Hello,

I am on the hunt for a 69 Camaro Convertible to give my father for his retirement coming up soon.
I have found one that seems like it's a great candidate for restoration.
It's a RS, numbers matching original V8 327 automatic car with complete interior, top frame, new body panels, new seals in the bags, new parts here and there like badges and so on. Just about all the original parts come with the car plus a good amount of aftermarket reproduction parts. I'm told between 6-7000 in parts purchased to rebuild this car be the current owners father.

57k original miles

Body seems like it's in pretty good shape without the need to cut and weld in new panels. Part of the rear drivers floor needs to be replaced, but the trunk is solid.

I'm curious as to what the value of something like this would be. Not asking for an exact quote, but more or less a range.

I'll see if I can get some pictures.

 

When you say new panels, you mean new panels already installed? With rag top that value is all about what needs done if it is already done who did it. With rag top the floor and rocker panels are structural if you repair them the same way you repair a hardtop to it can cause a LOT of issue. A decent body shop know the cars must be put together on a jig.

If the rockers are solid at the fire wall and it is number matching and needs a completer restoration I would guess it worth about 10K. Now after saying that there is NO way you can do a complete restoration on this car for what you could buy an already done one for. As a general rule Non-SS rag tops do not sell for what it costs to restore them. If you really want a 2 year long project that you will end up with 30K in but it will be the way you want it go for it or grab someone that knows what they are looking at and head to a auction and buy a driving finished or near finished car for 17-20K

Another thing to consider, I have know professional bodymen that bought rag top project that thought where solid only to scrap them once they came back from media blast.

 

I apologize. I should have been more specific.
New panels included are the front end basically - fenders and hood(s) - there are 2 or 3 included and some others. The car has been garage kept since it was new I'm also told.

The owner has stated that they had a few credible professionals (I'm told) that have assured that it's a number matching car and is solid from the doors to the rear panels less the rear floor that I have described.

I am aware that the SS sells for more which is why I asked for pricing on a RS. since I have not been able to find much information on them.

Thank you for the info that you have provided. It's very useful.

Though what if I found a SS that has all metal work done with proper gaps?

 

It is very hard to put a value on a project. I like to figure out what they are worth done and then work backwards of what it will take to finish the car to see what they are worth. Remember what the car looks like is only part of the restoration. If you can not test drive a car the restoration part of the driveline could be could be somewhere between $1000 to $10,000 depending on what you have. The rear alone can cost $2500 if it is a basket case. That is one thing a test drive does. It proves that nothing is a basket case and everything is at least fixable. Remember one hair line crack in the block in the right spot and this is no longer a numbers matching car.

To me the question is are you looking for a project to do OR is you goal to put your father in a nice 69 rag top for a reasonable amount of money? Because those are two very different things.

The reason you do not find a lot about the RS is because is if a comedic package only. It did not cost a lot when new and it does not add a ton of value to the car by itself. I quote you before that you can find running driving 69 RS rag tops for 17-20K if you dropped the RS requirement that would be more like 15-18K.

The reason I mentioned the SS is because in most cases a Big Block SS would cost 5-7K more as a project but the finished car can be worth twice what the non-SS is.

It sounds like you found a decent car but you really have to be careful buying rag top projects. There is a joint that sits right under the back of the front fender. It is where the rocker panel connects to the fire wall. I would really be worried if the front fenders are rusted. I have been helping people with Camaro project since the 80's and I would guess that 75% of the rag top projects I have seen are not worth repairing and are worth more parted out. It is VERY common for unfinished project to sell for less then what the owner has in new parts. I have seen project cars with new crate motors installed and never started sell for less then the motor cost. I have a friend who has made a lot of money buying unfinished project and then just parting them out. Calling him a friend may be a stretch he is my parts source and he was the one that found my tops frame

This is what the job would look like if that joint is damaged. This is one of the reasons Daynacorn started making the complete ragtop body. The cost of repairing them right exceeded 20k


The rocker panel on a hard to is easy to repair the rocker panel on a rag to is basically the frame (weighing almost 200 lbs ea). How it connects at both end it the most critical part of the structure of the car and one of the first places to rust.

 

I really appreciate what you have shared here. Very informative and helpful.

To be perfectly honest, I would like a project. However if the price is correct for a running car, I would prefer that of course.

Money isn't an issue, but the less structural work like you said, the better.

That being said, where is be best place to look for something like you mentioned? I had spoken with my father and he mentioned that he prefers the look of the SS than the RS. With that said, I finding either a base or an SS, would be the way to go. I expect some work necessary, but it's nothing that I can't handle. Making an SS clone for him to daily drive would be great.

If you don't mind pointing me in the correct direction for a good rag top, I would be extremely thankful. I guess 1200 radius from PA for the right car, yet willing to go further for a "good deal." I have searched CL, ebay, and a few car sites, but my searches seem to come up dry most the time.

Mostly asking as maybe you have seen one somewhere listed, maybe on another forum or site...

Thank You again and in advance

 

They can be hard to find these day and the 69 are the hardest with the 69 Rag top SS's being one of the hardest. There was a huge boom around 2002-2007. Just about anything that was fixable was bought up by pros fixed up and flipped. Back then I saw a Vin tag and title sell for 5K. Someone needed it for a Dynacorn body.

If you could find a 307 or 6 cylinder version and convert it to a clone it would be the best bang for the buck. Or one that has already been done. I don't think you are going to want an original number matching car. If you are thinking of a daily driver you should think about upgrade to modern safety. IMO more modern brakes and a seat with a shoulder belt built in is a must. You do not want to be driving in traffic when every single car around can stop 3x faster than you.

You have pros constantly searching for SS's. To find one not already done is pretty rare these days. Do you know anyone in the car business? These cars do show up at the large car auctions from time to time. Not the SS's as much as the base models. You can find them the problem is most people know what they are worth and in many cases they remember what they where worth in 2007 and think they are still worth that.

You could set a bunch of craigs list searches in areas where money is a little tight. When I found my car it was a 3 hour drive in to the rust belt into an area of high unemployment but these days the internet has really leveled the playing field. I know of at least 3 guys that are looking for good deals 69 SS's hard tops (under 30K). They have all been looking for a while and one shows up in my area emails fly. In hours of it being posted we are talking about. If it is reasonable deal it will sell in 48 hours. There was a SS for sale about 10 miles from my work and the owner did NOT place it on ebay or craigs list just had it out front. and I had 3 different emails within 2 day from people that know me. I passed the info on to one of the guys looking , he left work early and got there in time to watch the seller shaking someone else's hand. When ever one post on the net at a reasonable price it is a race, you have to be ready.

 

Again, Thank you very much for the insight.

I just saw your location and was wondering where in Eastern PA are you? I'm just outside the Reading area in Sinking Spring.

When it comes to the appropriate deal, I can leave at any point in time to get the right car. The straight 6 or the 307 would work perfect for a car to fart around in all day.

I am planning on upgrading the safety with the car. Disc brakes all the way around and modern suspension. My question though is with seat belts. Do they make a pleasing to the eye shoulder and lap belt kit for the first gen convertible?

I know two or three used car dealers that could possibly help out, but they do not specialize in these older cars. Though they have owned older cars, they don't really know much when it comes to details.

I don't expect the search to be easy and am willing to travel. The story with the guy arriving a few minutes late is expected for a good candidate. I can leave work at any point to get the correct car. I have nothing tying me here as I own the company.
I'll continue my search. I was wondering though, if you wouldn't mind shooting me an email, call or text if you hear of one in this area, I would greatly appreciate it. A finders fee can be worked out.

Thank You again.

 

I know some have done this as I have seen a few of the conversions, but what about the 69 Firebird and changing it over? I know the front panels are different and the tail light panel. How much of a pain is it to change out the tail light panel?

While looking around, I have found a lot of these project cars with the rear 1/4's cut out like this one: http://southcoast.craigslist.org/cto/4282961225.html
I understand they are cut out due to rust, but doesn't this require a hell of a lot of work to rebuild?

 

Its a lot of cosmedic work but at least is just cosmedic, if you can find a solid one. Tail panel quaters need replaced along with the whole front clip. I am pretty sure the doors are different.

Have you ever seen the 69 TA look? you can now buy the steel TA hood after market and they look pretty bad *** in a rag top.

 

Apologies for being away for a while.
Been working on a few things.

I have been looking into many of these and was contemplating possibly finding a pretty solid 69 firebird and changing it over to a Camaro but it'll never be the real thing for me. My father would never care, but for me it's just not the same.

I found a guy just north of the Harrisburg area that has a 69 rag top he wanted to rebuild for himself.
He hasn't done anything to it for my understanding but states the following in an email:

"It needs a total restoration. yes it needs floors, trunk, some rocker work. The best part of the car is the shock towers and rails. I bought it because it was a complete RS convertible and was going to make it into a semi - resto-mod with a stroker motor. I wanted to paint it the Dover white with black SS stripes and the black top and put a spoiler on the back. The car came from Virginia so it has the rust. I have the floor pans for it. I was going to put in a complete trunk pan. It does have an enduro front bumper which I also liked."

In a previous email he stated that it's a deluxe interior trim with manual top and auto on the floor.

Here are the pics that he sent me. What do you think that this is worth? I know that valuing a car over pictures is not easy in the slightest bit, but ballpark it if you don't mind... Haha