1969 Camaro Convertible SS 396/360 HP 4spd. White on White Frame Off Restored

Description

1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS Big Block Convertible 396 V8 with 360 HP. (As you can see on the trim tag photo this is a Norwood, Ohio built car and not until around 12B did Norwood start stamping the tags to denote SS396, Z28 or the D80 spoiler package etc. so it's common to see X-coded and non X-coded trim tags during the change over period.) The previous owners description of this amazingly nice and rare car is as follows: The History of this '69 Chevy Camaro convertible as I know it is: It was found on a city auction in 1977, when I found it I asked how they came to get it? They explained it was towed in because it was abandon at a storage complex. At that time it had 14,000 miles on the odometer and it was sitting there with a blown engine. The heads were off and it had a broken piston on #2 cylinder. That original motor was unusable and I'm sure scraped. The car was in good condition, the interior was great, it was white with a black hockey stripe and looked great. It had it's 12 bolt rear end 3.73 gear and the m-21 4- speed transmission P-9516A, front disc brakes with rear drum and manual quick steering. It had the Heavy duty 5 leaf springs on the rear with stock front springs and dual exhaust. So the search was on to find a good running hi performance 396 CI. big block to replace the blown one. Once I found the correct engine I installed it, it was used but ran great! I drove and enjoyed the car the summer of 1977. I knew the engine I installed needed rebuilt and the car was showing a little rust around the fenders and lower quarter panels, so I ordered new fenders and grill, quarter panels, radiator support, bumpers, from Ericksen Chevrolet in Milan, IL. While they were still available in 1979. The quarter panels were full convertible factory original GM parts. I put the car and parts in storage, and went about living life until the mid 90's when the itch to get it out and restored started. Soon after I began working on the car stripping it and taking it apart. I sent the motor to a local speed shop for a complete rebuild. The hi performance 396 CI was bored out 0.30 over and installed, new speed pro pistons. 10.25:1 compression, just like stock. New comp lifters, mild cam, millings HV oil pump. Internally: balanced the crank sta.sta polished. Had a complete valve job performed with new valves, springs, open chamber round port heads, Edelbrock air gap intake, Pertronix igniter ignition. Had a 750 Holly Dual feed carb. installed, mechanical secondary and stock exhaust manifolds put on with 3 inch pipes and Flow Master muffler system. With a friend from a local body shop, we made supports for the car and door jig to Q panels to hold the car in place while we replaced the quarter panels after we finished disassembling the car. We under coated it like it would have come from factory, the floor pan and trunk looked very nice and needed no metal work. We bead blasted and re-seam sealed everything just like factory or better. With the front stub taken apart we bead blasted and painted everything black and replaced all the body mounts and bushings as well as removed windshield beforehand. Bead blasted the frame and painted it, also painted dash and re-installed windshield with new seal. Of course all new carpet, new door panels, new front seat upholstery were installed. Car came together well with all that new sheet metal from GM fitting perfectly. It went into paint soon after using PPG Code- 8631 Glacier white. Then the best upholstery shop in town at the time installed a new convertible top. The Paint was finished in 2000 and still looks new if I dont say so myself. I've driven the car in about five cruises and car shows since it was completed and a little around town just to stretch it's legs over the years. The restoration and the rebuilt engine has less than 3000 miles on it in my estimation.The engine is not the original motor and I'm not sure of the date code but it's the same engine that was in the car when I found it in 1977. The transmission and posi-traction rear end gear are original matching to the best of my knowledge. This is everything the current owner recalls, as he is most likely the second owner of the car. As the new caretaker for this beauty I can say everything works and looks great. The car has a ton of power lots of great sound and with the addition of new radial tires it rides smooth and straight. It comes with it's matching convertible top boot. It needs nothing to be enjoyed but a new home.