1969 Camaro SS hidden away

[Oldjeffy]

Hi everyone.I am trying to fine some information about a 1969 camaro that has been sitting since 1978. I am hoping someone may know the story of this blue SS. This car was towed/ impounded July 17 1978 in Bangor Maine . The car had New York plates.It is a big block aluminum headed 4 spd car, hooker chrome headers, side pipes, cragar wheels,4-56 rear gears, nasty built motor. I was 13 when the car was towed in ,I was working sanding ups trucks.In the trunk were 2 small cc engines,maybe motorcycle engines?My father painted the car after possession was taken by the owner of the shop as an abandoned vehicle.(Cobbs autobody and custom chroming 27 Perkins st Bangor Maine). The owners son who ran the chrome shop took the car.He removed the motor and put it on display in his office. The car sat covered up in the back of the shop.Life got in the way and he just kept the car hidden away.The car sat until oct of 2018 when I purchased the car after his death.I tried to get documents but it’s an Oct 68 built car,I was told no records exist .Can anyone help with finding records ect.? Or May know of the story of who owned it? Yes after trying for 30+ years to buy the car I have the vin and the car.I am happy to share photos and information. The motor has a lot of unique parts and day 2 parts.Its as it was in 1978.Thanks old jeffy

[Charley Lillard]

Is it the orig. engine ?

[Charley Lillard]

Would love to see pics.

[scuncio]

Sounds like an awesome car.

[Astock]

Can someone offer to help post pictures for Oldjeffy.

[Too Many Projects]

DANG, that would be extremely cool to finally possess. Could it be a real L89 car ???

If you want to email the pics to me I can host them thru photobucket.
Shoot me a PM and I'll get you my email.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

All sounds Super cool so far, looking forward to more!
What of Engine stampings also rear axle tube #'s?
Welcome aboard Jeffy!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[DW31S]

Sounds awful cool! Can’t wait to see it!

[Oldjeffy]

Thank you for all the interest.I have been a voyeur of the site since I bought the car in 2018.It has been an invaluable resource for putting the car together.I spoke to many of you at mcan 2019 when I did a lot of question asking and photo taking.I have had the mentoring help of a camaro restorer who is a member here and I’m am sure we’ll respected. If he chooses to chime in that’s fine but I’m not going to name him.I have been very quiet about the car and descreat.My father passed away in 1982 and I thought what I had was a car he painted now I feel it’s more than that.The last discussion I had with the owner about the car in depth was 1987.He told me he thought it was a motion car and maybe a copo.So for the last 2 years it has been kind of consuming me to find out what the car is and make sure I don’t represent it the wrong way.This group is a tight knit knowledgeable smart bunch and Reminds me of the airplane community.I am looking for help finding any history of the car prior to 1978. The vin is 124379N514065 .I’m hoping someone can direct me to shipping records or maybe a vin list of high performance dealers ? My cel is 207-538-5257. Again I want to represent the car correctly

[Oldjeffy]

I am 95% sure the car is from the Long Island area.I posted a picture on Craigslist in 2018 and an older gentleman e mailed me that the car was from the Bridgeham gang, a bunch that raced motorcycles and street raced.He said the motor was built by Bill Mitchell ,he worked for a guy name Joe Rosen.I emailed Mr Rosen and spoke to him by phone in 2018 and I have not communicated since.I wanted to get as much information together as possible before asking him to review his books and verify the car. I am hoping someone else remembers the car or story. Someone lost there camaro when it was impounded and must have told the story.I will post about the motor next.To my initial disappointment it was not an L89 but its a good story. Thanks Old Jeffy

[Oldjeffy]

One of your members has expressed interest to post some photos I will email or text them to him.I am positive I may have some things wrong.Please don’t roast me too bad . I assembled the car with the parts that came on it so it is back to the way it was in 1978.
The car had pie crust slicks and cragar SS wheels.the tires are cracked and the wheels rusty.I have 2 sets of vintage slots.One mounted with new old stock Mickey Thompson’s and one set with Hoosier drag radials and Avon road race tires for a vintage look but better handling.I have put 80 miles on the car and 25 gallons of race gas thru it.made 2 passes at the drag strip on Father’s Day racing my sons wide body challenger. Launched at 4500 and pulled the wheels about 10 inches. Thanks for the help Jeff

[JRSully]

Any evidence the car was originally Hugger Orange.?

[1967 4K]

Did you beat the Challenger?

Richard

[Kurt S]

Way too early to be a COPO, fwiw.

[Oldjeffy]

This car was always blue and did have stripes, I found pieces of tape in one of the front of the doors.Behind the seat is x2 in yellow crayon.I am sure it’s a converted l78.
L78M22rag is going to post some pictures.I have many. The car has correct dates on most everything . The engine and underhood parts were heavily chromed by the previous owner who ran a chrome shop.including the scatter shield that I left chrome. Please note the stamps on the crank shaft and signature, does anyone recognize it?.. it’s has had a lot of Molly added to it and was balanced I assume to the aluminum flywheel . Any help on its origin would be appreciated .

[L78M22Rag]

Here are some pics that old jeffy sent me

[AnthonyS]

Awesome!!

[carnut4life]

Damn, that's cool, I wouldn't touch it either!

[L78M22Rag]

Here are the rest. Couldn’t see what I was doing earlier… didn’t have my glasses.

[L78M22Rag]

A few pics I missed.

Old Jeffy, this is one bitchin cool car!

[L78M22Rag]

Flipped this one…

[firstgenaddict]

Killer!

[Astock]

Jeff,
Any pictures, as found?

[Bill Pritchard]

What an uber-cool Camaro! Certainly has a lot of Motion touches. Thanks for sharing it with us, Old Jeffy :worship:

[Mr70]

Now that's a Killer Camaro. :burnout:
Thanks for sharing it with us.

[jbtech]

Here is the newspaper clipping from newspapers.com.

[Carleen]

Hmm. seriously?
Trim Tag?
Alot of new parts
The hood?
How many parts have you bought on ebay and put there?
How did the Camaro look like when you bought it?

[Astock]

Reeling in dm's. Hopes someone bites.

[Oldjeffy]

I appreciate everyone’s opinion.I was hopping someone may know the story of this car and recognize the stamping on the crank and signature on the engine parts. I have been very open about this car and have tried not to mis represent it . Obviously the vin tag were trim tag are pictures when I brought it home. I backed it outside and took the pictures because people asked. I’m not looking to defend this car or pretend it’s something it is not. The hood was very rough and was replaced it’s obviously fiberglass .I have pictures when I brought it home and pictures of my father working on-it in 1978( he died in 1982) and pictures Rick Cobb,s wife took over the time he had it. My post was trying to find information about the car not show it off .Most everything on this car is original .It was taken apart detailed,cleaned, parts rebuilt and reassembled.many chromes parts sandblasted and refinished.( a 23 year old kid who ran an chrome shop chromed a lot)I photographed and researched almost every part. I put the car together to drive, inc the Teflon rear spring bushings and ride tech upper control arm bushings.I replaced the seat covers,headliner ,carpet and dash pad and horns that I could not find. I don’t like the old musty smell. The rad shroud is reproduction because mine had a crack and I saved every old part.Obviously I changed fuel lines, brake lines ,hoses and wear items .the car had 75k on it.The New York plates are eBay ....the day 2 stuff was all there on the car when it was towed in. Shifter, tach,carb,intake,rear end,booster,master ,brake valves,steering box,headers side pipes,fuel pump,calipers,heater core, fan ,fan motor radiator ,glass are all dated correct from the car most of the day 2 stuff is august ish 1969 dated stuff inc the motor, Holley 850 L88 no choke carb,and hurst shifter.The motor is 12.5 to 1 ,full floating pistons early gold crane series rockers, solid roller non lubricated Crane lifters very early 70s, 074 ported heads with someone’s stamping. The cam was a special grind from the early 70s, too old for crane to find the cam card on but they polished it and said it was close the the Saturday night special cam profile that was sold in the mid 70s .I have the numbers. That’s all the defending I’m going to do or all the pictures I’m going to provide. My tel number is in my posts please feel free to call me to discuss the car or if you can help me find the missing information from oct 1968 to July 1978. Thanks for everyone who has helped me.

[1971ls6]

Well spoken!

[Bill Pritchard]

Carleen, Astock,

If you have legitimate concerns it might be good to address them in a more tactful manner instead of vague insinuations. Seems to me like Old jeffy is just trying to find out some history on his car :dunno:

[1967 4K]

Thanks Mr. Jeffy for sharing the story about your Camaro. I hope you find out more about it in the future.

Best regards,
Richard

[Too Many Projects]

Don't let a couple doubters chase you off. The rest of us are drooling and hoping you learn more.

[olredalert]

Carleen, Astock,

If you have legitimate concerns it might be good to address them in a more tactful manner instead of vague insinuations. Seems to me like Old jeffy is just trying to find out some history on his car :dunno:

----Well stated, Bill! Old Jeffy,,,Please don't be offended. You have nothing remotely to apologize for.....Bill S

[Pro Stock John]

Thanks for sharing all the details and pics of your car, it's a great read.

[Chuck_Burg]

I like the history you have with the car, the fact your dad worked on it will always be invaluable to you Jeffy. Cool stuff

[Carleen]

Carleen, Astock,

If you have legitimate concerns it might be good to address them in a more tactful manner instead of vague insinuations. Seems to me like Old jeffy is just trying to find out some history on his car :dunno:

I apologize so much if it appears that I was rude.
Im not an expert but I try to learn as much as I can about these cars.

[JoeC]

Do you have the original fiberglass hood?

If you can post the pictures from 1978 , that may help to ID the car.

[John]

....

.... It is great to always hear stories about cars that have surfaced

... and are brought back to life .

... Way to go ...thanks for sharing your story. I am sure more history will surface !

... :beers:

...

[Pro Stock John]

What hood did it have originally?