Muscle Car Review

[DW31S]

Just received my latest issue and wanna give a big CONGRATULATIONS to Mike Angelo. A real nice article about Mike and his Black 375 horse '69 Camaro. Way to go Mike! Love the Cragars!
I knew Black was rare, but didn't know it was only 2% of the total build that wore that color out of the assembly plant. The car really pops with the red hockey stick!

[Lee Stewart]

Just an OBTW . . .

One of the rarest colors for the 1969 Camaro is Butternut Yellow with just 0.8%

[m22mike]

According to CRG, Buternut yellow was 1 %' and champagne was .5 %

Mike

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by m22mike

According to CRG, Buternut yellow was 1 %' and champagne was .5 %

Mike

According to CRG they round to the nearest 0.5%. So 0.8% becomes 1%. Edited my post to reflect Champagne's lower % though. There is a reason of course why those three colors have such low production numbers: They became extra cost colors instead of RPO colors. Below is a revised 1969 Camaro Brochure page with the available colors. All 3 are missing. When this revision was made - I am not sure.




http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/chevy/69cam/69cam.html

[m22mike]

Did not know that, thanks.

Mike

[Lee Stewart]

From the GM Heritage Center dated September 1968

[Lee Stewart]

Window Sticker for a Tuxedo Black COPO Camaro. Notice it has a $12.65 charge for the color.

[William]

Chevrolet Marketing information concerning paint color options for the 1969 Camaro is confusing.

Black was discontinued during the 1968 model year. However the initial release of the 1969 Camaro Showroom Album lists 18 colors with black at the top of the list. Several colors are flagged "check availability before ordering": 10, 40, 51, 61, 63 and 67. A later rev sheet for the album removes the flags from 51, 61 and 67.

There was also a document that designated certain colors as “Special Order” by assembly plant. For Van Nuys those were 10, 40, 51, 61, 67; two tones 53-51, 51-53, 61-63.

For Norwood those were 40, 63; two-tone 61-63. What “Special Order” meant wasn’t clear.

The first rev of the 1969 Camaro Dealer Order Form is dated 6-68. Colors are not listed but there was a place to specify color. Dealers could start placing orders July 1, 1968; at that time black appeared to be an RPO color. Sometime later rev 0 of the US showroom brochure was released. Black [10], Butternut Yellow [40] and Champagne [63] are not listed. They are also not listed in rev 1. The Canadian rev doesn't list colors. 10, 40, 63 are also not listed in the dealer ordering data.

But they were available. In checking the CRG db, from the start of production through the end of 1968 at both plants there are a very few of those colors. They are not designated as special paint. After January 1969 they become far more common. Black, Champagne and Butternut Yellow were extra-cost: $12.65.

At some point late in 1968 Chevy must have notified dealers that 10, 40, 63 would be available at extra cost. It is not known how earlier orders were handled.

[napa68]

Congrats Mike! Great spread..............................I want those slicks!

Tim

[Woj]

Congrats Mike. Very nice article. Except for the "amateur" part. Great car. Well deserving of a magazine story.

Phil