Help with Identifying 1969 Hugger Orange SS 396 Poss. L78 Camaro with L89 option
 

Hello Team,
I have an opportunity to buy a 1969 Camaro and it may be a L78 car.
My question: Is anyone familiar with this car? The current owner has a display board claiming it to be a L78 car with the L89 option. I have yet to inspect the car and have made arrangements to view the car this week. I’m trying to get some community help and see if anyone may have the original Jerry MacNeish report or know the history of this car? I have a feeling (Jerry MacNeish) was listing the RPO on the Certificate of Authenticity if it was verified in 2013 but I'm not sure if that's the case. This certificate only says SS396. Somefeed back on that too would be great. The current owner said it would be $1600 to get a copy of the original report and I have not verified that as of yet but it may be accurate. Owner has no other documents. I am aware of the many incorrect items in the engine bay from examining the engine bay picture but I am not an expert by any means.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
[IMG]https://i.ibb.co/mT8yZK1/IMG-4381.jpg[/IMG]
https://i.ibb.co/bHsKkJG/7-Iv90eqb-S...Y0-Cnv-Yvg.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/L9xStgX/oy-Kcu-k-SSC2-VXy8q-G-Guvg.jpg

$1600 for the owner to provide you with a copy of the Report, or for the owner to get a duplicate from CHP? Big difference, and big $.
I would start off by calling Jerry, he will advise what information he can or cannot disclose about the car.
Based on the VIN the car would probably be a pre-X code on the trim tag. Is the seller claiming OE drivetrain? If not, then a certified 'SS396' still may not differentiate between L34, L35 and L78.
EDIT: found this link - http://classiccardb.com/chevrolet/64...big-block.html

PM sent

That car is not an L89 nor a 375hp car................

Hello Gentleman,
Thank you for your advise it is much appreciated. I will take your advise and call Jerry MacNeish before viewing the car.
The pictures of the car where taken at the Pavilions in Scottsdale by me before I knew the current owner would decide to offer the car to me for purchase.
The current owner contacted me as he knew I was looking for a L78 car. He had a sign in front of his car claiming it to be a L78 with the L89 option when I took the pictures at the Pavilions in Scottsdale.
Based on the VIN the car is a December built car and may be a close to 12B (second week of December) build week, when I do the numbers it may have an X code on the trim tag (X22 SS396 / X66 SS396). I feel it's a 12A (no X codes) car from my limited experience in doing the math that I don't really know how to do Haha. But then how did Jerry know its a SS396? It may have an X code. Haha. I also believe it should be a JJ Engine Suffix Code if its a real L78 with the L89 option.
I did happen to meet a gentleman at the Pavilions that is very knowledgeable about Camaros and I do understand he has seen the car out there. I will reach out to him as well and see what he may understand about the car.
I agree with Sean and I have a feeling he is correct.
I've been looking for a L78 for a little bit so I've seen lots of creative advertising and descriptions of cars for sale.
If anyone else wants to add anymore information or knows anything about the car that would be great.
Thank you

I did just hear back from a friend that has seen the car and to be polite I believe it's a L78/L89 clone. Jerry did certify it as a real SS396 (L35 or L34? not sure )for future reference. Thank you guys for your help!

The whole “numbers” thing has gotten out of hand if you ask me. Terminology from years ago now means something different entirely. I can’t imagine Jerry signing off on that car unless he was certain; he has a tremendous data base and may have more info on that car than the present owner has. He has verified the same car more than once, so that could be the case here. As for the current owner boasting about the L78/L89 garb.....well, nowadays if the car is presented as such, but doesn’t have the pedigree to back it up, then some refer to that as “undocumented”; sad, but true. Do I think it is right? Absolutely not. Have I seen it advertised (the “undocumented” term) at some auction houses? Absolutely.

Thats is indeed a 12A car with that VIN, It will not have an X code on the tag.

I've seen that car many times at the Pavilions, I've even parked next to it. It is indeed a 12A car, no X code, and my belief from looking the car over in the past is that it wasn't an L78 car originally. It is a nice car though.

My comments: http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=17560.0