For those of us not located in North America, where early Camaros are not a dime a dozen, finding a 1969 SS in the wild (or what passes for wilderness in the concrete jungle of Tokyo) is a notable event. The styling, the size, the orangeness… it all hits the non-expert like a technicolor tornado. Or make that a citrus cyclone.
Even if you’ve seen these all your life, you have to concede it’s a great piece of GM design. The ‘69s in particular were blessed with all the benefits of the ’67-68s, such as that superbly executed greenhouse, but added a better grille and a couple judiciously-placed speed streaks to adorn the flanks.
The rear end is probably the only angle that is a semi-let down. The Mustang’s iconic triple vertical lights made for a much more identifiable design. Not that this is ugly in any way, just a bit less satisfying than the rest.
With 300hp (gross) behind that SS badge, this orange monster has quite a bite to go with its bark. In a straight line, at least. The real racer of the breed was the Z/28, with the go-faster stripes and the 290hp 302ci (5-litre) V8. The SS had more creature comforts, but it also came either in 350ci (5.7 litre) or 396ci (6.5 litre) variations, the latter giving out 325hp.
If there is one thing about American cars of this period that really doesn’t get my vote, it’s that awful cliff-edge dash design, with the instrument binnacle buried deep within the dash. It looks terrible and it makes for bad photos. The cockpit-like GM dashes of the early ‘70s were also dreadful, but this design philosophy was far more widespread. Funny how car interiors went from whizz-bang Jet-Age chrome in the early ‘60s to this in a few years. At least, the shifter still has a bit of the old style left in it.
Old Mustangs rule the pavement here, and there are quite a few Chargers and Challengers around to represent the Mopar contingent. Guess that these Camaros are so popular in their country of origin that fewer of them have been exported to Japan.
They’re not exactly common, no matter where you are. Chevy sold just under 35,000 Camaro SS (both hardtops and convertibles) in 1969, which was a slightly longer model year than usual, as the all-new ’70 models only arrived in November.
Guess that makes it a little less ordinary than the 150k standard Camaros that Chevrolet churned out that year. Plus it doesn’t have stupid wheels – a real rarity, these days. And that colour to top it all off. Sure glad it’s here.
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro – Learning To Love The Camaro, by Rich Baron
Curbside Classic: 1969 Camaro – The Last Unmolested ’69 Camaro Six Daily Driver Left In The World?, by PN
The Only 1969 Camaro With A Four Cylinder Cummins Diesel, by PN
Automotive History: The Birth Of The Camaro, by PN
Beauty! You can see why this year was the inspiration for the New Gen Camaro that’s now coming to an end (for now), such great lines on this original. I had a red ’69 but it was the Milquetoast version with a 307 automatic. Loved it though. These must be almost as rare as some of the Euro exotics we see over there in your posts.
Funny how car interiors went from whizz-bang Jet-Age chrome in the early ‘60s to this in a few years.
It was mandated by new federal safety regulations. Bright trim and chrome caused dangerous reflections and hard metal edges and knobs and such caused excessive bodily damage. It was a sea change in interior design driven by safety.
I find the taillights on this to be rather plain. I thought the round ones on the early 70s models were much better looking.
The cliff edge dash seemed to be a mostly GM thing, the first gen Camaro/Firebird and C3 Corvette probably being the prime examples. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea compared to earlier years and it has cliff elements as well but the 69 Mustang had a much more attractive dash design.
There’s no doubt that this is an attractive car, it suits orange too which is a rarity, for me it has the edge over the contemporary Mustang.
Are the mouldings on the bonnet (hood) an after market addition? They don’t seem to fit somehow.
I believe that was standard on the SS hood. They don’t actually vent, just decorative.
The funny thing is it looks wrong to my eye as well, but only because everybody who has a first gen Camaro throws on a reproduction 69 z28 cowl induction hood, now you hardly see the SS hood even on real SSs that would have had the fake vents!
The owner is quite lucky to have such a sweet-looking, clean example. It must be a joy driving that late at night on the boulevards of Tokyo.
That is a very sharp looking Camaro. I for one prefer the ‘69 taillights over the ‘67 or ‘68.
Seeing this unmolested example is a real treat. I really like those SS rally wheels.
A buddy of mine painted his ‘74 Javelin that color, and accented it with a subtle white stripe like that, but in the back to highlight the tunnel backlight instead.
Some cars can really pull off that color.
The dash is, like the cowl, from the Corvair.
The platform, from a Nova.
Beyond aesthetics, not really. The Nova itself didn’t have any relation to the Camaro until 1968, which in fact the 68 Nova was derived off the Camaro(F body), not the other way around, the previous 62-67 Chevy II/ Nova chassis was an almost carbon copy of the Ford Falcon beyond the unique trait of the unibody front clip being bolted on rather than welded on, whereas the 67 Camaro essentially used 1/3rd of a traditional ladder frame for the front bolted to a 2/3rds unibody chassi s with bushings to isolate them.
In practical observation it’s clear as day; F bodies, 68+ Novas, A body Chevelles and even the big B Body GMs all look about the same underhood with only simple wheel liners flanking the engine, but a 62-67 Chev II/ Nova has intrusive shock towers like a full unibody Ford(Mustang, Falcon, Fairlane etc),as well as (A/B/E body)Chrysler product of the time(C bodies actually resemble F bodies and 68+ Novas Beyond aesthetics, not really. The Nova itself didn’t have any relation to the Camaro until 1968, which in fact the 68 Nova was derived off the Camaro(F body), not the other way around, the previous 62-67 Chevy II/ Nova chassis was an almost carbon copy of the Ford Falcon beyond the unique trait of the unibody front clip being bolted on rather than welded on, whereas the 67 Camaro essentially used 1/3rd of a traditional ladder frame for the front bolted to a 2/3rds unibody chassi s with bushings to isolate them.
In practical observation it’s clear as day; F bodies, 68+ Novas, A body Chevelles and even the big B Body GMs all look about the same underhood with only simple wheel liners flanking the engine, but a 62-67 Chev II/ Nova has intrusive shock towers like a full unibody Ford(Mustang, Falcon, Fairlane etc),as well as (A/B/E body Chrysler product of the time(minus C bodies which actually resemble F bodies and 68+ Novas)
Spiffy and rare!
That’s a looker! Can I have one? Except with four-on-the-floor flavor.