1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396ci Coupe (LHD)

Description

Developed in response to the runaway success of Ford’s Mustang, Chevrolet’s Camaro was initially conceived by GM’s design team as a four-passenger Corvette and debuted in the 1967 model year. Chevrolet's entry into the burgeoning pony car market proved a more than a worthy competitor, rapidly capturing a sizeable portion of the youth market. Available either as a coupe or convertible, the new Camaro was marketed with a wide variety of engine choices, from the mild - the base engine was a six-cylinder developing a scant 140 horses - to the wild, with the ultimate option being a 375 horsepower L78 396-cid big-block. There was no question the Camaro looked fantastic, with clean styling under the direction of Bill Mitchell and the curvaceous ‘coke-bottle’ lines foreshadowed the Stingray of 1968, as did the instrument panel. Chevrolet took a great looking car and made it even better for 1969, with new sheetmetal below the beltline giving the Camaro a more muscular stance, along with a wider grille opening, new horizontal tail lights and revised bumpers. The first-generation Camaros were offered with a huge options list, allowing the customer to personalise their new toy to unprecedented levels, creating anything from a luxury cruiser or a drag strip bruiser. The SS badge, reserved for high performance Chevrolets across the model range since 1961, was available in both small and big-block versions on the 1969 Camaro. Both the SS350 and SS396 featured a unique bonnet, Sports wheels and Wide Oval tyres, plus special stripes, badging and an “SS” emblem on the steering wheel. Mechanical changes included power disc brakes, heavy-duty suspension and a dress-up package under the bonnet. The SS was particularly effective when combined with the Z-22 Rally Sport package, which added distinctive hidden headlamps and unique grille, parking lights, revised tail lights plus additional exterior brightwork, including the rocker trim and around the wheelarches. The 1969 SS was chosen by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the official pace car for 500 that year and a limited edition convertible was sold to commemorate the honour.