Thanks for the add to this forum. I'm about to be a first time 1st Gen Camaro owner. I have the option to buy two different 1969 Camaros and need some advice on which one to purchase

Option 1:
1969 Mostly original SS, small block 350. It was repainted in the 1980's and has aftermarket rims, everything else is matching numbers original. The car has 70k original miles. The body/floor pans are solid and have no rust. It will need a new paint job and I might as well rebuild the motor. The cost is $45k

Option 2:
1969 Z28. This car is not a confirmed true Z28. It had a total restoration in 2005. It has a period correct 302 motor and trans. The rear end has a chevelle rear end. The paint is a 8.5/10 with a couple of flaws. It's a good, straight driver. The cost is $67k

I'm looking at this purchase for my hobby and an investment. Please let me know which option you would go with.

Thanks,
Dave

 

SS Big block or small block?

We cannot tell you which a better deal is based on those brief descriptions.

Historically a numbers matching big block is going to hold its value more than a nice clone. Also the Z28 is a fast car but not a fun car to drive in normal conditions. If it built to spec it will idle rough it would not like to pull out of an intersection nicely and it will hate cold morning. The Z28 was built to be a race car a SS was built to be a daily driver. If your plans are to modify it anyways then the cone but if you want to build it your way then maybe a clone that is not north of 50K that seems high.

Yes the prices of these car have gone up a lot but that does not mean they are good investments. If you are knowledgeable, you can flip them but as a long-term investment, you could easily lose money. The car community is touchy. To get the big money for an SS you are going to need to prove the car was originally a SS and in some case that is very hard to do. There are guys that can inspect them to check but even they will warn you if the car has been restored by an unknown shop and the restoration was not documented it will be hard to certify the car. Cars that have an owners list, pictures from back in the day at shows or race tracks. GM did not keep records and no documents they made cannot be fabricated.

Lastly history of a car is not an indicator of future value. Back in the Late 80's 57 Belair's where the rage. The top dog was the dual four-barrel, rag top 4 speed. I knew a guy that collected them. He had 4 of them completely restored ready for a concord show. He paid $110,000 apiece for them. They did go up some. I saw in 2005 an auction had one sell for $150,000. But now you can find them for about the same 100K. Now take the cars needed maintained and stored. $1500-$2200 per year and that is on the very low side because they should be stored in a climate controlled room and insured. So lets say you have a 100,000 investment and it costs 2K to store the car. After 10 years You would need to sell that car for over to 300K just to match the basic 10% of a stock market fund. In the last 10 years the restoration has aged. Remember a Concord 100 score would need to be just like it did at the end of the assembly line. There are some that say once the car is driven to the parking lot the best you can hope for is a 99.

Now if you are calling it an investment to get it past the wife and I am right there with you. Just like the over under shotgun I just bought for clays was $100

 

I think I would favor the SS. One could do a lot with that $ difference upgrading on a mostly solid car. Originality counts a lot for an investment car and the SS sounds like it would also make a very good looking weekend driver as well. The Z sounds like it could be a higher risk. Best of luck what every you decide!

 

As Gorn noted you did not mention if the SS is a big block car,that said I'd take an SS with a 350 over the Z28 .
The 302 is a short stroke high revving motor for the race track that makes it's power at high rpms and with the stock solid lifter cam it's not real street friendly stop light to stop light.
Not much low end power compared to even the 350 let along the 396 big block which pulls like a freight train right off idle.
I've driven the '69 Z28 quite a bit (my roommate liked to party and I liked to drive) and I owned a big block '69 which I enjoyed driving much more than the Z.

 

The Z is not real for only 67k
Check the cowl tag on the SS to verify it's an SS and buy it
This is my old Z that I do not miss, as it had problems and I had a crazy x
It was matching numbers and is worth 175 now

 

Right, I blew up my Z-28 twice racing and getting beat by cars that burn rice
Building a 427 for my plain jane 68 now and might turbocharge it to run with the rice
One reason,
Buddy's son has a supercharged S2000 Honda that runs like a raped ape
I'd buy whichever one you can get the cheapest, for the car in the best shape, myself
I picked up this one last year for 22 from a buddy and bought a 12 bolt for it straight away and a ton of other stuff
It's at the body shop now and I am in around 30 so far
I can do what I want to this one
I could do nothing to that Z because it was worth too much money stock

 

I think half the fun is dumping dough into one
That 69 Z-28 air cleaner cost me 200 bucks on Ebay
The brand new Z-28 valve covers cost me 500
It runs good with a speed shop built 350 in it from back when there were speed shops around
You look all over
There are a few old Camaros for sale around here on ksl.com/classifieds
Post a pic of those cars you are looking at

 

My advice would be to keep looking.

You would be far better off to find a completed car with no / few issues. Things add up quickly. A good paint job for instance is going to run $15k (CDN) without bodywork. I would also encourage you to look at the Canadian market as well for 2 reasons, 1. The Canadian Peso is 1/3 the USD and 2. Chevrolets sold in Canada can be 100% verified by GM as to their build date, options and selling dealer.

For example, a year ago I sold my numbers matching, very good condition (other than needing paint) '71 Z28 for just over $55k CDN.

Mike

 

My neighbor just sold an original 69 Z28, with only 67K miles on it, with quit a few options and he got $104K for it. It's too easy to make a fake Z and try to pass it off as original.
I would pass on the Z and look more at the SS but also keep your eye out for other sales

 

The SS is a small block 350