1969 Camaro Question

[bill w]

Does anyone know if the turbo 400 trans was an option for the 350 engine or was it for the big block only?

And did the 69 come with a bench seat in the front?

[Deathgoblin]

I think the TH400 was for big blocks. I ended up having one in my Skylark with a 350 because we had to replace the original TH350. The 400 was out of a big block car (junkyard parts).

[Craig Irwin]

Nope, TH 350 or powerglide. The 400 was big block only and required its own crossmember.

[Jordan White]

I'm pretty sure the '69 only came with bucket seats.

[bill w]

Thanks for your response on the trans and the seat, I had conflicting answers from different people on the trans. My Camaro has a 350 engine and a TH 400.

The Camaro I have has the shifter on the column, so I thought it came with a bench seat in front.

[Craig Irwin]

I've seen lots of column shift cars with buckets, even COPO cars. I've also never seen a bench seat in a 69, but that doesn't mean they weren't made. Useless aren't I ?

[bill w]

No Craig your not useless, all this info is usefull. I now have a decision too make, either make a 350 powerglide trans, a big block engine

or just leave things the way they are.

[Craig Irwin]

Bill, I bought my first 69 Camaro is Sept. '72 and have owned several. My advice to you is that if the car is not a numbers matching factory hot rod, and you are intending to keep it is to build it the way you want it. My last one was a 502 with a 4 speed overdrive auto and a Ford 9 inch rear.

[bill w]

Hey Craig I forgot to mention that I bought this Camaro 12 years ago for reference to build a scale model. It's a project car (not restored).

I figured the drive train was correct. I'm very close to finishing it, only to find out that the trans is not the right one. I cant leave it with the wrong trans, and too build a big block would be time consuming, so I'm going to look for a 350 powerglide to scale down. Which means I have too add to the drive shaft.

Oh well a little more work wont hurt!

[mikemodeler]

PM sent on some related information.

[Craig Irwin]

The TH 350 is a completely different trans than a Powerglide (2 speed) , your car was most likely a 3 speed TH 350 (if the 350 ci engine is correct) .

[espo]

On the transmission question, the selector on a P.G. will show D and L only. The 350 will show D,2.1. I purchased a '69 Camaro from the original owner many years ago. It had a base 307 (late build as early builds had a 327 2bbl.) Powerglide bucket seats with column shift. On auto. trans. Camaros GM required a console if the shifter was to be on the floor. Question 2. Camaros could be ordered with a front bench seat as well as a folding rear seat. The bench I think required the custom interior option. The seat was like two buckets with a folding arm rest in between. They were one unit somewhat like the Caprice, but much smaller of course. Hope this will help in your build.

[george 53]

As for Camaros comming with Bench seats YES! I have one in my Garage from mine. I put buckets in it when I put a 454/Turbo 400 in it. I have only seen ONE other camaro with a bench, so they ARE rather rare!!!

[george 53]

NO. the camaro came with a FULL bench seat with seperate seat backs and a fold down center armrest! I have one idf antone is interested.

[The70judgeman]

Never heard of or seen a Camaro with a bench seat. Had to look it up...and BOOM...there it was! Being a "sport(y) coupe", you'd think only bucket seats were available. Another seldom seen automotive oddity!

[Craig Irwin]

I knew about the bench seat in 67 and 68 Camaros, but didn't know about the 69's.

[1930fordpickup]

Why change the trans now and cost yourself money. Just finish and drive or sell. If it is a base car you will get no more money for it .

Yes the 400 is a big block only , but you have a base car . Its value is going to be based mostly on how clean the body is around here in the rust belt.

I do believe that the cross member is also different for the 350 .

[bill w]

Thanks for all the replies, now I wont to know what other options came with the Camaro if any, other than the factory air that's in it.

Andy I don't need too change trans on the 1:1 Camaro. But I need to change the trans for the model I'm building. You're correct on the

crossmember, the 350 is straight and the 400 has a bumpout.

[espo]

As for the options on the 1:1 Camaro, just about anything you can think of was available. I have seen tilt wheels, cruise control and power windows. They had at least two different style vinyl roof treatments and many more different body stripe and spoiler options. You could even order front and rear spoilers and the cowl induction hood even if it wasn't a Z-28 or SS. This was a time when the factories would build it about any way you wanted to order it. As for your model, I don't think anybody but you would notice if your model had a PG,350 or 400 transmission. Look forward to seeing you build. You have me thinking I need to build a model of my '69 Camaro.