Were there any special California 1969 Camaros?

92646 · #1 03-13-2006, 09:52 AM

I pulled the 454 motor out of my 1969 Camaro SS RS 396 built in Oct. 1968 with the small California trim tag. I was detailing the engine compartment and I noticed the holes on top of the core support. Is it possible that these could be for hood pins? The car has no A/C, M-20 4-speed, 12 bolt posi and power disc brakes. The car has the single fuel line and the power steering pump had a deep groove pulley. The motor in the car was a 1974 Corvette 454 and all the other pulleys and brackets were for a short water pump and look like they came with the motor. Does anybody know of any dealer built high performance camaros out of California? Are there any other clues I should be looking for? The car has a cowl induction hood on it and complete set up that I assumed was added at some point after the car was built because of the build date. Any ideas what kind of hood could have been on the car? I attached a picture of the car the day I bought it, any clues?
Mark Sheppard

Astock · #2 03-13-2006, 04:01 PM

Post what's on the rear end tube.

rpoz11 · #3 03-13-2006, 06:33 PM

Dana...Probably have an A/C core support; possible it got changed out one time, or maybe the factory installed the wrong support.
How long have you owned the car, or how many previous owners?

nuch_ss396 · #4 03-13-2006, 07:47 PM

Mark,

I'm not a Vette expert, but I thought the Vettes went to
the right side alternator in the early 1970's. If that
holds true, then the motor in your Camaro is a compilation.

The rear code is as good of a starting point as you can get.
The only hood for your build is the SS louvered hood. My
Camaro is a 10-D-68 build ( 69 model ) and I had the louver
hood. As you mentioned, the ZL/2 option wasn't into
production until after the new year ( 1969 ).

One thing cunfuses me. Assuming that the original 396
went bye-bye, why would someone transplant a 454 (low horse)
and not use the 69 Camaro setup ( waterpump, pulleys,
plumbing, wiring, etc. )? With that short waterpump setup,
your fan must be sitting awefully far away from the
radiator to enable effective cooling. How does it do in
traffic?

Oh BTW, my early build Camaro has the same extra holes in
the radiator support top as seen in your pictures. I always
assumed they were original because my Grandfather never put
them there after he bought it new. I honestly never looked
at another support for this provision. Guess I will now !

I believe Steve from Long Island has an all original early
build L/34. Perhaps he can see if his car has the same
hole setup in the radiator support. Steve, you out there?

Steve

92646 · #5 03-13-2006, 07:52 PM

I have had the car for about 2 years. I know the car was cleaned up and resold in San Diego about 6 to 10 years ago. After that it pretty much just sat in a garage. The trans is an earlier 010 muncie M-20 and the motor that was in the car was a mild 454. I have not checked out the rear end codes but it has 3:73 gears in it and it is posi. The car is in great condition and you can tell that it was well taken care of but there was no concern for numbers when it was redone. I have no other information on the past owners or the other history on the car. So are the holes on the top of the core support for A/C lines? Am I right about the cowl induction hood not being available on a October 1968 car? Was there any high performance dealers in the San Diego area? I do not think it could have been a Dana car because the rear suspension looks stock. It was my understanding that they would modify the rear suspension for better traction when they modified thier cars.
Mark Sheppard

92646 · #6 03-13-2006, 08:07 PM

Steve I am sorry I just sent the last post before I read yours. I assumed it was a Corvette set up on the car because of the short water pump and the pulleys looked like what I remember came on 70s 454 corvettes. You are right about the brackets and the alt. wiring coming from a 1968 camaro. The car never over heated with that motor but you could feel the heat through the floor boards when driving the car. I pulled that motor and installed an LS6 454 last year. I have now pulled that motor and I am putting a bigger motor in it now. I thought it would be kind of neat to use a stinger hood because of the holes on the core support. I do not think the car is any thing special but I would be sick if I found out the car was something special and I modified it when I should have been restoring it back to original.
Mark Sheppard

nuch_ss396 · #7 03-14-2006, 02:22 AM

Mark,

You're hurting me here! You pulled and LS-6 to put an even
bigger motor in? I'll take that useless LS-6 if you can't
stand it anymore......

See if you can get the rear codes and post them here.

Steve

Yellow 69 z28 · #8 03-14-2006, 06:41 AM

My LOS built Dana prepped camaro sports a OTC L88 with iron 840 heads and a corvette "163" intake. Bracketry for alt and ps pump are from 68 for a short water pump. ZL/2 hood was added at repaint in 80's. Original factory combo was short block, 3 speed, and 10 bolt. Original owner was Topper Farrar who financed the car and the upgrades that terrorized SoCal with a black plate that read "Topps69". He used to get in trouble so much that his Brother and Mother schemed (and did for a day) to steal the car from him to keep from jail and or worse. The trans and rear end ratio were changed regularly. Speed parts galore over the years was the main theme.

Dana Camaro

92646 · #9 03-14-2006, 08:26 AM

There is nothing about the rear end that tells me anything other than it is a replacement. The best I can make out the code, it looks like BL 0117G1. I did not get a chance to look at the cast in date code but I do not expect it to make much difference. Tell me more about the DANA modified car please. Did I make a mistake changing over to the 1969 brackets and pulleys? So am I safe to say that my car is a run of the mill SS RS 396 Camaro and it will be ok to put in the 540 crate motor sitting in the garage? What is everyone's opinion on the stinger hood? I love cowl induction hoods but they are on everything now and I am certain that my car never came with it to begin with. Would it be a little neater if I could get the Holley Dominator under an SS hood?
Mark Sheppard

nuch_ss396 · #10 03-14-2006, 06:16 PM

[ QUOTE ]
... So am I safe to say that my car is a run of the mill SS RS 396 Camaro and it will be ok to put in the 540 crate motor sitting in the garage? ... Mark Sheppard

[/ QUOTE ]

Mark,

Nothing run-of-the-mill about a 69 RR SS big block.

I would opt to take that thing right back to stock. I had
my hands on one of those years ago and let it just slip
away for peanuts. You just don't see them much.

It's quite interesting what Rich added about his Dana prepped
L-88 - huh? I would like to know a lot more as well.

Steve