You know how the early first-generation Ford Mustang looks a bit bland, and things become a lot more exciting as you move toward the late 1960s? I think it's the same thing for the Chevy Camaro. It didn't look very aggressive from 1966 to 1968, but Chevrolet gave it a lower, wider, and more menacing stance for 1969.
It's by far the best-looking first-gen Camaro in my book, and it's a shame that Chevy decided to redesign the sheet metal again for 1970. The 1969 Camaro is far from rare, with 243,000 units built, but you won't find many of them in pristine condition nowadays. Yes, the market is packed with examples that could get away with a mild restoration, but sadly many of them are still abandoned in barns and on fields.
This green-painted coupe spent almost decades in a backyard, a scenario that usually translates into heavy rust issues and a useless engine. But this Camaro was favored by the elements and got lucky enough to be saved from its grave.
The muscle car looks sad, surrounded by vegetation and covered in bird poop, but it starts to come back to life when dragged out of its resting place. The Rallye Green paint doesn't seem to look that dull in the sun, and the operation also reveals that this is a 307 model.
It's a rare version of the Camaro, as the 307-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) V8 was offered in 1969 only. This mill was available with order code L14 and slotted between the L22 inline-six and the 327 with its iconic 5.4 V8. The L14 survived until 1973 in the Chevelle and Nova, but it was still a short-lived engine compared to other Chevy big-blocks from the era.
Rated at 200 horsepower and 300 pound-feet (407 Nm) of torque, it was the base V8 engine in 1969. Far from potent when compared to the big-block V8s, but a significant upgrade over the Turbo-Thrift inline-six.
The engine compartment looks rough upon opening the hood. It needs more than just a good cleaning. But YouTube's Life of Lind has been saving barn finds for years now and knows what to do to get V8s that have been sitting for decades running again. Fortunately, he gets the job in about 30 minutes, and the V8 roars again after almost two decades.
And he's not just happy with an idling mill. He gets the entire drivetrain prepped for driving so that he can take the Camaro back to his shop. Will he make it? Well, all I want to say is that the 5.0-liter V8 sounds amazing. Find out by hitting the play button below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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