1969 Chevrolet Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car 68526 Miles Dover White Convertible 350

Description

Real Z11 Pace Car. 68,526 original miles. Matching-numbers 350/300, automatic transmission, factory A/C, center console with horseshoe shifter. Nice older restoration with beautiful and correct orange houndstooth interior. Very clean undercarriage, correct decals and stripes, runs and drives great.
The restoration on this pace car is perhaps 10-12 years old, so it’s not a perfect car, but it’s a nicely finished replica with a lot of options that makes for a fantastic cruiser today. Like all the pace cars, it’s Dover White with the bright Hugger Orange stripes, and it wears the full decal package, which, after all, is how a pace car should look. Very correctly finished throughout, it shows quite well with only a few minor signs of use and age and it’s in just about ideal condition for driving and enjoying it as intended. It appears to be wearing all its original sheetmetal with only one patch behind the driver’s rear wheel, but no wholesale replacement of parts, which is nice. Pace cars tend to live easier lives than their siblings, and this seems to be no exception. The chrome is in excellent shape, the lenses and emblems are bright and crisp, and the folding RS headlights work, albeit slowly.
Code 720 was orange houndstooth cloth and vinyl upholstery, which was unique to pace cars and looks flat-out awesome. No, it’s not for everyone but if you’re going to have a car like this, there’s no point in being subtle. Woodgrained accents add an upscale vibe and this car is outfitted with options such as working factory A/C, a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission (a 3-speed manual was standard), a center console, and a power convertible top. Black carpets and a matching dashboard keep it from being orange overload, and they’re joined by matching black seat belts that are stored on the center console. All pace cars received white convertible tops and orange top boots to cover them when they’re down for a clean look. The trunk is correctly trimmed with a reproduction mat, jack and storage bag, and a spare tire cover, and yes, the factory “soda shakers” are still in place.
The standard engine in all pace cars was a 300 horsepower 350 cubic inch V8, and this does appear to be this car’s original, numbers-matching engine. Topped by a 4-barrel carburetor, it breaks no new ground, but it’s smooth, torquey, and easy to live with, making this pace car a great hobby car that asks for very little. Turn the key and it fires up easily and after a little grumpiness on the choke, it runs smoothly and effortlessly, pulling the convertible around with genuine enthusiasm. It’s properly dressed in Chevy Orange engine enamel and all pace cars received cowl induction hoods and air cleaners, and that dominates the engine bay. Power steering and power disc brakes are worthwhile options that make this car effortless to drive, and it’s detailed down to little items like the hose clamps, fittings, and hardware. It’s a lot of fun to drive.
You could get almost any transmission you wanted in the pace car, from a 3-speed manual to a PowerGlide automatic with column or floor shift, with this car running the popular TH350 3-speed automatic. It shifts crisply and even barks the tires on the 1-2 shift under load, giving the pace car a performance attitude. Out back there’s a 10-bolt rear end with 3.36 gears inside, so this is a mellow cruiser on the highway and the burly small block doesn’t need a lot of gear to feel quick. The suspension and brakes have been rebuilt so this Camaro rides incredibly well for a performance car, and the brakes and steering are confident at speed. Floors are clean and solid with no evidence of rust repair and even the original factory spot welds are still evident on the rocker panels. New shocks have been fitted along with a fresh gas tank, and a reproduction exhaust system with transverse muffler gives it a correct V8 soundtrack. 14-inch Rally wheels were standard equipment and it’s now wearing 215/70/14 Firestone radials.
Pace cars are awesome. They tell a story beyond just being a vintage car. This Camaro is shockingly easy to live with and anyone can get in and have a good time on a moment’s notice. You’ll always be a celebrity when you drive one of these cars and the long list of options makes this one more than just a pretty face. Call today!
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