RS/SS Pace Car, 350/4-speed, 54,000 original miles, gorgeous interior, console

For the second time in three years, he Chevrolet Camaro was selected to pace the 1969 Indianapolis 500 race. For many years, he Indy pace car specials were little more than standard dealership-supplied cars with decals on their doors, ut the 1969 Camaro changed all that. Using a combination of off-the-shelf components, unique color combination, nd making them available with a wide variety of factory options, M created a remarkably special car where they may all look alike at first glance, ut in reality, ery few are identical. The Z11 Pace Car package included both the RS and SS option groups, he ZL2 cowl-induction system, ront and rear spoilers (RPO D80), emoved the blacked-out rocker panel trim that was standard on regular SS models, nd, f course, ncluded the eyeball-popping Dover White/Hugger Orange color combination with orange houndstooth interior. Only 3675 were built, ncluding the cars used at the 1969 Indianapolis 500 Festival, aking them rather rare today.

This particular 1969 Camaro pace car is a genuine Z11 car, riginally delivered with a 350 cubic inch V8 and 4-speed manual transmission. It shows just 54,154 miles, hich we have every reason to believe is an accurate reading. It has a known ownership history dating back more than two decades, ncluding long-term ownership in a collection in Maryland. It offers a wonderful combination of originality and restored components that make it a fantastic driver-grade car that’ll be welcome anywhere and runs well enough for cross-country cruises. It doesn’t appear to have ever been rusty or wrecked and the body panels and floors are in excellent condition. These pace car replicas are also a fascinating example of General Motor’s wonderful and byzantine option codes, ssentially allowing customers to build virtually any car they wanted, nd the Z11 pace cars were no exceptions. This one carries a console and sport gauges, long with a factory tachometer and AM/FM radio, ll very desirable options that weren’t standard, ven on this top-of-the-line car. It also has a performance-enhancing 3.73 gear set on a Posi limited slip, o it’s an absolute blast to drive.

We suspect that the car has been repainted, lthough there’s some evidence here that much of the paint is original, o if it was repainted, t was a long, ong time ago. The hood and deck lid have definitely been refinished, ut the patina on the doors and fenders strongly suggests an immaculately tended original car. Regardless, t’s beautifully finished, ight, nd fits together quite well overall. It does have painted-on Z/28 stripes and, erhaps more importantly, he D98 painted pinstripes highlighting the fender openings, detail often omitted during restorations. The Dover White finish is bright, lean, nd shiny with no fading due to UV damage, lthough, s I said, e believe some of it is original due to some very light checking on the surface that’s only visible upon close inspection. It’s almost too nice to be original. The same is true of the chrome and brightwork, hich is in great condition with almost no evidence of use save for some pitting on the chrome slats within the RS headlight covers. Otherwise the bumpers, mblems, nd windshield trim are extremely nice.

The orange houndstooth interior (RPO Z87 code 720) is largely original, oo. The pace cars were the only Camaro convertibles available with cloth interiors, nd we realize that the orange is a love-it-or-hate-it proposition, ut there’s no arguing that it is visually stunning. The front seat covers and seat backs were replaced in September 2014, ut the remainder of the interior is original, hich speaks volumes about this car’s preservation. The back seat looks almost new, he carpets are in excellent condition, nd the door panels don’t even show little divots where the driver’s elbow might have been resting. It is extremely impressive. Options include the aforementioned console and gauges, s well as a woodgrained sport steering wheel and rather unusual RPO Y3A front seat shoulder belts, hich explains all the belts shown in the rear seat area. Things like the door sills, ide panels, nd dash pad are excellent original pieces and the gauges show quite well. There’s also a fully functional factory AM/FM radio, hich was an exciting feature in the late-60s and the appeal of the big, hrome shifter for the 4-speed manual transmission can’t be underestimated. A white convertible top was the only option on the Z11 pace cars, nd again, his one is so nice that it’s hard to believe that it might be 45 years old, ut on the other hand, t’s not perfect so it may be original. There are no rips or tears, lthough there’s a single pinch mark on the passenger’s side that likely happened a long time ago. It’s covered by the original orange boot and the spotless trunk is outfitted with a correct plaid mat and matching full-sized spare tire with jack assembly. It’s also worth noting that the original “shakers” are still in the trunk, stensibly designed to quell vibrations in the F-body convertibles.

The standard engine in all pace cars was a 350 cubic inch V8 making a nice, ound 300 horsepower. Today, his car has a NOM 350 in it, hich decodes as a 1972 block, ut it has been rebuilt and runs superbly. We strongly suspect that there’s an upgraded camshaft inside, s it has a somewhat lopey idle and pulls harder than any garden-variety SS I’ve driven. However, t starts quickly and easily, dles well, nd is a true pleasure to drive. It’s nicely detailed to look highly authentic under the hood, ncluding the cowl-induction air cleaner assembly with correct decals, hevy Orange paint on the engine itself, nd reproduction hoses with correct GM stampings. Even the hose clamps are proper tower units that make for a very complete-looking engine bay. Original cast iron exhaust manifolds feed a recent reproduction exhaust system with transverse muffler and the Z11 cars all included power steering and power front disc brakes as standard equipment, o it’s easy to drive. The original vacuum components are there for the RS headlights, lthough they’ve been recently converted to electric operation, o it looks authentic without the reliability issues.

The 4-speed Muncie transmission shifts well and clutch take-up is smooth, o it’s easy to feel right at home behind the wheel of this Camaro. With 3.73 gears on a Posi-Traction limited slip, cceleration is impressive and this white Camaro is still capable of showing its taillights to some pretty heady machinery. The suspension rides well and the brakes are firm, nd the highest praise we can give any car, et alone a 45-year-old muscle car, s that it runs and drives without any distractions. The exhaust has a wonderful V8 burble without getting annoying on the highway and you’ll note that the floors have not been undercoated, o there’s nothing to hide with everything in very good condition. Clearly this car has always been cherished as something special. Unmarked factory Rally wheels are fitted with correct reproduction F70-14 Goodyear Polyglas tires for a factory look.

All Z11 pace cars were shipped to the dealers with the pace car decals in the trunk, o be installed at the owner’s discretion, nd this car carries what we believe to be the original decals still preserved in a heavy-duty cardboard tube. Amazing!

This Camaro pace car has a lot going for it: great looks, ots of options, nd exactly the right condition to drive and enjoy without worrying about investments. If you’ve priced these cars lately, ou’ll see that they’re on the move, ith top specimens crowding the $100,000 barrier. This one is available for quite a bit less and is ready to enjoy immediately. Go ahead, rice a ’69 Camaro RS/SS convertible with a 4-speed, nd you’ll see that this pace car offers great value, ven without the added bonus of being a real Z11 car.