1969 Camaro
McSpeed
This is a story about a boy, his Dad, and a car. In the early '80s my Dad acquired this worn out beaten up tired old 1969 Camaro from my oldest brother. I was a 13 year old boy that thought of nothing more than V8 engines, shiny paint, and wide tires. Lacking direction in my efforts, my Dad came up with a plan to put me on the straight and narrow. He promised me he would devote his time and money to rebuilding the Camaro if I would keep my grades up, and stay out of trouble. WOW! A 13 year old kid on the verge of owning his first car...and a hot rod at that!
We worked nights and weekends until our hands hurt. All the while, we grew closer. He was teaching me to be the man I am today. As I turned 14 we went full throttle into making this car come back to life. For the next two years it consumed me, yet I kept on the A-B honor roll, and stayed out of trouble. When I turned 16, I took my driver license test in the 69.
We didn't use it much after that except for shows and special nights out like PROM. In 1989 we decided to trade it on what was then a nearly new Corvette (1985), as I was in College and needed something more reliable and better on gas. I kept the 1985 Vette through around 1996. I lost my Dad on 10/25/03. He was then and continues to be my hero, my mentor, my guide, and teacher. Please take a few moments and enjoy these pictures I have posted. Click on the thumbnails for a full size picture.
Guess what? I started doing some research of old records and searching across the net. I FOUND THE CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Turns out it is about 200 miles from where I live right now. A really nice fellow named Jim owns the Camaro now. He bought it around 1997. I guess he really liked the pull of the 350 engine and the way it would snap the back tires in second gear. The body was really rusting, so he shipped it off for some cosmetic surgery. The deal was suppose to be a 10 week job, but turned into FOUR years! That seems like how all these projects go. They are always over budget and over time. I tracked the car down in November 03. Since then I have communicated with Jim a couple of times. He even let me come see the car this last January!!!!!!!!!!
Did I ask him to sell it back to me? Of course I did! Did he accept? Well....I am still waiting for a reply. Do I need this car? Absolutely not!!!!!!! Do I want it back? Heck yes! Do I have the money to buy it? Nope...but isn't that what good credit is all about?
I would really like to see things work out to put this machine back in my garage. How cool would it be to teach my son some 16 years from now how to drive in the very car I got my driver license in???????
So, Jim, if you are reading this. Please give it some more consideration. I am waiting for your call.......................... The following pictures are from our visit to Jim's house on 1/4/04. As you can see the Camaro is undergoing another restoration. It has had new quarters, trunk, and plenty of other metal work done to the car. I understand Jim has boxes and boxes of parts waiting to go back on the car.
UPDATE
2/21/04
We struck a deal! We made a trade for the 85 Vette. This is so amazing, as I traded the Camaro in 1989 for the 85 Vette! I am going to miss the Vette, but it goes to a better cause for me. Now that we are having a family, I need a hot rod with four seats!
Here is a picture of the 85 Vette and 69 Camaro together at Jim's house before we wrapped up the deal.
The Resurrection Begins
Click on the link below to see the resurrection of my 69 Camaro.
