Real Z28 Project? 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Verifying the originality of a car is important to its value in many cases. This car is being sold here on eBay with 1 day remaining in the auction as a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. However, the seller believes that this car was originally built with the Z/28 option in December 1968. The Camaro is bid to $22,600 after 57 bids and is listed as a project. The car has not engine or transmission but does come with a number of body parts. It is located in Douglasville, Georgia. So is this a real Z/28?
While this Camaro is primarily in primer, it was originally LeMans blue with a parchment interior. It also had a vinyl roof. With a December 1968 build date, it is a pre X-Code car. The factory data plate is located on the driver side rear frame well. The interior parts included the original seats and black console. As can be seen in the multiple photographs, the frame has been sandblasted and painted with what looks like gloss black. The firewall has been painted to match.
The original engine and transmission were removed in 1981 but the seller states that it was equipped with a 302 cubic inch V8 engine and a 4 speed Muncie transmission. THe 12 bolt rearend has been rebuilt and is said to be upgraded with an Auburn posi unit. The floor pans were replaced, too. A restoration was begun in 2005 but not much progress was made. The rear quarters and roof are sanded and need to be primed to keep surface rust to a minimum. The seller states that the car comes with new fenders, fender wells, core support, lower valance, doors, trunk lid, RS headlights, bumpers and taillights.
Overall, the pictures show the car to be pretty solid. It has been stored inside since 1981. That is a lot of sitting for a car that would look great on the street when finished. So is this a real Z/28? The seller is upfront that no definitive proof exists but it is a solid start that would be a great car for someone willing to tackle this project.
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Comments
If it’s a Norwood built car, it should say on the trim tag. Along with paint/stripe code. There are no back up lights in the lower valance to warrant a true RS car. I would ask the seller for a picture of the stamp pad on the engine. That’ll give you all the proof a buyer needs.
It’s a Norwood but not gonna see the stamping on the block. The motor is gone
If i read this ad correctly the car is a roller with no engine or transmission so number checking would be mute .Id say it is a real good start to a great car as long as all the rust was correctly cut out before the new panels were hung.
Engine or not, you need to be 6′ tall or taller to get into this thing. Looks like they were building a dune buggy out of it. Agree it’s in good condition and will make a great car but the final bill is going to be eye watering.
Without an engine or transmission in it, it’s going to sit high. When the new power package is installed, it with probably drop down about three or four inches.
Cowl Tag doesn’t have X33 or X77 on it. Not a real Z28.
That’s not true. Every Z/28 built before the second week of December 1968 is a non x-code car. Not saying this is one, but it is possible. There are other clues if it still has its original sheet metal underneath. Like the dual exhaust hanger bracket. Also if it is supposed to be the original rear it would be date coded just prior to the car build date and should have the Z/28 rear springs, again unless they have been replaced/upgraded over the years.
Funny that nobody mentioned that it has a 12 bolt with disc brake brackets. It doesn’t really look like a JL-8 setup, but if someone thinks it is, that could account for the big sale price.
The disc brake brackets are aftermarket. That doesn’t tell you anything, date codes on the housing would though
And to think a neighbor of mine sold a DZ numbers matching car for $600 in early 80’s.
Check for the staggered rear shocks. Doesn’t have the bumper installed but mandatory rear bumper guards too
Even ’68-’81 plain camaros with 6 cylinder motors got staggered shocks!! – i guess to simplify the assembly line.
I noticed the steering column under the hood has a lever on it for column shifter. Maybe it is just temporary
I think what you saw is the attachment point for the interlock cable for the locking steering column.
And to think I have a 302 that would fit right in there.
The Camaro s built in CA didn’t have the X code. The pic on eBay shows where the chrome appearance package would be fastened. This would be a X33 coded version
Coulda solved a lot of mystery just by posting the cowl tag. Seems no one pushing a “Z” ever does that. SMH…….
The eBay listing includes a picture of the cowl tag, but because it’d a 68 build Norwood car, there is no X codes on it. The build code on the trim tag is “12A”, the first week of December 68, and about a week before Norwood starting using X codes. As an FYI, the tag shows the original color to be LeMans Blue (71) with the Custom Interior trim in Ivory Houndstooth (729).
yep…..for being parked in 1981 those are some nice looking seats….
It would have had a power brake booster, that was standard. I’m not seeing one, but that can be changed. Also it would have had 15″ (Impala style) brakes, every other 69 Camaro had 14″ wheels and smaller brakes.
It should have a 7000 RPM tach red lined at 6000 RPM. You can buy replacements, but I doubt anybody went to that trouble for this car.
Checking the rear end housing code will tell you a lot, assuming it wasn’t changed over the years. It is on the passenger’s side either right next to the center section or about 9″ outboard. The last two letters should be BE, BO,BU, BV, BW or BX depending on the gear ratio and if it’s open or POSI.
I don’t see evidence of front or rear spoilers, they were standard on Z/28s. There was a little known option that would get it built without spoilers, but Chevy didn’t give the buyer any money back so almost nobody did that.
Rear spoilers were not standard on every 69 Z. Just like cowl induction hoods. Only a few got the RPO ZL2 hood.
Real Z or not, without the original motor or trans what have you got? Looks like a nice project but with the bid at $24,600, you’re definitely gonna be deep into this one. Sure would be nice finished but unless you’re someone like me, this car will probably never see the road again being most people who invest that much won’t bring it out unless it’s on a trailer. Hoping that’s not the case with this one.
Just a quick comment to Camaro Joe. The deck lid looks like a replacement so there wouldn’t be any holes but if you look at the parts pictures there is a rear spoiler already painted. Not saying that’s not just an aftermarket part also but going with my previous post, without the numbers matching drive train then what do you have? My opinion. If you have the funds, build it and enjoy it.
It’s sitting high because it’s stripped down as anybody can tell.That means there’s no motor in it or much else to weigh it down.Duh!
So you are saying those are stock springs unloaded? That means the rear fenders are going to be sitting on the rear tires when the engine, trans and driveshaft go in. Those springs are heavier than stock all around, probably to fit the fat rubber on it.
Davey, I agree with what you said. Except at $24.6K the buyer is not going to be “Deep into it” when it’s finished and running, they’re going to be “Upside down and drowning.”
I didn’t look at the spare parts too hard. Who knows where a lot of that stuff and/or the trunk lid came from.
If by some miracle it turns out to be a real Z/28, it’s worth decent money if you find a “DZ block” 302 and a Muncie to put it back to somewhere near original. But it will never be matching numbers car. You could spend $250K making a resto-mod that you could sell at Mecum for $190K. I don’t get that.
I have two of them, a 49K mile “mostly” original car with the motor, transmission, and rear end matching. It was a 32K mile drag car when I got it over 40 years ago. It still has a lot of “Day two” parts on it, Jerry MacNeish would have a heart attack writing what’s not original on it, but It’s the way it was in the 1970’s. I have put 17K miles on it over the years and the 8000 RPM tach has been over the top a couple times. I don’t want to know what the drag racers were doing with it..
I bought my other one 25 years ago because I was running the first one too hard. It had no motor/transmission but I had a 302 and Muncie that I put together and restored it. I like it because I can turn it 6500 RPM if I feel like it and if the worst happens, I didn’t lose a numbers matching motor.
The numbers matching car is appraised at $12K more than the second one, but I like it just as much because I can enjoy it without worrying about hurting a low mile numbers matching car and motor.
Near perfect ones sold at Mecum this past week in the $80,000 range. You’re gonna be under water with this one to bring it to that level. The experts will tear your car apart like the Corvette guys. Even though the 70 Z28 is a far superior car in every respect, these dime a dozen cars bring stupid money.