I borrowed a 1969 Camaro SS 396 for 450 miles, AMA

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
09/26/2016 at 11:22 • Filed to: None

I drove it on the second and third day of the 2016 Hagerty Maple Mille. It’s a completely restored concours level car. Also: it’s a stick.

DISCUSSION (32)

shop-teacher > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 11:24

Was it as scary driving somebody else’s really nice expensive car, as I would think it is?

crowmolly > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 11:24

So much for that ‘67 auto vert, huh?

You totally got the better end of the deal.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 11:27

Was it terrible to drive? I recall someone writing about how scary and terrible classic Mustangs are to actually drive and I am curious if that is the case here too. At least compared to more modern 80s/90s cars is what I mean.

TheHondaBro > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 11:29

How strong was the urge to stop at a Dairy Queen?

S65 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 11:31

Did you do doughnuts in a Diary Queen parking lot?

LongbowMkII > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 11:38

How’s the mileage?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
09/26/2016 at 11:41

It’s not bad! I mean we all know classic cars aren’t as good as new cars, but I wasn’t scared or anything. I drove it on some really winding roads and it did fine. Brakes were actually excellent.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > S65
09/26/2016 at 11:42

No : (

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > TheHondaBro
09/26/2016 at 11:42

Very strong. I stopped.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > shop-teacher
09/26/2016 at 11:42

For about the first 20 minutes, yes. Then you kinda just get used to it and have fun.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > crowmolly
09/26/2016 at 11:43

Kinja'd!!!

Well I drove that on day one. It was a much tamer animal than the ‘69.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > LongbowMkII
09/26/2016 at 11:45

APPALLING. Like noticeably worse than my ‘70 Corvette. Possibly the most fuel hungry non-truck I have ever driven.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 12:04

You said in a comment brakes were good. Do you know if it’s 4 wheel discs?

Also, what was the HP? As I recall you could get a 396 with everything from like 7HP to 900HP. (Actually I think the range was like 325 to 400).

lone_liberal > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 12:17

How was the clutch action? A friend of mine had a ‘79 Camaro with a 427 from a ‘69 Corvette in it and the clutch was miserably heavy, but that could have been the aftermarket nature of the thing.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Snuze: Needs another Swede
09/26/2016 at 12:17

Front vented 2 piston discs, rear drums. All vacuum assisted. The 396 in the hagerty car was the super-mellow 325 horse version. Still a riot to drive!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 12:19

Nice. My dad had a 69 Z/28 with the 4 wheel disc brake option, but said they would never work right, and eventually had the dealer convert the car back to rear drums.

And 325HP is still a lot, especially with all that sweet, sweet torque on tap.

That’s an awesome car, and very cool that you got to drive it.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Snuze: Needs another Swede
09/26/2016 at 12:20

I have GM 4 wheel discs on my ‘70 Corvette and they work great when they work. It was like an engine from a tug boat. so much low end. Fantastic car.

extraspecialbitter > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 12:43

Was it everything I hoped and dreamed it would be?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > extraspecialbitter
09/26/2016 at 12:45

yes.

extraspecialbitter > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 12:47

*swoon*

69 SS 396 on bucket list since 4everz

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > extraspecialbitter
09/26/2016 at 13:03

It’s fantastic. You want the right car.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 13:28

Was stick uncommon already by 1969?

camaroboy68ss > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 14:36

4 wheel discs were standard since 65 in the corvette so Chevy had those figured out. The JL8 (Camaro code for 4 wheel disc) used a different caliper than the vette and wasn’t as well thought out. Most of the Trans am race teams were adapting corvette calipers front and rear in 68/69 in place of the factory Camaro parts. Also the JL8 option was very short lived like the chambered exhaust

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever
09/26/2016 at 14:40

It was about 60/40 in favour of auto by then.

camaroboy68ss > Snuze: Needs another Swede
09/26/2016 at 14:45

There were 4 396s in 69, 325hp - hydraulic cam, oval port heads, cast iron intake and a quadra jet 4 bbl carb, 350hp - hotter hydraulic cam, oval port heads and aluminum intake, 375hp - solid lifter cam, square port heads, aluminum intake, Holley carb. Then the L89 which took the 375hp motor and replaced the cast heads with aluminum units

camaroboy68ss > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/26/2016 at 14:54

Luckily the car had disc brakes a first gen Camaro with all drums pretty much doesn’t stop.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > camaroboy68ss
09/26/2016 at 14:59

Thanks for all that info! Like I alluded to, I knew they offered a few different versions of the 396 but couldn’t remember what they all were.

Also, you’re spot on, my dad has the JL8 package in his Z. I knew there was some issue (different calipers) as to why it didn’t work right, but couldn’t remember what it was. Apparently a lot of people were unhappy with them and the dealer would replace your rear with a regular Camaro rear with drums. My dad kept the original rear with the JL8 brakes and sold it with the car.

Tapas > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/27/2016 at 02:25

How much is it valued at?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Tapas
09/27/2016 at 08:44

About $75k.

Tapas > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/28/2016 at 01:21

Damn ._.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Tapas
09/28/2016 at 11:39

That’s what I said. It’s a full-on concours quality car. Easily the nicest thing I’ve ever been allowed to drive.

Spridget > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
10/08/2016 at 12:22

How does it handle?