Crossing the Block: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Sometimes muscle car folks like to think Chevrolet Camaros are quite common, but the truth is that certain models and equipment can be as rare as any other brand’s rarities. Nope, not thinking of the 1-of-69 ZL1, but cars like a L78/L89 SS convertible are likely as rare as a Hemi ragtop. What about a more run-of-the-mill Camaro that could be found on Main Street, USA? Let’s look at this 1969 Camaro SS that crossed the block last week at the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction.

Let’s start off with the Z27 Super Sport package. For 1969, it included a 300-horsepower 350 and heavy-duty three-speed manual on the floor. A decent number (34,932) were produced, so not quite on the rare side except maybe with the standard transmission. Yet there were three other engines available for the SS, all being 396s in three states of tune: 325-horse L35, 350-horse L34, and 375-horse L78. Out of the three, would you believe the most powerful was not the rarest of the bunch? Only 2,018 L34s were built, which was about 1,800 fewer than the L78. All 396s were easily identified by the rear panel black-out, though back cars and pace cars didn’t receive the black-out.

For something more unusual, check out the color. Chevrolet called it Butternut Yellow, but it was used by other General Motors brands from 1965-69 and was also known by the names Mayfair Maize, Saffron, Cameo Cream, Bamboo Cream, Crocus Yellow, and Colonial Yellow. It was a popular color for Chevrolets of the era, but not a popular color for the Camaro: according to internal Chevrolet documents as reported by the Camaro Research Group, only 1.7 percent of Camaros were painted Butternut Yellow. It is difficult to determine where Super Sports lie within this group, but I’m going to bet the color was not popular with performance buyers.

Perhaps Chevrolet production information isn’t as complete as documentation from other brands (notably Ford), but certainly Chevrolets like this Camaro can check the same boxes as any other car brand. Someone felt the same way and purchased this one for $110,000 including fees at last week’s 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction.