Many General Motors fans consider the 1969 Camaro to be the ultimate version of the iconic GM pony car.
The first Camaro debuted in time for the 1967 model year and hit the automotive world by storm.
Jim Sutherland
The first-generation Camaro had a three-year production run and maintained the same basic design over that period, although the Chevrolet division made a few improvements from 1967-69.
The subtle changes were enough to push the 1969 Camaro to the front of the pack in the hearts and minds of the car’s loyal fan base.
Cary Devore has owned a 1969 Camaro SS for about 11 years and loves the car, even though he is a fan of the 1967 Chevelle and thought he might own one at some point in his future. Instead, Cary seized an opportunity to buy a rust-free 1969 Camaro that was sold in a Quebec Canada dealership and somehow made its way cross-country to western Canada.
Cary recognized the ‘69 Camaro’s good overall condition and decided to purchase it so he could bring out the best of the car with a few improvements. His Camaro has undergone an exterior color change because it now sports a custom paint job that was not offered for the Chevy pony car in 1969 but showcases the overall design of the car.
The engine is a still a 350 cubic inch Chevy small block, but the engine was donated by a Corvette and has more punch than the Camaro’s factory 350 engine. Cary added the transplanted Corvette 350 also has a lumpier cam, 4-barrel carburetor, and headers, but his main objective was improving the Camaro’s overall performance without turning the car into a track machine.
The transplanted 350 is bolted up to Chevy’s famous Turbo 350 automatic transmission and it’s a smooth powertrain combination for the Camaro. Cary added a Moser rear end with 3:90 gears to make his Camaro more highway friendly because he lives out of town and uses the car for highway trips whenever he leaves home. He chooses not to beat up his engine with excessively high RPMs on road trips. Cary also chooses to close the Camaro’s rear windows on highways because air currents draw bugs into the car and create a cleaning problem when they splat against the interior.
Cary’s ’69 Camaro has a unique disc/drum brake system because his disc brakes are on the rear, unlike most mixed brake applications that place the discs on the front because of the heavier weight of a front-mounted engine.
The Camaro has power steering and is a very comfortable vehicle on the road, according to Cary. He added that “you can let go of the steering wheel and it will go down the road straight as an arrow”, in Cary’s words.
It was clear Cary set a high standard of excellence when it comes to the overall condition of his 1969 Camaro SS and intends to keep it in tip-top shape because his car is still perfect after 11 years under his ownership.
Congratulations for a job well done, Gary.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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