miles on the odometer when I bought it and it ran great
and I have since put a couple of thousand miles more on the
odometer.
HERE IS HOW THE CAR LOOKED LIKE WHEN BOUGHT
The car has
since been on Mindanao, transported back
and forth from Luzon by ship. I enjoyed driving it weekly, on a
Sunday cruise with the family, to work or trips to the beach. We
also took the car on a couple of longer trips, click on the link below
for road trip to Camiguin Island.
ROAD TRIP
The car is
now in Angeles waiting a complete strip down and frame off restoration. I last
drove it last December 2005.
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Engine and Drive train
It has a totally stock and original 350 cubic inch small block Chevy engine which was rated at 300hp in 69, original heads, intake manifold, air cleaner, Rochester
carburetor, points distributor, exhaust manifolds etc.
Matching Numbers.
The car is very original except for a few items, like the radiator.
Is probably the original but it has been made bigger. This is due to climate and the traffic situation in Manila
where you never can get too much cooling.
Since this is likely the original radiator my
plan is to modify it back to stock.
The engine is coupled to a 4 on the floor M20 Muncie transmission with the standard equipped Hurst competition shifter.
A 12 bolt rear end with 3.31 gears mounted on multi leaf springs drives the rear wheels.
Like all 1969 SS's it has the correct disc brakes and it also have the RPO J52 option - power assisted disc brake.
Its mounted with 245/60 R 14 BF Goodrich tires front and rear on the original SS
wheels (RPO code N66). The car still has the original jack and spare Firestone
Polyglass tire.
The car is also equipped with dual chambered exhaust system (NC8), I am not sure if
this is original to SS 350 models, but for sure it could be ordered over the counter at the dealer. Not all
US dealers were allowed to install the chambered exhaust because of noise regulations in some states - I
guess here in the Philippines that is not an issue.
A full list of RPO (Regular Production options) options on bottom of the page.
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Paint
and
Body
Not many original SS matching numbers cars around in the Philippines (or elsewhere for that matter) either, so I am very happy for my latest find.
All trim on quarter panels, the SS ornaments on the hood, the emblems, the
grille, bumpers, lights - everything is original 1969 GM parts and although its
not in perfect condition it nonetheless still looks good. The car was missing the wheel moulding trim and the
rocker panel trim, the
mounting holes were still in the rocker panels so it was easy to place the new
trim when I recently installed it.
This car is an original vinyl top car, I quess somebody tore the old
vinyl off at some stage and threw the mouldings away.
I had the car
painted to its almost original colors at Jessie's shop in 2005, the plan was to make it
original looking now but with white painted roof instead of the vinyl, which is
not available here in the Philippines and has to be ordered from the states. Its a great
color combination (71 code) Lemans Blue, white D90 stripe and Parchment (white)
vinyl top, up three with the Hugger
Orange cars as the most sought after color combination. The vinyl top will be installed when we do the complete full frame
off restoration next year.
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Click on
thumbnails for larger pictures and short description. |

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Frame Off
!!!
The car had very little rust, except some in the rear quarter panels top wheel opening - and a couple of small holes in the trunk
and floor pan. Its still all original sheet metal.
The complete frame off restoration
started early 2006, its a 1.5 - 2 year plan
that will bring the car to immaculate condition, pictures of progress will be
posted at a special frame off section here at the website, watch for updates
this year.
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A SS in
Hugger Orange
with white hockey stripe and white vinyl top - great looking car
Why was it called Hugger Orange, it came form the cars
nickname - The Hugger and was in reference to the cars handling characteristics
(it hugs corners... so it's the hugger!), which are needy by today's standards,
but for the period it was one of the best handling American cars you could buy.
VINTAGE PHOTOS
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12437.Camaro V8 Sport Coupe |
2726,00 |
190,971 |
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Z 27...Camaro SS (Super Sport package
see note here) |
281,00 |
34,932
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F
41...Suspension special purpose front and rear (included in SS) |
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N 66...Styled Super Sport Wheels |
75,00 |
314 |
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PW
7..Tires, F70-14-4 PR white stripe (included in SS) |
(60,00) |
30,605 |
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M 20..Transmission (wide ratio) incl. Hurst competition shifter |
185,00 |
37,816 |
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M
11..Shift lever floor mounted (included in M20) |
(10,00) |
25,586 |
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G
94...Rear axle ratio 3.31:1 |
2,00 |
1,935 |
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N 40...Power steering |
90,00 |
141,607 |
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N
44...Special steering, quick ratio (included in N 40 for 69 SS) |
(15,00) |
2,161 |
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D
34...Mirror, visor vanity |
3,00 |
9,002 |
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D 55...Console with floor mounted shifter, stowage
compartment, ashtray and rear
seat courtesy light |
51,00 |
156,225 |
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A 01...Soft ray tinted glass |
31,00 |
114,733
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C 08...Vinyl roof cover |
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100,602 |
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D 80...Front and rear spoiler equipment |
31,00 |
19,040 |
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Z
21...Style trim group
(see note here). |
45,00 |
102,740 |
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Z 23...Special Interior,
style trim (included in RPO Z 87) |
(17,00) |
66,469 |
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U
27..Light glove box (included in RPO Z 87) |
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8,963 |
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U
28..Light ash tray |
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15,772 |
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U
63..Radio AM pushbutton, front telescoping antenna |
58,00 |
206,598 |
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U
73..Antenna, manual rear mount |
9,00 |
16,394 |
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AS 5..Rear seat belt,
standard |
22,00 |
78 |
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Z 87...Deluxe Interior
(see note here). |
105,00 |
39,875 |
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N 61...Exhaust, dual
(N 61 or NF 2, included in SS) |
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L 48...350/300 4bbl V8 (included in SS) |
(281,00) |
22,339 |
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D 90...Striping (included in SS) |
(24,00) |
26,729 |
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J 50...Power assisted brakes (included in J 52) |
(40,00) |
82,890 |
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J 52...Brakes, front disc, rear
drum. |
61,00 |
67,231 |
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Approximate sticker price in
January 1969 for this SS 350 |
3.775,00 |
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