1969 SS 350 Vert - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

tdtwiggy · 02-17-2016, 06:30 PM

Hi. My name is Matt and I'm a Camaroholic. Man, it sure feels good to get that out! Now to continue to feed my addiction

If you've read the journal about my yellow 2014 2SS/RS vert then the next few paragraphs will be familiar. I've duplicated in both journals because it is relevant to both. For information specific to this journal for my 1969, skip ahead to the section "RELEVANT STUFF".

When my Dad left the Army in 1971, the very first thing he did after coming home was buy a used 1969 Camaro SS 350 in a private sale from the original owner. This was his daily driver until 1986, when it slid off the road into a snow bank causing some minor cosmetic damage to the front end bumper, spoiler and grille. At this point, she was put under a car cover and garage-kept for the next 28 years. A few years ago I talked to my Dad about my desire to restore his '69 back to factory condition and he decided to decided to give her to me. She still sits in his garage in Maryland because I do not have the time or the resources right now to bring her back to her former glory. What I do have is the time to do my research and to make sure that when I do get started on her, I will do it right.

I have some very fond memories of riding in this car with the top down when I was a child which I believe ultimately led to my recent purchase of a 2014 Camaro 2SS/RS Vert on January 16, 2016.

I am 38 years old and I have always been a "car guy" at heart. They make me happy when no one or thing can and there are very few things that put as big a smile on my face than driving on a beautiful day with the top down. In addition to the aesthetics of this streamlined beauty, I am an engineer by trade and I very much appreciate the ingenuity that brought the evolution of the Camaro from 1967 to where it is today. That being said, I know enough about working on cars to be able to handle most "bolt-on" projects, but I do not have any real practical experience in car restoration and modification. These journals will document the progress of any restorations/improvements I make to my ladies and at the same time follow my growth as a more experienced mechanic.

Enough about me...

This thread will focus on my 1969 fine lady. Here is the link to my journal for my 2014 young beauty http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440758.

RELEVANT STUFF

First off, here she is:

She is a numbers-matching "mechanically" original 2-owner 1969 Camaro 350 SS convertible. I say "mechanically" because some minor modifications were made to the wiring for a choke, gauge cluster, air conditioning and a far out AM/FM 8-track radio!!

when was the last time you saw one of these???

quite a few things in this pic need some attention

Other than that, the car is all-original. I'd say 75% of the car is in fantastic shape for being a 15-year daily driver with over 100k miles on it and then garage-kept for the next 30 years.

THE BAD
Rust has taken its toll in the usual places like the quarter panels, wheel wells and underneath. When the car was stored, there was still gas left in the tank which rendered it pretty much unusable. The shocks, fuel and brake lines and the fuel sending unit are all shot and the exhaust system is swiss cheese. I'm assuming the full wiring harness/fuse box also needs to be replaced due to safety issues and modernization demands.

passenger side rear wheel well

trunk lid

underneath from the passenger side rear

driver side rear suspension

THE GOOD
The engine runs like a champ! Because of the gas tank and fuel line issues, we decided to run gas directly to the carb from a fuel can to make sure the engine was still in working order and the thing fired right up after 2 cranks. I was absolutely floored and there were big grins all around the garage!

she lives!

The upholstery of the car is in incredible shape. The floor, not so much...

There is not a single spot on this car where the rust has eaten through the floor or frame. The body of the car in general is in really good shape and so is the chrome and (unbelievably) the white canvas top! Even the paint looks decent, but I know that any touch ups would be nearly impossible to match 47-year old original paint.

still a head-turner

some misalignment on the hood and of course the missing grille, my pops in the background

straight lines

The back plastic window has clouded over with age, but I don't believe it is scratched. I may be able to clean it up without having to replace it.

THE FACTS
I checked on top of the gas tank and beneath the rear seats and I do not have the original build sheet. No real surprise there. What I do have is a legible cowl tag and the PoP (protect-o-plate) from the original owner. When I looked through the documentation at my Dad's house several years ago I did not think to check for a dealer's invoice that could possibly have the RPO codes on it. I will look into this.

Here is what I found on the cowl tag and PoP. If I got any of this wrong, please feel free to correct me:

PoP
124679NNNNNNN R
T1107HA BM1111G
P9R31 1 1 3 3
<Owner Name>
<Address>

Here's what everything means:
Model Identification Number: 124679N NNNNNN
12467 = eight-cylinder convertible
9 = 1969
N = Norwood
NNNNNN = Camaro build sequence number

Carburetor Plant Code: R
R = Rochester

Engine Production Code Number: T1107HA
T = Tonawanda Engine Plant
1107 = November 7th (1968 build date)
HA = 350/300(295)HP 4-speed Manual Transmission (shared designation with code HQ)

Rear Axle Code = BM1111G
BM = 3.31 (non-posi, rear drum brakes)
1111 = November 11 (1968 build date)
G = Plant Code (Detroit Chevrolet Gear and Axle)

Transmission Code = P9R31
P = Muncie four-speed
9 = 1969
R(?)31 = ??? 31 (transmission build date)

Option Codes = 1 1 3 3 _ _ _
1 = Power Steering
1 = Power Brakes
3 = Radio
3 = Disc Brakes
_ = No Air Conditioning
_ = Manual windows
_ = Manual Seat controls

COWL TAG
BODY BY FISHER
ST 69 12467 NOR NNNNNN BDY
TR 723 57 A PNT
11C
Decode of your 1969 Camaro Trim Tag:
12467= 2 door convertible body style.
NOR= Vehicle was assembled at the Norwood, Ohio assembly plant.
NNNNNN= Unique body sequence number assigned at the assembly plant.
TR= ???
723= Standard Midnight Green bucket seat interior.
57 = Fathom Green lower body paint color.
A = White cloth top, convertible. convertible top color.
11= November, the month car was built.
C= Third week of the month.

After some research I discovered the engine is the L48 SS350 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8 295 hp (220 kW) (1969 300 hp (224 kW)) @ 4800 rpm, 380 lb·ft (515 N·m) @ 3200 rpm

If I am unable to find the original dealer's invoice from the factory I do not know how else to find out all of the options this car originally came with rolling off the factory floor. On the other hand, if this information is lost forever I can add any optional features I want that isn't dictated on the PoP or cowl tag and still claim "original"!

So there you have it, that's everything. I don't know when I'll have the ability to restore this foxy lady, but it will happen someday. When it does, I will resurrect this thread with my progress. Any comments and suggestions you have are most welcome keeping in mind that I'm going for a "back to original factory condition" restoration and that I zero plans in parting ways with her in the near term. Any comments that try to convince me to sell her will be ignored.

That being said, thanks for taking the time to look at my thread!

02-17-2016, 06:30 PM	#1
tdtwiggy Drives: 2014 Camaro SS Convertible Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Florida Posts: 7 View My Garage	1969 SS 350 Vert Hi. My name is Matt and I'm a Camaroholic. Man, it sure feels good to get that out! Now to continue to feed my addiction If you've read the journal about my yellow 2014 2SS/RS vert then the next few paragraphs will be familiar. I've duplicated in both journals because it is relevant to both. For information specific to this journal for my 1969, skip ahead to the section "RELEVANT STUFF". When my Dad left the Army in 1971, the very first thing he did after coming home was buy a used 1969 Camaro SS 350 in a private sale from the original owner. This was his daily driver until 1986, when it slid off the road into a snow bank causing some minor cosmetic damage to the front end bumper, spoiler and grille. At this point, she was put under a car cover and garage-kept for the next 28 years. A few years ago I talked to my Dad about my desire to restore his '69 back to factory condition and he decided to decided to give her to me. She still sits in his garage in Maryland because I do not have the time or the resources right now to bring her back to her former glory. What I do have is the time to do my research and to make sure that when I do get started on her, I will do it right. I have some very fond memories of riding in this car with the top down when I was a child which I believe ultimately led to my recent purchase of a 2014 Camaro 2SS/RS Vert on January 16, 2016. I am 38 years old and I have always been a "car guy" at heart. They make me happy when no one or thing can and there are very few things that put as big a smile on my face than driving on a beautiful day with the top down. In addition to the aesthetics of this streamlined beauty, I am an engineer by trade and I very much appreciate the ingenuity that brought the evolution of the Camaro from 1967 to where it is today. That being said, I know enough about working on cars to be able to handle most "bolt-on" projects, but I do not have any real practical experience in car restoration and modification. These journals will document the progress of any restorations/improvements I make to my ladies and at the same time follow my growth as a more experienced mechanic. Enough about me... This thread will focus on my 1969 fine lady. Here is the link to my journal for my 2014 young beauty http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440758. RELEVANT STUFF First off, here she is: She is a numbers-matching "mechanically" original 2-owner 1969 Camaro 350 SS convertible. I say "mechanically" because some minor modifications were made to the wiring for a choke, gauge cluster, air conditioning and a far out AM/FM 8-track radio!! when was the last time you saw one of these??? quite a few things in this pic need some attention Other than that, the car is all-original. I'd say 75% of the car is in fantastic shape for being a 15-year daily driver with over 100k miles on it and then garage-kept for the next 30 years. THE BAD Rust has taken its toll in the usual places like the quarter panels, wheel wells and underneath. When the car was stored, there was still gas left in the tank which rendered it pretty much unusable. The shocks, fuel and brake lines and the fuel sending unit are all shot and the exhaust system is swiss cheese. I'm assuming the full wiring harness/fuse box also needs to be replaced due to safety issues and modernization demands. passenger side rear wheel well trunk lid underneath from the passenger side rear driver side rear suspension THE GOOD The engine runs like a champ! Because of the gas tank and fuel line issues, we decided to run gas directly to the carb from a fuel can to make sure the engine was still in working order and the thing fired right up after 2 cranks. I was absolutely floored and there were big grins all around the garage! she lives! The upholstery of the car is in incredible shape. The floor, not so much... There is not a single spot on this car where the rust has eaten through the floor or frame. The body of the car in general is in really good shape and so is the chrome and (unbelievably) the white canvas top! Even the paint looks decent, but I know that any touch ups would be nearly impossible to match 47-year old original paint. still a head-turner some misalignment on the hood and of course the missing grille, my pops in the background straight lines The back plastic window has clouded over with age, but I don't believe it is scratched. I may be able to clean it up without having to replace it. THE FACTS I checked on top of the gas tank and beneath the rear seats and I do not have the original build sheet. No real surprise there. What I do have is a legible cowl tag and the PoP (protect-o-plate) from the original owner. When I looked through the documentation at my Dad's house several years ago I did not think to check for a dealer's invoice that could possibly have the RPO codes on it. I will look into this. Here is what I found on the cowl tag and PoP. If I got any of this wrong, please feel free to correct me: PoP 124679NNNNNNN R T1107HA BM1111G P9R31 1 1 3 3 <Owner Name> <Address> Here's what everything means: Model Identification Number: 124679N NNNNNN 12467 = eight-cylinder convertible 9 = 1969 N = Norwood NNNNNN = Camaro build sequence number Carburetor Plant Code: R R = Rochester Engine Production Code Number: T1107HA T = Tonawanda Engine Plant 1107 = November 7th (1968 build date) HA = 350/300(295)HP 4-speed Manual Transmission (shared designation with code HQ) Rear Axle Code = BM1111G BM = 3.31 (non-posi, rear drum brakes) 1111 = November 11 (1968 build date) G = Plant Code (Detroit Chevrolet Gear and Axle) Transmission Code = P9R31 P = Muncie four-speed 9 = 1969 R(?)31 = ??? 31 (transmission build date) Option Codes = 1 1 3 3 _ _ _ 1 = Power Steering 1 = Power Brakes 3 = Radio 3 = Disc Brakes _ = No Air Conditioning _ = Manual windows _ = Manual Seat controls COWL TAG BODY BY FISHER ST 69 12467 NOR NNNNNN BDY TR 723 57 A PNT 11C Decode of your 1969 Camaro Trim Tag: 12467= 2 door convertible body style. NOR= Vehicle was assembled at the Norwood, Ohio assembly plant. NNNNNN= Unique body sequence number assigned at the assembly plant. TR= ??? 723= Standard Midnight Green bucket seat interior. 57 = Fathom Green lower body paint color. A = White cloth top, convertible. convertible top color. 11= November, the month car was built. C= Third week of the month. After some research I discovered the engine is the L48 SS350 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8 295 hp (220 kW) (1969 300 hp (224 kW)) @ 4800 rpm, 380 lb·ft (515 N·m) @ 3200 rpm If I am unable to find the original dealer's invoice from the factory I do not know how else to find out all of the options this car originally came with rolling off the factory floor. On the other hand, if this information is lost forever I can add any optional features I want that isn't dictated on the PoP or cowl tag and still claim "original"! So there you have it, that's everything. I don't know when I'll have the ability to restore this foxy lady, but it will happen someday. When it does, I will resurrect this thread with my progress. Any comments and suggestions you have are most welcome keeping in mind that I'm going for a "back to original factory condition" restoration and that I zero plans in parting ways with her in the near term. Any comments that try to convince me to sell her will be ignored. That being said, thanks for taking the time to look at my thread! __________________