[yesdogjr]

A couple years ago while doing my monthly drive-about looking for old metal I came across a car I thought was a fake. Admittedly I have never had a 1st gen Camaro and thought a Z car was the top of the line 1st gen. I saw the hide away headlights and thought this guy just put z badges on the car but to my surprise its original. The car is a '69 hugger orange w/ white rally stripes RS/Z28 and is all there. Its sitting next to a shack in the middle of a Louisiana swamp. When I got home and realized what this really was I have spent the last two years going back every month trying to buy the car. I have tried everything I know to get this car but the owner keeps saying hes going to restore it one day and it still sits rotting away. Once I took 10k in cash and was refused. I have never had this hard a time getting a car before and would like some suggestions. Also the car has a rubber front bumper is this rare or did all RS/Z's come with this option? Does anyone have some production numbers for the Z's? 69 RS/Z28 Hugger Orange w/ white rally stripes 302 4 speed rubber front bumper Thanks

[Kelley]

Endura bumpers were separate options from the RS
About 20,000 69 Z,s
Percentage of Z,s with Rs is not known
Hugger orange was a fairly popular color, percentage rate for 69,s on CRG site

If it is ALL there and has x33 code or doc,s 10 g,s probably won,t get it. You could probably part it out for more IF it is all there.

[68camaroz28]

Originally Posted by yesdogjr

A couple years ago while doing my monthly drive-about looking for old metal I came across a car I thought was a fake. Admittedly I have never had a 1st gen Camaro and thought a Z car was the top of the line 1st gen. I saw the hide away headlights and thought this guy just put z badges on the car but to my surprise its original. The car is a '69 hugger orange w/ white rally stripes RS/Z28 and is all there. Its sitting next to a shack in the middle of a Louisiana swamp. When I got home and realized what this really was I have spent the last two years going back every month trying to buy the car. I have tried everything I know to get this car but the owner keeps saying hes going to restore it one day and it still sits rotting away. Once I took 10k in cash and was refused. I have never had this hard a time getting a car before and would like some suggestions. Also the car has a rubber front bumper is this rare or did all RS/Z's come with this option? Does anyone have some production numbers for the Z's? 69 RS/Z28 Hugger Orange w/ white rally stripes 302 4 speed rubber front bumper Thanks

Ralph, the car has an endura bumper and with the RS option and color scheme it would for sure be a sought after car. My guess or assumption would be others have/are trying to purchase it also. Other thing is does it have the correct born with engine (just adds more value to possibly offer much more), dist. etc. etc. as odds and ends can really add up on these cars. Might want to try becoming friends and not where you become a pest in his eyes. Don't blame you for trying as that is one potentially great find. Our 68Z the owner backed out on me even after I had given him a down payment and I took it in stride and only asked if he did sell it would he give me first dibs which he did 6 months later and the rest is history. Don't give up
Good luck and keep us posted,

[Andrew69]

Sounds like a good catch if you can reel it in.

[yesdogjr]

Its all there right down to the 302. I have not seen the interior because its full of well you name it. The car is covered with a plastic tarp and there is a mound of boxes and junk piled on the car. You would never guess the car or a car was there unless you walked right up on it. I originally stopped because of a 70 mustang that was in the field behind the house and did not notice the car until I went back to the door to leave a note concerning the stang. Thats when I spotted the orange valance peeking out from under the tarp. The owner is a guy who is probably in his late 60's and when I say its next to a shack in the swamp think "Deliverance" the dirt yard is covered in trash and you can see where hes been burning the casing off wire to get to the copper. Pit bulls and other mutts run all around the house. The owner and I are on friendly terms and he has come to expect me every month but it was not until a couple months ago he let me move enough junk to look under the hood. I have offered he as much a 20k but money does not seem to motivate him. This weekend I'm going back and taking my 08 aluminum bass boat to see if he would want to trade. I don't think anyone is trying to get the car but me however you never really know I think the guy just likes to have company once a month.

[angelglo]

:Wow, ralph. i think you have a great find there. if you want me to talk to him, i will put in a good word for you. i promise

Anway, i think it is good to go there once a month. you might acutally get somewhere by doing that. since he is living next to a swamp, the bass boat is a good enticer. maybe even just a fly swater. what ever the case, since he is in his 60's and he at least has the mustang and the camaro, he probably will give in in a couple years. i just hope that the car doesnt suffer by rusting away. btw, putting a tarp over the car might not be the best thing to do. im sure it gets a bit humid in the Louisiana swamp and the tarp will just keep in the humidity.

best of luck

[nashcar]

It took me two years to finally get the original owner to sell me his Firebird 400 even though he agreed to it the first day I looked at it. It too was buried under a bunch of boxes in a barn 100 feet of the road and nobody ever saw it. Don't give up and remember these guys sometimes find it hard to let go. Be respectful.

[Andrew69]

I think you should check on the car while towing your bass boat. When talking about the car you could conversate about fishing and then offer to take him fishiing. Go fishing and don't even talk about the car. He might have some good stories to tell you, like when this guy was in the area shooting his relatives with a bow and arrow and stuff like that.
After a few fishing trips and some laughs he might loosen up. You might have to promise to give him a ride after restoration or something like that.
Who knows, you might have a good time and he might teach you a thing or two about fishing. You might brighten up the older man's life and might make a good friend too.
Good luck. I hope it works out that you get the car.

[BARRY A]

HI you nead to talk to the guys wife and leave a phone number

[restore-z28]

Ralph, lots of good advice above. I agree with two things that have worked for me in the past. One, become friends and find out his hobbies..a boat may not appeal to him. Another is what Barry said above...I guarantee you this works, I have purchased at least two cars by talking to the wife. Seems like a nice car and a neat find but ensure you keep your emotions in check, easy to offer $10K or $20K but the car sounds like it will need a full restoration. Also at this point you don't even know if the original driveline and hard to find parts are there.

This link will take you to the CRG site that will show you colour combos used for exterior and interior, as you were wondering how rare this car was. This might shed some extra light on other options for you as well.

http://www.camaros.org/exterior.shtml#ColorPercentages

[Unreal]

Maybe just me, but if you used my wife to try to coerce me into selling, she might be successful, but I would sell to anyone but you.

[SPARKY69]

ralph, welcome to team camaro!
1st off, how do you know its a real z car? have you checked all the numbers on the car?
have you seen documentation or records on the car?
i wouldnt throw around 10k or 20k untill you know for sure its real !

[KevinK7]

Ralph,
...first, ...welcome to Team Camaro
...some great advice thus far, and I'd say you're doin' the best you can to work a deal.
Like you said, you don't want to be a pest, ...but keep 'checking in' on the 'ol guy and the Camaro, he may eventually enjoy the company, and start talkin'. As you may find (or have found) there are some strange people out there, ...might be living in a 'dump', ...but could give two sh----ts about money. Doesn't make any sense, ...but it doesn't have to, ...that's just how they are. He may come around and offer it to you, ...if not you might just have a chance to share a bottle of moonshine and some crazy stories

[Steiner]

If it looks like Deliverance like you say, there may be one thing you can offer that'll get you the car......

[frankk]

Originally Posted by Steiner

If it looks like Deliverance like you say, there may be one thing you can offer that'll get you the car......

Aw man thats sick