Our featured automobile is a great looking 1969 Chevy Camaro Z11 RS/SS. The 1969 Camaro was the last model year for the first generation Camaro’s.
The Chevrolet Camaro was such a success in it’s first year that it was made the Indy Pace Car for 1967 and again in 1969. The intention of the Chevy Camaro was to compete directly against Ford’s very popular Mustang.
When the first Camaro came off the assembly line the car’s specifications were nearly identical to the Mustang. Long hood and short deck was the Pony Car formula.
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Styling
The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro was changed to look more aggressive. The heavily restyled body looked longer and lower.
Sales for the 1969 Camaro were excellent ending up at just under one-quarter of a million units. Much credit for this was due to the car’s new styling. This included leaner three block taillights, two large round headlights placed to the sides of the grille along with slightly reworked body panels.
The Chevy Camaro Z11 Indy Pace Car
The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro was picked as the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500 for the second time in three years. The total number of Pace Car Edition Camaro Z11’s produced were 3,675. These were built as Regular Production Option Z11 and every one was a convertible. All Z11 Camaros started out as RS/SS convertibles with white tops. Out of all the Indy Pace Cars built over the years by Chevrolet, the 1969 Camaro Z11 is probably the most well known.
All 1969 Z11 Pace Cars were Dover White RS/SS convertibles with orange houndstooth interiors, They had orange Z28 style striping, white body sills and rear panels, In addition, they had Rally Wheels with Goodyear Polyglas tires, bright exhaust tips and cowl induction hoods.
Most of the Camaro Z11 Pace Cars that were eventually sold at Chevrolet dealerships had 350 Cubic Inch small-block V-8’s, A very few were built with the L34 396/350 HP big-block V-8 along with a Muncie four speed manual transmission. There were two Camaro Z11’s produced that would actually pace the race. These were the Pace Car and a backup car. These two vehicles had L89 aluminum head 375 HP/ 396 cubic inch engines connected to automatic transmissions plus power steering, sport-styled steering wheels, consoles, gauges, and AM radios. These two Camaro’s were built at the Norwood Ohio Plant.
Additional cars that Chevrolet provided for the Indy 500 Race festivities included 133 ’69 Camaros as festival pace cars. Forty three of these with a special gold Festival decal were used by the Indy 500 Committee. Seventy five vehicles were used for the VIP fleet, five for USAC officials, and seven were earmarked for official Speedway use. In addition to all these Camaro’s, Chevy supplied sixteen Impala station wagons, eighteen pickup trucks, one van and two Suburbans.
Camaro Z11 Equipment and Options
The options (required) with the Z11 package included the white convertible top, rear spoilers, deluxe seatbelts, rally wheels,special ducted hood, and a custom orange houndstooth interior.
The vast number of Camaro Z11’s (about 85 percent) were produced at the Norwood Ohio Plant. The remaining 15 percent were built at the Van Nuys California Plant. Also built at the Norwood Plant was a very limited number of Z10 hardtops. The Z10 looked identical to Z11 convertibles and carried most of the same equipment but were hardtops. The Z10 model came about as a special promotion for Midwest Chevrolet dealers.
1969 Chevy Camaro Z11 Specifications
The standard Camaro was equipped mainly by low-power I6 engines (230 or 250 CID) with 1969 Camaro horsepower rating 140-155 HP but wasn’t popular, A car with those engine simply doesn’t have muscle car performance. That is why there were more powerful V8’s available. A 327 V8 and 307 cubic inch V8, available exclusively for 1969 model year. The most powerful version available for (except Z28 or SS) Camaro, was a 350 cubic inch V8 rated at 255 HP.
Available transmissions were a three speed Muncie manual or a Turbo 350 automatic.
This Camaro has the following dimensions: 1969 Camaro overall length was 186 inches; 74 inches width and 51.1 inch height.
The 1969 Camaro weight was somewhere between 3000 and 3600 lbs depending on the many engine and other options.
Check out the additional Auto Museum Online articles found on the links below..
Reference material for this article included..The 1969 Camaro Reference book from “A” to “Z” by authors John R. Hooper…1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS: Muscle Cars In Detail by Bobby Kimbrough…The Official Chevrolet Indy Pace Car Book.
1969 Camaro Z11 Pace Car Collector Values
The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Pace Cars are of a limited quantity therefore their current valuations are generally high and in a large range. Prices are strong but the value is going to take into account mileage, condition, originality, restoration and possible rebuilding if any.
As of this date the range is from about $60,000 to just under $200,000. These are values with a 427 cubic inch V-8 and of course the RS/SS package.
A Camaro Z11 with a 300 HP 350 Turbo Fire V8 and Turbo 350 automatic transmission currently has an asking price of $59,000. We also currently see a 69 Camaro Pace Car with a 396 cubic inch V-6 for $125,000.
(Article and photos copyright Auto Museum Online)