69 Camaro HT?

[Rodent]

Guys,

What would it take to build a "regular" 69 Camaro HT from what is available in kit form from Revell? Thinking of an L48 TH350. Could be a standard or deluxe interior, could be regular or Rallye Sport. TH350 could be from MAD Modeling but would need to find a horseshoe shifter and console. 

[Casey]

To make a Sport Coupe, I'd suggest you start with the Yenko 427 kit which includes the standard grille (with no nameplate/emblem) and the base interior, IIRC. The small block can come from any number of Revell or AMT kits, but the console will be more challenging to find. If you're going with an RS, the Revell RS/Z/28 kit has the SBC and correct grille, too.  I can't recall if the upholstery pattern is different from that in the Yenko 427 kit or not, though.

I'd suggest buying the Revell '69 Nova SS kit for the SBC parts (especially the stock exhaust manifolds) and the dual exhaust system with crossover rear muffler, like so:

Edited September 18, 2019 by Casey

[Plowboy]

You can get the Z/28 RS kit and leave off the Z/28 emblems from the grille and body. I can't remember if the rear spoiler was separate or not. Think it was. You'll already have a nice small block.  You'll just have to come up with the rest. If you want the small block from the Revell Nova, I have one. 

[Rodent]

Does anyone make a plain hood to fit the Revell body?

[Snake45]

30 minutes ago, Rodent said:

Does anyone make a plain hood to fit the Revell body?

The AMT '67-'68 hood will work if you shave a few thousandths off each side (left and right). I know because I did this to build a non-CI Z/28 20 or 30 years ago. The indentations even line up nicely with the cowl vents. 

[Deuces]

The Revell '69 COPO Nova kit and the Revell '69 Camaro ZL-1 kit both have the steel wheels with the "dog dish" hub caps which were standard on a plain Jane Camaro....

Edited September 19, 2019 by Deuces

[mikemodeler]

18 hours ago, Rodent said:

Does anyone make a plain hood to fit the Revell body?

Norm at Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland had one in his catalog, might be worth a phone call to see if he still has em!

[Rodent]

Thanks guys. I have a weird idea for a themed group of builds and am wondering what I would need to do to get a "standard" 69 Camaro. The other cars will be easy. I am having difficulty finding more than one photo of the 1:1, so I don't exactly know what I need yet. By the taillamps, I know it wasn't an RS at least.

[espo]

As I recall the "standard" Camaro or one without any special style trim groups would have the white back up lights in the center of the center tail lamp section. Hard to describe without a picture and there were several different style lenses. I think the standard lens had three segments and each one faced slightly toward the sides of the vehicle. Some of the style trim groups along with the RS would have the back up lights in their own housing below the rear bumper and the tail light lenses were somewhat flatter. Should you want to build a standard no frills Camaro, the little "gills" in front of the rear wheel opening would not have any chrome trim and the lower edge molding on the side windows would be very small, just enough to hold the rubber window seals. There would be no chrome on the drip rails either. The grill would be painted what Chevrolet called Argent or a flat silver color and that would be the grill and the base area for the headlights. The headlights would have a very thin chrome accent between the grill and the bulb and a large blue Bow Tie in the center of the grill. This was during what I call the "Burger King Era". You could order your car your way with an infinite number of different exterior trim, interior trim and engines and transmissions.   

[Casey]

43 minutes ago, espo said:

As I recall the "standard" Camaro or one without any special style trim groups would have the white back up lights in the center of the center tail lamp section. Hard to describe 

Edited September 20, 2019 by Casey

[Rodent]

OK, for all you Camaro experts out there, were all of the factory installed vinyl tops in 1969 the "halo style" like the orange car?

[Casey]

46 minutes ago, Rodent said:

OK, for all you Camaro experts out there, were all of the factory installed vinyl tops in 1969 the "halo style" like the orange car?

Yes, that was the only way they came in '69.

A few large pics, showing a Sport Coupe with the standard 307 c.i. V-8 engine (mislabeled as an SS at bottom of picture):

 

While not to be taken as 100% accurate in all details, here is the '69 brochure: https://www.myclassicgarage.com/knowledge-base/1969-Chevrolet-Camaro

Note that both 327 and 307 fender engine displacement callout emblems are shown, but I don't recall is the change was mid-year or the shots are just pre-production cars with the "old" 327 emblems. Either way, you should be able to piece together what you need after soaking up enough info.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Casey

[Snake45]

3 hours ago, espo said:

As I recall the "standard" Camaro or one without any special style trim groups would have the white back up lights in the center of the center tail lamp section. Hard to describe without a picture and there were several different style lenses. I think the standard lens had three segments and each one faced slightly toward the sides of the vehicle. Some of the style trim groups along with the RS would have the back up lights in their own housing below the rear bumper and the tail light lenses were somewhat flatter. Should you want to build a standard no frills Camaro, the little "gills" in front of the rear wheel opening would not have any chrome trim and the lower edge molding on the side windows would be very small, just enough to hold the rubber window seals. There would be no chrome on the drip rails either. The grill would be painted what Chevrolet called Argent or a flat silver color and that would be the grill and the base area for the headlights. The headlights would have a very thin chrome accent between the grill and the bulb and a large blue Bow Tie in the center of the grill. This was during what I call the "Burger King Era". You could order your car your way with an infinite number of different exterior trim, interior trim and engines and transmissions.   

There were 2 types of taillights, standard and Rally Sport. The RS package had the separate backup lights in the rear valence. Those taillights were not available separately from the rest of the RS package which included the hideaway headlights. 

The Revell body is molded with the wheel opening chrome trim. This was only available with Style Trim Group (which was included with the RS package). STG also included the chrome trim on the fake vents in the rear fenders. The Revell body does not include this trim. So you have to either remove the wheel opening trim or add the fake vent trim--they went together. 

[Don Sikora II]

All the 1/25-scale Revell ‘69 Camaro hardtop kits have the base interior. Probably easiest to start with the common Z/28 kit with the blue built up on the box. It’s built as a Rally Sort on the box, but the parts for the standard grille and taillights are included too. 

[Deuces]

Yep! The Revell SS Camaro convertible kits come with the custom interior that have the molded in arm rests in the door panels..... Very cool!

Edited September 21, 2019 by Deuces

[Casey]

I wanted to add this image that a forum member posted of his Mom's(?) car a while back, as it appears to be a Sport Coupe with the 350 V8, steel wheels, base wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, and a white vinyl top.

Edited November 17, 2019 by Casey

[LL3 Model Worx]

On 9/18/2019 at 2:14 PM, Rodent said:

Does anyone make a plain hood to fit the Revell body?

I've got a 68 hood that will work if you need it.

[Deuces]

On 11/17/2019 at 10:24 AM, Casey said:

I wanted to add this image that a forum member posted of his Mom's(?) car a while back, as it appears to be a Sport Coupe with the 350 V8, steel wheels, base wheel covers, narrow whitewalls, and a white vinyl top.

I wonder where that Camaro is today.....