Check out this interesting old shot I found on GM's media website of a 1969 Chevy Camaro SS Z/28 being driven on the big oval at GM's Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan.
The interesting part is that Chevy didn't officially make an SS Z/28 in 1969. You could get an SS or an SS RS or an RS or a Z/28 RS, but not an SS Z/28. I asked around at GM and got blank stares back. Anyone out there know anything about this car or what happened to it?
All Z/28s in 1969 were powered by a 302 cubic inch engine backed by a 4-speed, but SS models came standard with a 350 cubic inch engine and several variations of the big-block 396 were optional. And both automatic and manual transmissions were available on the SS model.
Notice there's no engine identification on this car (Z/28s have a 302 on the hoodscoop sides and SS models have a 350 or 396 badge at the leading edge of the front fenders where this car says Z/28). I wonder what engine was in this car?
thegrocer says:
09:11 AM, 09/29/09
The full caption is 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Super Sport Coupe Z-18 (I think that's right)...my guess is it's a never built Z28 with SS appearance package since I didn't find a Z18 order code on any official 1969 list for the Camaro (but it was the Caprice package for the Impala in 1967) via Google. My guess is Chevrolet kicked around offering an SS Z/28 but realized they could meet the homoglation requirements for the Trans Am series by merely offering Z/28 coupes (or deemed it redundant since they had to upgrade the suspension and brakes anyway and didn't see the point in offering another grill in addition to the RS).