Heavily documented 1969 Camaro Z/28 from Hendrick Performance

In the pre-2008 era when collector car prices were through the roof, the two most sought after makes and models were a 1970 Hemi Cuda and a 1969 Camaro Z/28. In those days ’69 Z/28’s were approaching six figure values. This week we get a chance to review a heavily documented 1969 Camaro Z/28 from Hendrick Performance in Concord, North Carolina. The Lemans blue Z has been restored to a high caliber, but it is its pedigree that makes this one so desirable.

Hendrick Performance tells us this 1969 Camaro Z/28 is in No. 2 condition (see their definition of No. 2 condition listed in the ad copy), and has been certified as authentic and original by none other than Jerry MacNeish, of Camaro Hi-Performance, Inc., who is considered to be the Camaro guru. MacNeish says that this is an original numbers matching Z/28 with its original DZ 302 motor. It also comes with heavy documentation, including the Chevrolet Purchase Order Form, Purchase Receipt, Yenko Invoice and NCRS Shipping Data Report. Yes, it was purchased from Yenko Chevrolet in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania with the dealer invoice and receipt to prove it.

You can also check the numbers as shown in the photos accompanying the ad. The trim tag shows this car to have been built in the Norwood Assembly plant during the 3rd week of April in 1969, and also notes the car as being an X77 code car. It was ordered as a Lemans blue 4-speed with 4.10 rearend with positraction, disc brakes, Rally gauges and the cowl induction hood. The 4-speeds came only with Hurst close ratio shifters.

The first generation Z/28 Camaros were track ready sports cars that came with dual exhaust, F41 handling suspension, heavy-duty radiator, quick ratio steering and 15X7 Rally wheels. The solid lifter 302 with an 850 cfm Holley 4-barrel carburetor was said to have produced an actual 400 hp, although the factory rating for the engine was only 290 hp. The DZ302 engine easily revved to 7,000 rpm. A Z/28 would do a 14.7 second quarter-mile right out of the box at 95.9 miles per hour.  According to Chevrolet, a Z/28 could hit 60 miles per hour in 7.4 seconds from a standing start. Chevrolet won the SCCA Trans Am titles in both 1968 and 1969 with the Z/28. Chevrolet produced 20,302 Z/28 Camaros in 1969, a record number of sales that was not broken again until 1978.

The alpha numerals “Z28” were the special Camaros RPO number when ordering the special race ready version of the Camaro. Chevrolet added the “slash” to the Z/28 emblem on the first generation Camaros (although it was dropped starting in 1970.)

This stunning example of a 1969 Camaro Z/28 has been restored in it original color  of code 71 Lemans blue and is still powered by its numbers matching 290 hp 302 V8 and Muncie 4-speed manual transmission.